Egg capsules and veligers of the corallivorous muricid gastropod <i>Drupella rugosa</i> (Born, 1778)

Population outbreaks of the corallivorous muricid gastropod <i>Drupella</i> can cause significant coral mortality but our current understanding of their early life history, recruitment mechanisms and behaviour is limited. In this study, we observed the deposition of <i>D. rugosa</i> (Born, 1778) egg capsules on bare skeletal surfaces of the scleractinian coral <i>Pocillopora acuta</i> Lamarck, 1816. Each egg capsule measured 2.43 by 2.39 mm and contained an average of 67 embryos. Intracapsular development lasted 15 days post-oviposition, after which free-swimming veliger larvae emerged from the capsule. The larval shells of these veligers with 1⅓ whorls averaged 328 by 245 μm in size. Compared to its congeners, <i>D. rugosa</i> veliger larvae were the largest at hatching. Detailed descriptions of <i>D. rugosa</i> egg capsules and early veligers are provided to supplement current knowledge on reproductive biology and early life history of the species. Such data will provide more insights into understanding and modelling the population dynamics of <i>D. rugosa</i>.

食珊瑚性骨螺科腹足动物（corallivorous muricid gastropod）玫瑰螺属（Drupella）的种群暴发可造成珊瑚大规模死亡，但当前学界对其早期生活史、种群补充机制与行为模式的认知仍存在局限。本研究观察到，皱纹玫瑰螺（Drupella rugosa, Born, 1778）的卵囊可附着于石珊瑚（scleractinian coral）尖枝列孔珊瑚（Pocillopora acuta Lamarck, 1816）的裸露骨骼表面。每枚卵囊尺寸为2.43×2.39 mm，平均内含67枚胚胎。产卵后囊内发育持续15天，随后自由游泳的面盘幼虫（veliger larvae）破囊而出。该类面盘幼虫的壳具1又1/3螺层，壳平均尺寸为328×245 μm。相较于其同属其他物种，皱纹玫瑰螺的面盘幼虫在孵化时体型最大。本研究详细描述了皱纹玫瑰螺的卵囊与早期面盘幼虫，以补充该物种繁殖生物学与早期生活史的现有认知。此类数据将为深入理解与建模皱纹玫瑰螺的种群动态提供更多科学参考。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集聚焦于珊瑚捕食性腹足类动物Drupella rugosa的繁殖和早期生命阶段，提供了卵囊在珊瑚Pocillopora acuta上的沉积细节、胚胎数量、孵化周期和幼虫形态尺寸等关键数据。这些信息补充了该物种的繁殖生物学知识，旨在帮助理解和模拟其种群动态，对海洋生态学研究具有重要价值。