The reproduction of <i>Actinia equina</i> L. var. <i>mesembryanthemum</i>

Abstract

Evidence is presented from a study of Actinia equina var. mesembryanthemum at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, which suggests that brooded young do not represent a random sample from a free-living larval pool. Parents in the laboratory will not accept juveniles placed on their oral disc. A. equina are, therefore, unlikely to be adoptive parents. Esterase heterozygote parents contain only heterozygote young. Sexual reproduction cannot account for this observation unless a parent selects its brood. As A. equina can distinguish self from non-self and juveniles may reproduce asexually, a fertilization - selection - cloning theory of reproduction is considered which could account for what is otherwise a conflicting body of evidence.