Two-way sex change in the endangered limpetPatella ferruginea(Mollusca, Gastropoda)

Detection of Genetic Patterns in Endangered Marine Species Is Affected by Small Sample Sizes

Knowledge of Genetic diversity and its spatial distribution is crucial to improve conservation plans for endangered species. Genetic tools help ensure species' long-term persistence by unraveling connectivity patterns and evolutionary trajectories of populations. Here, microsatellite genotypes of individuals from populations of Patella ferruginea are used to assess the effect of sample size on metrics of within-and between-population genetic diversity by combining empirical and simulated data. Within-population metrics are slightly to moderately affected by small sample size, albeit the magnitude of the bias is proportional to the effective population size and gene flow. The power of detecting genetic differentiation among populations increases with sample size, albeit the gain of increasing the number of sampled individuals tends to be negligible between 30 and 50. Our results line up with those of previous studies and highlight that small sample sizes are not always a hindrance to investigating genetic patterns in endangered marine species. Caution is needed in interpreting genetic patterns based on small sample sizes when the observed genetic differentiation is weak. This study also highlights the importance of carrying out genetic monitoring in seemingly well-preserved but potentially isolated populations.

Sex Determination, Sexual Development, and Sex Change in Slipper Snails

Sex determination and sexual development are highly diverse and controlled by mechanisms that are extremely labile. While dioecy (separate male and female functions) is the norm for most animals, hermaphroditism (both male and female functions within a single body) is phylogenetically widespread. Much of our current understanding of sexual development comes from a small number of model systems, limiting our ability to make broader conclusions about the evolution of sexual diversity. We present the calyptraeid gastropods as a model for the study of the evolution of sex determination in a sequentially hermaphroditic system. Calyptraeid gastropods, a group of sedentary, filter-feeding marine snails, are sequential hermaphrodites that change sex from male to female during their life span (protandry). This transition includes resorption of the penis and the elaboration of female genitalia, in addition to shifting from production of spermatocytes to oocytes. This transition is typically under environmental control and frequently mediated by social interactions. Males in contact with females delay sex change to transition at larger sizes, while isolated males transition more rapidly and at smaller sizes. This phenomenon has been known for over a century; however, the mechanisms that control the switch from male to female are poorly understood. We review here our current understanding of sexual development and sex determination in the calyptraeid gastropods and other molluscs, highlighting our current understanding of factors implicated in the timing of sex change and the potential mechanisms. We also consider the embryonic origins and earliest expression of the germ line and the effects of environmental contaminants on sexual development.

Biological Conservation of Giant Limpets: The Implications of Large Size

Patellogastropods, also known as true limpets, are distributed throughout the world and constitute key species in coastal ecosystems. Some limpet species achieve remarkable sizes, which in the most extreme cases can surpass 35cm in shell length. In this review, we focus on giant limpets, which are defined as those with a maximum shell size surpassing 10cm. According to the scientific literature, there are a total of 14 species across five genera that reach these larger sizes. Four of these species are threatened or in danger of extinction. Inhabiting the intertidal zones, limpets are frequently affected by anthropogenic impacts, namely collection by humans, pollution and habitat fragmentation. In the case of larger species, their conspicuous size has made them especially prone to human collection since prehistoric times. Size is not phylogeny-dependent among giant limpets, but is instead related to behavioural traits instead. Larger-sized species tend to be nonmigratory and territorial compared to those that are smaller. Collection by humans has been cited as the main cause behind the decline and/or extinction of giant limpet populations. Their conspicuously large size makes them the preferred target of human collection. Because they are protandric species, selectively eliminating larger specimens of a given population seriously compromises their viability and has led to local extinction events in some cases. Additionally, sustained collection over time may lead to microevolutionary responses that result in genetic changes. The growing presence of artificial structures in coastal ecosystems may cause population fragmentation and isolation, limiting the genetic flow and dispersion capacity of many limpet species. However, when they are necessitated, artificial structures could be managed to establish marine artificial microreserves and contribute to the conservation of giant limpet species that naturally settle on them.

The influence of simulated exploitation on Patella vulgata populations: protandric sex change is size-dependent

Grazing mollusks are used as a food resource worldwide, and limpets are harvested commercially for both local consumption and export in several countries. This study describes a field experiment to assess the effects of simulated human exploitation of limpets Patella vulgata on their population ecology in terms of protandry (age‐related sex change from male to female), growth, recruitment, migration, and density regulation. Limpet populations at two locations in southwest England were artificially exploited by systematic removal of the largest individuals for 18 months in plots assigned to three treatments at each site: no (control), low, and high exploitation. The shell size at sex change (L₅₀: the size at which there is a 50:50 sex ratio) decreased in response to the exploitation treatments, as did the mean shell size of sexual stages. Size‐dependent sex change was indicated by L₅₀ occurring at smaller sizes in treatments than controls, suggesting an earlier switch to females. Mean shell size of P. vulgata neuters changed little under different levels of exploitation, while males and females both decreased markedly in size with exploitation. No differences were detected in the relative abundances of sexual stages, indicating some compensation for the removal of the bigger individuals via recruitment and sex change as no migratory patterns were detected between treatments. At the end of the experiment, 0–15 mm recruits were more abundant at one of the locations but no differences were detected between treatments. We conclude that sex change in P. vulgata can be induced at smaller sizes by reductions in density of the largest individuals reducing interage class competition. Knowledge of sex‐change adaptation in exploited limpet populations should underpin strategies to counteract population decline and improve rocky shore conservation and resource management.