LIGHT-INDUCTION OF SHEDDING OF GAMETES IN CIONA INTESTINALIS AND MOLGULA MANHATTENSIS

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Abstract
The time of shedding of gametes and the effects of the intensity and the wavelength of light upon the process was investigated. The time of shedding was recorded from 24 animals in each species on 4 consecutive days. C. intestinalis and M. manhattensis commenced to shed their gametes 407 min. [plus or minus]2.60 and 24.16 min. [plus or minus]4.46 respectively, after exposure to light. 12724 of C. intestinalis and 6/24 of M. manhattensis shed consecutively over 4 consecutive days. High intensities of light did not inhibit shedding but lower intensities - 0.67 f.c. and 0.40 f.c. -produced a marked reduction in the shedding response. At 0.21 f.c. shedding was completely inhibited in C. intestinalis and reduced to 25% in M. manhattensis. In both species, shedding was partially inhibited when light was absorbed up to 600 mu and totally inhibited when absorbed to 700 mu. This indicated that the excitatory wavelengths lie between 500 mu and 700 mu.

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