Last Update: 2 November 2017 Part I

M - 47

Cyclomorphosis of Rotifers
Write a short note on Cyclomorphosis. Write about the peculiarity of rotiferan reproduction.
Seasonal polymorphism, or cyclomorphosis, is found
among many zooplankton, but is most conspicuous among the
Cladocera and rotifera. So in some Daphnia shows a helmet
like structure in summer, but in Autum, the helmet structure
decreases in size. In winter the helmet structure completely
disappear & in spring then helmet again occur. This type of
cyclic changes of morphology called cyclomorphosis.

DEFINITION

Cyclomorphosis is defined by Brooks (1946) as the cyclic form change in series of genetically
identical generations.

ROTIFERS

75% are sessile and associated with littoral substrates. Most inhabit freshwaters.
About 100 species are planktonic and form a significant component of the zooplankton community,
where they are one of the most important soft-bodied invertebrates in the plankton.
Body tends to be elongated and is divided into distinct regions of head, trunk, and foot. Cuticle is
usually thin and flexible. But in some species cuticle is thickened and forms a LORICA (this feature
is important taxonomically).
Anterior end or CORONA is ciliated. Cilia are used for both locomotion and in directional
movement of food to mouth. Mouth is usually anteriorally located.
Most rotifers are nonpredatory. Predatory species such as the common Asplancha sp. are usually
large and feed upon protozoa, other rotifers, and micrometazoans of the appropriate size.
Rotifers mostly inhabit the littoral zone and so are sessile in nature and associated with substrate.
Rotifer density is highest in association with submerged macrophytes, where it may approach 25,000
individuals/L. Planktonic populations are less dense (200-300 ind/L) presumably because there are
few sites for attachment and less protection
from predation.

CYCLOMORPHOSIS

Cyclomorphosis (seasonal polymorphism) is common

in rotifers. There are four common types of changes:

1. Elongation in relation to body width. In some

Asplancha spp. body can be 5X as long as
wide by mid-summer compared with nearly
spherical shape in spring. Elongated forms are
nearly always sterile and usually die back
only to reappear the following spring. Thus,
why this form occurs is puzzling.
 2. Enlargement through the formation of body wall outgrowths or humps. In Asplancha sieboldi this
type of change may be an adaptation to cope with larger food size.
3. Reduction in size, usually at higher summer
temperatures, with a disproportionate reduction in length
of the lorical spines. This change is common in Keratella
spp. The adaptive value is not clear since smaller size
may increase sinking rate. It has been recorded that
Asplankna conditioned culture media potentially induces
the elongation phenomena of Cyclomorphosis in keratella
(Gilbert, 1967)
4. Production of lateral spines. This type of change appears
to be related to the presence of predators and is an
attempt to reduce predation by making the animal look
bigger.

Spine variation in a clone of the rotifers Brachionus

caliciflorus induced by increasing concentrations of a
proteinicious substances by its predators Asplankna and posterolateral spine (Gilbert, 1967)

TEORIES ABOUT CYCLOMORPHOSIS

Cyclomorphosis as an adaptive phenomenon

To avoid sinking -- phytoplankton (or zooplankton) may develop spines or longer forms to increase their
resistance to sinking (increasing form resistance in Stoke's Law that governs sinking rates). In warmer
waters (during summer) when water density is lower and sinking rates higher, we would predict that there
should be an increase in longer forms.

Cyclomorphosis and Environment (Temperature and Photoperiod)

A combination of environmental parameters has been considered to induce internal growth factors
(hormones) that influence differential growth: increased temperature, turbulence, photoperiod, and food
enhance cyclomorphosis in daphnid cladocerans.

Cyclomorphosis and predation pressure

Adaptive significance of cyclomorphic growth likely centers on reducing predation by allowing continued
growth of peripheral transparent structures without enlarging the central portion of the body visible to fish.
Small cladocerans that increase size by cyclomorphic growth reduce capture success by invertebrate
predators like copepods. Changes in rotifer growth form include elongation in relation to body width,
enlargement, reduction in size, and production of lateral spines which reduce predation success.
Cyclomorphosis is lacking in copepods, which, by means of rapid, evasive swimming movements, can
defend themselves better from invertebrate predators than can most rotifers and cladocerans.

Resistance to invertebrate predation -- cyclomorphosis to forms with spines, helmets, etc. may be an
adaptation to avoid predation by invertebrates -- For example, there are two forms of the zooplankton
Bosmina, and one form has short mucrones (tailspine) and antennae. The other form has long mucrones and
antennae. The long form has been shown to be resistant to predation by the copepod Epischura, because the
antennae interfere with the copepod's ability to turn and eat the Bosmina. The long form Bosmina escape
more frequently and then 'play dead' and avoid recapture. So, a switch from short to long forms in this case
and others, may be adaptations to avoid predation by invertebrate predators that can not capture or ingest
spiney zooplankton.
REPRODUCTION PEQUILIARITY

Typical life cycle is characterized by a large number of generations in which reproduction is

PARTHENOGENETIC by the females (i.e., reproduction occurs without fertilization of eggs by
male gametes) and usually involves the formation of diploid eggs whose development is initiated
spontaneously.
Amictic females are diploid (2n) and produce amictic eggs (2n) that develop further into amictic
females. There may be up to 20-40 amictic generations before sexual reproduction occurs.
Egg development time is about 1 day under warm optimal conditions, so populations of amictic
females can develop rapidly in 2-5 days under good growing conditions. This seems to be the main
advantage of asexual reproduction.
Occasionally this cycle is broken (perhaps 1 or 2 times/yr) by the development of mictic females,
which looks like an amictic female and is diploid (2n), but eggs of mictic females undergo double
meiotic division to produce a haploid (n) egg..
Fertilization of mictic females by males causes eggs to develop into thick-walled resting eggs that
undergo a prolonged diapause and are highly resistant to adverse conditions. Diapause may extend
for days, weeks, or months and can be terminated by changes in temperature, osmotic pressure, water
chemistry, and oxygen among other factors.
Resting or diapause eggs always produces parthenogenetic amictic females.
If the mictic eggs (n) are not fertilized, they will develop into males which are haploid (n). Males are
reduced in size and complexity and are essentially short-lived sperm producing vessels. Males are
capable of copulating within an hour of hatching.

WHY ARE MICTIC FEMALES PRODUCED?

Reasons aren't clear. Stimuli appear to be species-specific and included crowding of amictic females
in relation to food, accumulation of wastes and pheromones, temperature changes, etc.
In Asplancha sp alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in the diet appears to induce reproductive change.
Vitamin E is essential for spermatogenesis. When fed Paramecium all amictic females are found in
the population. But low densities of algae such as Chlamydomonas and Euglena led to a high
proportion of mictic females.

ROTIFER FOOD AND REPRODUCTIVE RATES

Rotifers feed by moving seston particles into the mouth through the action of the coronal cilia. Size
of the particles varies, but most are small, < 12 um.
Feeding is related to food size and shape and consists mostly of algal cells. There is evidence that some algae
such as Chlorella are eaten less actively (i.e., rotifers may be selective in food choice) because they inhibit
growth.
Some species are rotifers are raptorial - they seize and ingest whole prey or puncture the cell or body wall and
suck out the contents. Asplancha, the largest rotifer, preys on algae, other rotifers, and small planktonic
crustaceans and has the ability to alter its size in response to changes in size of food particles.
Rotifers feed on a large range of food sizes, which results in separation of species into size classes of available
food niches (i.e., resource partitioning based on size of food item prevents competition among different rotifer
species). This separation or partitioning is consistent with the observation that many species of rotifers co-
exist simultaneously in the pelagial zone.
Reproductive rates are related to the quality and quantity of food and temperature. Rates are generally lower if
food quality is poor or if food is scarce.
Temperature affects the rate of egg development, rates of biochemical reactions (i.e., metabolism), feeding,
movement, longevity, as well as reproduction.
Composite effects of temperature are reasonably clear. Most ectothermic species are adapted to specific
temperatures at which they perform best. Rotifers are no exception. Some are stenothermal (tolerate only a
narrow range of temperatures) others are eurythermal (tolerate wide range of temperatures).