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<p>Marine invertebrates often rely on synchronized spawning and reproductive aggregations to enhance fertilization success. <i>Anasterias antarctica</i> is a brooding sea star widely distributed in the cold–temperate to sub-Antarctic intertidal zones of Patagonia, Argentina. This study examined contact interactions among individuals and temporal variation in density, aggregation, and spatial distribution in relation to reproductive activity. Monthly surveys were conducted from February to September 2014 in Caleta Córdova Norte (central Patagonia). The reproductive period included synchronous spawning beginning in April and comprised three phases: pre-spawning (February–March), spawning (April–May), and post-spawning (June–January). Densities ranged from 21 to 511 individuals m⁻<sup>2</sup> (mean ± SD = 151 ± 103.9), peaking during spawning. Aggregation levels shifted markedly, with solitary individuals dominating pre-spawning and large aggregations increasing during spawning, coinciding with lower seawater temperatures and higher brooding rates. Three postural interaction types were recorded: recognition contact (P1), close lateral contact near gonopores (P2), and overlapping individuals (P3). P1 dominated before and after spawning, whereas P2 and P3 peaked during spawning. Only P2 interactions showed strong size correlation, suggesting size-dependent pairing. Nearest-neighbor analyses revealed reduced inter-individual distances during spawning, especially between males and females, indicating tighter clustering linked to reproductive activity. These patterns highlight the importance of tidepool microhabitats beneath rocks as refuges that concentrate individuals and enhance fertilization success in the environmentally variable intertidal system of central Patagonia.</p>

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Reproductive aggregation of the brooding sea star Anasterias antarctica (Lütken, 1857) (Forcipulata) in Patagonia, Argentina

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月6日

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  • Damián Gaspar Gil,
  • Cecilia Carolina Serrano Aguirre,
  • Héctor Eliseo Zaixso

摘要

Marine invertebrates often rely on synchronized spawning and reproductive aggregations to enhance fertilization success. Anasterias antarctica is a brooding sea star widely distributed in the cold–temperate to sub-Antarctic intertidal zones of Patagonia, Argentina. This study examined contact interactions among individuals and temporal variation in density, aggregation, and spatial distribution in relation to reproductive activity. Monthly surveys were conducted from February to September 2014 in Caleta Córdova Norte (central Patagonia). The reproductive period included synchronous spawning beginning in April and comprised three phases: pre-spawning (February–March), spawning (April–May), and post-spawning (June–January). Densities ranged from 21 to 511 individuals m⁻2 (mean ± SD = 151 ± 103.9), peaking during spawning. Aggregation levels shifted markedly, with solitary individuals dominating pre-spawning and large aggregations increasing during spawning, coinciding with lower seawater temperatures and higher brooding rates. Three postural interaction types were recorded: recognition contact (P1), close lateral contact near gonopores (P2), and overlapping individuals (P3). P1 dominated before and after spawning, whereas P2 and P3 peaked during spawning. Only P2 interactions showed strong size correlation, suggesting size-dependent pairing. Nearest-neighbor analyses revealed reduced inter-individual distances during spawning, especially between males and females, indicating tighter clustering linked to reproductive activity. These patterns highlight the importance of tidepool microhabitats beneath rocks as refuges that concentrate individuals and enhance fertilization success in the environmentally variable intertidal system of central Patagonia.