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What controls haploid—diploid ratio in the red alga, Gracilaria verrucosa ?
Author(s) -
Destombe Christophe,
Valero Myriam,
Vernet Philippe,
Couvet Denis
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1420-9101.1989.2050317.x
Subject(s) - ploidy , biology , reproduction , botany , parthenogenesis , zoology , genetics , embryo , gene
The conditions for maintenance of a haploid—diploid life cycle in the species Gracilaria verrucosa were studied. This species is a red alga, where haploid plants have separate sexes. In the two natural populations studied, male and female haploid individuals were in equal proportions, and the frequency of diploid individuals reached 0.5. A two‐fold advantage in viability for diploid relative to haploid juveniles was observed in the field. This advantage can account for a frequency of 0.5 of diploid individuals in natural populations. Different types of anomalies in the reproduction of diploid individuals were observed, all of which lead to a reduction of the haploid stage.