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Induction of metamorphosis in the sand dollar Peronella japonica by thyroid hormones
Author(s) -
Saito Minoru,
Seki Masanori,
Amemiya Shonan,
Yamasu Kyo,
Suyemitsu Takashi,
Ishihara Katsutoshi
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1998.t01-1-00006.x
Subject(s) - metamorphosis , hormone , larva , thyroid , medicine , endocrinology , biology , thyroid hormones , juvenile hormone , japonica , ecology , botany
The larva of the sand dollar Peronella japonica lacks a mouth and gut, and undergoes metamorphosis into a juvenile sand dollar without feeding. In the present study, it was found that thyroid hormones accelerate the metamorphosis of P. japonica larvae. The contents of thyroid hormones in larvae increased gradually during development. Thiourea and potassium perchlorate, inhibitors of thyroid hormone synthesis, delayed larval metamorphosis and simultaneously repressed an increase in the content of thyroxine in the larval body. These results suggest that the P. japonica larva has a system for synthesis of thyroid hormones that act as factors for inducing metamorphosis.