Submitted by ebertt on Thu, 2014-03-06 12:07
TitleLongevity and lack of senescence in the red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsEbert, TA
JournalExperimental Gerontology
Volume43
Pagination734-738
Keywordsgrowth tanaka function survival reproduction reproductive value disposable soma life-history resource-allocation growth mortality california purpuratus evolution patterns rates size
Abstract

The red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus is a long-lived species and may live in excess of 100 years based on tagging studies in the field and corroboration from radiocarbon analyses as reported in the literature. Size-specific survival estimates reported here show no change in annual Survival probability across the 6 largest 0.5 cm size classes from 14.6 to 18.1 cm. In addition to no change in Survival probability there is no reduction in reproductive capacity with size. Red sea urchins show no evidence of senescence and so do not fit well within the context of the disposable soma theory of the evolution of longevity. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.