(full paper is archived in the Miller Library)
Title: A latitudinal survey of
Symbiodinium in Anthopleura sola
Student Author(s): Jachowski, Nicholas
Faculty Advisor(s): Somero, George
Pages: 21
Location: Final Papers Biology 175H
Date: June 2007
Abstract: Endosymbiotic algae, commonly
of the genus Symbiodinium, are important
in the life cycles of many marine invertebrates.
Being aware of the diversity of algal symbionts
in species of symbiont-containing invertebrates
is a first step towards understanding
host-symbiont interactions and what adaptive
advantages these interactions provide. The
symbionts of a common California intertidal sea
anemone, Anthopleura sola, were surveyed
across a latitudinal gradient of approximately
800 km. A. sola samples were collected at
six sites from Monterey Bay to San Diego,
California. Analysis of the chloroplast 23s
ribosomal RNA gene showed three distinct types of
Symbiodinium (types I, II, III). Data
show previously unknown diversity in
Anthopleura symbionts in a tri-partite
latitudinal replacement of Symbiodinium
types. Type I was the only Symbiodinium
haplotype present in Monterey, the northernmost
site. Going south, it was still the dominant
type in Big Sur, but type III was also present in
low levels. Only type lll was praesent in the
Santa Barbara Channel. The final three, low
latitude sites, White's Point, Dana Point, and
Cabrillo Point, were populated with types II and
III. Type II was more common at White's Point
and Dana Point, while type III was more common at
the southernmost site, Cabrillo Point. Results
suggest that type I is a cold-adapted
Symbiodinium, type II is cool-adapted, and
type III is warm-adapted.