Although it is rare for more than two buds to be produced
simultaneously, budding is apparently a more usual form of reproduction
than sexual reproduction. Individuals that bear eggs have not yet been
found in India in natural conditions, although males with functional
spermaries are not uncommon at the approach of the hot weather. The few
eggs that I have seen were produced in my aquarium towards the end of
the cold weather. Starvation, lack of oxygen, and too high a temperature
(perhaps also lack of light) appear to stimulate the growth of the male
organs in ordinary cases, but perhaps they induce the development of
ovaries in the case of individuals that are unusually well nourished.
The spines that cover the egg retain débris of various kinds upon its
surface, so that it becomes more or less completely concealed by a
covering of fragments of dead leaves and the like even before it is
separated from the polyp. Its separation is brought about by its falling
off the column of the parent. Nothing is known of its subsequent fate,
but probably it lies dormant in the mud through the hot weather. Eggs
are sometimes produced that have no shells. This is probably due to the
fact that they have not been fertilized.
Reproduction by fission occurs rarely in the Indian _Hydra_, but both
equal and unequal vertical fission have been observed. In the case of
equal fission the circumoral area lengthens in a horizontal direction,
and as many extra tentacles as those the polyp already possesses make
their appearance. The mouth then becomes constricted in the middle and
notches corresponding to its constriction appear at either side of the
upper part of the column. Finally the whole animal divides into two
equal halves in a vertical direction. I have only seen one instance of
what appeared to be unequal vertical fission--that of a polyp consisting
of two individuals still joined together by the basal disk, but one
about half the size of the other. Each had three well-developed
tentacles, and in addition a minute fourth tentacle. This was situated
on the side opposed to that of the other individual which bore a similar
tentacle. Transverse fission has not been observed. The Indian _Hydra_
is a very delicate animal as compared with such a form as _H. viridis_,
and all attempts to produce artificial fission without killing the polyp
have as yet failed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account