PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIATION AMONG CLONAL GENOTYPES IN THE SEA-ANEMONE HALIPLANELLA-LINEATA - GROWTH AND BIOCHEMICAL CONTENT

We have explored physiological variability among clonal genotypes from a single population of the sea anemone Haliplanella lineata located a t Indian Field Creek, Virginia. Information about the correlation betw een physiological variability and genetic differences may provide a fo undation for a mechanistic understanding of the breadth of adaptation of individual genotypes (i.e., the nature of ''general purpose genotyp es'') and of the concept of localized adaptation in clonal anemones, A nemones from three clones (A, B, C) were fed measured rations of adult Artemia, after which growth, absorption efficiency, and net growth ef ficiency were determined, Biochemical constituents were measured in th e tissue of this group of anemones as well as in the tissue of anemone s from the same clones that had fed an libitum on Artemia nauplii. Ane mones from the different clones did not differ significantly in growth , or gravimetric absorption or growth efficiencies, but significant di fferences were found in biochemical composition, Regardless of feeding regime and diet composition, clone B anemones consistently had lower tissue averages of triacylglycerols, fatty acids, sterol and wax ester s, glycerol ethers, and carbohydrates than did clone A and clone C ane mones. As a result of differences in the carbohydrate and lipid consti tuents. the energetic content of tissues from clone B anemones that ha d been fed rations was significantly lower than the energetic content of tissues of anemones from clone C, This clonal pattern in biochemica l composition and energetic content map be due to differences in subst rate absorption among anemones from the different clones, to differenc es in metabolic rate, or to a combination of both, Because anemones fr om this population may encyst in mucus and stop feeding when water tem peratures are less than 10 degrees C, the genotypic differences in sto rage lipids and carbohydrate may have implications for the winter surv ivorship of clone B anemones in this population.