Green Fluorescence of Cytaeis Hydroids Living in Association with Nassarius Gastropods in the Red Sea

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 3;11(2):e0146861. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146861. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Green Fluorescent Proteins (GFPs) have been reported from a wide diversity of medusae, but only a few observations of green fluorescence have been reported for hydroid colonies. In this study, we report on fluorescence displayed by hydroid polyps of the genus Cytaeis Eschscholtz, 1829 (Hydrozoa: Anthoathecata: Filifera) found at night time in the southern Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) living on shells of the gastropod Nassarius margaritifer (Dunker, 1847) (Neogastropoda: Buccinoidea: Nassariidae). We examined the fluorescence of these polyps and compare with previously reported data. Intensive green fluorescence with a spectral peak at 518 nm was detected in the hypostome of the Cytaeis polyps, unlike in previous reports that reported fluorescence either in the basal parts of polyps or in other locations on hydroid colonies. These results suggest that fluorescence may be widespread not only in medusae, but also in polyps, and also suggests that the patterns of fluorescence localization can vary in closely related species. The fluorescence of polyps may be potentially useful for field identification of cryptic species and study of geographical distributions of such hydroids and their hosts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fluorescence*
  • Gastropoda*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Hydrozoa* / classification
  • Hydrozoa* / genetics
  • Indian Ocean
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
  • Saudi Arabia

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins

Grants and funding

Fieldwork was supported by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Office of Competitive Research Funds under grant number CRG-1-2012-BER-002; molecular laboratory work and data analysis were conducted with support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (#15-29-02601); microscopic study and processing of the paper were supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation (#14-50-00029). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.