Fertilization success during a natural spawning of the dendrochirote sea cucumber Cucumaria miniata

Abstract

A natural spawning event of the dendrochirote sea cucumber Cucumaria miniata was observed in Bamfield, British Columbia, during a spring phytoplankton bloom, 18–19 March 1991. This study provides estimates of fertilization success from this spawning event and of the density of the spawning population. High percent fertilization was found in egg pellets collected soon after release from the female gonopore (x = 87.2%; range 1–100%), and in egg pellets collected after floating to the water surface (x = 97.5%; range 68–100%). The high fertilization success seen is likely due to high population density and synchronous spawning.