Common name: Starlet sea anemone

Taxon: Cnidaria

Developmental mode: Indirect

Life cycle: Benthic-lecithotrophic

Egg type: Telolecithal

Cleavage type: Holoblastic

Gastrulation type: Invagination

Larval type: Planula

See existing Gene expression data.

See species description (coming soon!).

Nematostella vectensis can be easily cultured under laboratory conditions in 1/3x sea water. Induction of gametogenesis is induced by extended light exposure and several thousands of oocytes can be fertilized in vitro. Embryogenesis is temperature dependent but in general development from egg to primary polyps is achieved in less than a week and sexual maturity reached after 3-4 months.

Embryos shown below have been raised at 17C under laboratory conditions. The animal pole is to the top and the vegetal pole to the bottom. White indicates the cell membrane/muscle fibers (Phalloidin), cyan the cell nuclei (DAPI) and (*) the position of the blastopore/mouth opening. (hpf, dpf) hours or days post fertilization.

Added by: Eric Röttinger