INITIATION OF DEVELOPMENT IN ARBACIA. V: THE EFFECT OF SLOWLY EVAPORATING SEA-WATER AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE THEORY OF AUTO-PARTHENOGENESIS

Abstract

Uninseminated Arbacia eggs in open dishes initiated development, those in stoppered vials did not. The difference was due to slow evaporation from the former, resulting in hypertonicity. If fertilizin production were the cause of development, highly concentrated eggs in closed vials should develop. Use of "egg water" in place of sea water does not improve development. Results suggest that Glaser''s autoparthenogenesis was really due to hypertonicity. Glaser''s method also admitted CO2 and, in heteroparthenogenesis, some foreign perivisceral fluid. His criticism of Lillie''s fertilizin theory appears to be without foundation.