Love is in the water for the critically endangered Sunflower Sea Star as a team in California successfully spawned and cross-fertilized gametes from a male and a female, resulting in fertile eggs. This success marks another incredible step forward in an ongoing collaborative effort to save the species from extinction.
This advancement took place at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, where their experts were joined by partners from the Aquarium of the Pacific, California Academy of Sciences, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) and Sunflower Star Laboratory.
“The collaboration and support that contributed to achieving this milestone has been huge! Birch Aquarium takes great pride in being part of this extraordinary team working towards saving Sunflower Stars," said Melissa Torres, Assistant Dive Safety Officer and Aquarist at Birch Aquarium. "We’re excited to share the diverse genetics of our Sunflower Stars with zoos, aquariums and other partners who may lack sufficient population or access to diverse genetics."
The team used three different sperm samples from the same male to fertilize the eggs. Through this approach, the team can identify optimal sperm storage techniques to enhance the chances of successful egg fertilization in future attempts.
- Fresh sperm from a male Sunflower Star at Birch Aquarium
- -80 sperm — frozen sperm stored in minus 80 C freezer
- Cryopreserved sperm stored in the SDZWA’s Frozen Zoo
Each sample yielded fertilized eggs, marking a monumental advancement in the collective endeavor to bolster the population and genetic diversity of Sunflower Stars in accredited zoos and aquariums.
Some fertilized eggs remained at Birch Aquarium, while the rest were transported to the Aquarium of the Pacific, California Academy of Sciences and additional partners throughout California. Each partner will leverage their expertise towards the goal of culturing these fertilized eggs to larvae and then adulthood.