Indeks Mitotik Simbion Alga Zooxanthellae pada Anemon Laut Stichodactyla gigantean Hasil Reproduksi Aseksual (Mitotic Index of Algal Symbion Zooxanthellae on Giant Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea) Resulted from Asexual Reproduction) - M. Ahsin Rifa’i (ILMU KELAUTAN: Indonesian Journal of Marine Sciences, 2013)
Zooxanthella adalah alga simbiotik yang hidup berasosiasi secara mutualisme pada jaringan endodermis anemon laut. Dinamika alga zooxanthellae telah banyak diketahui pada anemon hasil reproduksi seksual namun sebaliknya pada anemon hasil reproduksi aseksual. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kecepatan pembelahan sel-sel zooxanthellae yang bersimbiosis dengan anemon laut Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskal 1775) hasil reproduksi aseksual dengan teknik fragmentasi. Penelitian dilaksanakan mulai bulan Oktober 2010 sampai Juli 2011 di kawasan terumbu karang Teluk Tamiang, Provinsi Kalimantan Selatan. Paremater yang diuji adalah indeks mitotik zooxanthellae yang bersimbiosis dengan anemon laut. Zooxanthellae bersumber dari anemon alam hasil reproduksi seksual dan anemon hasil reproduksi aseksual yang dipelihara secara bersama selama sepuluh bulan pada perairan alami. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kecepatan pembelahan sel zooxanthellae (indeks mitotik) memiliki perbedaan secara signifikan antara anemon hasil reproduksi aseksual dan anemon alami. Indeks mitotik zooxanthellae tertinggi ditemukan pada anemon alam dibandingkan anemon hasil reproduksi aseksual.  Indeks mitotik relatif sama ditemukan antar lokasi pemeliharaan. Kata kunci: Anemon, indeks mitotik, zooxanthellae, aseksual, reproduksi Zooxanthellae are symbiotic algal that form mutualism relation in endodermis tissue of sea anemone. The dynamics of zooxanthellae algae are well known in the anemone sexual reproduction, but otherwise the asexual reproduction. The aims of the research was to determine the rate of zooxanthellae cells bisection that have the symbiosis with The giant carpet anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea, Forskal 1775) which is resulted from asexual reproduction with the technique of fragmentation. Research was conducted from October 2010 to July 2011 in area of coral reef, Teluk Tamiang, South Kalimantan Province. The examination variable was mitotic index of zooxanthellae symbiont of sea anemone. Zooxanthellae from sea anemone that was resulted from asexual reproduction and sea anemone from the nature were cultured for ten months in the natural waters. The result showed that the rate of zooxanthellae cells division (mitotic index) have a significant difference between anemone which were resulted from asexual reproduction and sea anemone from the nature. The higher mitotic index was found at the sea anemone from the nature compared with those from asexual reproduction. The mitotic index was relatively similar between locations of culture. Keywords: anemone, mitotic index, zooxanthellae, asexual, reproduction