Involvement of lectin-like factors in larval settlement and metamorphosis in the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

The planktonic larvae of the gastropod mollusk Haliotis discus hannai are effectively induced to settle and metamorphose by contact with the seed collecting plate which was treated with the abalone mucous trail and the algae, such as the diatom, Cocconeis spp.. This process appears to be medated by lectins, because monosaccharide, glucose or mannose blocked the metamorphosis and larvae did not metamorphose on the substrate treated with the lectin, concanavalin A. It was suggested that there was the Con A binding site on the surface of the substrates, and the sugars on the substrates might play an important role in the metamorphosis of the larvae.