PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Vaughn, Dawn AU - Strathmann, Richard R. TI - Predators Induce Cloning in Echinoderm Larvae AID - 10.1126/science.1151995 DP - 2008 Mar 14 TA - Science PG - 1503--1503 VI - 319 IP - 5869 4099 - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/319/5869/1503.short 4100 - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/319/5869/1503.full SO - Science2008 Mar 14; 319 AB - Asexual propagation (cloning) is a widespread reproductive strategy of plants and animals. Although larval cloning is well documented in echinoderms, identified stimuli for cloning are limited to those associated with conditions favorable for growth and reproduction. Our research shows that larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus also clone in response to cues from predators. Predator-induced clones were smaller than uncloned larvae, suggesting an advantage against visual predators. Our results offer another ecological context for asexual reproduction: rapid size reduction as a defense.