These are 2 of the first 3 mature individuals we got from our lab cultures (grown from larvae over the last few months). We are so excited! Let the injections begin!
For those who are interested, we actually opted for using spirulina and Sera Micron powders only to feed the cultures, instead of the traditional "organic spinach and fish flakes" regimen. The worms have been growing very well, so I was hopeful everything was fine on this diet, but a part of me was afraid that they may be lacking some important nutrient that is absent in spirulina, and maybe their sexual maturation would be delayed. Well, I am so happy to see that they are maturing right on time. So, we may have simplified Platynereis culturing big time!
See the Twİtter thread about Platynereis for more information on the life cycle (and tragedy!).