Reproduction of Scleractinian Corals

10/3/01

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Table of Contents

The Not-So-Secret Sex Lives of Scleractinian Corals

Basic Concepts to be Covered

Asexual Reproduction

Types of Polyp Budding

Modes of Asexual Reproduction

Accidental Fragmentation

Accidental Fragmentation

Nonaccidental Fragmentation

Nonaccidental Fragmentation

Nonaccidental Fragmentation

Partial Colony Mortality

Partial Colony Mortality

Anthocaulus-like Stalk Grown from a Septal Fragment in Fungia scutaria

Tissue Regeneration in Fungia scutaria

Partial Colony Mortality

Asexual Planula

Polyp Bail-Out

Sexuality

Location of Gonads in Coral Polyps

Types of Hermaphroditism

Adaptive Considerations

Hermaphroditic Corals in Hawai‘i

Gonochoric Corals in Hawai‘i

Brooding Versus Broadcast Spawning

Adaptive Considerations

Adaptive Considerations

Adaptive Considerations

Brooding Corals in Hawai‘i

Broadcast Spawning Corals in Hawai‘i

Reproductive Effort and Fecundity

Reproductive Effort and Fecundity

Environmental Stresses Yielding Lower Fecundity in Corals

Zooxanthellae Incorporation into Eggs

Timing and Synchrony

Reproductive Cycles Observed

Advantages to Synchronized Spawning

Proximate Factors Synchronizing Spawning in Corals

Proximate Factors Synchronizing Spawning in Corals

Proximate Factors Synchronizing Spawning in Corals

Proximate Factors Synchronizing Spawning in Corals

Reproductive Synchrony in Some Hawaiian Corals

Differences in the Timing of Planulation by Pocillopora damicornis

Multiple Species Mass Spawning Events

Advantages and Disadvantages of Multispecies Mass Spawning

Egg Buoyancy During Spawning

Egg-Sperm Bundle Break Up by Montipora capitata

Fungia scutaria Egg

Fungia scutaria Cleavage - Two Cells

Fungia scutaria Cleavage - Four Cells

Fungia scutaria Early Blastula

Fungia scutaria Planula Stages

Mouth of Fungia Planula

Fungia scutaria Settled Polyp

Planula Dispersal and Settlement

Possible Planula Food Sources

Coral Dispersal by Rafting on Floating Objects

Life Cycle of Fungia scutaria

Author: David A. Krupp

Email: krupp@hawaii.edu

Home Page: krupp.wcc.hawaii.edu