Spawning at FGBNMS (fwd)

[Coral Health and Monitoring Program]

---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 17:14:23 -0400 
From: Alina Szmant <aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu> 
To: Coral Health and Monitoring Program <coral at aoml.noaa.gov> 
Subject: Re: Spawning at FGBNMS 

Porites astreoides is a brooder, but that means it broods it's eggs.  if it 
is to outcross with other individuals, each colony must release sperm, which 
is likely what you saw. 

Alina Szmant 

At 09:10 AM 9/13/96 -0400, you wrote: 
>---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
>Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 13:42:15 -0400 
>From: CBAggie at aol.com 
>To: coral at aoml.noaa.gov 
>Subject: Re: Octocoral Spawn (fwd) 
> 
>On the night of  Sept 3, 4, &5 A mass spawning event was again observed at 
>the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.  In addition the the many 
>colonies of Diploria and Montastrea species obsreved releasing gametes, a 
>single small (approx. 15cm diameter)  colony of Porites astreoides was 
>observed slowly releasing a milky white substance similar to the sperm 
>release previously seen in male M. cavernosa species.  This seems somewhat 
>unexpected, as I understand P. astreoides to be a brooding species.  Could 
>someone shed some light on this for me. 
> 
>Carl Beaver 
>Center for Coastal Studies 
>Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 
> 
> 
> 
********************************************** 
Dr. Alina M. Szmant 
Coral Reef Research Group 
RSMAS-MBF 
University of Miami 
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy. 
Miami FL 33149 

TEL: (305)361-4609 
FAX: (305)361-4600 or 361-4005 
E-mail:  ASZMANT at RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU 
**********************************************