Coral Spawning Report

[George Schmahl]

It seems that a bunch of question marks got imbedded in my previous
message about coral spawning.  Here is how it was supposed to look:

Coral spawning report - Flower Garden Banks, Northwest Gulf of Mexico -
August 2000

Researchers, resources managers, and recreational divers witnessed the
spectacular event of the annual mass coral spawning at the  Flower
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary during the evenings of August
21-23, 2000.  Details of the spawning are as follows:  (Times given are
Central Standard Time)

August 21, 2000 (7th night after the August full moon) - East Flower
Garden Bank, 60-80' depth
2000 (or earlier) - 2220hrs - Diploria strigosa
2030 (or earlier) - 2130(+) hrs - Montastraea cavernosa males
2055-2200 hrs - M. cavernosa females
2145-2230 - M. franksii
2220-2300 - Stephanocoenia intercepta males
2230-2300 - S. intercepta females
2300-2330 - M. faveolata

August 22, 2000 - East Flower Garden Bank
2030 (or earlier) - - D. strigosa
2200 - - M. franksii
2230 - ? - S. intercepta males
2230 - ? - S. intercepta females
2300-2330 - M. faveolata

August 23, 2000 - West Flower Garden Bank
2030 - 2110 - Colpophyllia natans (not many colonies)

Other spawning species observed:
August 21,  2000
Ophioderma rubicundum - ruby brittle star (evening)
Spirobranchus giganteus - Christmas tree worms (evening)
Ectyoplasia ferox - volcano (or octopus) sponge - males (day) - Note:
females had extruded eggs around 8/17, and eggs were still present
on many colonies.  This is the first documented sighting of sperm
release
at the Flower Garden Banks (eggs had been observed in previous years).

August 22, 2000
2030-2100 - O. rubicundum - ruby brittle stars  - males
2100 - 2110 - O. rubicundum - ruby brittle stars - females
No interaction noted between males and females.  Approximately 100
individuals were observed in one dive on top of coral heads - up to 5
individuals per head.
Ectyoplasia ferox - volcano sponge - male  (day) - see note above.

August 23, 3000
O. rubicundum - ruby brittle star (evening)
2030 - 2100 - unidentified large orange/red brittle stars
60 -70 individuals were observed, multiple individuals per head.
Observed multiple males on one coral head or one female
interacting/interlocking with one male.  Males hold arms up in water
when spawning.

In both species of brittle stars, females raise up on tentacles and
convulse as red eggs are released.


G.P. Schmahl & Emma Hickerson (FGBNMS)
with assistance from Dr. Peter Vize and Derek Hagman (University of
Texas)

--
G.P. Schmahl
Sanctuary Manager
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
216 W. 26th Street, Suite 104
Bryan, TX   77803

***NOTE NEW AREA CODE!***
(979) 779-2705
(979) 779-2334 (fax)
george.schmahl at noaa.gov
http://www.flowergarden.nos.noaa.gov