[Coral-List] Moderate Acropora spawning

[Iliana Baums]

We observed Acropora palmata spawn on 21 July 03, the 8th night after the
July full moon. Of the 80 colonies present at Sand Island Reef, Florida
Keys, four set gametes between 2100hrs and 2130hrs. The four colonies
spawned between 2230hrs and 2305 hrs. Only one or two branches each of the
four colonies spawned.

Larvae resulting from crosses performed will be used to determine the
inheritance pattern of microsatellite markers that I have developed for A.
palmata.

We observed at Sand Island from 15 Jul through 18 Jul and 21 through 22
Jul between 2000 hrs and 2300 hrs. However, we did not expect any spawning
after the July full moon. In previous years, A. palmata spawned on nights
2-4 after the August full moon (Szmant 1986, and pers. Observ.). In 2002,
Acropora palmata did not spawn at the predicted August nights at Sand
Island and French Reefs, Florida Keys, so we wanted to make sure they
would not go in July.

One colony did spawn on 17 and 18 July at 2300 hrs (3rd and 4th night
after the full moon). However, gametes were released from a small patch of
about 10 x 10 cm only. The same colony spawned again on 21 Jul but from a
different branch. No spawning was observed 15, 16 and 22 Jul during a
total of 9hrs of observations.

We will try again in August (15-18 Aug), hoping that the rest of the
population will spawn then. I would appreciate a short email from you if
you have observed Caribbean Acropora spawning or are planning to go out in
August (ibaums at rsmas.miami.edu).


Iliana Baums
Charles Fasano
Dana Williams
Margaret Miller
Mark Vermeij


****************************************************
Iliana Baums, Dipl. Biol.
Ph.D. student
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Marine Biology and Fisheries
University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149

fax 305.361.4600
fon 305.361.4642