[Coral-List] Belize coral spawning

[Nicole Fogarty]

Apologies for the delayed posting, but we did not have Internet 
access on Carrie Bow Cay, Belize.

Summary of spawning observations for Carrie Bow Cay, Belize (full 
moon August 6 at 12:55 am):

August 7 (sunset 6:25pm)
We observed Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata setting at 8:05pm and 
spawned 8:54-9:10pm
This was one of the best acroporid spawns we have seen in the 5 years 
we have been monitoring this reef.  Most of the acroporid colonies on 
this reef spawned, although often only a portion (25-50%) of each 
individual colony spawned this night.

August 8 (sunset 6:25pm)
Due to a tropical wave we had to move to a more protected site.  We 
monitored acroporids from 8:00-9:00pm and no spawning was observed.

August 9 (sunset 6:24pm)
We monitored collected A. cervicornis from 8:00- 9:00pm and no 
spawning was observed.
We did not monitor in the field.

August 10 (sunset 6:24pm)
We monitored at our normal site (where we observed spawning on August 
7) from 9:00-10:05 and no spawning was observed.

August 11 (sunset 6:23pm)
We monitored from 9pm-10:15.  Two colonies of Montastraea annularis 
and two colonies of M. faveolata spawned.  Setting occurred at 9:35pm 
and spawning occurred 10:45-11:15pm.

August 12 (sunset 6:22pm)
We monitored from 9:10-10:50pm.  Upon entering the water we noticed 
many gamete bundles in the water column floating toward the 
surface.  It was difficult to determine if these bundles were from 
early spawning Montastraea colonies or perhaps acroporid spawn.  We 
observed Montastraea faveolta setting 9:10 and spawned 9:40-9:48.  We 
observed a wonderful Diploria strigosa spawn where most of the 
colonies on this reef spawned.  Setting for D. strigosa occurred at 
9:30-9:45pm and spawning occurred 10:00-10:30pm.

Note: We did not monitor after August 12.

The above observations were made by Carrie Bow Team Spawn (aka: Nerd Camp):
Nikki Fogarty, Val Paul, Raphael Williams, Susie Arnold, Kathy 
Morrow, Cliff Ross, Scott Jones, Sherry Reed and in spirit, cheering 
us on from Maine... Bob Steneck.

Nicole D. Fogarty
Florida State University
Department of Biological Science
4079 King Life Science Building
Tallahassee, FL  32306-4295
850-645-8577 office
850-644-2678 lab