[Coral-List] August spawning observations for Key Largo, FL

[Benjamin.Mason at noaa.gov]

Dear Listers:

Last month's coral Acropora and Montastrea spawn was the most prolific and genetically 
diverse spawn observed in Key Largo in many years.  Below is a summary of observations 
from several Key Largo, reefs.

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8/7/09 (Night 2 after full moon)

Molasses Reef: Acropora palmata (small patch on 1 colony), Acropora cervicornis (1 
transplanted nursery-reared colony)

Horseshoe Reef: Acropora palmata (~ 15% of colonies)

Elbow Reef: No spawning observed

Sand Island: No spawning observed


8/8/09 (Night 3)
Molasses Reef: Acropora palmata (light spawn, 3-5 colonies, bundle release: 22:50-23:00), 
Acropora cervicornis (3 transplanted colonies, bundle release: 22:46-23:00)
 
Elbow Reef: Acropora palmata (moderate spawn from 1 genotype, light spawn from a second 
colony)

Sand Island: Acropora palmata (light spawn from 1 colony)


8/9/09 (Night 4)
Molasses Reef: Acropora palmata (heavy spawn, ~80% of colonies (single genotype) first 
bundle release observed 22:26), Acropora cervicornis (1 transplanted colonies, bundle 
release:  22:36-22:45)

Elbow Reef: Acropora palmata (moderate spawn from 1 genotype, light spawn from a second 
colony)

Sand Island: Acropora palmata (light spawn from 1 colony-same as on 8/8)



8/10/09 (Night 5)
Elbow Reef: Acropora palmata (heavy spawn - 1 colony, moderate release - 1 colony and 
small patches - 4 colonies ... 6 different genotypes observed spawning)  

Sand Island: Acropora palmata (moderate spawn: 3-4 colonies, colony observed on 8/8-8/9 
released again, bundle release: ~22:40)


8/11/09 (Night 6)
Elbow Reef: Acropora palmata (very heavy spawn - 5 colonies/5 different genotypes)  

Sand Island: Acropora palmata (very heavy spawn: multiple colonies/3 genotypes, colony 
releasing 0n 8/8-8/10 did not release), Montastrea faveolata (4 of 6 colonies spawned, 
bundle release: ~23:00)

Horseshoe Reef: Diploria strigosa (1 colony)


8/12/09 (Night 7)
Grecian Rocks: Montastrea faveolata (heavy spawn, 20+ colonies observed spawning, ~90-
100% of all colonies spawned), Montastrea annularis (several small colonies, 100% of 
observed colonies spawned), Diploria strigosa (1 of 1 monitored colonies spawned)

White Banks: heavy spawning observed



**The above observations were made by members of NOAA's (Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center, Miami FL) BEAR Unit and RSMAS graduate students- Margaret Miller, Dana Williams, 
Abel Valdivia, Rachel Wilborn, Lyza Johnston, Benjamin Mason & Rebecca Albright, with 
valuable contributions from SCUBANauts International (Tampa), William Precht, Laurie 
McCaughlin, and Ken Nedimyer.


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