[Coral-List] Pocillopora meandrina spawning observed, French Frigate Shoals, NWHI

[Lindsey Kramer]

Aloha Coral-Listers,
Our team at the Tern Island Field Station (French Frigate Shoals,
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) observed a broadcast spawning event for the
coral species, Pocillopora meandrina (Cauliflower coral) on the mornings of
May 19th and May 20th at Shark Island lagoon.  Approximately 30% of the
observed corals spawned (of ~50 colonies) on May 19th, and 95% of the
observed corals spawned (of ~70 colonies) on May 20th.  Spawning was not
observed at the site on April 19th and May 18th.  We relied on a predictive
model for the main Hawaiian Islands, established by West Hawai'i SeaGrant
and ReefWatchers (Sara Peck and Joan Prater). (Spawning has been observed
annually on Hawai'i Island by UH Sea Grant's ReefWatchers since 2001).
To my knowledge, coral spawning has not been documented in the field for the
French Frigate Shoals or the NWHI.  I would appreciate any references or
personal observations of coral spawning events for the NWHI.

Cheers,
Lindsey Kramer, Sara Peck, and the Tern Island team- Paula Hartzell, Mark
Sullivan, Kristina Dickson, Jimmy Macaulay, Sarah Youngren and Dan Rapp

K.Lindsey.Kramer at gmail.com