October spawning in Jamaica

[Jeremy Woodley]

Encouraged by your suggestion last month, Judith Mendes and I looked for  
coral spawning on the night of October 3rd at Drunkenman's Cay, Port  
Royal, Jamaica.  Between 2130 and 2200 (EST) we saw spawning by  
Montastraea annularis (columnar) and M. Faveolata (massive).  More, we  
thought, than in September, but the corals were less abundant at the site  
we studied then.  Uncorrected Hobotemp data show a max of 30.7 on  
September 14. 

I was surprised to see the brittle-star Ophiopsila totally emerged and,  
in one case, adopting a "pentapod" posture, shown by some b-s when  
spawning.  Usually one sees only the slender arms, at night, fishing from  
a crevice.  A touch, in the dark, prompts a green luminescent display. 

Jeremy Woodley.