Spawning at FGBNMS

[Coral Health and Monitoring Program]

---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 13:42:15 -0400 
From: CBAggie at aol.com 
To: coral at aoml.noaa.gov 
Subject: Re: Octocoral Spawn (fwd) 

On the night of  Sept 3, 4, &5 A mass spawning event was again observed at 
the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.  In addition the the many 
colonies of Diploria and Montastrea species obsreved releasing gametes, a 
single small (approx. 15cm diameter)  colony of Porites astreoides was 
observed slowly releasing a milky white substance similar to the sperm 
release previously seen in male M. cavernosa species.  This seems somewhat 
unexpected, as I understand P. astreoides to be a brooding species.  Could 
someone shed some light on this for me. 

Carl Beaver 
Center for Coastal Studies 
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi