Flower Garden Banks spawning

[Gregory Boland]

     New Information from field observations at Flower Garden Banks, Gulf=
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     of Mexico: Research cruise on M/V Fling: 8/14-8/18, 1998, sponsored =
by =

     NOAA, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and Oceanographi=
c =

     Expeditions.  =

     (These reports are compiled from observations of a number of people)=

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     Coral Spawning:
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     Night of August 15, 7th night after the Aug. 7 full moon (all times =
as =

     CDT):
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     20:50:  First observations of sparse egg bundles at surface, probabl=
y =

     Diploria strigosa.
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     21:05-22:45  Very substantial spawning slick on surface (rough =

     estimate 10,000-15,000 egg bundles/sq m).
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     21:21:  First confirmed observations of  D. strigosa spawning on =

     bottom.
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     21:37-21:48  Extensive spawn by D. strigosa.
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     21:37-22:10  Extensive spawn  by Montastrea franksi.
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     22:00   One male M. cavernosa.
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     22:10-22:45  Diminishing releases by M. franksi, nothing seen after =

     22:45.
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     23:45-00:05        Extensive releases by M. faveolata and male and =

     female Stephanocoenia michilini ( males first then adjacent female =

     response).
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     Night of August 16, 8th night after:
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     20:24   First observations of sparse egg bundles at surface, probabl=
y =

     Diploria strigosa.
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     21:05-23:00  Substantial spawning slick on surface (rough estimate =

     6,000 egg bundles/sq m)
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     21:40-22:15  Numerous  D. strigosa spawning throughout period.
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     22:15-21:48        Extensive spawn by D. strigosa.
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     22:15-22:30  Limited  M. franksi spawn.
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     23:10-23:54   S. michilini, male and female.
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     23:45      Single head of  M. faveolata release.
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     Night of August 17, 9th night after:
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     20:55-21:15  Several heads of Colpophylia natans releasing.
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     21:03      One head of male M. cavernosa releasing.
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     Night of August 18, 10th night after:
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     20:55-21:15  Numerous heads of Colpophylia natans releasing (more th=
an =

     previous night).
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     Bleaching:
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     Contrary to recent predictions concerning the Flower Gardens, there =

     was very little evidence of bleaching at the East or West Flower =

     Garden Banks as late as August 18.  Water temperature was nearly  =

     uniform at 86=B0 F  throughout the water column to a depth of 30 m.
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     In contrast, the firecoral (Millepora alcicornis) at Stetson bank, n=
ow =

     part of the FGBNMS, was heavily bleached; nearly total bleaching of =
at =

     least 75% of existing cover which comprises about 20% of the total =

     substrate.  (In the past, esssentially 100% of this bleaching =

     recovers)
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     New Species Record at Flower Garden Banks:
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     A new taxa was encountered at the East Flower Garden Bank during a =

     night dive by Greg and Gloria Boland.  At a depth of 65 ft we observ=
ed =

     what appeared to be an antipatharian coral, never previously reporte=
d =

     to my knowledge. In fact, there have never been any soft corals or =

     antipatharians of any kind documented on the coral reef (wire corals=
, =

     Cirrhipathes, are common at depths below 200 ft) .  The colony was a=
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     cluster of stiff branches originating from a stalk attached to the =

     underside of a coral head out of sight.  The color was an orange- re=
d =

     or rusty brown.  The morphology very closely resembles Antipathes =

     gracilis.   Photographs were taken and will be used to confirm =

     identification.  A sample was not obtained at the time due to the a =

     lack of a collection permit.
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     Report by:
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     Greg Boland
     Biological Oceanographer
     Minerals Management Service
     =