Broadcast spawners
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Broadcast spawners release their eggs and sperm usually during mass spawning events once a year, a few nights after full moon. The gametes drift to the water surface where fertilization occurs. After a few days, the embryos will have developed into coral larvae (planulae).
Although reproduction of broadcast spawners has been randomly observed in aquaria, trials to induce captive spawning have not yet been successful. Culturing significant numbers of larvae from spontaneously released spawn has also proven to be unsuccessful.
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SECORE uses specially designed nets for collecting gametes from spawning corals in a non-invasive way. The donor colonies and surrounding reef structure are not disturbed. Fertilization of the eggs is carried out in the laboratory, as well as raising the coral embryos to the larval stage.
The methods used seem to be very successful; only a fraction of the gametes released by a handful of coral colonies may result in the culturing of one million larvae.
Our members have been successful in raising coral colonies of several broadcast spawning species, among which the threatened Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). In recent years this Caribbean species is seriously in danger since field populations have declined over 90 percent throughout their range.
For relevant literature references about this subject, please visit the Research section of this website.
SECORE may help by providing techniques, larvae and primary polyps to members. The members have access to working protocols for broadcast spawning coral species.
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Our members have experience in the sexual reproduction of the following broadcast spawning coral species of the Pacific and Atlantic reef region.
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Atlantic broadcast spawners
- Acropora cervicornis
- Acropora palmata
- Diploria strigosa
- Montastraea annularis
- Montastraea faveolata
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Pacific broadcast spawners
- Acropora digitifera
- Acropora tenuis
- Echinopora lamellose
- Galaxea fascicularis
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