Synchronous reproduction of corals in the Red Sea

Synchronous spawning of Acropora in the Red Sea

“…While high multi-specific synchrony in the reproductive condition of Acropora colonies has been documented in the Red Sea in April and/or May (Hanafy et al 2010), multi-specific synchronous spawning has not been directly observed. In April 2011, mature oocytes were found in a high proportion of colonies in numerous species of Acropora on reefs near Thuwal, Saudi Arabia (22°18¢19.26 †N, 38°57¢56.66 †E).…”

Sexual reproduction in octocorals

“…At Eilat in the northern Red Sea, both zooxanthellate octocorals and scleractinians exhibit temporal reproductive isolation with synchronous spawning occurring on different dates or phases of the moon (Shlesinger & Loya 1985, Benayahu et al 1990). However, recent data indicate highly synchronous gamete maturation for acroporids in the Egyptian Red Sea (Hanafy et al 2010). For intra-specific comparisons across a latitudinal gradient, a longer exposure to warm water has been positively correlated with a longer breeding season (Oliver et al 1988, Mangubhai & Harrison 2009, de Putron & Ryland 2009).…”

The status of coral reef ecology research in the Red Sea

“…However, two independent studies conducted in the main Red Sea basin have reported both the presence of synchronous spawning of Acropora species in the central Red Sea (Bouwmeester et al 2011), and a strong synchrony in the gametogenesis of Acropora corals (Hanafy et al 2010), suggesting that reproduction patterns differ between the Gulf of Aqaba and the central Red Sea. The generality of these patterns, however, needs to be investigated further.…”

“…In comparison, 197 articles were found from the Great Barrier Reef and 108 from the Caribbean, which together represent over 50% of the total number of articles in this field (Table 1, ESM 4). Of the two articles from the Red Sea basin that were not from the Gulf of Aqaba, one study described the synchrony of reproductive condition of Acropora species (Hanafy et al 2010) and the other one found limited larval dispersal of a brooding coral after studying the gene flow between 2 locations in the Gulf of Aqaba and a third location in the main Red Sea basin located over 500 km away (Maier et al 2005). …”

“…To date, our knowledge of patterns of reproduction of corals in the main Red Sea (i.e., excluding the Gulf of Aqaba) are limited to a few species of Acropora (Hanafy et al 2010), and our understanding of recruitment patterns is limited to a single study in the Gulf of Aqaba (Glassom et al 2004). There is a clear need for future studies to document the reproductive modes of Red Sea corals, quantify the timing of spawning events and how they vary among species and locations, identify environmental cues that are associated with spawning events, and quantify pelagic larval durations and larval competency to better understand reproductive connectivity within the Red Sea.…”