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Temporal sequence of larval release of Caryophyllia huinayensis. (a) reproductive polyp with two larvae (black arrowheads) in a tentacle. Schematic drawing of (b) a polyp with larvae not visible or absent, (c) polyp with larvae in the gastrovascular cavity and tentacles, and (d) forming the dome shape before releasing larvae (in orange) through the mouth.
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Little is known about the biology of cold-water corals (CWCs), let alone the reproduction and early life stages of these important deep-sea foundation species. Through a three-year aquarium experiment, we described the reproductive mode, larval release periodicity, planktonic stage, larval histology, metamorphosis and post-larval development of the...
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... mode and periodicity. For this study, seven reproductive polyps of C. huinayensis (Fig. 1a) were extensively monitored for 3.1 years, recording the number of released larvae twice per day. Although no sperm release was observed throughout the entire study, larvae could be observed across the translucent oral tissue of the polyps swimming in the coelenteron beneath the oral disk and tentacles. A total of 1647 planulae were ...Context 2
... is likely that only part of the larvae in the coelenteron were counted as planulae swimming at a distance from the tissue surface may have remained undetected. Periods with no visible larvae (Fig. 1b) were generally followed by the sudden appearance of 2-3 larvae swimming from one tentacle to another. Subsequently, the number of larvae increased in the gastrovascular cavity below the oral disc and in the tentacles, reaching up to 17 planulae per polyp (Fig. 1c). As brooding progressed, polyps changed shape: the oral disc bulged ...Context 3
... the tissue surface may have remained undetected. Periods with no visible larvae (Fig. 1b) were generally followed by the sudden appearance of 2-3 larvae swimming from one tentacle to another. Subsequently, the number of larvae increased in the gastrovascular cavity below the oral disc and in the tentacles, reaching up to 17 planulae per polyp (Fig. 1c). As brooding progressed, polyps changed shape: the oral disc bulged outward until assuming a dome shape lasting 1-2 d which was ended by a ~ 10-s contraction causing the gastrovascular fluid containing the larvae to exit through the mouth (Fig. 1d). Occasionally, we observed larvae released at time when corals were feeding on ...Context 4
... cavity below the oral disc and in the tentacles, reaching up to 17 planulae per polyp (Fig. 1c). As brooding progressed, polyps changed shape: the oral disc bulged outward until assuming a dome shape lasting 1-2 d which was ended by a ~ 10-s contraction causing the gastrovascular fluid containing the larvae to exit through the mouth (Fig. 1d). Occasionally, we observed larvae released at time when corals were feeding on ...Context 5
... temporary attachment occurred, the planula detached after a maximum of 24 h and started its searching behaviour again. The planktonic stage lasted 8 ± 9.3 d (Stage 1, Fig. 5a) when settlement surfaces were preconditioned. However, larvae exposed to non-preconditioned surfaces had a longer PLD, 26.7 ± 2.1 d (n = 4). ...Similar publications
Cold-water corals form an important part of temperate benthic ecosystems by increasing three-dimensionality and providing an important ecological substrate for other benthic fauna. However, the fragile three-dimensional structure and life-history characteristics of cold-water corals can leave populations vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance. Mea...
Citations
... Where scleractinian reproductive mode has been established, hermaphroditic broadcast spawners are dominant, with gonochoric broadcast spawners moderately common and relatively few brooding species (Harrison 2011). However, most studies have been on shallow species, and for deep-sea scleractinian corals, spawning events have only been observed for a few species globally (Waller 2005;Waller et al. 2023) and with a few exceptions (Brooke and Young 2005;Larsson et al 2014;Heran et al. 2023) very little is known of their larval biology. Based on the limited studies to date, deep-sea scleractinians are considered to mostly be gonochoric broadcast spawners (Brooke and Young 2005;Burgess and Babcock 2005;Tracey et al. 2019;Waller et al. 2023) and thus have the potential for long-distance dispersal (Álvarez-Noriega et al. 2020). ...
... In their natural environment, L. pertusa recruit to artificial substrates at great distances from natural Lophelia reefs (Gass and Roberts 2006;Bergmark and Jørgensen 2014;Larcom et al 2014). Exceptions to this reproductive strategy include a small number of scleractinian cup coral species (Balanophyllia elegans, B. malouensis, Flabellum curvatum, F. impensum and F. thouarsii) and a solitary coral (Caryophyllia huinayensis) which are known to be brooders, with larval maturation occurring within the polyp (Hellberg 1994;Waller et al. 2008;Pendleton et al. 2021;Heran et al. 2023). ...
... The branching scleractinians L. pertusa (Chemel et al. 2023) and Oculina varicosa (Brooke and Young 2003) are known to have periodic reproduction. There are also examples of continuous reproduction within the deep-sea Scleractinia, such as C. huinayensis (Heran et al. 2023) and M. oculata (Chemel et al. 2003). Histological work on preserved specimens will be required to determine the reproductive characteristics and periodicity of G. dumosa. ...
Little is known of the reproductive traits and dispersal potential of many deep-sea corals, and in-aquarium spawning has been observed for very few species globally. Here, we document the first known observation of larval release by Goniocorella dumosa (Alcock 1902), a habitat-forming deep-sea scleractinian stony coral found in the New Zealand region. In contrast to previous understanding that G. dumosa were broadcast spawners, colonies of G. dumosa released large (approx. 1.1 mm × 0.8 mm) free-swimming planula larvae. Further investigation confirmed that this species is a brooder, with up to 10 mature larvae found in single mature polyps, and is the only known brooding deep-sea scleractinian branching coral that produces swimming larvae. Mature corals were collected from the Chatham Rise (400 m depth, 43º 22.13 S, 179° 27.09 E), to the east of New Zealand, in June 2020. We describe the observed larval behaviour, settlement and post-larval growth and development of G. dumosa, held in an aquarium, from September to December 2020. The more limited dispersal potential for larvae from a brooding species compared to a broadcast spawning coral has significant implications for both population connectivity and for the potential recovery of this species from disturbance by human activities. This in turn could influence management and protection strategies for G. dumosa and their habitat.
... The corals have reproduced since 2014, which provided the opportunity to investigate the response of different life stages of the same population to environmental changes. The life cycle of C. huinayensis has recently been studied (Heran et al., 2023) and the corals were divided into three ontogenetic stages depending on their size (Supplementary Methods). Corals with a calyx diameter of 10.0 ± 2.0 mm were considered adults, while smaller corals were divided into early (diameter: 3.0 ± 0.5 mm) and late (diameter: 4.5 ± 0.8 mm) juveniles. ...
Cold-water corals (CWCs) are considered vulnerable to environmental changes. However, previous studies have focused on adult CWCs and mainly investigated the short-term effects of single stressors. So far, the effects of environmental changes on different CWC life stages are unknown, both for single and multiple stressors and over long time periods. Therefore, we conducted a six-month aquarium experiment with three life stages of Caryophyllia huinayensis to study their physiological response (survival, somatic growth, calcification and respiration) to the interactive effects of aragonite saturation (0.8 and 2.5), temperature (11 and 15 °C) and food availability (8 and 87 μg C L-1). The response clearly differed between life stages and measured traits. Elevated temperature and reduced feeding had the greatest effects, pushing the corals to their physiological limits. Highest mortality was observed in adult corals, while calcification rates decreased the most in juveniles. We observed a three-month delay in response, presumably because energy reserves declined, suggesting that short-term experiments overestimate coral resilience. Elevated summer temperatures and reduced food supply are likely to have the greatest impact on live CWCs in the future, leading to reduced coral growth and population shifts due to delayed juvenile maturation and high adult mortality.
... Again, live, laboratory-held samples have provided a unique opportunity to study the early life histories of several deep-sea coral species. Such investigations have capitalized on species that survive well in captivity, occur in areas of accessible depths, have suitable sample availability, or have known spawning seasons (Szmant-Froelich et al. 1980;Tranter et al. 1982;Cordes et al. 2001;Heltzel and Babcock 2002;Altieri 2003;Young 2003, 2005;Sun et al. 2010aSun et al. ,b, 2011Larsson et al. 2014;Strömberg and Larsson 2017;Rakka et al. 2021a,b;Heran et al. 2023;Tracey et al. 2021;Johnstone et al. 2022). Additionally, preserved specimens can, in some cases, be used to describe brooded larvae in instances where developing larvae have been preserved within the parent polyp (Waller et al. 2008;Goffredo et al. 2012;Pendleton et al. 2021). ...
... In the family Caryophylliidae, larval characteristics have been described for five species. Among the genus Caryophyllia, C. huinayensis and C. smithii produce active, swimming larvae; however, the mode of locomotion is unknown for C. inornata, in which brooded embryos ultimately develop a mouth, pharynx, and gastrovascular cavity prior to release (Tranter et al. 1982;Goffredo et al. 2012, Heran et al. 2023. In Lophelia pertusa*, larvae develop to fully ciliated planulae within 2 weeks of fertilization, with early cleavages occurring every 6-8 h and indications of gastrulation appearing 6 to 8 days post-fertilization (Larsson et al. 2014). ...
... Goffredo et al. (2012); (3)Tranter et al. (1982); (4)Heran et al. (2023);(5)Feehan et al. (2019); (6) Burgess and Babcock (2005); (7) Tracey et al. (2021); (8) Waller and Tyler (2005); (9) Brooke and Järnegren (2013); (10) Brooke and Schroeder (2007); (11) Pires et al. (2014); (12) Larsson et al. (2014); (13) Strömberg and Larsson (2017); (14) Altieri (2003); (15) Pendleton et al. (2021); (16) Waller and Tyler (2011); (17) Mercier et al. (2011); (18) Waller et al. (2008); (19 Heltzel and Babcock (2002); (20) Waller et al. (2002); (21) Flint et al. (2007); (22) Waller and Feehan (2013); (23) Brooke and Young (2005); (24) Brooke and Young (2003); (25) Szmant-Froelich et al. (1980); (26) Wagner et al. (2012a); (27) Miller (1996); (28) Parker et al. (1997); (29) Rakka et al. (2017); (30) Lauretta and Penchaszadeh (2017); (31) Mercier and Hamel (2011); (32) Cordes et al. (2001); (33) Simpson et al. (2005); (34) Priori et al. (2013); (35) Torrents et al. (2005); (36) Waller and Baco (2007); (37) Beazley and Kenchington (2012); (38) Sun et al. (2010b); (39) Sun et al. (2010a); (40) Sun et al. (2011); (41) Rakka et al. (2021a); (42) Orejas et al. (2002); (43) Orejas et al. (2007); (44) Feehan and Waller (2015); (45) Waller et al. (2014); (46) Waller et al. (2019); (47) Fountain et al. (2019); (48) Brito et al. (1997); (49) Guardiola (2014); (50) Rakka et al. (2021b); (51) Grinyó et al. (2018); (52) Baillon et al. (2014b); (53) Pires et al. (2009); (54) Edwards and Moore (2009); (55) Baillon et al. (2015); (56) Rice et al. (1992); (57) Eckelbarger et al. (1998); (58) Garcia-Cárdenas and López-González (2022); (59) Hamel et al. (2020); (60) Tyler et al. (1995); (61) Brooke and Stone (2007); (62) Miller et al. Total number of coral species with ranges extending below 100 m depth by taxonomic group and the number of species with published reproductive data (grey) and with no available reproductive data (hatched). ...
The presence of corals living in deep waters around the globe has been documented in various publications since the late 1800s, when the first research vessels set sail on multi-year voyages. Ecological research on these species, however, only truly began some 100 years later. We now know that many species of deep-sea coral provide ecosystem services by creating complex habitat for thousands of associated species, and thus are major contributors to global marine biodiversity. Among the many vital ecological processes, reproduction provides a fundamental link between individuals and populations of these sessile organisms that enables the maintenance of current populations and provides means for expansion to new areas. While research on reproduction of deep-sea corals has increased in pace over the last 20 years, the field is still vastly understudied, with less than 4% of all known species having any aspect of reproduction reported. This knowledge gap is significant, because information on reproduction is critical to our understanding of species-specific capacity to recover from disturbances (e.g., fishing impacts, ocean warming, and seafloor mining). It is important, therefore, to examine the current state of knowledge regarding deep-sea coral reproduction to identify recent advances and potential research priorities, which was the aim of the present study. Specifically, this review synthesizes the research carried out to date on reproduction in deep-living species of corals in the orders Alcyonacea, Scleractinia, Antipatharia, Pennatulacea (class Anthozoa), and family Stylasteridae (class Hydrozoa).
