Larval development and survivorship in the corals Favia favus and Platygyra lamellina

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 216-217; no. 1; pp. 101 - 108
• Main Authors: Shlesinger, Y., Loya, Y.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 01-06-1991
• Subjects: Favia favus; Marine; Platygyra lamellina; ISW, Red Sea
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00026449

Two Red Sea faviid species, Favia favus and Platygyra lamellina spawn eggs and sperm once a year, during the summer. External fertilization occurs 0.5 h after spawning, and mobile gastrulae appear 20 h later. Four stages in the early ontogenesis of these corals are described. The slow development (2-3 months) to the polyp stage in broadcasting species is attributed to the lack of zooxanthellae in their planulae and their appearance in the primary polyp only at a latter stage. Survivorship of one-month-old primary polyps is ca 0.21% and 0.25% in F. favus and P. lamellina respectively, from the populations of 2-9-day-old planulae. Despite these low rates of survival, both species from dense populations in the Gulf of Eilat.