Mesophotic Star Corals Spawning (image)

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

Caption

The team observed deep (mesophotic) star corals spawning both in the field and in the lab. (Top) Very difficult to observe in the field, a star coral spawns at ~38 m (125 ft). Egg and sperm bundles can be seen "setting" in the polyp oral openings. (Bottom) A fragment of a deep star coral spawns in the lab, and the egg and sperm bundles can be seen rising to the surface of a sample jar.

Credit

Credit: Daniel Holstein and Joanna Gyory.

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