Abstract
The reproductive capacity of coral communities in the Mexican Pacific is still poorly documented. One of the most abundant coral communities in this region is found in Banderas Bay, yet the reproductive patterns of the coral species have not been analyzed. In order to document the annual reproductive cycle of the three most common species of corals in the bay, samples of Pocillopora damicornis, Porites panamensis, and Pavona gigantea were collected monthly from Redonda Island from December 2001 to November 2002. Colony fragments were processed by histological techniques and analyzed under a microscope. The three species showed the presence of gametes, which was associated with an increase in sea surface temperature. Gametogenesis was first observed in P. damicornis, classified as hermaphrodite. In P. panamensis, reproductive cells were observed in May 2002, and embryos and planulae in September 2002; this species was classified as gonochoric, showing internal fertilization and a distinct reproductive behavior compared with that reported for other areas of the eastern tropical Pacific. In P. gigantea, gametogenesis started later and occurred over a short period of time; this species was classified as gonochoric and no mature gametes were evident. All three species showed reproductive potential during the summer, confirming the reproductive capacity documented for these species in adjoining areas of the Mexican Pacific. The intensity and duration of the reproductive cycle in Banderas Bay are likely regulated by periodic events like El Niño and microscale climate oscillations that modulate temperature and light patterns in the area.
Highlights
Coral communities in the eastern tropical Pacific are distributed from northern Mexico to southern Ecuador
They are characterized by the presence of small patches of coral reefs and densely spaced coral colonies that settle on substrates not originating from coral accretion (Glynn 2001)
In P. damicornis, gametes in early stages of development were observed near the mesenteries, whereas in P. panamensis the germ cells were observed near the mesoglea
Summary
Coral communities in the eastern tropical Pacific are distributed from northern Mexico to southern Ecuador. They are characterized by the presence of small patches of coral reefs and densely spaced coral colonies that settle on substrates not originating from coral accretion (Glynn 2001). Fundamental aspects of their reproductive cycles and function in the structure and continuity of the coral communities in this region are still not known. Research conducted over the past decades on the structure of the community in this region has shown that the most abundant coral species are Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus 1758), Porites panamensis Verrill 1864, and Pavona gigantea Verrill 1869 (Carriquiry and Reyes-Bonilla 1997, Reyes-Bonilla and López-Pérez 1998, Cupul-Magaña et al 2000). Surveys of P. panamensis populations in La Paz Bay in 2002 and 2003 revealed that the species is gonochoric and able to reproduce throughout the year, decreasing its activity during the months of extreme hot or cold temperatures (Mora-Pérez 2005)
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