Abstract
The contribution of sexual and asexual reproduction, the spatial patterns of genetic structure, and the potential gene flow among populations were determined for the soft coral Clavularia koellikeri (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea, Clavulariidae) at ten sites among six reefs from two well-separated regions of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. Eight allozyme loci indicated that colonies of C. koellikeri separated ≥3 m were produced sexually. Genetic diversity was lower in the southern (18°S) compared with the northern (10°S) populations, suggesting that reefs closer to the southernmost limit of the distribution of C. koellikeri within the GBR (19°S) may represent a more marginal habitat for this species. High levels of genetic differentiation were significant at all spatial scales (sites within reefs, reefs, and regions) from <4 km up to 1,000 km, indicating that C. koellikeri has restricted dispersal, consistent with having brooded larvae.
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