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11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

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14.445<br />

The Swimming Ability And Behaviour Of Coral Larval: How These Affect<br />

Retention And Dispersion?<br />

Valeria PIZARRO* 1 , Jeremy C. THOMASON 2<br />

1 Universidad de Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia, 2 School of<br />

Biology, Newcastle <strong>University</strong>, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom<br />

In general, marine larvae have a free-swimming phase before settling. This phase could<br />

be playing an important role on retention, dispersion, and connectivity between<br />

populations between others. Until recently, it was thought that coral larvae swimming<br />

capabilities were so poor that currents advected them as passive particles. Nowadays it is<br />

accepted that coral larvae can control their position in the water column avoiding<br />

advection. This study aims to describe Montastraea annularis and M. faveolata larvae<br />

swimming capabilities and changes in swimming behaviour with age, and how these<br />

could affect retention and/or dispersion from parental reefs. Coral larvae observations<br />

were made following Stake and Sammarco (2003) methods. Three planulae from each<br />

species were observed daily, and vertical position, swimming velocity, and qualitative<br />

observations of swimming behaviour were recorded every five minutes. GLM ANOVA<br />

analyses were used to determine the effects of the age on the velocity and depth for each<br />

response variable. The effect of age on planulae behaviour a binomial logistic regression<br />

analysis was performed. Obtained results shown the capability of larvae to alternate<br />

swimming pattern, velocity and depth which then enables them to explore suitable<br />

substrata for settlement. This capability also contributes to dispersal away from natal<br />

reefs by controlling their position in the water column, and may determine adult<br />

distributions on reefs. Additionally, we found, for the first time 1) swimming velocity and<br />

depth varied with age only for M. annularis; and, 2) the probability of settlement<br />

increased with age for M. annularis and M. faveolata<br />

14.446<br />

Population Structure Of The Mediterranean Solitary Coral balanophyllia<br />

Europaea<br />

Jillian MANSFIELD* 1 , Stefano GOFFREDO 2 , Mary Alice COFFROTH 3<br />

1 2 3<br />

<strong>University</strong> at Buffalo, Oswego, NY, <strong>University</strong> of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, <strong>University</strong><br />

at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY<br />

Balanophyllia europaea is a simultaneous hermaphroditic, brooding coral species, and is<br />

endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. The population structure and biogeography of B.<br />

europaea were determined for eight populations found in the Mediterranean Basin around<br />

Italy. Population genetic theory predicts that if B. europaea is a hermaphrodite, it will<br />

self-fertilize frequently leading to inbreeding and a significant deficit of heterozygotes in<br />

the populations. Three microsatellite loci were used to test this hypothesis; and the<br />

hypothesis that the swimming, pelagic larvae of this brooder coral will produce<br />

significant gene flows within small spatial scales causing populations at large scales to be<br />

genetically structured. Preliminary results of this study do seem to support these<br />

hypotheses; however, more analyses and the creation of several new polymorphic loci are<br />

required to fully support these hypotheses and will be carried out in the near future and<br />

reported in a subsequent paper.<br />

Poster Mini-Symposium 14: Reef Connectivity<br />

14.447<br />

Strong Genetic Structure Of The Widespread Coral acropora Hyacinthus in The<br />

Peripheral Region Of Indo-Pacific Reefs<br />

Go SUZUKI* 1,2 , Takeshi HAYASHIBARA 3 , Yoshihisa SHIRAYAMA 2 , Hironobu FUKAMI 2<br />

1 Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto <strong>University</strong>, Kyoto,<br />

Japan, 2 Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education and Research Center,<br />

Kyoto <strong>University</strong>, Wakayama, Japan, 3 Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries<br />

Research Institute, Ishigaki, Japan<br />

Genetic variations in marine organisms with high dispersal potential of larvae are generally low<br />

especially within a region subject to strong ocean current. However, a difference in the genetic<br />

composition of the temperate and subtropical populations of tabular coral Acropora hyacinthus<br />

(one of the most common corals in the Indo-Pacific reefs) was found, despite the presence of<br />

the Kuroshio current in this region. Phylogenetic analysis using a mitochondrial DNA marker<br />

showed that intra-specific genetic variations were as large as that among 14 other congeneric<br />

species, and the variations were classified into four haplotype groups (Hya A–D). Notably, each<br />

group was disproportionately distributed: HyaA and B were mainly distributed in the temperate<br />

region, HyaD was mainly distributed in the subtropical region, and HyaC dominated in both<br />

regions. Crossbreeding experiments showed no gametic isolation among the colonies with these<br />

haplotype groups, simultaneous spawning was observed during the experiments, and sympatric<br />

distribution of all groups was verified in the field, indicating the four haplotype groups belong<br />

to a single species with high genetic polymorphism. Nested clade analysis revealed the<br />

existence of a geographical association between HyaA and D. Considering the geological and<br />

genetic data, we hypothesize that a vicariant event such as a lowering of the sea level during<br />

glacial periods may have isolated peripheral (temperate) A. hyacinthus populations from the<br />

core subtropical ones. Recent connection between the populations (based on the presence of<br />

HyaC) may be due to the Kuroshio current, which would transport A. hyacinthus larvae from<br />

subtropical to temperate populations. Focusing on peripheral/temperate populations has the<br />

potential to improve our understanding of the evolutional history of corals.<br />

14.448<br />

Population Structure Of The Redbelly Yellow Tail Fusilier, Caesio Cuning, (Perciformes,<br />

Lutjanidae)<br />

Sinta PARDEDE 1 , Paul BARBER* 2 , Kent CARPENTER 3<br />

1 Indonesia Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bogor, Indonesia, 2 Biology, Boston<br />

<strong>University</strong> Marine Program, Boston, MA, 3 Biological Sciences, Old Dominion <strong>University</strong>,<br />

Norfolk, VA<br />

Studies examining patterns of regional genetic subdivision in Indonesia report many regional<br />

barriers to gene flow. However, these have focused on species with pelagic or demersal life<br />

history. Caesio cuning is a mid-water reef fish that combines aspects of demersal and pelagic<br />

life histories. This study examines genetic connectivity among C. cuning populations<br />

throughout Indonesia to understand the genetic impact of its intermediate life history. A total of<br />

380 base pairs of the mitochondrial control region were collected from 323 individual fish,<br />

representing 18 study sites in Indonesia. Results from AMOVA indicated pronounced genetic<br />

structure among populations east and west of the Sunda Shelf (FST=0.4827 (p< 0.0001),<br />

suggesting Pleistocene vicariance between Indian and Pacific Ocean populations. Although<br />

pair-wise analysis of gene flow shows similar results with Medan and Raja Ampat exhibiting<br />

limited genetic exchange with most of the other populations. fine-scale genetic structure was<br />

also found throughout the Indonesian Archipelago, suggesting additional limits to genetic<br />

connectivity. In particular, results suggest that populations from the Java region are<br />

significantly isolated from populations in Northern Sulawesi and most of Eastern Indonesia.<br />

Overall, genetic patterns in C. cuning are more similar to demersal reef fish than to pelagics,<br />

suggesting that this species does not disperse broadly.<br />

375

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