Staghorn coral spawns once a year in the late summer
This is a photo of staghorn coral spawning. It was taken at the Coral Restoration Foundation nursery off Tavernier, Florida. Staghorn coral spawns once a year in the late summer, in the middle of the night. These corals broadcast spawn, meaning that male and female corals release their sperm and eggs into the water simultaneously for fertilization. Typically, divers hangout late at night with their lights off (so not to disturb the corals) and wait for signs that the coral will spawn. As you can see in this photo, the polyp swells right before it opens to release the gamete. After much anticipation and waiting, if you are lucky, you are treated to a one of a kind experience.
Unfortunately, most divers will never see a coral spawn. I’ve been fortunate enough to see coral spawns at the coral nurseries and on the natural coral reef. Some of the folks at Coral Restoration Foundation are fortunate enough to see the coral spawn every year. If you ever have the opportunity, don’t let it pass by.
Pingback: Bloodworm
[…] Coral SpawnHungry Crab […]