Hybridization within the species complex of the scleractinan coral Montastraea annularis

Szmant, Alina M.; Weil, Ernesto; Miller, Margaret W.; Colon, D. E.

doi:10.1007/s002270050197

Cited by 114 publications

(150 citation statements)

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“…Members of the M. annularis species complex are hermaphroditic and reproduce annually in the late summer to early fall (van Veghel 1994;Knowlton et al 1997;Szmant et al 1997). Each polyp within the colony produces a single gamete bundle containing both sperm and eggs.…”

Section: Reproductive Biology Of the Montastraea Annularis Species Comentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are significant differences in the number and size of eggs produced among species. Montastraea franksi produces an average of 55 eggs per bundle at a diameter of 340 m, M. annularis produces an average of 105 eggs per bundle at a diameter of 313 m, and M. faveolata produces an average of 120 eggs per bundle at a diameter of 320 m (Szmant et al 1997). These bundles become apparent as they start to pass through the pharynx of the polyp (setting phase).…”

Section: Reproductive Biology Of the Montastraea Annularis Species Comentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Taxa that spawn asynchronously (Strathmann 1987;Lessios 1991;Knowlton 1993) or in allopatry (Lessios 1984;Byrne and Anderson 1994) are not likely to cross-fertilize even when their gametes are compatible. However, many recognized species have been observed to spawn in close proximity with little temporal separation (Harrison et al 1984;Babcock et al 1986;McEuen 1988;Pearse et al 1988;Babcock et al 1992;van Vehgel 1994;Clifton 1997;Szmant et al 1997;Hagman et al 1998a;Sanchez et al 1999;Levitan 2002a), and evidence for incompatibility among such species is not ubiquitous (Willis et al 1997;Pernet 1999;Levitan 2002b).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…palmata and A. cervicornis (van Oppen et al 2000;Vollmer and Palumbi 2002), with little evidence for extensive introgression between A. cervicornis and A. palmata (Vollmer and Palumbi 2002). Most reproductive studies in the western Atlantic have focused on the Montastraea annularis species complex (van Veghel 1994;Knowlton et al 1997;Szmant et al 1997;Hagman et al 1998a,b;Sanchez et al 1999), whose members are among the most important reef builders of the region. However, despite the existence of several studies of spawning times and gametic compatibility, there is no consensus on the effectiveness of prezygotic isolating mechanisms in this group (e.g., van Veghel 1994; Knowlton et al 1997;Szmant et al 1997;Hagman et al 1998a;Sanchez et al 1999).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most reproductive studies in the western Atlantic have focused on the Montastraea annularis species complex (van Veghel 1994;Knowlton et al 1997;Szmant et al 1997;Hagman et al 1998a,b;Sanchez et al 1999), whose members are among the most important reef builders of the region. However, despite the existence of several studies of spawning times and gametic compatibility, there is no consensus on the effectiveness of prezygotic isolating mechanisms in this group (e.g., van Veghel 1994; Knowlton et al 1997;Szmant et al 1997;Hagman et al 1998a;Sanchez et al 1999). Genetic analyses have also led to contradictory conclusions with respect to the degree of reproductive isolation (van Veghel and Bak 1993;Medina et al 1999;Lopez et al 1999).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation Among Sympatric Broadcast-Spawning Corals of the Montastraea Annularis Species Complex

et al. 2004

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Abstract. Many coral species spawn simultaneously and have compatible gametes, leading to controversy over the nature of species boundaries and the frequency with which hybridization occurs. Three western Atlantic corals, Montastraea annularis, M. faveolata, and M. franksi, typify this controversy; they all spawn sympatrically on the same evenings after the fall full moons. Here we show, in both Panama and the Bahamas for multiple years, how a variety of mechanisms may act in concert to reproductively isolate all three species. Field studies indicate that M. franksi spawns two hours earlier than the other two species, and the eggs released during this earlier period disperse an average of 500 m by the time the other species spawn. Field measures of fertilization indicate that peak fertilization occurs when spawning synchrony is high and that corals that spawn at the tails of the spawning distributions have greatly reduced fertilization success. Laboratory studies indicate that there is a gametic incompatibility between M. faveolata and the other two species. There are regional differences in the gametic compatibility of M. franksi and M. annularis. In Panama, the two species are completely compatible, whereas in the Bahamas, M. franksi sperm can fertilize M. annularis eggs but the reciprocal cross often fails. Gamete age influences patterns of fertilization, such that very young eggs seem resistant to fertilization and old sperm lose viability after two hours. In sum, the combination of temporal differences in spawning, sperm aging, gamete dispersal and dilution, and gametic incompatibility act in various combinations among the three species, making it unlikely that hybrid fertilization would occur.

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Section: Reproductive Biology Of the Montastraea Annularis Species Comentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reproductive Biology Of the Montastraea Annularis Species Comentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation Among Sympatric Broadcast-Spawning Corals of the Montastraea Annularis Species Complex

et al. 2004

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Population structure and connectivity of the mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata, throughout the wider Caribbean region

Rippe

Matz

Green

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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As coral reefs continue to decline worldwide, it becomes ever more necessary to understand the connectivity between coral populations to develop efficient management strategies facilitating survival and adaptation of coral reefs in the future. Orbicella faveolata is one of the most important reef‐building corals in the Caribbean and has recently experienced severe population reductions. Here, we utilize a panel of nine microsatellite loci to evaluate the genetic structure of O. faveolata and to infer connectivity across ten sites spanning the wider Caribbean region. Populations are generally well‐mixed throughout the basin (FST = 0.038), although notable patterns of substructure arise at local and regional scales. Eastern and western populations appear segregated with a genetic break around the Mona Passage in the north, as has been shown previously in other species; however, we find evidence for significant connectivity between Curaçao and Mexico, suggesting that the southern margin of this barrier is permeable to dispersal. Our results also identify a strong genetic break within the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System associated with complex oceanographic patterns that promote larval retention in southern Belize. Additionally, the diverse genetic signature at Flower Garden Banks suggests its possible function as a downstream genetic sink. The findings reported here are relevant to the ongoing conservation efforts for this important and threatened species, and contribute to the growing understanding of large‐scale coral reef connectivity throughout the wider Caribbean.

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Genetic structure of dinoflagellate symbionts in coral recruits differs from that of parental or local adults

Coffroth

Leigh

McIlroy

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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The symbiotic relationship between dinoflagellate algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae and scleractinian corals forms the base of the tropical reef ecosystem. In scleractinian corals, recruits acquire symbionts either “vertically” from the maternal colony or initially lack symbionts and acquire them “horizontally” from the environment. Regardless of the mode of acquisition, coral species and individual colonies harbor only a subset of the highly diverse complex of species/taxa within the Symbiodiniaceae. This suggests a genetic basis for specificity, but local environmental conditions and/or symbiont availability may also play a role in determining which symbionts within the Symbiodiniaceae are initially taken up by the host. To address the relative importance of genetic and environmental drivers of symbiont uptake/establishment, we examined the acquisition of these dinoflagellate symbionts in one to three‐month‐old recruits of Orbicella faveolata to compare symbiont types present in recruits to those of parental populations versus co‐occurring adults in their destination reef. Variation in chloroplast 23S ribosomal DNA and in three polymorphic microsatellite loci was examined. We found that, in general, symbiont communities within adult colonies differed between reefs, suggesting that endemism is common among symbiont populations of O. faveolata on a local scale. Among recruits, initial symbiont acquisition was selective. O. faveolata recruits only acquired a subset of locally available symbionts, and these generally did not reflect symbiont populations in adults at either the parental or the outplant reef. Instead, symbiont communities within new recruits at a given outplant site and region tended to be similar to each other, regardless of parental source population. These results suggest temporal variation in the local symbiont source pool, although other possible drivers behind the distinct difference between symbionts within O. faveolata adults and new generations of recruits may include different ontogenetic requirements and/or reduced host selectivity in early ontogeny.

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Hybridization within the species complex of the scleractinan coral Montastraea annularis

Cited by 114 publications

References 33 publications

Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation Among Sympatric Broadcast-Spawning Corals of the Montastraea Annularis Species Complex

Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation Among Sympatric Broadcast-Spawning Corals of the Montastraea Annularis Species Complex

Population structure and connectivity of the mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata, throughout the wider Caribbean region

Genetic structure of dinoflagellate symbionts in coral recruits differs from that of parental or local adults

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