Reproduction patterns of four Antarctic octocorals in the Weddell Sea: an inter-specific, shape, and latitudinal comparison

Reproductive biology of the deep-sea pennatulacean Anthoptilum murrayi (Cnidaria, Octocorallia)

“…Thouarella sp. and Dasystinella acanthina also have a long reproductive cycle with overlapping oocyte generations, each of which lasts more than 1 yr (Orejas et al 2007). A gametogenic cycle of 18 mo, and possibly 2 yr, was also observed in Ainigmaptilon antarcticum, and has been seen in other deep-water anthozoans (Orejas et al 2002).…”

“…The maximum oocyte size recorded for both Kophobelemnon stelliferum and Umbellula lindahli is 800 µm (Rice et al 1992, Tyler et al 1995, and Pennatula aculeata had a maximum oocyte size of 880 µm (Eckelbarger et al 1998). Very large oocytes (up to 1200 µm) have also been recorded in other cold-water octocorals such as Dasystenella acanthina (Orejas et al 2007), as well as in solitary deep-sea scleractinians belonging to the genus Flabellum (Waller et al 2008). Increased oocyte size is correlated with some corals with an extended oogenic cycles, but not all corals with long cycles produce large oocytes (Harrison & Wallace 1990).…”

“…A long reproductive cycle, with a probable seasonal spawning period, was also suggested to occur in Dasystinella acanthina and Thouarella sp. (Orejas et al 2007).…”

Sexual reproduction of soft coral, Scleronephthya gracillimum, (Alcyonacea: Nephtheidae) based on long-term collection from Jejudo Island, Korea

“…To date, very little information on sexual reproduction in the family Nephtheidae has been available, compared to that for other soft corals in the families Alcyoniidae and Xeniidae (Table 1). Gonochorism is known to be the dominant reproductive pattern in soft corals and also in most gorgonians (Grigg 1977;Benayahu et al 1990;Brazaeu and Lasker 1990;Benayahu 1991;Achituv et al 1992;Zeevi and Benayahu 1999;Lasker et al 1996;Schleyer et al 2004;Orejas et al 2007;Seo et al 2008). Whereas hermaphroditism is observed in several species of Alcyoniidae and Xeniidae, only gonochorism is found in Nephtheidae (Sebens 1983;Farrant 1986;Benayahu et al 1990;Benayahu 1991;Dahan and Benayahu 1997;Choi and Song 2007;Hwang and Song 2007).…”

New primnoid genus and species (Alcyonacea: Primnoidae) from the southwestern Atlantic

“…Over the last ten years the following papers have concerned Antarctic primnoids: López-Gonza´lez et al (2002), a new genus; Mellado et al (2004), steroids from Dasystenella; Cairns & Bayer (2005), a new species; Orejas et al (2007), reproductive habits of two species; ZapataGuardiola & López-Gonza´lez (2009), two new species; Cairns & Bayer (2009), three new genera and two new subgenera; Zapata-Guardiola & López-Gonza´lez (2010a), two new genera and species; Zapata-Guardiola & López-Gonza´lez (2010b), four new species; Zapata-Guardiola & López-Gonza´lez (2010c), a new genus; and Taylor et al (2012), a new species and a revision of Thouarella. Based on unstudied museum collections, it would appear that many taxa remain to be described.…”