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View Full Version : Tubastrea coccinea reproduction strategies


BrianPlankis
04-29-2008, 10:02 PM
Hey all,

As we all know, Tubastrea coccinea are brooding corals, but I found this article that states that the coral can reproduce and spread through "runners" similar to how Zoanthus sp. corals can spread. The main difference is the coral will form a stony skeleton as its runner and a single polyp will begin to grow at the end of the runner. The runner can be up to 12.6cm long :eek:

More information in the original article here:

http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/content/w7838227w453322k/fulltext.pdf

Vermeij, M.J.A. (2005). A novel growth strategy allows Tubastrea coccinea to escape small-scale adverse conditions and start over again. Coral Reefs, 24(3), 442.