COLONY SIZE AS A SPECIES CHARACTER IN MASSIVE REEF CORALS

In a study of seven massive, Caribbean corals, I have found major diff erences in reproductive behavior between species with large maximum co lony sizes and species with smaller maximum colony sizes. Four species (Diploria clivosa, D. strigosa, Montastrea cavernosa, Siderastrea sid erea) which are large (> 100 cm2 in surface area) broadcast gametes du ring a short spawning season. Their puberty size is relatively large ( > 100 cm2, except M. cavernosa). In contrast, two small massive specie s (< 100 cm2, Favia fragum and S. radians), and one medium-sized (100- 1000 cm2, Porites astreoides) massive species, brood larvae during an extended season (year-round in Panama). The puberty size of the small species is only 2-4 cm2. Given these close associations between maximu m colony sizes and a number of fundamental reproductive attributes, gr eater attention should be given to the colony size distributions of di fferent species of reef corals in nature, since many important life hi story and population characters may be inferred.