DIFFERENTIAL REGENERATION OF ARTIFICIAL LESIONS AMONG SYMPATRIC MORPHS OF THE CARIBBEAN CORALS PORITES-ASTREOIDES AND STEPHANOCOENIA-MICHELINII

Regeneration of artificial lesions was studied as an ecophysiological character in 2 morphs of Porites astreoides and Stephanocoenia micheli nii to contribute to a better understanding of their presently unclear taxonomic status. As a reference, regeneration was also studied in 3 species/morphs of Madracis. P, astreoides consists of a green and a br own morph, while S, michelinii consists of an encrusting morph with wi dely spaced corallites and a massive morph with compacted polyps. Rege neration was significantly faster in the green P, astreoides and in th e encrusting S. michelinii. No significant differences were found amon g the Madracis species/morphs. The energy required for faster regenera tion in the 2 morphs was apparently not generated as a result of eleva ted densities of zooxanthellae or chlorophyll a. The green P. astreoid es which occurs at more shallow depths, and perhaps also the encrustin g S. michelinii, may be better adapted to the increased disturbances a t shallow depths by means of, among other things, faster regeneration of lesions.