REPRODUCTION IN ANTHELIA-GLAUCA (OCTOCORALLIA, XENIIDAE) - I - GAMETOGENESIS AND LARVAL BROODING

Anthelia glauca Lamarck, 1816 is a gonochoric, external-brooding soft coral found in Kwa-Zulu-Natal. It is reproductively active in the summ er months. The development of gametes produced in late summer is arres ted in winter. Several stages of gametes are found at the base of the polyps, and Female polyps produce several cycles of larvae over an ext ended breeding period of 4 to 5 months. Larvae are brooded in a unique pharyngeal brooding pouch not yet described in other coral species. T he brood pouch consists of an expansion of the pharynx with constricti ons proximal and distal to the embryos and larvae. Our data suggest th at egg transfer and fertilization occur at full moon and the mature la rvae are released after new moon. Zooxanthellae are absent in A. glauc a oocytes, but zooxanthella infestation commences at the immature larv al stage.