coral spawning

[Derek Hagman]

Sorry for the delay- 

        Between the nights of August 16-20 coral spawning was observed at 
the Flower Garden Banks (NW Gulf of Mexico).  Most of the activity was 
concentrated around the night of the 17th with Montastraea cavernosa, M. 
franksi and Diploria strigosa spawning between 21:30-22:30 and M. annularis 
and M. faveolata spawing between 23:20-0:00.  Some of our divers reported 
sperm release by Stephanocoenia, but this remains unconfirmed.  We did 
however, have a very substantial spawning effort by Colpophyllia spp. on 
the night of August 19th between 21:45-22:30.  No other coral species were 
observed spawning on the 19th.