Determinate Growth and Modularity in a Gorgonian Octocoral

Growth rates of branches of colonies of the gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae were monitored for 2 years on a reef at San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Images of 261 colonies were made at 6-month intervals and colony and branch growth analyzed. Branch growth rates differed between colonies and bet...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Biological bulletin (Lancaster) 2003-12, Vol.205 (3), p.319-330
Main Authors: Lasker, Howard R., Boller, Michael L., Castanaro, John, Sánchez, Juan Armando
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Anthozoa - anatomy & histology
Anthozoa - growth & development
Bahamas
Body Weights and Measures
Coral reefs
Corals
Daughters
Determinate growth
Development and Reproduction
Error rates
Flowers & plants
Gorgonacea
Growth
Growth (Physiology)
Growth rate
Invertebrates
Marine
Modularity
Mortality
Mothers
Oceans and Seas
Physiological aspects
Population Dynamics
Population growth
Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae
Time Factors
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Summary:Growth rates of branches of colonies of the gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae were monitored for 2 years on a reef at San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Images of 261 colonies were made at 6-month intervals and colony and branch growth analyzed. Branch growth rates differed between colonies and between the time intervals in which the measurements were made. Colonies developed a plumelike morphology through a pattern of branch origination and determinate growth in which branch growth rates were greatest at the time the branch originated and branches seldom grew beyond a length of 8 cm. A small number of branches had greater growth rates, did not stop growing, and were sites for the origination of subsequent "generations" of branches. The rate of branch origination decreased with each generation of branching, and branch growth rates were lower on larger colonies, leading to determinate colony growth. Although colonial invertebrates like P. elisabethae grow through the addition of polyps, branches behave as modules with determinate growth. Colony form and size is generated by the iterative addition of branches.
ISSN:0006-3185
1939-8697
DOI:10.2307/1543295