Spawning, embryogenesis, settlement, and post?settlement development of the gorgonian <i>Plexaura homomalla</i>

Patterns of population biology and community structure can be studied by looking closely at the ontogeny reproductive reef-building organisms. This knowledge is particularly important for Caribbean octocorals, which seem to more resilient long-term environmental change than scleractinian corals provide some same ecological services. We monitored development black sea rod, Plexaura homomalla, a common, widely distributed octocoral on shallow reefs, from eggs three-polyp colonies over course 10 weeks. Gametes were collected ex situ St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, during spawning events that occurred 3–6 days after July full moon. Cleavage started 3.0 hr fertilization was holoblastic, equal, radial. Embryos positively buoyant until becoming planulae 3 fertilization. Planulae competent settle 4 Symbiodiniaceae began infecting polyps ~8 Overall, typical except an increase in number embryos between 3.5 6.0