ANNUAL AND LUNAR REPRODUCTIVE RHYTHMS OF THE SEA-URCHIN, DIADEMA-ANTILLARUM (PHILIPPI) IN BERMUDA
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In the tropical Atlantic echinoid, Diadema antillarum in Bermuda, the gonads grow mainly in spring when sea temperatures are increasing, and spawning occurs from early summer to early winter. Peak spawning appeared to be in early summer and late fall. Gametogenesis is closely synchronized among different individuals and there is a well-defined lunar rhythm. Oocytes grow mainly between the first and third lunar quarters, and the animals spawn near the time of the new moon. Lunar synchrony, coupled with a spawning pheromone, may serve to maximize success of fertilization, while the restricted annual reproduction may maximize larval survival. 1982 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.