Morphological plasticity in a gorgonian coral (Briareum asbestinum) over a depth cline

Abstract

Documents pronounced variation in whole colony morphology as well as polyp density, sclerite morphology, egg size, and egg number between colonies of Briareum asbestinmum. Colonies from shallow (5 m) sites are shorter and stouter than colonies from deep (35 m) sites, with a greater density of polyps, greater number of eggs per polyp, and larger eggs than their deep counterparts; also deep colonies contain longer sclerites than shallow colonies. The stout colonies of shallow reefs become thinner in deeper water and develop longer sclerites and fewer polyps. Deep-water colonies become stouter and develop more polyps when moved to shallow water. The shifts in sclerite morphology may have consequences for resistance to predation. Cyphoma gibbosum (Gastropoda) avoids artificial foods invested with deep water relative to shallow water sclerites. -from Authors