Survive or swim: different relationships between migration potential and larval size in three sympatric Mediterranean octocorals.

ABSTRACT: Knowledge about migration potential is key to forecasting species distributions in changing environments. For many marine benthic invertebrates, migration happens during reproduction because of larval dispersal. The present study aims to test whether larval size can be used as a surrogate for migration potential arising from larval longevity, competence, sinking, or swimming behavior. The hypothesis was tested using larvae of three sympatric gorgonian species that release brooded lecithotrophic larvae in the same season: Paramuricea clavata, Corallium rubrum and Eunicella singularis. Despite different fecundities and larval sizes, the median larval longevity was similar among the three species. Free-fall speed increased with larval size. Nevertheless, the only net sinkers were the P. clava

SUBMITTER: Guizien K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7581755 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature