Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chemical aspects of mass spawning in corals. II. (-)-Epi-thunbergol, the sperm attractant in the eggs of the soft coral Lobophytum crassum (Cnidaria: Octocorallia)

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The eggs of Lobophytum crassum Von Marenzeller, 1886, collected at Magnetic Island (19°10′S; 146°52′E) in October or November between 1983 and 1993, contained significant amounts (6% dry weight) of (-)-epi-thunbergol, in addition to other terpenoid metabolites also present in the parent colony. (-)-Epi-thunbergol was not present in the tissues of the releasing colony. Using fluorocarbon droplets impregnated with the chemotactic molecules and a videomicroscopic technique for the direct observation of sperm under the influence of attractant molecules, we showed that (-)-epi-thunbergol, whether isolated from L. crassum or from a gorgonian octocoral (Briareum sp.), significantly attracts sperm from L. crassum colonies. Attraction could be detected using direct observation at concentrations as low as 3.25 μg ml-1. This is the first evidence for sperm chemotaxis in the Alcyonacea. Eggs from L compactum, a common alcyonacean coral at Orpheus Island (18°36′S; 146°29′E) contained (-)-thunbergol as the egg-specific compound. L. compactum was not found at Magnetic Island. (-)-Thunbergol from L. compactum and (+)-thunbergol from a Douglas fir tree both showed levels of attraction similar to (-)-epi-thunbergol against L. crassum sperm. Although L. crassum sperm were apparently neither stereo- nor enantio-specific in their selectivity for chemotactic molecules, (-)-epi-thunbergol was identified as the natural sperm attractant in the eggs of L. crassum.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aliño PM, Coll JC (1989) Observations of the synchronized mass spawning and post-settlement activity of octocorals on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: biological aspects. Bull mar Sci 45:697–707

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock R (1990) Reproduction and development of the blue coral Heliopora coerulea (Alcyonaria: Coenothocalia). Mar Biol 104:475–481

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock RC, Bull GD, Harrison PL, Heyward AJ, Oliver JK, Wallace CC, Willis BL (1986) Synchronous spawning of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef. Mar Biol 90:379–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock RC, Hayward AJ (1986) Larval development of certain gamete spawning scleractinians. Coral Reefs 5:111–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayer FM (1961) The shallow water Octocorallia of the West Indian region. A manual for marine biologists. Stud Fauna Curaçao 2:1–375, figs. 1-101, pls. 1-27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benayahu Y, Loya Y (1983) Surface brooding in the Red Sea soft coral Parerythropodium fulvum fulvum (Forskal, 1775). Biol Bull mar biol Lab, Woods Hole 165:353–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Benayahu Y, Loya Y (1984a) Life history studies on the Red Sea soft coral Xenia macrospiculata Gohar, 1940. annual dynamics of gonadal development. Biol Bull mar biol Lab, Woods Hole 166:32–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Benayahu Y, Loya Y (1984b) Substratum preferences and planulae settling of two Red Sea alcyonaceans: Xenia macrospiculata Gohar and Parerythropodium fulvum fulvum (Forskal, 1775). J exp mar Biol Ecol 83:249–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Benayahu Y, Loya Y (1985) Settlement and recruitment of a soft coral: why is Xenia macrospiculata a successful coloniser? Bull mar Sci 36:177–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Benayahu Y, Loya Y (1986) Sexual reproduction of a soft coral: synchronous and brief annual spawning of Sarcophyton glaucum (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833). Biol Bull mar biol Lab Woods Hole 170:32–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowden BF, Coll JC, Tapiolas DM, Willis RH (1985) Some chemical aspects of spawning in Alcyonacean corals. Proc 5th int. coral Reef Congr 4:325–329 [Gabrié, C et al (eds) Antenne Museum-EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowden BF, Coll JC, Vasilescu IM (1989) Studies of Australian soft corals. XLVI. New diterpenes from a Briareum species (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Gorgonacea). Aust J Chem 42:1705–1726

    Google Scholar 

  • Coll JC, Bowden BF (1986) The application of vacuum liquid chromatography to the separation of terpene mixtures. J nat Products (Lloydia) 49:934–936

    Google Scholar 

  • Coll JC, Bowden BF, König GM, Braslau R, Price IR (1986) Studies of Australian soft corals. XXXX. The natural products chemistry of alcyonacean soft corals with special reference to the genus Lobophytum. Bull Socs chim belg 95:815–834

    Google Scholar 

  • Coll JC, Bowden BF, Meehan GV, König GM, Carroll AR, Tapiolas DM, Aliño PM, Heaton A, de Nys R, Leone PA, Maida M, Aceret TL, Willis RH, Babcock RC, Willis BL, Florian Z, Clayton MN, Miller RL (1994) Chemical aspects of mass spawning in corals. I. Sperm-attractant molecules in the eggs of the scleractinian coral Montipora digitata. Mar Biol 118:177–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlgren EJ (1989) Gorgonian community structure and reef zonation patterns on Yucatan coral reefs. Bull mar Sci 45:678–696

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinesen Z (1983) Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 1:229–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinesen Z (1985) Aspects of the life history of a stolon-bearing species of Efflatounaria (Octocorallia: Xeniidae). Proc 5th int coral Reef Congr. 6: 89–94 [Gabrié, C et al (eds) Antenne Museum-EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrant PA (1985) Reproduction in the temperate Australian soft coral Capnella gaboensis. Proc 5th int. coral Reef Congr 4: 319–324. [Gabrie C et al (eds) Antenne Museum-EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]

    Google Scholar 

  • Gohar HAF (1940) Studies of the Xeniidae of the Red Sea: their ecology, physiology, taxonomy and phylogeny. Publs mar biol Stn Ghardaqa 2:27–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison PL, Babcock RC, Bull GD, Oliver JK, Wallace CC, Willis BL (1984) Mass spawning in tropical reef corals. Science, NY 223:1186–1189

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartnoll RG (1977) The annual cycle of Alcyonium digitatum. Estuar cstl mar Sci 3:71–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimland B, Norin J (1968) Chemistry of the order Pinales. XLV. Thunbergol a new macrocyclic diterpene alcohol. Acta chem scand 22:943–948

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasker HR (1990) Clonal propagation and population dynamics of a gorgonian coral. Ecology 71:1578–1589

    Google Scholar 

  • Leone PA (1993) Natural products chemistry and chemical ecology of tropical Australian soft corals. PhD thesis. James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Maier I, Müller DG (1986) Sexual pheromones in algae. Biol Bull mar biol Lab, Woods Hole 170:145–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL (1979a) Sperm chemotaxis in the Hydromedusae. I. Species-specificity and sperm behavior. Mar Biol 53:99–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL (1979b) Sperm chemotaxis in the Hydromedusae. II. Some chemical properties of the sperm attractants. Mar Biol 53:115–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL (1982) Sperm chemotaxis in ascidians. Am Zool 22:827–840

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL (1985a) Sperm chemo-orientation in the metazoa. In: Metz CB Jr, Monroy A (eds) The biology of fertilisation. Vol 2. New York, Academic Press, pp 275–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL (1985b) Demonstration of sperm chemotaxis in the Echinodermata: Holothuroidea, Ophiuroidea. J exp Zool 234:383–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL King K (1983) Sperm chemotaxis in Oikopleura dioica (Urochordata: Larvacea). Biol Bull mar biol Lab, Woods Hole 165:419–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RL Mojares JJ, Ram JL (1995) Species specific sperm attraction in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissna bugensis). Can J Zool (in press)

  • Moore RE (1977) Volatile compounds from marine algae. Accts chem Res 10:40–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller DG (1976) Quantitative evaluation of sexual chemotaxis in two marine brown algae. Z PflPhysiol 80:120–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller DG (1977) Chemical basis of sexual approach in marine brown algae. In: Faulkner DJ, Fenical WH (eds) Marine natural products chemistry. Plenum Press, New York, pp 351–360 [NATO Conference, Ser IV: Mar Sciences No 1]

    Google Scholar 

  • Punnett T, Miller RL, Yoo B-H (1992) Partial purification and some chemical properties of the sperm chemoattractant from the forcipulate starfish Pycnopodia helianthoides Brandt, 1835. J exp Zool 262:87–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Sammarco PW, Coll JC (1988) The chemical ecology of alcyonarian corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia). In: Scheuer PJ (ed) Bioorganic marine chemistry. Vol 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 87–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward GE, Brokaw CJ, Garbers DL, Vacquier VD (1985) Chemotaxis of Arbacia punctulata spermatozoa to resact, a peptide from the egg jelly layer. J Cell Biol 101:2324–2329

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg S (1978) Revision of the common Octocorallia of the Mediterranean circa littoral. III. Stolonifera. Beaufortia 27:139–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Willis BL, Babcock RC, Harrison PL, Wallace CC (1993) Experimental evidence of hybridisation in reef corals involved in the mass spawning events. Proc 7th int coral Reef Symp 1: p. 109 [Richmond RH (ed) University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam]

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamazato K, Sato M, Yamashiro H (1981) Reproductive biology of an Alcyonarian coral Lobophytum crassum Marenzeller. Proc 4th int coral Reef Symp 2: 671–678 [Gomez ED et al (eds) Marine Science Center, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines]

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida M, Inaba K, Morisawa M (1993) Sperm chemotaxis during the process of fertilization in the ascidians Ciona savignyi and Ciona intestinalis. Devl Biol 157:497–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1984) Biostatistical analysis. 2nd edn. Prentice-Hall Inc, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. J. C. Coll

    Present address: Chancellery, Central Queensland University, 4702, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Sciences, James Cook University of North Queensland, 4811, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    J. C. Coll, P. A. Leone, B. F. Bowden, A. R. Carroll, G. M. König, A. Heaton, R. de Nys, M. Maida, P. M. Aliño & R. H. Willis

  2. School of Biological Sciences, James Cook University of North Queensland, 4811, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    M. Maida, R. C. Babcock & Z. Florian

  3. Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland, P.O. Box 349, Warkworth, New Zealand

    R. C. Babcock

  4. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    M. N. Clayton

  5. Department of Biology, Temple University, 19122, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    R. L. Miller

  6. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Bullocky Point, Fannie Bay, 0820, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

    P. N. Alderslade

Authors
  1. J. C. Coll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Leone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. F. Bowden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. R. Carroll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. M. König
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. Heaton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. de Nys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. M. Maida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. P. M. Aliño
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. R. H. Willis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. R. C. Babcock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Z. Florian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. M. N. Clayton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. R. L. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. P. N. Alderslade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by G.F. Humphrey, Sydney

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coll, J.C., Leone, P.A., Bowden, B.F. et al. Chemical aspects of mass spawning in corals. II. (-)-Epi-thunbergol, the sperm attractant in the eggs of the soft coral Lobophytum crassum (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). Marine Biology 123, 137–143 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350332

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350332

Keywords

Search

Navigation