The Role of Temperature in Spawning of the Damselfish Dascyllus Albisella

Publisher： University of Miami - Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

ISSN： 0007-4977

Source： Bulletin of Marine Science, Vol.57, Iss.3, 1995-11, pp. : 624-636

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Abstract

The seasonality of tropical reef fish spawning is thought to be related to environmental factors. As the reproductive seasonality of reef fishes is likely to have important consequences on the timing of recruitment, the environmental cue initiating seasonal spawning should be elucidated. In this study, the Hawaiian damselfish Dascyllus albisella was found to exhibit only a weak seasonal component to spawning which was significantly correlated to seasonal changes in absolute temperature. Changes in temperature are also shown to be significantly correlated with the timing of spawning, and temperature changes coincide precisely with the onset and cessation of spawning during the season. In addition, abrupt changes in maximum daily temperature are shown to coincide with the onset of synchronous spawning among isolated populations, as well as with increased spawning frequency within populations. It is suggested that temperature may similarly moderate the intensity of spawning of D. albisella on a spatial scale of 30 km or greater.