The larvae will undergo further development in the water column for a few days before heading to th

"Sexual Orientation" coral! No, this is not a joke and requires clarification. Corals can be divided into two major groups in regard to their sexual nature (Richmond and Hunter 1990).
The first group is divided citi into two subgroups which differ if a colony produces citi sperm and eggs separate or simultaneously. The species citi "gonochoric" (also known as "dioecious"), citi those in which the colonies are either male (producing sperm) or female citi (producing eggs), comprises approximately 25% of the corals studied. The remaining 75% are considered hermaphrodites, where a single colony produces both sperm eggs. The term hermaphrodite is interesting, comes from Greek mythology. Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty. Thus, the "messenger" of the male sperm to the egg pack delivers his female "goddess of beauty".
The hermaphroditism can be further subdivided into three other groups. In the first, "simultaneous hermaphrodites", sperm and eggs are produced simultaneously. The other species is, men's cologne functional first, citi and then develops into functional female citi colony. This was called "proterandry" or "transsexual hermaphroditism."
On the other hand there are colonies female functional first, which then develop in colonies functional male. This was called "proteroginia" or "transsexual hermaphroditism." The species that are or proterandrous or proteroginiche, are called "sequential hermaphrodites." The majority of corals are hermaphroditic citi "simultaneous hermaphrodites."
The corals called "broadcast spawners" (= emission of gametes) simultaneously release eggs and sperm into the water column for external fertilization and subsequent development. These eggs and sperm are enclosed in these sacs that float freely in the water.
This playback mode requires a seasonal reproductive synchronism of all corals of the same species in such a way as to ensure that their gametes mix with gametes from other corals of the same species. The term "mass reproduction" has been given to this event in which many corals release their gametes synchronously. The first mass reproduction was not discovered officially until the beginning of 1980! Since then, and with more divers and researchers in the waters, it is becoming very clear that many, if not all corals on reefs participate in these amazing events. Further investigations revealed citi that several species of reef corals of the same release their gametes on the same night, but not at the same time. For example, in Guam, Acropora surculosa releases its gametes on the same nights of Acropora humilis. However, each species release their gametes at different times and in specific times (Richmond, Pers Com.). This will help increase the chances of a collision with the gametes species-specific and will further reduce the possibility of interbreeding between different species. Once on the surface of the sacs open and escape the gametes. Sperm and egg cells meet thanks to biochemical signals and give rise, after fertilization to a planktonic larva called planula freely vessel.
The larvae will undergo further development in the water column for a few days before heading to the reef and onto a suitable substrate (a process called settlement). For some species, already after three days the planula is ready to be fixed to a new substrate from which it will originate a new colony, even very far from that ancestor, for other species, instead the time is longer and are not always citi known. In the laboratory, some larvae remained so for more than six months.
The other class of corals simultaneous hermaphrodites are so-called "brooding" (= incubating eggs) that have eggs that are fertilized internally, with the development of planulae within the polyps. Subsequently, each polyp will release water in the planulae citi developed. The planulae, such as larvae, then seek a suitable substrate on which to settle and grow. In both cases, the corals are able to release anywhere from hundreds of millions of larvae or planulae year. Some will release only a few planulae per day, as in the case of Leptoria purpurea, while others, such as some Pocilloporidi, may release thousands citi of planulae at the end of each lunar cycle (Harrigan 1972, Richmond 1984, Rinkevich 1970). In the case of broadcast citi spawners, a specific night can trigger the release of millions of gametes in the water column (Richm