Dataset: Phillips_et_al_2014 - Experiment 2 hours

Ceraesignum maximum larvae were obtained from field- collected adults. Individual adult C. maximum were chiseled from the coral matrix intact in their tubes, transported to the laboratory in coolers of seawater, and their brooding status ascertained by gently poking each snail until it retracted deep into its shell. If late-stage capsules were observed attached to the inside of the shell, a mesh-sided cage (mesh = 150 µm) was secured around the tube with cable-ties, and the adult (with mesh enclosing the openings to their tubes) was then placed in a large tank with flowing seawater. Swimming larvae were released by females after 1–3 days.

Fragments (approximately 2x3 cm) of live coral were collected from the lagoon on the morning of each experiment and left for 2 h in flowing ambient seawater to recover. Fragments were examined under a microscope prior to each experiment to ensure that polyps were extended.

For this experiment:

A single coral fragment was placed into each of ten replicate plastic containers of each treatment with approximately 200 ml FSW. To each container, we added 1 larva (1-day post-hatch). Of the ten larvae for each treatment, five were from each of two females. We examined larvae after 4–6 hours, and they were scored as live or dead and the number of empty dead shells were counted.