An international collaborative research team between Dr. Hiroko Nozawa of Academia Sinica and Professor Shunichi Takahashi of the Ryukyu University Tropical Biosphere Research Center said that during the time when coral is suppressed from spawning by moonlight and is exposed to sunlight and moonlight. For the first time in the world, it was revealed that the occurrence of a "light gap" is a signal that determines the spawning date.

 Corals lay eggs all at once in synchronization with the full moon in early summer, but it was unclear how to grasp the time of the full moon (month age) and synchronize the spawning dates.This time, the international collaborative research team investigated how moonlight (field experiment) and nighttime light imitating moonlight (laboratory experiment) affect the spawning day using coral called Kikumeishi in Green Island, Taiwan.

 Until now, it was thought that moonlight during the full moon induces egg laying, but as a result of experiments, the fact that moonlight suppresses (stops) egg laying and the light in the first half of the night is effective in suppressing egg laying. It was shown to be.Synchronized spawning during the full moon was associated with changes in lunar spawning time with age.Sunlight and moonlight continue until the day of the full moon, and after the day of the full moon, a light gap (dark time zone) appears between the sunlight and the moonlight, so the effect of suppressing the spawning of the moonlight is lost and spawning is induced. It turned out to be done.

 Not only corals but also fish can be seen to lay eggs at the same time during the full moon.In the future, we will clarify the universality and diversity of "egg-laying cues", what mechanism the "egg-laying cues" called the light gap induces egg-laying, and what kind of gene expression will change. We would like to proceed with research on this and clarify the whole picture of the synchronized egg-laying mechanism.

Paper information:[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America] Moonrise timing is key for synchronized spawning in coral Dipsastraea speciosa

University of the Ryukyus

Acquire specialized knowledge and skills through a variety of learning. Established 7 faculties, 9 departments, and 7 centers

It is the only national university in Okinawa prefecture and is the southernmost and westernmost university in Japan.We will ensure the quality of education and develop human resources who can play an active role and contribute to the world by utilizing advanced expertise and problem-seeking ability based on a wide range of education.Fostering wisdom and setting an example for society by fully drawing out diverse personalities and talents and opening up a new era […]

University Journal Online Editorial Department

This is the online editorial department of the university journal.
Articles are written by editorial staff who have a high level of knowledge and interest in universities and education.