Reproductive seasonality of Sea Urchin Centrostephanus tenuispinus on high latitude coral and macroalgal reefs in the south-eastern Indian Ocean

R. M. G. N. Thilakarathna; Michael Van Keulen; John K. Keesing

doi:10.1017/S0025315425100751

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Reproductive seasonality of Sea Urchin Centrostephanus tenuispinus on high latitude coral and macroalgal reefs in the south-eastern Indian Ocean

Journal article

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Reproductive seasonality of Sea Urchin Centrostephanus tenuispinus on high latitude coral and macroalgal reefs in the south-eastern Indian Ocean

R. M. G. N. Thilakarathna, Michael Van Keulen and John K. Keesing

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Vol.105, 124

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315425100751

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Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Marine & Freshwater Biology

Science & Technology

Sea urchins can have considerable ecological impacts on benthic habitats through grazing and bioerosion and many are exploited as fisheries resources. Of the abundant temperate sea urchins, Centrostephanus tenuispinus is among the least studied. We determined the reproductive seasonality of C. tenuispinus off western Australia at Hall Bank where a high density (2.94 +/- 0.14 individuals m-2) of small to medium size (66.23 +/- 0.24 mm mean test diameter) urchins has been found to suppress macroalgae recruitment and facilitate hard coral dominance of the benthos and at Minden Reef where, typical of most reefs in the region, a low density (0.14 +/- 0.01 individuals m-2), larger sized (100.69 +/- 0.45 mm) population occupies a habitat dominated by dense macroalgae. Centrostephanus tenuispinus exhibited a clear synchronized annual reproductive cycle. Gametogenesis began in autumn coincident with lowering sea water temperature and decreasing day length and spawning occurred in late winter and spring. The larger urchins from Minden Reef had significantly larger gonads and a higher % GSI (percentage gonadosomatic index) value than Hall Bank Reef. % GSI increased significantly at both sites between winter and summer, but the magnitude of the increase was much greater at Minden Reef (76%) compared to Hall Bank (10%). The results indicate that both populations have the same reproductive cycle but raise questions about the relative contribution the two populations make to the reproductive output of the species in southwestern Australia.

Details

Title: Reproductive seasonality of Sea Urchin Centrostephanus tenuispinus on high latitude coral and macroalgal reefs in the south-eastern Indian Ocean
Authors/Creators: R. M. G. N. Thilakarathna - Murdoch University
Michael Van Keulen - University of Ruhuna
John K. Keesing - Curtin University
Publication Details: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Vol.105, 124
Publisher: Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.
Number of pages: 16
Grant note: RMGN Thilakarathna, Murdoch University
Identifiers: 991005830348907891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.2 Marine Biology; 3.2.1339 Marine Invertebrate Development
Web Of Science research areas: Marine & Freshwater Biology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science