First observation of Acropora downingi spawning in Kish Island, northern Persian Gulf

Despite some research on coral reproduction from the southern Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, no known studies have been published investigating coral reproduction in the northern Persian Gulf. This study examined the spawning time for a scleractinian branching coral “Acropora downingi” in Kish Island, the northern Persian Gulf. All investigated A. downingi colonies (100% of colonies) contained premature oocytes with cream in color at 11th March 2022 to mature oocytes with orange in color at 9th, 15th, and 16th April 2022. On April 17, 2022, there were no traces of eggs in the sections of the branches, indicating that the spawning occurred on 16th April 2022. The moon reached its full phase at 23:25 on 16th April 2022. These are the first records of spawning by Acropora corals in northern reefs in the Persian Gulf.