Polyp bailout and reattachment of the abundant Caribbean octocoral Eunicea flexuosa

Anthozoans exhibit great plasticity in their responses to stressful conditions, including decreasing individual size, detaching from the substratum and relocating, and releasing endosymbiotic microalgae. Another response to stress used by some colonial anthozoans is polyp bailout, in which the coenenchyme breaks down and individual polyps detach from the colony. We observed polyp bailout in the common Caribbean gorgonian Eunicea flexuosa after 8 h of aerial exposure. After 9 days, 28% of bailed-out polyps reattached, although none opened to resume feeding. Polyp bailout is a costly and high-risk escape response, but reattachment indicates that this can be a genet-saving behavior in cases where whole-colony mortality is likely. While it has been described in two octocorals, several species of scleractinians, and one black coral, we still do not know how widespread this behavior is in anthozoans.

Automated summary

Anthozoans exhibit various responses to stressful conditions, including polyp bailout, where individual polyps detach from the colony. This high-risk escape response can be a genet-saving behavior in cases of whole-colony mortality.