New Member: Mote Coral Research and Restoration Center joins Species360

March 28, 2022
Mary Ellen Amodeo
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In August 2020, Mote scientists documented the spawning of Mountainous star coral that was grown in a land-based nursery and outplanted in 2015. This was the first time anywhere that massive (mounding) corals were observed spawning after being restored, according to the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium 2020 Annual Report. Learn more here. (Photo: Joe Berg, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.)

Coral fragments allowed to grow within the Center before being outplanted to reefs.

Mote’s Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration, Florida (United States), has become a new member of Species360. The Center operates four locations, each with multiple enclosures (raceways) and thousands of coral fragments. Expert teams manage the populations as they live, propagate, and grow before being transferred to new locations – including being outplanted to reefs.

The Center will use the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) to support the unique challenges of managing and propagating corals, including transfers within and between locations. Corals are transferred among enclosures as needed, and, longer term, the Center is preparing to send and receive corals from other Species360 members such as The Florida Aquarium.

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is also a Species360 member. More than 360 aquariums worldwide are members of the Species360 community and use ZIMS to record and analyze data regarding the management of animals, groups, enclosures, water quality, and more.