A collaborative study involving scientists from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), led by the Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Evolution (LBDV), has shed new light on the cellular and molecular features involved in coral larval settlement—a critical step in reef formation.
The research team conducted a comparative analysis of larvae from three cnidarian species: two corals (Astroides calycularis and Pocillopora acuta) and the hydrozoan jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica. Focusing on the sensory structures at the anterior end of the larvae, the study revealed shared cellular and molecular traits across these species.
These findings offer fresh insights into the evolution of the animal nervous system and suggest a potentially conserved mechanism that may regulate the settlement behavior of coral larvae—an essential process for the establishment and resilience of coral reefs.
The complete article has been published in Science Advances.
Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv1159
