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Corals have evolved a variety of stress responses to changing conditions, many of which have been the subject of scientific research. However, polyp bailout has not received widespread scientific attention, despite being described more than 80 years ago. Polyp bailout is a drastic response to acute stress in which coral colonies break down, with individual and patches of polyps detaching from the colony and the calcareous skeleton Polyps retain their symbiotic partners, have dispersal ability, and may undergo secondary settlement and calcification. Polyp bailout has been described worldwide in a variety of anthozoan species, especially in Scleractinia. It can be induced by multiple natural stressors, but also artificially. Little is known about the evolutionary and ecological potential and consequences of breaking down modularity, the dispersal ability, and reattachment of polyps resulting from polyp bailout. It has been shown that polyp bailout can be used as a model system, with promise for implementation in various research topics. To date, there has been no compilation of knowledge on polyp bailout, which prompted us to review this interesting stress response and provide a basis to discuss research topics and priorities for the future., The present review addresses the stress response polyp bailout, including the current state of research and theoretical aspects of the evolutionary and ecological consequences. Furthermore, the review deals with the possible use of polyp bailout in future research.

In accordance with the Red Queen hypothesis, the lower genotypic diversity in clonally reproducing species should make them easier targets for pathogen infection, especially when closely related sexually reproducing species occur in close proximity. We analyzed two populations of clonal \(\textit {P. formosa}\) and their sexual parental species \(\textit {P. mexicana}\) by correlating individual parasite infection with overall and immune genotype. Our study revealed lower levels of overall genotypic diversity and marginally fewer MHC class I alleles in \(\textit {P. formosa}\) individuals compared to sexually reproducing \(\textit {P. mexicana}\). Parasite load, however, differed only between field sites but not between species. We hypothesize that this might be due to slightly higher genotypic diversity in \(\textit {P. formosa}\) at the innate immune system (toll like receptor 8) which is likely due to the species’ hybrid origin. In consequence, it appears that clonal individuals do not necessarily suffer a disadvantage compared to sexual individuals when fighting parasite infection.

In accordance with the Red Queen hypothesis, the lower genotypic diversity in clonally reproducing species should make them easier targets for pathogen infection, especially when closely related sexually reproducing species occur in close proximity. We analyzed two populations of clonal P. formosa and their sexual parental species P. mexicana by correlating individual parasite infection with overall and immune genotype. Our study revealed lower levels of overall genotypic diversity and marginally fewer MHC class I alleles in P. formosa individuals compared to sexually reproducing P. mexicana. Parasite load, however, differed only between field sites but not between species. We hypothesize that this might be due to slightly higher genotypic diversity in P. formosa at the innate immune system (toll like receptor 8) which is likely due to the species' hybrid origin. In consequence, it appears that clonal individuals do not necessarily suffer a disadvantage compared to sexual individuals when fighting parasite infection.