<italic>In situ</italic> observation of external surface brooding by <italic>Clavularia</italic> cf. <italic>inflata</italic> (Octocorallia) on reefs of northwestern Okinawa Island, Japan.

The timing of larval production and release of organisms is important in understanding their presence and prevalence in the environment. On the subtropical coral reefs around Okinawa Island, Japan, the reproductive timing of many soft coral species is still largely unknown. In this study, we report the first documentation of <italic>in situ</italic> external brooding and planulae release of a stoloniferan octocoral observed on the coral reefs of Okinawa Island. We observe external brooding of embryos and developing larvae on the colony surface and the subsequent planulation of some azooxanthellate larvae of <italic>Clavularia</italic> cf. <italic>inflata</italic> from two coral reef sites in the northwestern region of Okinawa Island. These observations indicate that this species reproduces concurrently with other zooxanthellate coral reef anthozoans in the summer season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]