Contribution à l’étude de Caulerpa prolifera (Forsskål) Lamouroux (Chlorophycée, Caulerpale). II — La reproduction sexuée sur les côtes occidentales de la Méditerranée. Contribution to the Study of Caulerpa prolifera (Forsskål) Lamouroux (Chlorophyceae, Caulerpales). II. Sexual Reproduction along the Western Mediterranean Coast

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Abstract
Several years of SCUBA diving surveys of a few C. prolifera stations have enabled observation of numerous reproduction periods. In the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea, the reproductive season occurs between the end of June and beginning of Oct. During this time, the sea-water temperature is above 20.degree. C. During a single season several reproductive periods can be observed. Continual measurements of in situ water temperature and light intensity showed that among the factors inducing gametogenesis an important quantitative change of light precedes a reproductive period. The regular examination of the swarmers shows that the gametogenesis is usually incomplete: immature gametes or gametes of the same sex (male) are typical. In the Mediterranean, authors who have described the reproduction of this species, have only found female gametes and have not been able to obtain gamete fusion. Sexual reproduction seems to be exceptional in the western Mediterranean sea. Incomplete reproduction has led a number of authors to consider that there was a dioecious character in what is a monoecious genus.