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Coral-Killing Sponge Terpios hoshinota Invades the Corals of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India


Affiliations
1 Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin 628 003, India
2 University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
 

Terpios hoshinota is an encrusting cyanobacteriosponge which grows aggressively over live coral colonies and has been reported to undergo outbreaks which kill corals. In an underwater survey conducted on the reefs of Gulf of Mannar, an outbreak of this coral-invading sponge was witnessed for the first time. It was found invading approximately 5% of the Montipora divaricata colonies (n = 383) at 1 m depth in Vaan Island. The affected site had a high coral cover (85.13%) dominated by montiporids (79.97%). T. hoshinota was confirmed via underwater morphology and microscopic observation of distinctive lobed tylostylespicules. This sponge is reported to have caused significant damage to many reefs around the world and hence immediate steps are needed to protect the reefs of Gulf of Mannar. Further studies are needed to assess the extent of T. hoshinota invasion in Gulf of Mannar and progression rate over live coral colonies.

Keywords

Coral Reefs, Invasion, Montipora divaricata, Sponge, Terpios hoshinota.
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  • Coral-Killing Sponge Terpios hoshinota Invades the Corals of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India

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Authors

K. Diraviya Raj
Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin 628 003, India
M. Selva Bharath
Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin 628 003, India
G. Mathews
Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin 628 003, India
Greta S. Aeby
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
J. K. Patterson Edward
Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin 628 003, India

Abstract


Terpios hoshinota is an encrusting cyanobacteriosponge which grows aggressively over live coral colonies and has been reported to undergo outbreaks which kill corals. In an underwater survey conducted on the reefs of Gulf of Mannar, an outbreak of this coral-invading sponge was witnessed for the first time. It was found invading approximately 5% of the Montipora divaricata colonies (n = 383) at 1 m depth in Vaan Island. The affected site had a high coral cover (85.13%) dominated by montiporids (79.97%). T. hoshinota was confirmed via underwater morphology and microscopic observation of distinctive lobed tylostylespicules. This sponge is reported to have caused significant damage to many reefs around the world and hence immediate steps are needed to protect the reefs of Gulf of Mannar. Further studies are needed to assess the extent of T. hoshinota invasion in Gulf of Mannar and progression rate over live coral colonies.

Keywords


Coral Reefs, Invasion, Montipora divaricata, Sponge, Terpios hoshinota.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi05%2F1117-1119