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Due to the dearth of molecular markers variable enough to distinguish species of black corals, species delimitation in Antipatharia is still mainly based on morphological traits. One of the few markers available, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region located in ribosomal DNA, has already been used several times to infer phylogenetic relationships among antipatharians. However, this region was

We analysed the patterns of genetic variability of eastern Mediterranean populations of the scleractinian coral Cladocora caespitosa, from the Aegean and Levantine seas, using 19 polymorphic microsatellite loci, 11 of which were newly characterized. The observed genetic pattern reflects a scenario of isolation by environment: FST comparisons showed a higher degree of genetic differentiation between

Giant clams are conspicuous bivalves inhabiting Indo-Pacific reefs. Since Rosewater’s seminal paper in 1965, the number of giant clam species described or resurrected has exactly doubled. The increased number of species reported and accessibility to genetic material of rare or uncommon species therefore call for a reappraisal of the phylogenetic relationships within the Tridacninae subfamily. Here

Coral reefs exhibit consistent patterns in biodiversity across multiple spatial scales, from local to global clines in species richness, abundance and community structure. Knowledge of fundamental processes driving these patterns is largely derived from studies of shallow, emergent and nearshore reefs. Although research efforts are expanding to deeper mesophotic coral reef ecology, distinct and isolated

Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by climate change, mass bleaching events and ocean acidification (OA). Coral calcification, a process that is critical to build and maintain the structure of tropical coral reefs, is highly sensitive to both warming and acidifying oceans. However, in contrast to the impacts of OA on coral calcification, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding how coral biomineralization

Symbiodiniaceae is a diverse group of dinoflagellates that form symbioses with marine invertebrates, provisioning energy and nutrients for their hosts. Symbiont diversity is a well-known predictor of host fitness and stress tolerance. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the mechanisms by which in hospite symbiont communities are structured. Therefore, we hypothesized that phylogenetic differences

Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns seastars (CoTS) are one of the leading causes of coral decline on Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Predator removal has been proposed to be a possible mechanism contributing to CoTS outbreaks in this region. Although some data exist on predation of adults, little work has been conducted on predators of juvenile CoTS. The aim of this study was therefore to establish whether predation

Storms strongly affect coral reefs; one unstudied but potentially important outcome may be a decrease in herbivory, presumably through changes to freshwater, sediment and nutrient influx. Algal turfs are sensitive early indicators of reef condition, and experimental evidence demonstrates low sediment loads and strong herbivory maintain short, healthy turf. While unknown, storms likely disrupt these

Anthozoans exhibit great plasticity in their responses to stressful conditions, including decreasing individual size, detaching from the substratum and relocating, and releasing endosymbiotic microalgae. Another response to stress used by some colonial anthozoans is polyp bailout, in which the coenenchyme breaks down and individual polyps detach from the colony. We observed polyp bailout in the common

Few genetic studies that provide biological, ecological and evolutionary information have been conducted for parrotfishes, including Sparisoma viride, and none has covered the full geographic range of this species. Here, we examine the genetic patterns of the Stoplight parrotfish (S. viride) in the Greater Caribbean and its relationship with the recognized biogeographic provinces in the region. Phylogeographic

Mutualistic associations with symbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) enable invertebrate hosts to thrive in tropical waters that are shallow and oligotrophic. Giant clams can harbor multiple species of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Family: Symbiodiniaceae) from mainly three genera, Symbiodinium, Cladocopium and Durusdinium, but whether they have distinct physiological functions at the genus level in

Colonies of the massive coral species, Porites lutea, located at six shallow reefs across Fiji, were cored and analysed to create a chronological growth rate record. Boosted regression tree models were used to investigate relationships between annual coral growth rates and corresponding environmental variables. An ecologically based prediction model was then created to determine expected coral growth

In coral reef communities, sea urchins and reef fish have a variety of commensal relationships. However, if fish view urchins as a potential form of predator protection, then urchin presence should influence reef fish risk assessment. We investigated whether dusky damselfish (Stegastes nigricans) perceive burrowing urchins (Echinometra mathaei) as a form of predator protection by asking whether and

The southern Persian/Arabian Gulf experiences extreme seasonal temperature variation (> 20 °C) making it among the most hostile reef environments on Earth. Previous anecdotal evidence has suggested that seasonal temperature changes may influence regional reef fish assemblages, but to date research has been limited. To examine the influence of temperature on reef fish abundance and composition, we performed

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Unlike most other corals that have been declining since the 1980s, the population of Porites astreoides, one of the dominant species of coral in Caribbean reefs, appears to be resilient. We investigated the physiological regulation of the electron transport chain of Symbiodiniaceae chloroplasts during the light/dark transition in P. astreoides compared to nine other common scleractinian corals. Protocols

This study presents a novel approach resulting in the first cold-water coral reef biomass maps, used to assess associated ecosystem functions, such as carbon (C) stock and turnover. We focussed on two dominant ecosystem engineers at the Mingulay Reef Complex, the coral Lophelia pertusa (rubble, live and dead framework) and the sponge Spongosorites coralliophaga. Firstly, from combining biological (high-definition

The vast majority of scleractinian corals are either simultaneous hermaphrodites or gonochoric. Exceptions to these are rare. Nevertheless, species belonging to the family Fungiidae are known to exhibit a wide variety of reproductive strategies. We examined the reproductive ecology of the mushroom coral Fungia fungites in Okinawa. Our study was conducted as part of a long-term, wide-ranging project

Coral reef research and management efforts can be improved when supported by reef maps providing local-scale details across global extents. However, such maps are difficult to generate due to the broad geographic range of coral reefs, the complexities of relating satellite imagery to geomorphic or ecological realities, and other challenges. However, reef extent maps are one of the most commonly used

Coral bleaching, as one of the major threats to the well-being of coral reefs worldwide, has been extensively studied. However, corals from mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), found at 30 to 150 m depth and considered as a potential refuge, have not yet been well studied experimentally under thermal stress. As mesophotic corals are also highly fluorescent, and fluorescence under heat stress is known

As sea surface temperatures increase worldwide due to climate change, coral bleaching events are becoming more frequent and severe, resulting in reef degradation. Leveraging the inherent ability of reef-building corals to acclimatize to thermal stress via pre-exposure to protective temperature treatments may become an important tool in improving the resilience of coral reefs to rapid environmental

Cryptobenthic reef fishes (small, camouflaged, benthic-dwelling fishes) face exceptionally high mortality rates, yet they are the most abundant fishes on coral reefs. To maintain local adult populations in the face of these mortality rates, larval cryptobenthics may have adaptations that limit dispersal. However, the basis for this larval retention is unknown. Here, we compared the body shapes of adult

Knowing the responses of high-latitude corals to thermal impacts will be critical to predicting the possibility for range expansion of reefs provoked by climate change. We, therefore, tested how oceanographic and island geography variation and subsequent interactions between chronic and acute environmental stresses would influence the temperate corals of Mauritius (~ 20°S). Specifically, we predicted

Although resource availability is important for coral reef nutrient cycling and trophic ecology, it is poorly understood how particulate resources may change following an oceanic heat stress event. Here, carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) of particulate organic matter (POM; 10 and 30 m) were compared from before and after the 2016 mass coral bleaching event

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30–150 m depth) are poorly studied, with existing research heavily geographically biased away from the most species-rich reef regions. Yet, MCEs are of high interest because of their unique species and potential to act as refuges from the impacts of fishing. Using baited remote underwater video systems, we surveyed reef fish communities from 2 to 85 m depths

Population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns seastars (CoTS; Acanthaster spp.) are contributing to extensive coral loss and reef degradation throughout the Indo-Pacific, but the causes and underlying mechanisms of population maintenance and outbreaks are equivocal. Two recent publications suggest that, in addition to outbreeding sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction through larval fission and selfing

Cnidarians are known to undergo reverse development as a survival mechanism against adverse environmental conditions. Polyp bail-out consists in the polyps’ detachment from the mother colony due to stressful conditions, followed by a complete tissue and cells rearrangement and in some cases in a regression into a simple, ciliated form. Here we describe a massive polyp bail-out event occurred in the

Growth anomalies (GAs), a tumour-like disease affecting scleractinian corals, have been reported across the major reef systems of the Indo-Pacific and wider Atlantic regions, predominantly affecting Acropora and Porites species. In 2018, GAs were observed for the first time on Isopora palifera, an important observation from the isolated Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the East Indian Ocean, as the species

Successful recruitment is critical to the maintenance and resilience of populations and may be at the core of the transition from scleractinian- to octocoral-dominated faunas on some Caribbean reefs. For sessile invertebrates, recruitment incorporates the composite effects of larval supply, settlement and survival. The relative success of these processes differs between species, and successful recruitment

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) sediments are the dominant form of CaCO3 on coral reefs accumulating in lagoon and inter-reefal areas. Owing to their mineralogy and a range of physical parameters, tropical CaCO3 sediments are predicted to be more sensitive to dissolution driven by ocean acidification than the skeleton of living reef organisms. How this scales up to impact infaunal organisms, which are an

Oxygen is a critical resource that mediates a multitude of essential processes and interactions at multiple scales on coral reefs. In adult corals, it can directly or indirectly impact physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification. Moreover, many corals bleach as a consequence of being exposed to low oxygen. The sessile adult phase of corals makes habitat selection

Spur-and-groove (SAG) morphology characterizes the fore reef of many coral reefs worldwide. Although the existence and geometrical properties of SAG have been well documented, an understanding of the hydrodynamics over them is limited. Here, the three-dimensional flow patterns over SAG formations, and a sensitivity of those patterns to waves, currents, and SAG geometry were characterized using the

Here, we utilise a unique, 70-year-long (1949–2017), high-resolution historical aerial imagery dataset to track changes to coral reef structures in Bill’s Bay on the Ningaloo coast. Reef habitat was distinguished from sand and rubble substrates based on imagery greyscale values and autoclassified using unsupervised image analysis in ArcMap. This approach was validated through comparison of reef structure

Hawkfishes are small demersal reef predators. Although their association with the coral substrate has been widely documented for some species, information regarding their feeding habits is limited, especially in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). We characterized the diet of the coral hawkfish Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus in Isla Gorgona (ETP) by visually analyzing its gut contents and calculating its

Understanding the structural and mechanical properties of coral skeletons is important to assess their responses to natural and anthropogenic challenges and to predict the long-term viability of hermatypic corals in a changing ocean. Here, we describe the microstructure of the critically endangered staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) skeleton and its mechanical properties, spectral and fluidic behavior

Scleractinian corals provide habitats for a broad variety of cryptofauna, which in turn may contribute to the overall functioning of coral symbiomes. Among these invertebrates, hydrozoans belonging to the genus Zanclea represent an increasingly known and ecologically important group of coral symbionts. In this study, we analysed 321 Zanclea colonies associated with 31 coral genera collected from 11

The sclerosponge Ceratoporella nicholsoni is a hyper-calcifying high microbial abundance sponge. This sponge has been observed at high densities throughout the Caribbean in the mesophotic zone (30–150 m), as well as cryptic environments in shallow (< 30 m) depths. Given the densities of this sponge, it could play an important role in the cycling of inorganic and organic sources of carbon and nitrogen

Temporal patterns in giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta) spawning were compiled from 32 observations spanning 17 years and three Caribbean locations (Florida, Belize, and Haiti). The records were analyzed for patterns in seasonality, lunar periodicity, and diel rhythm to develop a predictive spawning window. Results indicate that spawning is concentrated from mid-April to late May. Most spawning

Efforts to study the microbial communities associated with corals can be limited by inefficiencies in the sequencing process due to high levels of host amplification by universal bacterial 16S rRNA gene primers. Here, we develop an inexpensive peptide nucleic acid (PNA) clamp that binds to a target sequence of host DNA during PCR and blocks amplification. We then test the ability of this PNA clamp

Marine habitats vary widely in structure, from incredibly complex coral reefs to simpler deep water and open ocean habitats. Hydromechanical models of swimming kinematics and microevolutionary studies suggest that these habitats select for different body shape characteristics. Fishes living in simple habitats are predicted to experience selection for energy-efficient sustained swimming, which can be

Soft corals are well known for producing toxic and unpalatable compounds to deter predation. In spite of these antipredation defences, a suite of specialised predators has coevolved to feed on soft corals. Direct quantification of this predation, however, has been minimal and the influence of predation on soft corals is yet to be investigated. In this study, the intensity and importance of predation

Variation in light and temperature can influence the genetic diversity and structure of marine plankton communities. While open-ocean plankton communities receive much scientific attention, little is known about how environmental variation affects plankton communities on tropical coral reefs. Here, we characterize eukaryotic plankton communities on coral reefs across the Bocas del Toro Archipelago

The crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), Acanthaster cf. solaris, is one of the main contributors to declines in coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and remains one of the major acute disturbances on coral reefs throughout much of the Indo-Pacific. Extensive control programs on the GBR involve manual culling of COTS in the field, and research is needed to inform these management efforts. Data from

Coral recruitment is important in sustaining coral reef ecosystems and contributing to their recovery after disturbances. Despite widespread acceptance that crustose coralline algae (CCA) positively influence coral recruitment success, especially by enhancing coral settlement and early post-settlement stages, there are no experimental data on the effects of CCA species on late post-settlement survival

Azooxanthellate corals are the most abundant macrofossils in the lower Pliocene deposits of the Manilva Basin (S Spain). In this paper, the cnidarian fossil assemblages have been studied in order to reconstruct the original communities and to depict the seascapes. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages associated with the corals have also been analysed to infer the palaeoenvironmental conditions in which

Some reef corals form stable, dominant or codominant associations with multiple endosymbiotic dinoflagellate species (family Symbiodiniaceae). Given the immense genetic and physiological diversity within this family, Symbiodiniaceae community composition has the potential to impact the nutritional physiology and fitness of the cnidarian host and all associated symbionts. Here we assessed the impact

Coral polyps have a fluid-filled internal compartment, the gastrovascular cavity (GVC). Respiration and photosynthesis cause large daily excursions in GVC oxygen concentration (O2) and pH, but few studies have examined how this correlates with calcification rates. We hypothesized that GVC chemistry can mediate and ameliorate the effects of decreasing seawater pH (pHSW) on coral calcification. Microelectrodes

The status of coral reefs is often portrayed by parameters (e.g., coverage, bleaching, diseases, nutrients and rugosity) assigned to adult populations. Yet, coral recruitment is essential for sustaining coral populations, especially in the aftermath of major disturbances. Studying earliest coral recruitment at species level can reveal declines in the recovery potential and resilience of coral populations

Cleaning symbioses among coral reef fishes are highly variable. Cleanerfishes vary in how much they cooperate with (i.e. remove only ectoparasites) or cheat (i.e. bite healthy tissue, scales or mucus) on their fish clients. As a result, clients use various strategies to enforce cooperation by cleaners (e.g. punishment or partner choice), and cleaners use tactile stimulation to manipulate cheated client

Most benthic invertebrates, including ecosystem engineers such as corals, sponges and bivalves, have a motile planktonic larval phase and rely on specific chemical cues to identify a suitable substrate to settle. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) can induce settlement and metamorphosis responses in many invertebrates including corals. We tested the respective coral settlement capacity of multiple CCA

This erratum has been initiated as several corrections were overlooked during proofing stage by vendor.

Net calcification rates for coral reef and other calcifiers have been shown to decline as ocean acidification (OA) occurs. However, the role of calcium carbonate dissolution in lowering net calcification rates is unclear. The objective of this study was to distinguish OA effects on calcification and dissolution rates in dominant calcifying macroalgae of the Florida Reef Tract, including two rhodophytes

High-latitude coral reef communities have been postulated as the first areas to undergo reorganisation under climate change. Tropicalisation has been identified in some high-latitude communities and is predicted in others, but it is unclear how the resident benthic taxa are affected. We conducted a long-term (2007–2016) assessment of changes to benthic community cover in relation to thermal stress

Length–weight relationships (LWRs) are a fundamental tool for the non-intrusive determination of biomass, a unit of measure that facilitates the quantification of ecosystem and fisheries productivity. LWRs have been defined and broadly applied for many marine species across a range of ecosystems, especially regarding fishes. However, LWRs are yet to be determined for the majority of marine taxa, particularly

This erratum has been initiated as several formatting errors were overlooked during proofing stage by vendor.

Benthic suspension feeders have developed a variety of feeding strategies and food availability has often proven to be a key factor explaining their occurrence and distribution. The feeding biology of coral species has been the target of an increasing number of studies, however most of them focus on Scleractinia and Octocorallia, while information for Antipatharia is very scarce. The present study

Coral reef communities exposed to rapid temperature rises and frequent thermal anomalies were evaluated for taxonomic turnover via presence/absence information over a 27-year period experiencing large changes in the dominant taxa. Temporal turnover of the taxa within sites was consistently high (~ 40%) due to both inter-annual episodic and directional changes. Turnover with time displayed a rapid increase

Sea surface temperatures (SST) and chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl a) in the southern Red Sea have wide variations based on distance from the coast. To understand how these variations can affect the diversity of symbionts hosted by reef-associated organisms, we conducted a study in the central and southern Red Sea to examine the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae hosted by the zooxanthellate zoantharian

Tropical coral reefs are subject to multiple pressures from both natural and anthropogenic sources. These pressures have caused widespread declines in reef health, resulting in the increased use of spatial management tools such as marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs have proven generally effective if well designed and enforced, but there are l