Bloom of the cyanobacterium Moorea bouillonii on the Gorgonian coral Annella reticulata in Japan
Yamashiro, H.; Isomura, N.; Sakai, K. (2014). Bloom of the cyanobacterium Moorea bouillonii on the Gorgonian coral Annella reticulata in Japan. NPG Scientific Reports 4(6032): 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep06032
In: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 2045-2322; e-ISSN 2045-2322, more
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| Keywords |
Animal products > Coral
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Yamashiro, H.
- Isomura, N.
- Sakai, K.
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| Abstract |
Coral populations are in decline due to environmental changes and biological attacks by predators and infectious diseases. Here, we report a localized bloom of the benthic filamentous cyanobacterium Moorea bouillonii (formerly Lyngbya bouillonii) observed exclusively on the gorgonian (sea fan) coral Annella reticulata at around 20 m depth in Japan. The degree of infection has reached 26% among different sizes of Annella colonies. Thick and continuous growth of Moorea may be sustained partly by symbiotic alpheid shrimp, which affix Moorea filaments to gorgonian corals for use as food and shelter. Most filaments get entangled on the coral colony, some penetrate into the stem of the coral with a swollen end like a root hair, which appears to function as an anchor in Annella. In addition to the cyanobacterium-shrimp interaction, the new trait of anchoring by the cyanobacterium into gorgonian coral may contribute to persistence of this bloom. |
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