Pink Porites
Ilsa Kuffner
IKUFFNER at zoogate.zoo.hawaii.edu
Sat Apr 6 02:06:53 EST 1996
Regarding pink Porites,
Here in Hawaii we have a parasite that infects Porites compressa in
the form of bright pink "coral zits." I don't know if this is
related to pink bands, for I've never seen any when sectioning
branches, but I don't believe I've checked an infected coral. The
parasite is a trematode with a complicated life cycle involving
several intermediate hosts including a gastropod. See papers by Greta
Aeby. Anyway, the fact that the color is suspiciously the same and
that it is so localized (infection here in Kaneohe Bay is extremely
patchy) makes me suspect that it could be what you're seeing.
Ilsa Kuffner
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
PO Box 1346
Kaneohe, HI 96744
ikuffner at zoogate.zoo.hawaii.edu
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