Porites Pink Blotch Disease
James M. Cervino
cnidaria at earthlink.net
Fri May 7 18:46:28 EDT 1999
Regarding the Porites Pink Spot/Ring/Blotch Disease, I have seen this
syndrome at many sites in the Pacific....including my study sites in Papua
New Guinea. I collected samples and brought them back to my lab on ice. I
observed what appears to be a mesh work of hyphae, as well as a high
concentration of coral mucus. I have heard that someone has isolated a
fungus (European marine biologists)??
I see this particular syndrome closer to the continental slope, and it
seems to disappear in the outer reefs (far away from anthropogenic run-off
or deforestation). If this pink blotch is isolated and proven to be a
confirmed fungus and not a symbiotic consortium of bacteria, would it be
easy to link this un-known species to the land as a soil based microbe
from soil run-off?
James M. Cervino
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