[Coral-List] Subject: Coral bleaching in the Tobago Cays, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

[Clare Morrall]

Dear All,
Discolouration,  suspected  to  be  bleaching,  was  noted  in  a  range of
cnidarians  while  snorkelling  on  shallow  patch reefs at the Tobago Cays
(approximately  12?38.  024’N,  061?21  ‘W)  St. Vincent and the Grenadines
(adjacent  to  the  island of Mayreau, between Union Island and Canouan) on
October  26th 2003. Reef patches observed extended from approximately 0.5 m
from  the  surface to a maximum of 4 m. Species affected included: Agaricia
sp.  (entirely  bleached  colonies  noted),  Montastrea  annularis  (patchy
colouration  spread  over  large  colonies,  totally white regions scarce),
Acropora  palmata  (one spectacular stand 0.5 m x 0.5 m with apparent total
pigment  loss  from  80%  of  the coral), Condylactis gigantea (a number of
transparent, pigment free specimens noted), Palythoa caribaeorum (many very
pale patches seen).
Black  band  disease was observed on a number of Diploria strigosa colonies
and  on one M. annularis colony. Aspergilliois like affects were noted on a
single Gorgonia ventalina specimen.
Regards
Clare Morrall
ps apologies for my initial unviewable submission.

Dr Clare Morrall
Chair of Life Sciences/
Pre-Veterinary Programme Director/
St. George's University
P.O. Box 7
St. George's
Grenada
West Indies
Tel: (473)-444-4175 ext. 2360
Fax: (473) 439 1835
email:cmorrall at sgu.edu