[Coral-List] summerising the information of cyanobacterisponge, Terpios hoshinota, overgrowing on corals

[Allen Chen]

Dear Coral-listers

Many thanks to several responses for the information of  
cyanobacterisponge, Terpios hoshinota, overgrowing on corals. I  
summerised the current geographic information of this species as follow:

1. Guam (since 1973)
2. Okinawa (since 1985)
3. Panglao Island, Central Philippines (2003)
4. Green Island and Orchid Island, Taiwan (2006-)
5. Baa Atoll, Maldives
6. Fakarava in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia
7. Indonesia

Apparently, Terpios occurs throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans  
which was not reported before. As described by Thomas Le Berre,  
Terpios may also require calmer conditions to spread. They look  
strong and will spread on many different species of corals, covering  
almost entirely large patches. This is very similar to what we have  
recorded in Green Island (Ludao) and Orchid Island (Lanyu), east  
Taiwan. Before 2004, Terpios was not seen in the reef surveys. But it  
was first observed in 2006, then soon spread fast in 2007 and  
obviously increased in 2008. In Guam and Okinawa, it has been seen  
from 1970s and 80s, and not removed since then.


Cheers, Allen
Allen Chen, PhD
Associate Research Fellow
BRCAS, TAIWAN