[Coral-List] barrel sponge disease update in Florida Keys (Ruzicka, Rob)

[Reef Rescue]

Latest video of sponge disease from Palm Beach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHdjt3Pc2Vk&list=UURCLqCBgKfokeuw5CtJWQHQ&index=1&feature=plcp

Ed Tichenor
Reef Rescue
www.reef-rescue.org

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 20:24:23 -0400
From: "Ruzicka, Rob" <Rob.Ruzicka at MyFWC.com>
Subject: [Coral-List] barrel sponge disease update in Florida Keys
To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Cc: "Landsberg, Jan" <Jan.Landsberg at MyFWC.com>, "Whittle,	Amber"
	<Amber.Whittle at MyFWC.com>
Message-ID:
	<D679AB09BFE3074C8D3961B08B99F9652E40BA8037 at FWC-TLEX10.fwc.state.fl.us>
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

To those who have been following the sponge disease outbreak in Florida.

Sponge orange band has been observed at Tennessee Reef and Sombrero Reef the 
last two days (May 14th and May 15th) in the Florida Keys. It has been primarily 
seen on Xestospongia muta (<5% prevalance in the population) but several other 
species have exhibited signs of infection as well.

The disease has been observed in various phases on different colonies with the 
infection disintegrating most or all of the tissue on some colonies and many 
colonies are just beginning to "show" lesions or signs of a disease.

If anyone is interested in collecting biopsies please contact me at 
rob.ruzicka at myfwc.com.  I can provide coordinates where we have permanent 
monitoring stations and conduct X. muta surveys.

Best,

Rob Ruzicka
CREMP project manager.