[Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
Coralations
coralations at yahoo.com
Sat Mar 2 15:32:06 EST 2013
Hello Bastian, et.al.:
We sent something very similar to an algae expert in the states for analysis years ago. She concluded a cyanobacterium. It sometimes grows stalagmite- looking peak formations as well? Looks like black- band infection when you check it up close.
It mats over many diverse organisms rapidly- in some kind of partnership with a base layer of tiny white worms. It grows fast- can overgrow living corals We have seen it disappear with storms- It has a kind of dynamic behavior. We saw it proliferating around the islands of Culebra 2003-2005- warm water times may have contributed.
Not so much anymore is my very qualitative observation. Areas where it once was in at least in two shallow reef locations-its gone- and those areas recuperating.
We thought sponge and mat tunicate first as well. I will see if I can find the analysis and send more photos of our creature-
We unofficially named it "Mordor"...
Its likely new species that could be named....or a number of them.
Mary Ann Lucking
Director
CORALations
PO Box 750
Culebra, PR. 00775
787-556-6234
maryann at coralations.org
🐠🐠🐠
On Mar 2, 2013, at 1:00 PM, coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Bastiaan Vermonden)
> 2. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Bill Allison)
> 3. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Elizabeth Wood)
> 4. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Bastiaan Vermonden)
> (George Stoyle)
> 5. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Abigail Moore)
> 6. Re: Strange algae reported by divers (Juergen Herler)
> (Juergen Herler)
> 7. ScienceOnline Oceans now accepting programming suggestions:
> the planning wiki is open! (David Shiffman)
> 8. Oceanographer ZP-III position with NOAA, Ocean Acidification
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2013 18:56:35 +0100
> From: Bastiaan Vermonden <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:
> <CAPMqHLz20yY1NsDATMJxFtbAk5VEiM=xdhgtoqFp5R7+TL6-8w at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Dear coral-listers,
>
> Thanks everyone for helping with the identification. The two main
> suggestions are:
>
> Its a sponge
> Possible species
> Terpios hoshinota
> Trididemnum
>
> Or Its a tunicate
> didemnid tunicate
>
> Most people seem to suggest its a sponge. I would like to restate that I
> found this question in a Linkedin discussion and so I am unable to do any
> kind of field analysis (unfortunately). I am currently not working on coral
> reef related topics or anywhere near a tropical destination. (also nowhere
> near coldwater coral formations)
>
> But I would like to pose some additional questions because I have not come
> across a lot of literature regarding sponges or tunicates killing corals.
> Most literature on coral reef degradation refers to bleaching, algae
> overgrowth, diseases, COTS, etc.
>
> So my question or maybe start of a discussion if people are interested is:
>
> 1. Are these sponges and/or tunicates a significant contributor to reef
> degradation (a quick search brought up this
> http://www.wcs.org/press/press-releases/microbes-sponges-worms.aspx)?
> 2. If this is a (major) contributor to reef degradation is the occurence of
> this phenomena increasing? (Thomas Goreau suggests it is)?
> 3. What are the (hypothesized) causes of this phenomena? (eutrophication?)
>
> And since I know there are people with blogs, magazines etc reading this,
> should they report on this and if so how?
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Bastiaan
>
> PS.
>
> My apologies if this has all already been thoroughly discussed, for me this
> is new.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2013 14:11:20 -0500
> From: Bill Allison <allison.billiam at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
> To: Bastiaan Vermonden <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
> Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:
> <CAFBKy3+wmUe6oFpiZ2C=M=HXY3SiOu3EkWt6PPNVSOvq6TnBGA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> T. hoshinota is the sponge I had in mind.
> There was a discussion on the list a few years ago.
> I have since revisited sites with high T. hoshinota cover on mostly coral
> and rubble that was dead before the sponge showed up. The sponge had all
> but disappeared several years later.
> Bill
>
> On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 12:56 PM, Bastiaan Vermonden <
> bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear coral-listers,
>>
>> Thanks everyone for helping with the identification. The two main
>> suggestions are:
>>
>> Its a sponge
>> Possible species
>> Terpios hoshinota
>> Trididemnum
>>
>> Or Its a tunicate
>> didemnid tunicate
>>
>> Most people seem to suggest its a sponge. I would like to restate that I
>> found this question in a Linkedin discussion and so I am unable to do any
>> kind of field analysis (unfortunately). I am currently not working on coral
>> reef related topics or anywhere near a tropical destination. (also nowhere
>> near coldwater coral formations)
>>
>> But I would like to pose some additional questions because I have not come
>> across a lot of literature regarding sponges or tunicates killing corals.
>> Most literature on coral reef degradation refers to bleaching, algae
>> overgrowth, diseases, COTS, etc.
>>
>> So my question or maybe start of a discussion if people are interested is:
>>
>> 1. Are these sponges and/or tunicates a significant contributor to reef
>> degradation (a quick search brought up this
>> http://www.wcs.org/press/press-releases/microbes-sponges-worms.aspx)?
>> 2. If this is a (major) contributor to reef degradation is the occurence of
>> this phenomena increasing? (Thomas Goreau suggests it is)?
>> 3. What are the (hypothesized) causes of this phenomena? (eutrophication?)
>>
>> And since I know there are people with blogs, magazines etc reading this,
>> should they report on this and if so how?
>>
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Bastiaan
>>
>> PS.
>>
>> My apologies if this has all already been thoroughly discussed, for me this
>> is new.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Coral-List mailing list
>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
>
> --
> ________________________________
> "... the earth is, always has been, and always will be more beautiful than
> it is useful."
> William Ophuls, 1977. The Politics of Scarcity
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2013 00:28:56 -0000
> From: "Elizabeth Wood" <ewood at f2s.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
> To: "Bastiaan Vermonden" <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>, "Coral list"
> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Message-ID: <9023BD075F694EA1BEAD644806C5CE27 at lizpc>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Hello listers,
>
> This looks suspiciously like a species of invasive sponge that we have
> recorded from Sabah (East Malaysia) where it was particularly prevalent on a
> shallow reef that had suffered coral mortality as a result of fish bombing
> and / or coral bleaching / COTs predation.
>
> At its peak in 2000, cover by this sponge was around 37% but monitoring
> since then has shown a significant year-by-year reduction in cover and a
> recent survey revealed that it has all but disappeared. Bare limestone has
> been left in its place - showing erosion rather than coral recruitment
> possibly because of high populations of Diadema.
>
> Interestingly, this sponge had the capacity to spread rapidly over dead
> coral or other uncolonised hard surfaces, but not to out-compete live coral.
>
> We have worked with sponge specialists on identification and it appears that
> it is a new species of Chondrosia - paper in preparation.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Liz Wood
>
> Dr Elizabeth Wood,
> Marine Conservation Society, UK
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bastiaan Vermonden" <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2013 6:57 PM
> Subject: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
>
>
>> Dear Coral-listers
>>
>> I just came across this question in a linkedin discussion group and
>> thought
>> I could pose the question here:
>>
>> "
>> *Need help identifying this strange black algae looking species growing on
>> corals in the Philippines. *
>>
>> This picture was sent to myself as the regional Coordinator of Green fins..
>> We often get our members sending in strange e-mails but this one has
>> really
>> got us stuck. It is very fast growing and resembles a smothering blanket
>> that is covering coral reefs in the Philippines. It is starting to concern
>> many divers who are seeing more and more of it specifically in the
>> Moalboal
>> region of Cebu.
>> http://greenfins.net/Content/Uploads/Unknown%20black%20species.jpg?goback=%2Egmr_49850%2Egde_49850_member_218294623
>> "
>> Maybe someone from the coral list is familiar with this phenomena?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Bastiaan Vermonden
>> http://diveselector.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Coral-List mailing list
>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2013 01:22:45 +0000
> From: George Stoyle <gstoyle at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers (Bastiaan
> Vermonden)
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:
> <CAAG_fPCG7rKfbfxtBZ-J6-HXG4rvJMQDQf-8xev0QM6euZ09Aw at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Bastiaan,
>
> I've just seen something similar to this in the southern Red Sea
> (http://www.earthinfocus.com/GWS-1808.jpg). It looks a little like a
> mat tunicate fairly common in the Caribbean called Trididemnum
> solidum. It's tricky to say for sure because of the blue colour-caste
> in your photo, but looks more like the Red Sea species which I
> tentatively identified as Diplosoma viridis.
>
> I'd be interested to know what else you find out about it as
>
> Cheers,
> George
>
>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:57:44 +0100
>> From: Bastiaan Vermonden <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
>> Subject: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
>> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> Message-ID:
>> <CAPMqHLz_3di=9wCN04g8-2LV+0E8dc+Lpw3CZhhJzE+S=bwxQQ at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>> Dear Coral-listers
>>
>> I just came across this question in a linkedin discussion group and thought
>> I could pose the question here:
>>
>> "
>> *Need help identifying this strange black algae looking species growing on
>> corals in the Philippines. *
>>
>> This picture was sent to myself as the regional Coordinator of Green fins..
>> We often get our members sending in strange e-mails but this one has really
>> got us stuck. It is very fast growing and resembles a smothering blanket
>> that is covering coral reefs in the Philippines. It is starting to concern
>> many divers who are seeing more and more of it specifically in the Moalboal
>> region of Cebu.
>> http://greenfins.net/Content/Uploads/Unknown%20black%20species.jpg?goback=%2Egmr_49850%2Egde_49850_member_218294623
>> "
>> Maybe someone from the coral list is familiar with this phenomena?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Bastiaan Vermonden
>> http://diveselector.com
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2013 21:07:14 -0800 (PST)
> From: Abigail Moore <abigail2105 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
> To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Message-ID:
> <1362200834.89343.YahooMailNeo at web161904.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Dear Bastiaan
>
> I am not entirely sure but this looks very similar to the sort of blue-green algae (people here call it "lumut") which often covers large areas of coral reefs (and other benthic cover - whatever is there) in Palu Bay and which we have also seen in some areas of Tomini Bay during periods of hot calm weather, especially near nutrient sources (e.g. household waste/sewage or intensive rice-farming areas). It seems to be especially prevalent near the outlet of the powerplant cooling water in Palu Bay. Colour can be grey to black, purplish (from almost black to sometimes quite bright purple) or dark greenish. It can spread very rapidly and usually also disappears quite rapidly when the weather changes. Some of the corals covered bleach and die but most seem to recover although they can be rather pale at first when uncovered again. However this short-term smothering did seem to seriously impede the recovery of reefs where most corals were still juveniles
> after? severe COTS attacks in Palu Bay.
>
>
> All the best
>
>
> Abigail
>
> Abigail Moore
> Sekolah Tinggi Perikanan dan Kelautan (STPL)
> Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
>
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:57:44 +0100
> From: Bastiaan Vermonden <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:
> ??? <CAPMqHLz_3di=9wCN04g8-2LV+0E8dc+Lpw3CZhhJzE+S=bwxQQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Dear Coral-listers
>
> I just came across this question in a linkedin discussion group and thought
> I could pose the question here:
>
> "
> *Need help identifying this strange black algae looking species growing on
> corals in the Philippines. *
>
> This picture was sent to myself as the regional Coordinator of Green fins.
> We often get our members sending in strange e-mails but this one has really
> got us stuck. It is very fast growing and resembles a smothering blanket
> that is covering coral reefs in the Philippines. It is starting to concern
> many divers who are seeing more and more of it specifically in the Moalboal
> region of Cebu.
> http://greenfins.net/Content/Uploads/Unknown%20black%20species.jpg?goback=%2Egmr_49850%2Egde_49850_member_218294623
> "
> Maybe someone from the coral list is familiar with this phenomena?
>
> Regards,
>
> Bastiaan Vermonden
> http://diveselector.com
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2013 08:32:36 +0100
> From: "Juergen Herler" <juergen.herler at univie.ac.at>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers (Juergen
> Herler)
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:
> <ca29731230e128c117604345a2e8856e.squirrel at webmail.univie.ac.at>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8
>
> Hi Bastiaan!
>
> Are you sure that this is an algae? I know a coral-overgrowing sponge
> named Terpios sp. from the Maldives. Looks exactly like what you have on
> your photo. Very aggressive and seems to go over live coral (Porites but
> maybe others also) without problems.
>
> Cheers
> Juergen
>
>
> On Fr, 1.03.2013, 18:00, coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov wrote:
>> Send Coral-List mailing list submissions to
>> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
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>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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>>
>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
>> than "Re: Contents of Coral-List digest...", e.g., cut and paste the
>> Subject line from the individual message you are replying to. Also,
>> please only include quoted text from prior posts that is necessary to
>> make your point; avoid re-sending the entire Digest back to the list.
>>
>>
>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. Strange algae reported by divers (Bastiaan Vermonden)
>> 2. coral chromosomes (Dr Mero Donia)
>> 3. Re: News on Corallidae precious coral fishery management
>> (Georgios Tsounis)
>> 4. Postdoc: Brest LabexMer. Evolution of habitat and adaptations
>> of populations (Flavia Nunes)
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:57:44 +0100
>> From: Bastiaan Vermonden <bastiaan.vermonden at gmail.com>
>> Subject: [Coral-List] Strange algae reported by divers
>> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> Message-ID:
>> <CAPMqHLz_3di=9wCN04g8-2LV+0E8dc+Lpw3CZhhJzE+S=bwxQQ at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>> Dear Coral-listers
>>
>> I just came across this question in a linkedin discussion group and
>> thought
>> I could pose the question here:
>>
>> "
>> *Need help identifying this strange blac
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