Coral disease

Kamla Ruby kamlaruby at intnet.mu
Thu Feb 22 12:34:40 EST 2001


Dear coral listers
During routine surveys conducted in the lagoon on the eastern coast of Mauritius, Indian Ocean, this week i noticed that some  large colonies of Acropora cytherea have lost their tissues, some totally  and some partially There are others which have not been affected at all (reminds me of the 1998 coral bleaching episode).   I have not noticed any disease line of active tissue necrosis.This plague must have progressed very fast as last week i w as at the same site but the corals did not show any sign of infestation. Within a week, some of the colonies have died and they are covered with green filmentous algae though which one can still see the white coral skeleton.  Corals of other species, such as branching Acropora, Foliose montipora etc , although occurring side by side have not been affected at all. 
 Iam not sure whether the corals have been affected by white band disease I or II, tissue bleaching, shut down reaction or plague.Is there anyway we can identify the disease from field observations? Also any reason why only colonies of A.cytherea are being affected?
Thanks a lot 
Cheers
Ruby

Ruby Moothien Pillay
Albion Fisheries Research Centre
Albion, Petite Riviere
Mauritius
Phone: +2304100     Fax: +2384131
Email: Kamlaruby at intnet.mu
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