[Coral-List] Need information about coral mortality

[Pedro Alcolado]

Dear Coral listers,

I just read that Acropora palmata suffered massive mortality in Belize after 1986. Do someone of you know what caused that massive mortality? I suspect that in southern Cuba the extended massive mortality of Acropora palmata took place between summer of 1987 and 1992. We could not observe which was the main cause of the demise. I know that white band was considered the cause in most places of the Caribbean, but I wonder if massive coral bleaching affecting A. palmata could be also a possibility during the warm summer of 1987. The problem is that white band affecting A. palmata is very rare in Cuba, and I myself have not seen any case. Here, patchy necrosis is the most common one affecting A.p. Do you know any situation of mass mortality of A. palmata due to bleaching?
Thank you,
Pedro