[Coral-List] ID of possible coral parasite?

[Carolina Bastidas]

   Dear Milton and coral-listers,
   Those   tiny   organisms   are  most  likely  ciliates  of  the  genus
   Halofolliculina;  first  described  to  cause  damage in corals of the
   Indo-Pacific:
   -  Antonius  A  (1999)  Halofolliculina corallasia, a new coral-killer
   ciliate on Indo-Pacific Reefs. Coral Reefs 18: 300
   -   Antonius   A,  Lipscomb  D  (2001)  First  Protozoan  coral-killer
   identified in the Indo-Pacific. Atoll Res Bull: 1-21
   In 2004, they were observed for the first time in the Caribbean:
   -   Cróquer   A,   Bastidas   C,  Lipscomb  D,  Rodríguez-Martínez  R,
   Jordan-Dahlgren  E,  Guzmán  HM  (2006)  First  report of Folliculinid
   ciliates  affecting  Caribbean  scleractinian  corals. Coral Reefs 25:
   187- 191
   -  Cróquer  A,  Bastidas C, Lipscomb D (2006) Folliculinid Ciliates: A
   New  Threat  to Caribbean Corals? Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 69(1):
   75 - 78
   Dr.  Lipscomb is working on the proper identification of the Caribbean
   ciliate and its relation with the Indo-Pacific one.
   Hope the info is useful.
   Cheers,
   Carolina
   At 15:07 17/01/2007, Milton McAllister wrote:

     Some  tiny, sac-like organisms were observed in damaged tissue of a
     massive
     caribbean  coral.  They are approximately 250 microns long and have
     a
     tube-like  opening  at one end.  I do not recognize these organisms
     and would
     appreciate  help with identification or suggestions about reference
     material
     to consult.
     Two  JPEG  photos of the organisms can be observed at the following
     web
     addresses:
     [1]https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mmmcalli/www/OrganismLoMag.jpg
     [2]https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mmmcalli/www/OrganismHiMag.jpg
     Thank you,
     ****************************************************************
     Milton McAllister, Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathologist
     University of Illinois
     College of Veterinary Medicine
     Department of Pathobiology
     2001 S. Lincoln Ave.
     Urbana, IL  61801
     217-333-7005
     mmmcalli at uiuc.edu
     _______________________________________________
     Coral-List mailing list
     Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
     [3]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list

   ****************************************************
   Carolina Bastidas
   Depto. de Biología de Organismos
   Universidad Simón Bolívar
   Apdo. 89000 Caracas 1080
   Venezuela
   Fax:    58-212-9063046
   Tel:    58-212-9063415
   cbastidas at usb.ve
   [4]http://www.bo.usb.ve/
   

References

   1. https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mmmcalli/www/OrganismLoMag.jpg
   2. https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mmmcalli/www/OrganismHiMag.jpg
   3. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
   4. http://www.bo.usb.ve/