[Coral-List] Palythoa overgrowing corals in Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil

Tyler Smith tsmith at uvi.edu
Wed Mar 12 17:28:38 EDT 2008


Hi Beth and Osmar,

I have also seen a hawksbill feeding on Palythoa caribaeorum.

Of some interest is that it was during the 2005 mass bleaching  
event.  I was wondering about the concentration of anti-predation  
compounds in response to the loss of zooxanthellae (i.e., would  
production be lowered).  I haven't had time to follow up on this,  
but, if anyone is interested, see "Slattery M, Paul VJ (2008)  
Indirect effects of bleaching on predator deterrence in the tropical  
Pacific soft coral Sinularia maxima. Marine Ecology Progress Series  
354:169-179".

Were the colonies you saw being consumed by turtles in any way  
affected by bleaching?

Cheers,
Tyler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tyler B. Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Center for Marine and Environmental Studies
University of the Virgin Islands
2 John Brewers Bay
St. Thomas, USVI       00802
USA
office: 340-693-1394
fax:     340-693-1385

> Dear friends,
>
> Concerning the question involving *Palythoa caribaeorum* predators  
> along the
> Brazilian littoral: besides the fireworm Hermodice (as supported by  
> our
> colleague Dr. Igor Cruz), a hawksbill turtle has been also observed  
> feeding
> on *P. caribaeorum. *The* *action was reported in São Paulo State,
> southeastern section of the coast, by Dr. Sergio Stampar and  
> collaborators.
> Full information is available in 'Marine Turtle Newsletter' no.  
> 117, 2007 -
> Predation on the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum (Anthozoa, Cnidaria)  
> by a
> hawksbill turtle (Ertmochelys imbricata) in Southeastern Brazil. To  
> whom it
> may interest, contact the author for reprint (or PDF)stampar at ib.usp.br
>
> Sincerely.
> Beth
> 2008/3/11 Igor Cruz <igorcruz at gmail.com>:
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> My name is Igor Cruz. I'm Brazilian and I've seen Palythoa caribaerum
>> overgrow in some reefs from Todos os Santos Bay, when I'm doing my  
>> Master
>> Thesis. But here, its cover isn't more that 15%. Although, there  
>> is other
>> Zoanthid of the genera Epzoanthus that showed a great cover in two  
>> sites
>> 60%
>> and 82% in 2007. In the site Poste 1 the cover was 43% in 2003 and  
>> after
>> four yeas the cover was 82%.
>>
>> I've seen the fireworm Hermodice eat both and some corals to.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Igor Cruz – Biólogo
>>
>> **Grupo de Pesquisa em Recifes de Corais e Mudanças Globais
>> Instituto de Geociências - Universidade Federal da Bahia
>> Rua Barão de Geremoabo, s/n – Federação
>> CEP 40170-290 - Salvador - Bahia
>>
>> Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Biomonitoramento
>> Instituto de Biologia - Universidade Federal da Bahia
>> *Rua Barão de Geremoabo s/n *- *Campus Universitário de Ondina*
>> *CEP 40170-290 Salvador-Bahia.*
>> _______________________________________________
>> Coral-List mailing list
>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>>
>>
>
>
>
> -- 
> **********************************
> Elizabeth G. Neves (Ph.D)
> Universidade Federal da Bahia
> LABIMAR: Laboratório de Invertebrados Marinhos
> (Crustacea, Cnidaria e Fauna Associada)
> Salvador, BA - BRASIL
> **********************************
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>









More information about the Coral-List mailing list