[Coral-List] mysterious Tridacna mortality

[Bill Allison]

An elementary forensic question:

Has anyone noted how quickly an algal film begins to be apparent on the
inside of a tridacnid shell after it has been killed and left in the water
with the shell open with the inside facing upwards (i.e, well lit).
This becomes detectable with the unaided eye on a dead coral here in about
a week.
The shells I saw were squeaky clean.

On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 5:44 PM, Bill Allison <allison.billiam at gmail.com>wrote:

> I am finding unusual numbers of T. maxima and T. crocea shells lying loose
> on the reef of a resort under construction.
> The shell are still hinged, there is no shell breakage or obvious scrape
> marks and their interiors are clean (no epibiota). I suspect human agency
> because the usual suspects are here in unusual numbers and I have not
> observed this in other instances when only the natural predators such as
> titan triggerfish are present.
> Suggestions welcome.
> Thanks.
> Bill
>
>
> --
> ________________________________
> "... the earth is, always has been, and always will be more beautiful than
> it is useful."
> William Ophuls, 1977. The Politics of Scarcity
>
>


-- 
________________________________
"... the earth is, always has been, and always will be more beautiful than
it is useful."
William Ophuls, 1977. The Politics of Scarcity