[Coral-List] New species of stress-tolerant Symbiodinium recognized.

[Todd LaJeunesse]

We announce a new publication describing the genetics, ecology and
biogeography of a new species of thermally tolerant zooxanthella *Symbiodinium
glynnii.*  This Clade D species is common to pocilloporid and montiporid
corals in warm or variable environments across the Pacific Ocean. It is
highly abundant in the eastern Pacific and explains in part why Pocillopora
colonies dominate the coral communities over this broad geographic region.
It is ecologically and physiologically distinct from *Symbiodinium trenchii*,
a different species of Clade D *Symbiodinium*.


Natural experiments have been ongoing for thousands and millions of years
to generate many kinds of thermally tolerant coral-algal symbioses, many of
which, have been inadequately studied. Considering the plight of reef
corals under current warming trends, *Symbiodinium *species like these and
their symbioses with corals are critical subjects to study because they
have evolved in warm-water/variable environments; and can provide important
clues as to how host-symbiont associations have adapted to handle such
stressors.



Wham DC, Ning G, LaJeunesse, TC (2017). *Symbiodinium glynnii* sp. nov., a
species of stress tolerant symbiotic dinoflagellates from pocilloporid and
montiporid corals in the Pacific Ocean. *Phycologia* (online).



http://www.phycologia.org/toc/phya/56/4


sincere regards

Todd

-- 
Todd C. LaJeunesse PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
327 Mueller Laboratory
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802

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