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THE ROLE OF REEF FISH IN THE TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF BLACK-BAND DISEASE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
Citation:
Aeby, G. AND D L. Santavy. THE ROLE OF REEF FISH IN THE TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF BLACK-BAND DISEASE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. Presented at 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, Okinawa, JAPAN, June 28 - July 02, 2004.
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Conference abstract
Description:
Aeby, Greta S. and Deborah L. Santavy. In press. Role of Reef Fish in the Transmission Dynamics of Black-Band Disease in the Florida Keys (Abstract). To be presented at the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, 28 June-2 July 2004, Okinawa, Japan. 1 p. (ERL,GB R998).
Transmission of black-band disease has been shown to occur by direct contact and transference by prevailing currents. We propose reef fish as vectors or stressors that aid in the transference and establishment of black-band disease on tropical reef-building corals. We examined whether the resident coral-feeding butterflyfish, Chaeton capistratus, was involved in the inter-colony transfer of black-band disease. We also assessed the role stress caused by injury and elevated temperature had on the ability of black-band disease to invade Montastraea faveolata and examined whether injury caused by nesting damselfish might increase the corals susceptibility to disease. The presence of C. capistratus, in aquaria, increased the rate at which black-band spread from affected to unaffected coral fragments. Corals protected from direct fish contact or exposed to fish predation, contracted the disease. Hence, either direct oral transmission of the cyanobacterium filaments from colony to colony and/or indirect fecal transmission could be occurring. Under laboratory conditions, Phomidium corallyticum, the primary microbial organism in the disease consortium, was able to successfully invade all injured coral fragments. No uninjured coral fragments, irrespective of temperature regime were invaded. A field survey of 31 sites throughout the Florida Keys found nesting damselfish to be ubiquitous and abundant and 83% of black-band disease incidence on reefs was associated with damselfish nests. This suggest that damselfish damage may contribute to the ability of black-band disease to become established on corals. The activities of both butterflyfish and damselfish might offer further insight into the transmission dynamics of black-band disease and in the distribution of infected colonies on the reef.
Will be oral presentation.