Record of a central Indo-Pacific corallimorph in the Lakshadweep atolls and its competition with the hard corals

Anto, Alvin and Raju, Aju K and Sreenath, K R and Pradeep, M A and Nisha, E A and Joshi, K K (2023) Record of a central Indo-Pacific corallimorph in the Lakshadweep atolls and its competition with the hard corals. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 70 (1). pp. 50-56. ISSN 0970 - 6011

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    Abstract

    Coral reefs are disappearing worldwide because of mass bleaching, natural disasters, diseases and anthropogenic stressors. This leaves a large area of unutilised substratum, to which other benthic organisms, like corallimorpharians (CMs), anemones and macroalgae, can move in. In this article, we describe, for the first time, the competition for space between a CM and the hard corals in Kavaratti Atoll in the Indian Ocean. This is the first reported instance of an invasion of CM in the entire Lakshadweep Islands. The CM Rhodactis bryoides Haddon and Shackleton, 1893, is identified by morphological and molecular analysis. The species has not so far been reported from the western Indian Ocean area. We monitored the rate of invasion for six months to figure out the growth rate of CMs. This area did not have any prominent causative factors for CM outbreaks, such as external disturbances and nutrient enrichment. Yet our study showed that CMs are successful in the competition for space. More research needs to be done into the biology of this species, how it interacts with other benthic groups and how the environment facilitates its spread.

    Item Type: Article
    Uncontrolled Keywords: Bioinvasion; Coral reefs; Corallimorpharia; Phase shift; Rhodactis bryoides
    Subjects: Marine Ecosystems > Coral Reefs
    Marine Biodiversity
    Divisions: CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Biodiversity, Environment and Management Division
    Subject Area > CMFRI > CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Biodiversity, Environment and Management Division
    CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Biodiversity, Environment and Management Division
    Subject Area > CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Biodiversity, Environment and Management Division
    Depositing User: Arun Surendran
    Date Deposited: 03 Apr 2023 09:28
    Last Modified: 03 Apr 2023 09:28
    URI: http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/id/eprint/16933

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