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- Title
Rates of apical septal extension of Desmophyllum dianthus: effect of association with endolithic photo-autotrophs.
- Authors
Hassenrück, Christiane; Jantzen, Carin; Försterra, Günter; Häussermann, Verena; Willenz, Philippe
- Abstract
It has been hypothesized that endolithic photo-autotrophs inside the skeleton of cold-water corals may have a mutualistic relationship with the coral host positively affecting coral calcification. This study investigated the effect of endolithic photo-autotrophs on the apical septal extension of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus at Fjord Comau, southern Chile (42.41°-42.15°S, 72.5°W). The fluorescent staining agent calcein was used to document the linear apical extension of septae for a period of one and a half years between 2006 and 2007. The results showed a severe reduction in extension rates associated with the presence of endolithic photo-autotrophs. Infested individuals grew about half as fast as non-infested polyps with a median value of 1.18 μm day compared to 2.76 μm day. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, these results point toward a parasitic relationship between D. dianthus and its endolithic photo-autotrophs potentially impairing coral fitness. However, further data on physiological parameters and other aspects of the calcification process are necessary to confirm these findings.
- Subjects
DEEP-sea corals; CORAL physiology; SKELETON; CALCIFICATION; STATISTICAL hypothesis testing; POLYPS
- Publication
Marine Biology, 2013, Vol 160, Issue 11, p2919
- ISSN
0025-3162
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00227-013-2281-x