11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Poster Mini-Symposium 26: Biodiversity and Diversification of Reef Organisms
26.1198
The Corallosphere: A Web-Based Collaboration Tool For The Taxonomy And
Systematics Of Scleractinian Corals
Kenneth JOHNSON* 1 , Jaroslaw STOLARSKI 2 , Stephen CAIRNS 3 , Ann BUDD 4
1 Palaeontology, Natural History Museum London, London, United Kingdom, 2 Institute of
Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, 3 National Museum of
Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 4 Geosciences, University of
Iowa, Iowa City, IA
The field of scleractinian coral taxonomy is in the midst of a revolution as the community
of taxonomists strive to incorporate new data resulting from advances in molecular
systematics and the application of new techniques for extracting new sets of skeletal
morphological characters. One important goal of this effort is to provide a rigorous
taxonomic framework with well-circumscribed taxon concepts that can be used
effectively by researchers and reef managers. The section on Scleractinia in the Treatise
of Invertebrate Paleontology (Wells 1956) remains the main authoritative reference on
the morphology, taxonomy, ecology and systematics of both extinct and extant
scleractinians. In order to revise this work, synthesis of large volumes of information is
required from sources such as existing taxonomic publications, museum collections, webbased
data sets, and particularly the cumulative expertise of the community of
experienced taxonomists. Harnessing these disparate data to produce useful taxonomic
products presents a formidable challenge and will be facilitated by application of new
collaborative techniques associated with other 'e-science' initiatives in biodiversity
informatics. The Corallosphere will be used to compile the information and expert
interpretations required to produce the next version of the Treatise. Main areas covered in
the Corallosphere include text descriptions for diagnoses of valid genera, as well as tools
for managing taxonomic synonymies, images, a bibliography, and an illustrated glossary
of morphological terms. A flexible work-flow allows registered users with variable levels
of access to compile, edit, and annotate generic diagnoses directly from the internet. The
ultimate aim is to produce a system that will facilitate the rapid publication of the next
version of the Treatise based on community-wide consensus, and help remove the
taxonomic impediment that slows progress towards an increased understanding of the
biology, ecology, and evolutionary history of the Scleractinia.
26.1199
The Genus Pacifigorgia At Eastern Pacific Rocky Reefs (Colombia)
Nelson MANRIQUE RODRÍGUEZ* 1 , Camila GRANADOS CIFUENTES 2 , Luisa
DUEÑAS 2 , Néstor E. ARDILA 2 , Juan A. SÁNCHEZ 2
1 Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina BIOMMAR, Departamento de Ciencias
Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá D.C., Colombia, 2 Laboratorio de Biología
Molecular Marina BIOMMAR, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los
Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
The genus Pacifigorgia (Gorgoniidae) is one of the most common and diverse groups of
octocorals in the tropical eastern Pacific rocky reefs. The aim of this study was to
elucidate the diversity of Pacifigorgia spp. in Colombia using both morphological and
molecular information. Sclerites and branching anastomosis were used for morphological
analyses. The combination of sclerites shape, size, colour patterns and elliptical Fourier
analyses of their fan meshes afforded great clarification to discern among Pacifigorgia
species. Nuclear ITS2 and mitochondrial MSH1 sequences were obtained to reconstruct
phylogenetic hypothesis. The ITS2 comprised a complex of multiple copies gene.
Moreover, multiple ITS2 copies were pint pointed using denaturing gradient gel
electrophoresis (DGGE) obtaining intraspecific and even up to intragenomic variation.
We also depicted species-specific ITS2 fingerprinting-like DGGE banding patterns to
identify Pacifigorgia species, which were concordant with morphometrics. The lack of
concerted evolution at the ITS2 suggests a rapid and recent radiation of Pacifigorgia
species in the eastern Pacific.
26.1200
Algal Symbiont Distributions in Scleractinian Corals From The Eighth Continent
Andrew BAKER 1 , Roxane BOONSTRA* 1 , Herman WIRSHING 1 , Faratiana
RATSIFANDRIHAMANANA 2 , Herilala RANDRIAMAHAZO 2 , Mebrahtu
ATEWEBERHAN 3 , Timothy MCCLANAHAN 3,4
1 Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences,
University of Miami, Miami, FL, 2 Madagascar Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Villa
Ifanomezantsoa, Madagascar, 3 Coral Reef Conservation Project, Wildlife Conservation Society,
Mombasa, Kenya, 4 Marine Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY
Madagascar, the world’s eighth-largest island-continent, covers more than 225,000 square miles
and spans 13 o of latitude in the SW Indian Ocean. It is located at the meeting point of the warm
Agulhas current, which flows southwards down the coast of East Africa, and the cool
Madagascar current, which flows northwards from southern Africa. These currents result in a
generally tropical environment, with the exception of the SE corner of the island, which is more
temperate in nature. The scale and location of Madagascar, combined with the prevailing
current patterns, provide an opportunity to study how algal symbiont communities
(Symbiodinium spp.) in scleractinian corals vary by latitude and habitat. Samples were collected
in September 2001 from the four corners of the island: Nosy Bé (NW), Vohemar (Volhmarina)
in the NE, Tuléar (Toliara) in the SW and Fort Dauphin (Tolagnaro) in the SE. A second
sampling was made in March 2007 from various sites in the Nosy Bé and Tulear areas to assess
the stability of these distributions. Symbionts were identified using restriction fragment length
polymorphisms (RFLPs) in large subunit ribosomal DNA, and denaturing gradient gel
electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the ITS-2 ribosomal region. We found the majority of
symbionts from this high latitude location to be in Symbiodinium clades C and D, with a
number of unusual symbiont types also being documented, as well as a number of hosts
containing multi-clade combinations of A, C and D. Hypotheses for these symbiont
distributions over space, time and across coral taxa, will be discussed.
Key words: coral, symbiont, climate change, Symbiodinium, bleaching
26.1201
The Octocoral carijoa Riisei (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860) As A Potencial Ecosystem
Engineer in Brazilian Coast
Barbara MOURA NEVES* 1 , Carlos PEREZ 2
1 ccb-Zoologia, Ufpe, Recife, Brazil, 2 cav-Biologia, Ufpe, Recife, Brazil
Carijoa riisei is a common colonial octocoral of the littoral of Pernambuco (Brazil), with growth
by creeping stolons with an arborescent structure wich creates new habitats. These conditions
introduce this octocoral as a potential ecosystem engineer. The aims of this work were to
identify the associated taxa with C. riisei, and to assess the seasonality in its ecological
parameters. Two expeditions were realized at Porto de Galinhas and at Gamela beaches (wet
and dry season). 40817 specimens associated to C. riisei were found on the studied beaches.
The main taxa found were seaweed, sponges, hydroids, nematodes, bristle worms (mainly
Syllidae and Nereididae), gastropods, crustaceans (mainly Amphipoda and Copepoda),
ophiuroids, pycnogonids and chironomids. In Gamela, crustaceans were the most abundant
during the dry season (46 %) and nematodes during the wet season (43,78%). Concerning Porto
de Galinhas, crustaceans were the most abundant during both season (62,4% and 81%
respectively). The dry season presented the biggest abundance in both beaches (66,4 % for
Gamela and 82% for Porto de Galinhas). The associated community of Gamela showed the
highest values of richness, abundance and diversity. In Gamela no significant seasonal
differences were found in the ecological parameters but Porto de Galinhas showed a strong
seasonality concerning abundance and diversity of the associated organisms. These results
would indicate homogeneity in the ecological parameters in Gamela and an intense seasonality
in Porto de Galinhas perhaps associated to high human impact of tourism activities. Based on
these results, it could be concluded that C. riisei acts as an autogenic engineers that changes the
reef environment via their own physical structures modulating the supply of resources (such as
currents, food, refuge and nursery) to other reef species.
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