Tale of two colors: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cladopsammia gracilis</Emphasis> (Dendrophylliidae) color morphs distinguished also by their genetics and ecology |
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Authors: | N Hizi-Degany E Meroz-Fine S Shefer M Ilan |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel |
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Abstract: | Cladopsammia gracilis (Dendrophylliidae), an ahermatypic coral inhabits the northern Red Sea. Two color morphs (pink and orange) are found aggregated
in caves devoid of hermatypic corals, associated with crustose coralline algae (CCA). Sequencing the rDNA ITS region revealed
a separate clustering of members of each color morph. Both morphs grow in shallow waters, with orange corals limited to the
upper 4 m, while some pink coral aggregates thrive deeper than 30 m. Planulae were released between June and December. Pink
planulae treated with antibiotics and exposed at different intervals to CCA, were competent and metamorphosed even 110 days
after release. Maximal competency period for orange planulae was 70 days. All planulae were enhanced to metamorphose in presence
of CCA. The mean age at metamorphosis of pink and orange planulae treated with CCA differed significantly. Most orange planulae
settled directly on the CCA while most pink planulae settled on the wall of the experiment vial. The morphs differed significantly
in the calyx cross-section area of primary polyps. Despite being considered a single species according to skeletal based taxonomy,
the significant ecological and molecular differences between pink and orange C. gracilis specimens suggest that they may belong to separate species. |
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