Red band disease: a new cyanobacterial infectation of corals
Richardson LL. 1992. Red band disease: a new cyanobacterial infectation of corals. Diving for Science, Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.. :153-160
This article includes background information on red-band disease that effects coral, and covers the methods, results and discussion of a study on this disease. Pictures are included. "Red band disease" is a previously undescribed interaction of cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae") and scleractinian corals in which a microbial population dominated by cyanobacteria forms an obvious line, or "band", between live coral tissue and (dead) coral skeleton. The band moves horizontally across the surface of the coral, degrading the coral tissue. The disease looks similar to black band disease except that it is brick red in color (as opposed to brownish black) and contains a different genus of cyanobacteria as the dominant microorganism. Whereas black band is composed predominantly of the cyanobacterium Phormidium corallyticum, red band consists of two species of the genus Oscillatoria. Red band also exhibits a different daily migration pattern than black band. This paper describes this new disease.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Richardson, Laurie
- Units
- BISC
- Keywords
- Bacteria, Coral, Coral Disease, Coral Reef, Cyanobacteria, new disease, red band