Porites Pink Blotch Disease

A Coral-List Server Discusion Thread

The following thread began when James M. Cervino posted a message asking about the disease. It started an interesting discussion. All of the messages dealing with the Pink Blotch disease follow. Many of the writers included a previous message in their messages. For simplicity, the included messages have been replaced by a link to the previous message that was quoted. If you follow that link, moving back in your browser should bring you back to your original position. This should continue to work even if you download the document to your machine. If you have any difficulties navigating this document, send a message to the CHAMP WebMaster.

From: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Friday, May 07, 1999 6:08 PM

Regarding the Porites Pink Spot/Ring/Blotch Disease, I have seen this syndrome at many sites in the Pacific....including my study sites in Papua New Guinea. I collected samples and brought them back to my lab on ice. I observed what appears to be a mesh work of hyphae, as well as a high concentration of coral mucus. I have heard that someone has isolated a fungus (European marine biologists)??

I see this particular syndrome closer to the continental slope, and it seems to disappear in the outer reefs (far away from anthropogenic run-off or deforestation). If this pink blotch is isolated and proven to be a confirmed fungus and not a symbiotic consortium of bacteria, would it be easy to link this un-known species to the land as a soil based microbe from soil run-off?

James M. Cervino

From: Cindy Hunter <cindyh@hawaii.edu>
To: Laurie Jeanne Raymundo <ljr5@cornell.edu>
Cc: Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>; Greta Smith Aeby <greta@hawaii.edu>
Subject: Purple rings
Date: Friday, May 07, 1999 7:41 PM

Dear Laurie,

>From your description, the lesions you've seen are most likely not caused by the trematode cysts that Greta has worked on--those can be distinguished as involving individual, swollen (and often pink) polyps.

Might they be the result of tissue loss from fish bites? I have seen lesions similar to those you decribe (ovoid, dime-to quarter size, with algal filaments or incipient turf) on Porites colonies on many Pacific reefs. Often the edges are pink to violet, a common attribute of stressed (as from the trematode cysts), abraded, or rapidly growing coral tissue.

In Hawaii, such bite marks are made by large blennies (Exallias brevis), puffers, and parrotfish. Why the scars are sometimes invaded by cyanobacterial or algal turfs before they heal is an intriguing question, but I haven't noted a correlation with proximity to any known anthropogenic source of stress. That is, these kinds of lesions (and other "diseases" of corals in the Pacific) are as common on remote reefs like Ofu in American Samoa as on reefs near Waikiki.

On a related note, I have a suspicion that many coral neoplasms on Pacific Porites stem from fish feeding scars--the process involved there is another intriguing question!

I've posted Greta's email address with this message. I'd be happy to continue a correspondence on your thoughts and observations on Porites.

Aloha,

Cindy Hunter
Curator
Waikiki Aquarium
2777 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815

On Fri, 7 May 1999, Laurie Jeanne Raymundo wrote:

> Hi, all:
>
> I am searching for information on a disease referred to as Porites Purple
> Ring Disease, in the Indo-Pacific. I have seen small massive Porites
> colonies often infected with ovoid lesions (2cm diameter), with dead tissue
> in the middle of the lesion colonized by algal tufts, and around the
> perimeter of the lesion is a very distinctive pink-purple ring. So, two
> questions: does anyone know if this is the trematode infection that Greta
> Aeby reported in 1992 (Greta: if you're out there, I'd love your email
> address so we could talk further!) and has anyone heard of any other
> publications on this? It's not on the McCarty-Peters web page, and hasn't
> been mentioned much, but those of us in the Indo-Pacific have seen it
> around (it was also reported from the Vietname area, I believe). I'd like
> to make sure that the symptoms I'm seeing are the ones others are using to
> refer to as Porites Purple Ring.
>
> Thanks to all who answer!
>
> Laurie Raymundo

From: Jeremy Woodley <woodley@uwimona.edu.jm>
To: Laurie Jeanne Raymundo <ljr5@cornell.edu>
Cc: Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Purple-Ring Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 8:42 AM

The condition you describe sounds, in general appearance, like the Yellow-Band Disease currently evident in Montastraea "annularis" in the Caribbean. There, the yellow band may be due simply to partial bleaching of the sick coral. In the case of PPRD, I wonder if the pink/purple ring is due to the revelation of animal pigments in the bleaching coral, rather than any specific attribute of the disease. In which case, both could result from the same pathogen! Or any of many..

Jeremy Woodley
Centre for Marine Sciences,
University of the West Indies (Mona),
Jamaica

Oops! I had overlooked your "2 cm in diameter": not like YBD at all, which extends over large areas.

Sorry: it was too early in the morning..

Jeremy Woodley

From: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 9:43 AM

James M. Cervino

From: Les Kaufman <lesk@bio.bu.edu>
To: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>
Cc: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 12:06 PM

James and others: my experience with Porites compressa, Porites lobata, and Porites evermanni (or so I took it to be) is that at least these species, and probably many other Porites, exhibit a pinkish or purplish discoloration in response to virtually any persistent insult- be they parasites, necrosis near fish bite marks, margins of advance by competing assemblages of endolith/algal turf (unsure who the main culprit is), or even the edges of damselfish gardens. I think it is misleading to refer to this collection of processes as a single disease. Even if there is a disease that produces a distinct, recognizable manifestation of the pink discoloration, neophytes will have a devil of a time distinguishing it from all the other pinkish blotches these corals produce. Pink in at least some Indo-Pacific Porites means "bad hair day." Cindy Hunter, help us!

Les Kaufman
Boston University Marine Program
lesk@bio.bu.edu
617-353-5560 office
617-353-6965 lab
617-353-6340 fax

From: Eric Borneman <EricHugo@aol.com>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 4:40 PM

Technically, disease defined is, "Any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any part, organ, or system (or combination thereof) that is manfiested by a characteristic set of signs and/or symptoms and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown."

Along the thoughts of Les Kaufman, I would like to add that there seems to frequently be a tendency to use the word "disease" to describe virtually any condition that causes mortality - and also to frequently assume the "disease" or mortality is due to unnamed and undocumented bacterial pathogens.

There is a description of Porites tissue turning pink in a stress response/pre-necrotism - Schuhmacher H (1992) Impact of some corallivorous snails on stony corals in the Red Sea. Proc 7th Int Coral Reef Sym 2:840-6.

We have also regularly observed highly stressed Acroporid tissue become brownish purple or pinkish brown prior to sloughing in aquaria, fwiw.

Eric Borneman

NOTE: Borneman originally quoted a large chunk of Les Kaufman's above message. For simplicity, the quote has been removed.

From: Harry McCarty <McCarty_and_Peters@compuserve.com>
To: Coral Reef List Server <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Thank you Les and Eric!
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 9:32 PM

Many thanks to Les and Eric for the injection of realism here. The word "disease" does get thrown around in the coral community somewhat willy-nilly. Given the difficulties that even the professionals have in distinguishing true disease conditions in the wild, we need to be careful with both our terminology and our rush to diagnose long distance.

This condition in Porites may indeed turn out to be a new disease, but it will take much more than a spirited exchange on this list server to prove that. We look forward to continued open discussion here on the list, but urge caution and observance of the traditional scientific methods related to diseases, both coral and other.

Laurie, we'd like to hear more from you and possibly get both photos and specimens for examination. Until then, we'll file this all in the "That's interesting" file.

Harry McCarty
The Coral Disease Page
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mccarty_and_peters/coraldis.htm

From: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 10:30 PM

Les, Eric: My posting on the coral-list referred to the Porites sp. under stress as a syndrome, not a disease. A syndrome indicates the characterization of a disease. Although this looks like a disease, it has not satisfied Koch's postulates to be called a disease. This also applies to yellow band syndrome of the Caribbean. Although this looks like a disease, for now I will refer to it as a syndrome until proven otherwise.

Regarding Porites, what I am describing is an additional organism residing on the coral surface layer NOT a change in host tissue pigmentation. The pink blotches or ovoid bodies (raised above the coral tissue) is sitting on the external surface or within the groves of the lesion which can extend 5 to 7 cm long. These pink blotches that I collected appear to be a meshwork of fungal hyphae. These were easily removed with a syringe or tweezer. In some severe cases these pink blotches appeared (visual level) in extending strands, in addition to a SLIGHT pigmentation change around the rim of the lesion, which is probably a stress response.

I have not been able to tell if the pink organism or shall I say blotch is causing the deep depression similar to a ring. Some of these microbes can degrade/dissolve mineral surfaces (metals, rocks, etc.) by several different mechanisms. Microbial induced corrosion or bioerosion has been investigated by Golubic and colleagues (Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. vol 117:137-147 1995) and have clearly shown that fungal hyphae are common in coral skeletons as endoliths, this is a start to help us understand the behavior of micro-flora living within coral tissues as endoliths, however more research is needed as to what is residing on the CSM during normal and stressful conditions.

Therefore to clarify my observations; the Porites tissue is not turning pink or exhibiting a pinkish or purplish discoloration, there is an un-known resident within the lesion or on the CSM resembling a fungal hyphae. This syndrome seems to be more abundant on the inner reefs closer to shore compared to the outer reefs.

James M. Cervino

From: Cindy Hunter <cindyh@hawaii.edu>
To: Les Kaufman <lesk@bio.bu.edu>
Cc: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>; oral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Saturday, May 08, 1999 10:46 PM

I'm here! I just turned email off for a few hours to go out for a snorkle with Bob Steneck and Jen Smith--looking at war zones betweens Hawaiian corals and algae.

I am in complete agreement with Les--"pinking" is a general response to stress in Porites tissues. The source of the pigment(s) is an open question. I do know that such tissus exhibit an in vivo spectral absorbance peak at 580 nm--similar to pocilloporin?

What's interesting is why some "bad hair days" persist (turfs or blue-greens recruit to lesions and hang in there) while others are fairly benign (coral tissue recovers). It makes me wonder if bacteria or algal components of the endolithic community (remember the discussion of pink skeletal bands that some attributed to Bob Buddemeier's alizarin staining of Pacific corals?) may move in, move up, or become more apparent in some cases as coral tissues succumb. Les, I think you first brought this possibility to my attention--areas of dying coral tissue can often look green, as well as pink.

I also strongly agree with Les, Eric, and Esther--"disease" is a word that is just beginning to be understood for corals. Let's talk about it.

Cindy

NOTE: Hunter quoted all of Les Kaufman's message in her own. Go Les Kaufman's message.

From: Chris Bentis <cbentis@bu.edu>
To: Les Kaufman <lesk@bio.bu.edu>
Cc: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>; coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Sunday, May 09, 1999 9:07 PM

I contacted cindy and her sentiments on this issue relfect yours. I use the term "disease" loosely and am not quick to believe that all apparent afflictions that are observed in corals have distinct etiologies. T^he whole "coral disease" group seems to be a mess of unidentifiable observations with a few relatively weel understood phenomena. Anyway, by midweek I would like to have a draft of the paper on cones for the Biological Bulletin Research notes that I would like you to review. Have one now but it needs revision.
-Chris

NOTE: Bentis also quoted Kaufman's message. Go to Les Kaufman's message.

From: Cindy Hunter <cindyh@hawaii.edu>
To: Chris Bentis <cbentis@bu.edu>
Cc: Les Kaufman <lesk@bio.bu.edu>; James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>; coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Porites Pink Blotch Disease
Date: Monday, May 10, 1999 12:25 AM

Cones?

NOTE: Hunter quoted Bentis' entire message, including Kaufman's message.

From: Robert van Woesik <b984138@sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Porites
Date: Monday, May 10, 1999 1:54 AM

Hi all,

the Porites pink debated continued ... my two cents worth.

I wrote a short article in MEPS last year (MEPS 164: 213-220, 1998 "Lesion healing on massive Porites spp. corals"), see excerpt below for relevant text. Clearly the pink colorations were not diseases but rather active calcification areas. This then is in argeement with Cindy's and Les's comments.

From the above citation....(page 215)
Regeneration commenced with an initial 2-3 mm upward growth of the healing edge followed by lateral encroachment of soft tissue and skeleton toward the lesion's centre within the first month. The healing edge was a conspicuous pink colour in the first month then became pale. Macroalgae (Padina sp.) were common on the lesions in winter (December) - four months after the lesions were inflicted. No macroalgae were present after February 1995. Lesion recovery was not deterred by filamentous or macroalgae. No evidence of grazing was seen on the lesions throughout the study. A pink fleck consistently appeared on the healing edge as it closed. The fleck turned pale one month prior to complete healing. ...

Rob van Woesik

From: James M. Cervino <cnidaria@earthlink.net>
To: coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Date: Monday, May 10, 1999 8:40 AM

Dear Robert and others,

ROBERT: The healing edge was a conspicuous pink colour in the first month then became pale.

JAMES: YES YOU ARE CORRECT, PIGMENTATION CHANGE IS EVIDENT AROUND THE HEALING EDGE, HOWEVER, NOT IN OTHER AREAS ON THAT PARTICULAR CORAL COLONY. THE REASON THIS CAN BE CONFUSING IS THE PIGMENTED PINK RING OR BLOTCH IS SEEN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE LESION MARKED BY THE DEPRESSED SKELETON. SIMILAR TO THE BEHAVIOR OF YELLOW BAND/BLOTCH IN THE CARIBBEAN, HOWEVER, THE DEPRESSION IS DEEPER WITH REGARD TO THE PORITES SYNDROME. THE PURPLISH BLOTCH ON 2 OF MY PHOTOS LOOKS SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON ESTHER PETERS DISEASE HOME PAGE UNDER NEOPLASMS. LOSS OF POLYP STRUCTURE ((original pigment and mucus is not evident in the blotch, suggesting loss of zooxanthelle)). Is this possible??

ROBERT: A pink fleck consistently appeared on the healing edge as it closed. The fleck turned pale one month prior to complete healing.

THIS UN-KNOWN OVOID SHAPED RESIDENT WITH STRANDS EXTENDING OUTWARD CAN BE SEE ON THE CORAL SURFACE LAYER WITHOUT LESIONS. MANY HEALTHY CORALS (PROBABLY DURING THE BEGINNING) HAVE THESE PINK OVOID SHAPED BODIES ALL OVER THEM. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FOLLOW IT AT THIS STAGE TO SEE IF THIS IS CAUSING THE LESION. THIS UN-KNOWN RESIDENT CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN AND AROUND LESIONS AS WELL.

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED:

1)WHAT IS THE OVOID SHAPED ORGANISM 2) IS IT CAUSING THE LESION 3)ARE FISH OR OTHER MARINE ORGANISMS RESPONSIBLE 4)IS THIS RECOVERY AFTER FISH DAMAGE (the corals we are looking at are not in recovery).

Thanks for the discussion, James

From: Laurie Jeanne Raymundo <ljr5@cornell.edu>
To: Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov <Coral-list@www.coral.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: Purple rings
Date: Monday, May 10, 1999 11:34 AM

Hello, all:

Although I've responded to many of you personally, I would like to thank everyone collectively for your input. The whole coral disease topic is obviously of great interest to many of us, and I totally agree that we need to proceed cautiously and rigorously, and to err on the side of caution. The feedback I have gotten from Les, Eric, Cindy, and Harry has been very helpful and has actually tweaked my interest in investigating the phenomenon I have seen on our reefs in the Philippines. It would be very interesting to try to determine why some lesions heal and others get colonized by algal tufts, as well as to find out if they actually start out as fish bites, which seems to make sense. Perhaps in the future, I will contact you all again for some more ideas. Meanwhile, I will try to take some good pictures this summer. Thanks, again.

Laurie

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