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Puerto Rico Cruise Day 10
The Bad Guys
Cyphoma gibbosum is one of several species of snail that feed on gorgonians. Commonly known as the Flamingo Tongue, this snail grazes a trail across the colony, consuming live tissue along the way, and exposing the skeleton of the gorgonian.
Flamingo tongue
Photos: Amy V. Uhrin
These little snails appear to be flourishing along the southeastern
coast of Puerto Rico. We have observed them on just about every reef
dive made during this cruise. On one occasion, a diver reported eight
snails on a sea rod colony that was barely 25 cm tall and possessed only
5 - 6 branches!
The Elkhorn Coral, Acropora palmata, once flourished in the Caribbean
and the Florida Keys. Perhaps one of the most majestic stony corals, this species
has suffered mass mortality since the early 1990’s due to White-band disease.
White-band disease affects branching corals, typically beginning at the base
of the colony and working its way toward the tips. Infected colonies exhibit
a slowly advancing front of tissue decay that exposes the skeleton at a rate
of ~ º inch per day! Although the exact cause of White-band disease has yet
to be determined, a number of bacteria, fungi, and protozoans are often found
at the site of infection.
Due to its extreme branching morphology, and somewhat fragile nature, Elkhorn
Coral is highly susceptible to hurricane damage. This species expresses various
branching morphologies depending upon the level of water motion in its habitat.
Colonies in unprotected areas of high water motion tend to develop rounded,
stout branches, while colonies in deeper water or protected shallows develop
long, wide, flattened branches.
Photo by Kevin Kirsch
A few colonies of A. palmata have been observed on our dives.
Judging from the photos, can you guess the environment that each colony
might be found in?
Acropora palmata Form II Photo: Kevin Kirsch |
Acropora palmata Form III Photo: Giuseppe Di Carlo |
Final Countdown
Today was our final full field day. For a job well done, at the end of the day, we all made a fun dive on a small patch reef, where we became fast friends with a southern stingray who thought he could give us the slip by covering up with sand!
With no surveys to conduct and no seagrass to extract, we could unwind, free our minds, and take in the sights. As they say, “All work and no play...”
The Southern Stingray Photo: Kevin Kirsch |
 The "Three Amigos" - Kevin Madley, Giuseppe Di Carlo, and Manuel Merello Photo: Kevin Kirsch) |