title: Newly characterized distinct phases of the coral disease 'atramentous necrosis' on the Great Barrier Reef.
abstract: Previously undetected earlier phases of the coral disease 'atramentous necrosis' are documented and described. New observations relating to the occurrence of initial stages and progression of the disease are reported, and potential cause(s) are examined. In direct contrast to earlier published findings, temperature data indicated that occurrence of early bleached stages of atramentous necrosis is not correlated with warmer water temperatures; however, the relationship between temperature and disease prevalence is still unclear.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. shelley.anthony@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D012623:Seawater; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors