title: Distribution and prevalence of coral diseases in the Veracruz Reef System, Southern Gulf of Mexico.
abstract: Ten reefs of the Veracruz Reef System (VRS) were surveyed to evaluate the distribution and prevalence of diseases that affect stony corals. Total disease prevalence on corals in the VRS was 4.8%. Seven diseases affecting 6 coral genera (4 of which are the most abundant) were observed in 85.2% of the evaluated sites. As observed in other reefs of the Caribbean, dark spots disease had the highest prevalence (2.9%) and widest distribution. The incidence of disease showed a patchy distribution, with prevalence being significantly higher on the reef flats than on the windward and leeward sides.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 1152, Cancún, 77500 Quintana Roo, México. carricart@cmarl.unam.mx
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Carricart-Ganivet
authors.forename: A U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Beltrán-Torres
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horta-Puga
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D017691:Caribbean Region; D057894:Coral Reefs; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring