title: Prevalence, host range, and spatial distribution of black band disease in the Maldivian Archipelago.
abstract: Little research has been conducted on diseases affecting reef-building corals in the central Indian Ocean. During 2010 and 2011, we performed a quantitative assessment of black band disease (BBD) in the central Republic of Maldives. Distribution, host range, and prevalence of BBD were investigated at 6 coral islands (Magoodhoo, Adanga, Ihuru, Vabbinfaru, Thudufushi, and Athuruga) belonging to 3 different atolls. BBD was found to be widespread among the atolls. All the islands showed a prevalence lower than 0.5%. Magoodhoo Island showed the highest mean disease prevalence. In the whole surveyed area, shallow sites showed higher overall mean BBD prevalence than deep ones. BBD was recorded from 6 scleractinian families (Acroporidae, Faviidae, Poritidae, Siderastreidae, Agariciidae, Fungiidae) and 13 scleractinian genera. Two of them, Gardineroseris and Sandalolitha, constitute new records for the disease. The siderastreid Psammocora (BBD prevalence: 5.33 ± 1.41%, mean ± SE) was the most affected genus, followed by Goniopora (2.7 ± 1.3%). BBD prevalence was positively correlated to the respective host density in both genera. Favites and Acropora were the less affected genera (both <0.1%). Although we observed an extremely low overall disease prevalence in the surveyed area (<1%), the large number of different scleractinian genera affected and the widespread distribution of BBD indicate a need for further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milan - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy. simone.montano@unimib.it
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montano
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strona
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seveso
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D019156:Indian Ocean; D007195:Indian Ocean Islands; D013997:Time Factors