title: Unrecognized coral species diversity masks differences in functional ecology.
abstract: Porites corals are foundation species on Pacific reefs but a confused taxonomy hinders understanding of their ecosystem function and responses to climate change. Here, we show that what has been considered a single species in the eastern tropical Pacific, Porites lobata, includes a morphologically similar yet ecologically distinct species, Porites evermanni. While P. lobata reproduces mainly sexually, P. evermanni dominates in areas where triggerfish prey on bioeroding mussels living within the coral skeleton, thereby generating asexual coral fragments. These fragments proliferate in marginal habitat not colonized by P. lobata. The two Porites species also show a differential bleaching response despite hosting the same dominant symbiont subclade. Thus, hidden diversity within these reef-builders has until now obscured differences in trophic interactions, reproductive dynamics and bleaching susceptibility, indicative of differential responses when confronted with future climate change.
authors: Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, , 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, , 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, , San Pedro, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Jennifer N
authors: JN
authors: Boulay
authors: Michael E
authors: ME
authors: Hellberg
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Cortés
authors: Iliana B
authors: IB
authors: Baums
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000502:physiology*; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D057894:Coral Reefs; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013559:Symbiosis
keywords: asexual coral propagation; coral-bleaching susceptibility; cryptic species; microsatellites; trophic interactions; zooxanthellae