title: Herbivory in the soft coral Sinularia flexibilis (Alcyoniidae).
abstract: Our work provides strong support for the hypothesis that Sinularia flexibilis ingests diatoms such as Thalassiosira pseudonana. We assessed algal ingestion by S. flexibilis through estimates of algal removal, histological analyses, scanning electron microscopy observations, and gene expression determination (18S and silicon transporter 1) by real time PCR. Cell counts are strongly suggestive of algal removal by the coral; light and scanning microscopy provide qualitative evidence for the ingestion of T. pseudonana by S. flexibilis, while molecular markers did not prove to be sufficiently selective/specific to give clear results. We thus propose that previous instances of inability of corals to ingest algae are reconsidered using different technical approach, before concluding that coral herbivory is not a general feature.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Piccinetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pennesi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radaelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Totti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norici
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.|Institute of Microbiology ASCR, Centrum Algatech, Laboratory of photosynthesis, Opatovický mlýn, 379 81 Třeboň, Czech Republic.|National Research Council, Institute of Marine Science, Venezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Ike
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Olivotto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D017377:Diatoms; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D060434:Herbivory; D010933:Plankton
chemical_list: D004247:DNA