Bongiorni Lucia, Rinkevich Baruch
Department of Marine Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
Zoology (Jena). 2005;108(3):247-56. doi: 10.1016/j.zool.2005.05.002. Epub 2005 Aug 11.
The appearance of pink-blue spots (termed here as pink-blue spot syndrome - PBSS) in the branching coral Acropora eurystoma from the Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea, is described. We monitored 18 transects (10 x 1 m2 each) in front of the H. Steinitz Marine Laboratory (Eilat), at 3, 6 and 9 m depth, during March and August in 2001 and 2002. Transect measurements revealed high frequencies of colonies with PBSS (up to 100% of colonies) between 3 and 9 m depth. Ten PBSS-affected colonies of A. eurystoma were labelled and monitored for the development of spots. From March to August 2001, the number of spots per colony increased and remained constantly high at both sampling dates in 2002. Spot size ranged between 7 and 149 mm2. Spots were primarily recorded in areas where coral tissues contacted foreign biological matter, either around regenerative wounds or when surrounded by encrusting organisms, in fast-growing areas and in allogeneic interactions. A preliminary biochemical examination suggested that the pink-blue pigment in A. eurystoma is part of a family of compounds (pocilloporin) responsible for the pink-blue colours in pocilloporid and acroporid corals. Pink-blue colour could be experimentally induced in A. eurystoma by tissue-to-tissue contacts between distressed and non-distressed allogeneic branches. PBSS was also induced in healthy coral tissue by contact with inert objects, e.g., by bandaging a branch with plastic strips. Any specific pink-blue colour spots faded within 1-3 months from onset. These results suggest that PBSS in A. eurystoma may not be considered a regular coral disease, but rather a locally induced syndrome caused by restricted environmental and/or biological stress conditions.
本文描述了红海埃拉特湾的分支珊瑚细枝鹿角珊瑚（Acropora eurystoma）中出现的粉蓝色斑点（在此称为粉蓝色斑点综合征 - PBSS）。2001年和2002年3月及8月期间，我们在埃拉特的H. 施泰尼茨海洋实验室前监测了18条样带（每条10×1平方米），深度分别为3米、6米和9米。样带测量显示，在3至9米深度之间，出现PBSS的珊瑚群体频率很高（高达100%的群体）。对10个受PBSS影响的细枝鹿角珊瑚群体进行了标记，并监测斑点的发展情况。从2001年3月到8月，每个群体的斑点数量增加，在2002年的两个采样日期都持续保持在高位。斑点大小在7至149平方毫米之间。斑点主要出现在珊瑚组织与外来生物物质接触的区域，如再生伤口周围或被结壳生物包围时、快速生长区域以及同种异体相互作用中。初步生化检查表明，细枝鹿角珊瑚中的粉蓝色色素是一组化合物（杯形珊瑚素）的一部分，这些化合物导致了杯形珊瑚科和鹿角珊瑚科珊瑚呈现粉蓝色。通过将受胁迫和未受胁迫的异体分支进行组织间接触，可以在细枝鹿角珊瑚中实验性诱导出粉蓝色。通过与惰性物体接触，如用塑料条包扎分支，也能在健康的珊瑚组织中诱导出PBSS。任何特定的粉蓝色斑点从出现起1至3个月内就会褪色。这些结果表明，细枝鹿角珊瑚中的PBSS可能不应被视为一种常规的珊瑚疾病，而更应被看作是由受限的环境和/或生物胁迫条件引起的局部诱导综合征。
