Figure 1. Stephanocoenia intersepta showing Dark Spots Syndrome.

(a) shows a heavily infested colony with variable sizes of dark spots, (S) is classed as a small spot and (M) classed as a medium spot, (b) shows the characteristic dead tissue which follows this syndrome usually associated with larger spots (L), (AH)  =  Apparently Healthy tissues sampled for direct comparisons to the diseased lesions, and (c) is a reference shot of the terrestrial plant disease known as Tar Spot caused by the fungal pathogen Rhytisma acernium, the same pathogen of which was isolated from DSS lesions and absent in healthy tissues.