Fig 1. Effects of the disease on some benthic species.

A-B) Appearance of Aplysina aerophoba before (A) and during (B) the disease. C) The anemone Aiptasia sp. was contracted during the disease (C) but it appeared in healthy conditions about one month later (D). E-F) Colonies of Eudendrium racemosum lacking of polyps (E) and of Cornularia cornucopiae with contracted anthocodia (F). G) Hydroids completely recovered within a month from the disease (picture G by F. Betti). Scale bars A-F 5 cm, G 10 cm.