Table 3.
Overview of the main octocoral diseases, the putative pathogens and the octocoral genera/species affected. If multiple octocoral species from the same genus were affected, only the genus name is provided
| Region | Pathogen | Octocoral affected | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microbial diseases | |||
| Aspergillosis | Caribbean |
Aspergillus sydowii
Aspergillus spp. |
Gorgonia spp. Pseudopterogorgia spp. Plexaura spp. Pseudoplexaura porosa Plexaurella spp. |
| Pacific | Pacifigorgia spp. | ||
| Red Band Disease | Caribbean | Polymicrobial mat – primarily cyanobacteria Ocillatoria sp. |
Gorgonia spp. Plexaurella nutans |
| Black Band Disease | Caribbean | Polymicrobial mat – cyanobacteria Phormidium corallyticum, sulphate-reducing Desulfovibrio, sulfide-oxidizing Beggiatoa |
Gorgonia spp. Pseudopterogorgia spp. Plexaurella spp. Erythropodium asbestinum |
| Octocoral Vibrio Syndrome (OVS) | Mediterranean | Vibrio coralliilyticus |
Eunicella spp. Paramuricea clavata |
| Fungal-Protozoan Syndrome *Possibly secondary infection following OVS |
Mediterranean | Fungus genera Trichoderma, Clodosporium, Penicillium Unidentified protozoa |
Eunicella spp. Leptogorgia sarmentosa Paramuricea clavata Corallium rubrum |
| Black Necrotic Syndrome | Pacific | Possibly Penicullium fungus | Isis hippuris |
| Multifocal Purple Spots (previously labyrinthulomycosis) | Caribbean |
Aplanochytrium protozoan Sphaerippe copepod |
Gorgonia spp. |
| Wasting Syndromes (WS) | Caribbean | Unknown pathogens | |
| Gorgonian WS |
Gorgonia spp. Plexaura nutans Erythropodium asbestinum |
||
| Briareum WS | Briareum spp. | ||
| Phyllogorgia WS | Phyllogorgia dilatata | ||
| Erythropodium WS | Erythropodium asbestinum | ||
| Bleaching Necrosis (BN) | Caribbean | Unknown pathogens | |
| Briareum BN | Briareum spp. | ||
| Erythropodium BN | Erythropodium caribaeorum | ||
| Other diseases | |||
| Growth anomalies Hyperplasia, hypoplasia No documented mortality |
Caribbean | Endolithic algae – Entocladia endozoica |
Gorgonia spp. Pseudopterogorgia spp. Plexaura spp. Pseudoplexaura spp. Plexaurella anceps |
| Bleaching Loss of zooxanthellae |
Caribbean | High seawater temperatures |
Gorgonia spp. Pseudopterogorgia spp. Plexaura spp. Pseudoplexaura spp. Plexaurella spp. Briareum spp. Muricea spp. Eunicea spp. Erythropodium asbestinum Pterogorgia citrina Muriceopsis flavida |
| Pacific |
Isis hippuris
Lobophyton spp. Sarcophyton spp. Sinularia spp. |
||