Scientists have discovered ‘hidden’ coral species diversity by applying a combined approach of DNA analysis, skeleton examination and ecological observations. Their research shows how essential it is to employ multiple methodologies, from molecular to traditional techniques, in understanding coral diversity and evolution. Their research wss published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society in January.
Fine-scale skeletal differences between genetic lineages. Left: phylogeny based on ORF region resolving in four main clades (bootstrap values over 70 are shown as grey numbers). Right: scanning electron micrographs of different species (bar on the left indicates scale). Clade 1: Pocillopora damicornis Type α (P. damicornis), P. damicornis Type β (P. acuta), P. damicornis Type δ (P. aliciae); Clade 2: P. damicornis Type γ (P. verrucosa), Pocillopora Type x, P. bairdi sp. nov.; Clade 3: P. eydouxi e, P. meandrina m; Clade 4: P. damicornis Type ε (P. cf. brevicornis) (no micrograph available).
“We measured the skeletal structure of these species of corals and combined this data with our genetic and molecular analysis. Our results indicate that there are likely to be many more species of coral in our oceans, more than we originally thought,” said AIMS researcher, Sebastian Schmidt-Roach.
The team formally revised the taxonomic status of Pocillopora corals, also known as ‘cauliflower corals’ found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They also reported the discovery of two new species during their studies. Their research included studying corals on the Great Barrier Reef.
“Coral species can be very difficult to identify. They are not obviously different like most species of mammals, for example. Some corals may interbreed with other species of coral (hybridize) and different species can look the same but be very different, genetically and chemically. That is why information from multiple sources is necessary for studying these animals at a population and species levels” explained Nikos Andreakis, a molecular phylogeneticist at AIMS.
The scientists have now provided information for the identification of eight Pocillopora species, two of them were completely new to science: P. damicornis, P. acuta, P. aliciae, P. verrucosa, P. meandrina, P. eydouxi, P. cf. brevicornis and Pocillopora bairdi sp. nov..
Field appearance of taxa in partial sympatry, when growing as mosaic colonies or in approximate distance to each other. α, P. damicornis; β, P. acuta; γ, P. verrucosa; x, P. … More:
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