Biological Interactions

Natural interactions with other reef organisms are easily mistaken for coral disease or bleaching. Coral competition, invertebrate burrowing, algal interactions and predation are natural states that do not need to be reported.

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: Fissures on Porites lobata house Petroglyph Shrimp (Alpheus deuteropus).

: Beginning fissures on Porites lobata house Petroglyph Shrimp (Alpheus deuteropus). They may use chemical means to excavate corals.

: Beginning fissures on Porites lobata house Petroglyph Shrimp (Alpheus deuteropus). They may use chemical means to excavate corals.

: Stripbelly puffer (Arothron hispidus) have been observed to snip off tips of coral.

: Ongoing fish bites on top of coral head.

: Blenny bites on Porites lobata.

: Spotted Coral Blenny (Exallis brevis) They leave small “blenny kisses” all over their favorites corals.

: Blenny bites on Porites lobata.

: Parrotfish bites on algae growing on Porites lobata.

: Drupella snails (Drupella cornus) are corallivores that are naturally occurring. However, a Drupella snail outbreak can cause a great deal of damage to coral reefs. Only report large outbreaks.

: Drupella snails live in a hole or under the coral head and come out to eat during the night, gradually expanding the grazed area, which may be mistaken for a progressive tissue loss disease.

: Small snails that eat coral, leaving large areas of bare white skeleton.

: COTS scar on red rice corals (Montipora capitata).

: Crown-of-Thorns Seastars (COTS) is a common coral predator.

: COTS scar on Cauliflower corals (Pocillopora meandrina).

: COTS scar on mounding coral (Porites lobata).

: Invertebrate burrows in mounding corals often mistaken for tissue lose syndrome. Look closely for burrows.

: Invertebrate burrows in mounding corals often mistaken for tissue lose syndrome. Look closely for burrows.

: Kahe crabs (Pseudocryptochirus kahe) creates and inhabits chambers in Cauliflower and Antler corals (Pocilloporids).

: Barred filefish (Cantherhines dumerilii) have protruding teeth with which they graze on corals.

: Corals whipped by algae may exhibit pink areas.

: Porites lobata invaded by the toxic red algae Corallophila huysmansii.

: Porites lobata invaded by the toxic red algae Corallophila huysmansii

: Porites rus invaded by the toxic red algae Corallophila huysmansii.

: Stressed corals display pink areas and raised bumps, not disease.

: White areas between coral species are due to coral interactions not diseases.

: Coral species are often competing for space.

: White areas between coral species are due to coral interactions not diseases.

: White areas between coral species are due to coral interactions not diseases.

: Parrotfish bites on Porites lobata invaded by Corallophila huysmansii.

: Parrotfish (Scarus spilurus) often graze on corals heads.

: Parrotfish bites on Porites lobata.

: Coral shedding mucus sheath on Porites lobata. Note healthy tissue on cleared areas.

: Coral shedding mucus sheath on Porites lobata. Note healthy tissue on cleared areas.