Molecular evidence shows low species diversity of coral-associated hydroids in Acropora corals
A novel symbiosis between scleractinians and hydroids (Zanclea spp.) was recently discovered using taxonomic approaches for hydroid species identification. In this study, we address the question whether this is a species-specific symbiosis or a cosmopolitan association between Zanclea and its coral...
Saved in:
Published in | PloS one Vol. 7; no. 11; p. e50130 |
---|---|
Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
Public Library of Science
29.11.2012
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
Cover
Loading…
Summary: | A novel symbiosis between scleractinians and hydroids (Zanclea spp.) was recently discovered using taxonomic approaches for hydroid species identification. In this study, we address the question whether this is a species-specific symbiosis or a cosmopolitan association between Zanclea and its coral hosts. Three molecular markers, including mitochondrial 16S and nuclear 28S ribosomal genes, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS), were utilized to examine the existence of Zanclea species from 14 Acropora species and 4 other Acroporidae genera including 142 coral samples collected from reefs in Kenting and the Penghu Islands, Taiwan, Togian Island, Indonesia, and Osprey Reef and Orpheus Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the 16S and 28S genes showed that Acropora-associated Zanclea was monophyletic, but the genus Zanclea was not. Analysis of the ITS, and 16S and 28S genes showed either identical or extremely low genetic diversity (with mean pairwise distances of 0.009 and 0.006 base substitutions per site for the 16S and 28S genes, respectively) among Zanclea spp. collected from diverse Acropora hosts in different geographic locations, suggesting that a cosmopolitan and probably genus-specific association occurs between Zanclea hydroids and their coral hosts. |
---|---|
Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Conceived and designed the experiments: SF SK CAC. Performed the experiments: SF SK. Analyzed the data: SF. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: CAC HJH WST. Wrote the paper: SF SK CAC. Collected samples for the analysis: SF VD JL CYK CCW. Contributed during initial stages of the work: VD JL CYK CMH. Obtained permission for coral collection: HJH WST CAC. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Current address: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia |
ISSN: | 1932-6203 1932-6203 |
DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0050130 |