A New Coral Disease From the Southern Arabian Gulf

During an ecological survey of coral communities at Jebel Ali in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a high incidence of coral diseases was observed. Although a coral disease has been reported from the Gulf of Oman (Coles 1994), this is a first report for coral diseases in the Arabian Gulf. The encountered diseases were the well described Black Band and White Band Diseases (Antonius, 1995) and a hitherto undescribed disease, which we refer to as Yellow-Band Disease.

It manifests itself as a broad yellow band moving across healthy coral tissue in a manner similar to the Black Band disease (Rützler, Santavy and Antonius, 1983) insofar as where the yellow band actively moves into healthy tissue areas, a band of decaying and sloughing off tissue is observed. However, the entire area denuded by the infection can retain the characteristic yellow colour. The Yellow Band Disease appears to be in no way similar to the Aggressive Orange Band recently described by Littler and Littler (1994), which attacks coralline algae. Investigations into establishing the pathogen are underway.

Preliminary measurements indicate that within colony spreading rates (on Acropora clathrata) are faster in summer (x = 19.7 ± 4.9 mm per week, measured mid October), than in winter (x = 9.4 ± 3.9 mm per week, measured beginning February). Disease spread is significantly different between these seasons (MannWhitney UTest, Z = 2.67, P < 0.001).

Species found to be affected by Yellow Band Disease were:

• Acropora clathrata
• A. pharaonis
• A. tenuis
• A. valida
• A. florida
• Porites lutea
• P. lichen
• P. nodifera
• Turbinaria reniformis
• and Cyphastrea microphthalma.

Acknowledgements: We acknowledge funding assistance by the Dubai Municipality and Charles Martin of Martin Mid East for the opportunity to work in Gulf waters, and for logistical support.

• Antonius A (1995). Pathologic syndromes on reef corals: a review. In: Geister J, Lathuillere B (eds) Coral reefs in the past, the present and the future. Proc 2nd Europ Regional Meeting, ISRS. Publ Serv Géol Lux, 29: 161169.

• Coles, S. L. 1994. Extensive coral disease outbreak at Fahl Island, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs 13: 242.

• Littler MM, Littler DS (1994) A pathogen of reefbuilding coralline algae discovered in the South Pacific. Coral Reefs 13(4): 202.

• Rützler K, Santavy DL, Antonius A (1983) The Black Band Disease of Atlantic reef corals. III Distribution, Ecology, and development. PSZNI Marine Ecology 4(4): 329-358.

Scan #1:

Yellow Band Disease spreading outward on an Acropora clathrata. Note how the exposed skeleton behind the infected area has been settled upon (by anything and everything!) subsequent to the living coral tissue having sloughed off.

Scan #2:

A Yellow Band Disease affected Porites lutea. Note here how the exposed skeleton retains the characteristc yellow colour, sometimes showing a greeny tinge as is evidenced in this picture. A piece chipped off this Porites mound showed that the yellow colour penetrates some millimeters into the skeleton.

Scan #3:

Yellow Band Disease moving across a healthy Turbinaria reniformis. Next to the diseased Turbinaria is healthy Porites lutea.

Scan #4:

Yellow Band Disease moving across a healthy Turbinaria reniformis.

Scan #5:

Final stage of disese - Yellow Band Disease moving out on the branch tips of Acropora clathrata. Entire colony (or the infected part thereof) is now dead. Note again how the exposed skeleton behind the infected area has subsequently been settled upon (by anything and everything!) once the living coral tissue has sloughed off.

Scan #6:

Closeup of Yellow Band Disease moving out on branch tips of Acropora pharaonis - note how it spreads out so evenly on all three of branches from the junction.

Scan #7:

Final stage as above - Yellow Band Disease moving out on branch tips of Acropora valida killing off that entire "limb".

Scan #8:

Three Yellow Band Disease sites in a garden of Porites lichen. Stunning brain coral, Platygyra sp., growing bang in the middle of the garden.