Sea Urchin Diadema Africanum Mass Mortality in the Subtropical Eastern Atlantic: Role of Waterborne Bacteria in a Warming Ocean
Vol. 506: 1–14, 2014 MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published June 23 doi: 10.3354/meps10829 Mar Ecol Prog Ser FREEREE FEATURE ARTICLE ACCESSCCESS Sea urchin Diadema africanum mass mortality in the subtropical eastern Atlantic: role of waterborne bacteria in a warming ocean S. Clemente1,*, J. Lorenzo-Morales2, J. C. Mendoza1, C. López1, C. Sangil3, F. Alves4, M. Kaufmann4,5,6, J. C. Hernández1 1Biodiversidad, Ecología Marina y Conservación, Departamento de Biología Animal (Ciencias Marinas), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 2University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38203 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 3Botánica Marina, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de La Laguna, 38071 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 4CIIMAR-Madeira (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of Madeira), Edifício Madeira Tecnopolo, Caminho da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 5University of Madeira, Centre of Life Sciences, Marine Biology Station of Funchal, 9000-107 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 6CIIMAR/CIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal ABSTRACT: A widespread mass mortality event of the sea urchin Diadema africanum was detected in the subtropical eastern Atlantic, extending from Madeira to the Canary Islands, covering a straight- line distance of >400 km. This is the first disease- related die-off of a diadematid documented in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Diseased individuals showed deterioration of the epidermis and water-vascular system, resulting in epidermal necrosis and release of spines.
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