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Growth strategies of whip black corals (Cnidaria: Antipatharia) in the Bunaken Marine Park (Celebes Sea, Indonesia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

M. Bo ,
C.G. Di Camillo ,
A.M. Addamo ,
L. Valisano  and
G. Bavestrello
M. Bo*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
C.G. Di Camillo
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
A.M. Addamo
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
L. Valisano
Affiliation:
Dipartimento per lo Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse, Università degli Studi di Genova, I-60100 Genova, Italy
G. Bavestrello
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M. Bo, Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The growth rate of two species of whip black corals belonging to the genera Cirrhipathes and Stichopathes has been evaluated in different experiments conducted in the Marine Park of Bunaken (Indonesia) for over one year. Unbranched, unpinnulated black corals result among the fastest growing colonial organisms, with maximal growth rates of 13.25 cm month−1 for Cirrhipathes cfr anguina and 1.3 cm month−1 for Stichopathes cfr maldivensis. Several observations made both on transplants and on natural colonies add new information on the growth strategy of black corals. The easy handling, the high rate of survivorship and the fast growth of transplants indicate that black corals can be successfully employed in the recovery projects of harvested reefs.

Keywords

black coralsgrowth ratesgrowth strategytransplantsIndonesia
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 2 , January 2009 , e54
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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