Diversity of zooxanthellae in octocorals

146 samples belonging to 69 genera (114 species) from 20 families of octocorals were collected. Fresh octocoral samples were collected from the eastern Pacific coast during 1999-2002, the Caribbean Sea in 2002 and the Great Barrier Reef during 2000-2002. Small fragments of 1-4 colonies (individuals) were collected per species. Samples derived from museum specimens originally collected from California, Galapagos, the Philippines, Palau and Papua New Guinea were acquired from the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Genetic analyses of the zooxanthellae were based on ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region. Symbiodinium clades A, B, C, D and G were identified (and no zoxanthellae).An unrooted phylogenetic tree was created from a range of octocoral taxa based on mitochondrial COII-ATP8-ATP6.
 To examine the presence, genetic identity and diversity of algal endosymbionts (Symbiodinium) in 114 species from 69 genera (20 families) of octocorals from the Great Barrier Reef, the far eastern Pacific and the Caribbean.To compare patterns of the octocoral-algal symbiosis with the host phylogeny.
 Numbers of samples investigated from the various locations were: Great Barrier Reef (81), Torres Strait (3), other central Pacific regions (12), South Africa (1), eastern Pacific (27), and the Caribbean Sea (22).Species list: Acabaria cinquemiglia; Acabaria sp.1; Acanthogorgia sp.1; Alertigorgia orientalis; Annella mollis; Anthelia sp.1; Astrogorgia dumbea; Astrogorgia sp.1; Bebryce sp.1; Briareidae sp.1, 2; Briareum asbestinum; Briareum cf.stechei; Briareum violacea; Capnella sp.1,2; Capnella sp.2; Carijoa sp.; Cespitularia sp.1; Chironephthya sp.3; Cladiella sp.1,2; Clavularia sp.1; Ctenocella pectinata; Dendronephthya sp.1; Dichotella sp.1; Echinogorgia sp.1,3; Echinomuricea sp.1; Ellisella limbaughi; Ellisella sp.1,2,3; Eugorgia aurantiaca; Eunicea asperula; Eunicea calyculata; Eunicea laciniata; Eunicea sp.1,2; Eunicea succinea; Eunicea tourneforti; Eunicella papillosa; Euplexaura nuttingi; Euplexaura sp.1; Gorgonia mariae; Gorgonia ventalina; Gorgoniidae sp.1; Heliopora coerulea; Heterogorgia sp.1; Heterogorgia verrucosa; Iciligorgia sp.1; Isis hippuris; Junceella fragilis; Junceella sp.1; Keroeides sp.1; Klyxum sp.1; Lemnalia sp.2; Leptogorgia rigida; Leptogorgia sp.1; Lobophytum sp.1,2; Melithaea sp.1; Melithaeidae sp.1,2; Menella sp. 3; Menella sp.1,2; Muricea fruticosa; Muricea muricanta; Muricea sp.1,3,10; Muricella sp.1; Muriceopsis flavida; Nicella sp.1a,b; Pacifigorgia gracilis; Pacifigorgia stenobrochis; Paracis sp.1,2; Paragorgia dendroides; Paralemnalia sp.1,3; Paraminabea aldersladei; Paratelesto sp.1; Plexaura homomalla; Plexaurella dichotoma; Plexaurella grisea; Plexaurella nutans; Plumigorgia schoboti; Psammogorgia arbuscula dowii; Psammogorgia teres; Pseudoplexaura wagenaari; Pterogorgia anceps; Pterogorgia citrina; Ptilosarcus undulates; Rhytisma sp.1,2; Rumphella sp.1; Sarcophyton sp.1,2; Sinularia sp.1; Siphonogorgia geodeffroyi; Solenocaulon sp.1; Stereonephthya sp.1; Studeriotes sp.1; Stylatula sp.1; Subergorgia sp.1; Subergorgia suberosa; Sympodium sp.1,2; Tubipora musica; Umbellulifera sp.1; Villogorgia sp.1; Xenia sp.1a, b; Xeniidae sp.1.Locations specifically identified were: Dungenesse Reef, Torres Strait; Haslewood, Hook, Long, Rattray, and Double Cone Islands on the Central Great Barrier Reef; Bali; Central Pacific; Eastern Pacific; Galápagos; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; South Africa; California, USA; Acapulco, Afuera Zuñiga frente al faro P.Abreojos, Bahia de las Animas, Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Costa frente a Xcaret, Isla Coronado, Isla Danzante, Isla Salsipuedes, Isla tortuga, Piedra Blanca, Piedras de Zuniga, and San Carlos in Mexico.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network