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Invasive sun corals (Tubastraea spp.) are spreading along the Brazilian coast where they compete for space with native species, produce chemical compounds with antifouling and anti-predation properties and modify community structure and function. The tropical rocky shores of the Ilha Grande Bay were the first to be invaded in the southwest Atlantic and the Tamoios Marine Protected Area (MPA) within the bay was directly in the path of the spread of Tubastraea. MPAs aim to conserve biodiversity, preventing habitat loss and fragmentation and maintain healthy ecosystems. As healthy communities might better resist invasion the aim of this study was to investigate to what extent the benthic communities of the MPA are resisting the invasion. Baseline data on the abundance of the invasive corals Tubastraea spp. and community structure (cover) were quantified at eight sites over six years. The benthic communities were dominated by multispecies algal turfs, the mat-forming zooantharian Palythoa caribaeorum and the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis and fell into five community groups two of which contained Tubastraea spp. The number of invaded sites increased over time as did the abundance of Tubastraea spp. in the communities. Tubastraea spp. sequentially invaded the studied communities within the MPA independently of differing community compositions – i.e. they did not offer better biotic resistance than unprotected areas. This was facilitated by the patchy nature of the communities which allowed Tubastraea spp. to get a foothold by initially avoiding species such as P. caribaeorum which offer greater biological resistance. At one site a significant reduction in Tubastraea spp. was detected after mechanical control. We conclude that the MPA’s status as a conservation unit was important to attract research and thus for establishing a baseline, quantifying change due to the invasion and focusing limited management resources, but not in providing significant biotic resistance to the invasion.

Tubastraea, commonly known as sun coral, is a genus of brightly coloured azooxanthellate corals in the family Dendrophylliidae. The diversity of this genus is low, with only seven recognized species. Herein, we describe Tubastraea megacorallita sp. nov. from Hong Kong based on morphological and molecular analyses. This new species exhibits several characteristics of the genus including being colonial, having a rough texture of corallum and no epitheca. It can be distinguished from its congenerics by bigger corallites, and the Pourtalès plan arrangement of its septa. The rDNA gene sequences (consisting of ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2, 18S and 28S) showed 2.45–5.18% divergence from those of its closest relatives, T. coccinea and T. micranthus.

The regenerative capacity of cnidarians plays an essential role in the maintenance and restoration of coral reef ecosystems by allowing faster recovery from disturbances and more efficient small-scale dispersal. However, in the case of invasive species, this property may contribute to their dispersal and success in nonnative habitats. Given that four Indo-Pacific members of the coral genus Tubastraea have invaded the Atlantic, here we evaluated the ability of three of these species (Tubastraea coccinea, Tubastraea diaphana, and Tubastraea micranthus) to regenerate from fragments of undifferentiated coral tissue to fully functional polyps in response to differences in food supply and fragment size. For comparative purposes, another colonial dendrophylliid (Dendrophyllia sp.) was included in the analyses. All dendrophylliids displayed regenerative ability and high survival rates that were independent of whether or not food was supplied or fragment size. However, regeneration rates varied between species and were influenced by fragment size. Temporal expression of key genes of the regenerative process (Wnt and FGF) was profiled during whole-body regeneration of T. coccinea, suggesting a remarkable regenerative ability of T. coccinea that points to its potential use as a laboratory model for the investigation of regeneration in colonial calcified anthozoans.

The detection and control of invasive alien species in marine ecosystems is especially challenging because it is difficult to visualize the full extension of an invasion, while control options are often limited. The invasive scleractinian coral Tubastraea coccinea have spread over 8000 km of the Atlantic coastline, from Florida in the USA to southern Brazil, mainly in association with oil and gas platforms. This invasive coral threatens endemic species, reduces native coral recruitment, and modifies communities and trophic interactions, posing a relevant threat to shallow Atlantic reefs. The main aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of an ongoing T. coccinea control program by analyzing the results of control interventions on population structure and cover of the target species in its southern Atlantic limit of distribution. We also describe the reproductive effort of T. coccinea in a 12-month time span. Between 2012 and 2019, almost 14,000 colonies were removed, most of them of small size (

Three new alkanoyl imidazoles, designated bulbimidazoles A-C (1-3), were found from the culture extract of the gammaproteobacterium Microbulbifer sp. DC3-6 isolated from a stony coral of the genus Tubastraea. The absolute configuration of the anteiso-methyl substitution in 1 was established to be a mixture of (R)- and (S)-configurations in a ratio of 9:91 by applying the Ohrui-Akasaka method. Compounds 1-3 displayed unique broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and fungi with MICs ranging from 0.78 to 12.5 μg/mL. They also exhibited cytotoxicity toward P388 murine leukemia cells with IC50 in the micromolar range.

Tubastraea coccinea is an azooxanthellate coral species recorded in the Indian and Atlantic oceans and is presently widespread in the southwestern Atlantic with an alien status for Brazil. T. coccinea outcompete other native coral species by using a varied repertoire of biological traits. For example, T. coccinea has evolved potent venom capable of immobilizing and digesting zooplankton prey. Diversification and modification of venom toxins can provide potential adaptive benefits to individual fitness, yet acquired alteration of venom composition in cnidarians is poorly understood as the adaptive flexibility affecting toxin composition in these ancient lineages has been largely ignored. We used quantitative high‐throughput proteomics to detect changes in toxin expression in clonal fragments of specimens collected and interchanged from two environmentally distinct and geographically separate study sites. Unexpectedly, despite global changes in protein expression, there were no changes in the composition and abundance of toxins from coral fragments recovered from either site, and following clonal transplantation between sites. There were also no apparent changes to the cnidome (cnidae) and gross skeletal or soft tissue morphologies of the specimens. These results suggest that the conserved toxin complexity of T. coccinea co‐evolved with innovation of the venom delivery system, and its morphological development and phenotypic expression are not modulated by habitat pressures over short periods of time. The adaptive response of the venom trait to specific predatory regimes, however, necessitates further consideration., Toxin complexity in the alien coral Tubastraea coccinea is conserved and co‐evolved with innovation of the venom delivery system. Morphological development of the coral and phenotypic expression of the venom and delivery system is not modulated by habitat pressures over short periods of time.

The high diversity of species in the marine environment gives rise to compounds with unique structural patterns not found as natural products in other systems and with great potential for pharmacological, cosmetic and nutritional use. The genus Tubastraea (Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Dendrophylliidae) is characterized as a hard coral without the presence of zooxanthellae. In species of this genus alkaloids derived from the compound aplysinopsin with pharmacological activity are known. In Brazil T. coccinea and T. tagusensis are characterized as non-indigenous and invasive and are currently found along the Brazilian coast, from Santa Catarina to Bahia states. This study aims to analyze the mutagenic, cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of methanolic and ethanolic extracts from T. coccinea and T. tagusensis collected in Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Bacterial reverse mutation assay on the standard strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA104, in vitro micronucleus formation test and colorimetric assays for cytotoxic signals on the cell lines HepG2 and RAW264.7 were used. We also synthesized an oxoaplysinopsin derivate alkaloid (APL01) for comparative purposes. No mutagenic (250; 312.5; 375; 437.5 and 500 μg/plate) or genotoxic (0.05; 0.5; 5.0; 50 and 500 μg/mL) effects were observed in any sample tested for all measured concentrations. Cytotoxic responses were observed for eukaryotic cells in all tested samples at 500 and 5000 μg/mL concentrations. Cytotoxicity found in the WST-1 assay was independent of the metabolism of substances present in samples compositions. The cytotoxicity observed in the LDH release assay depended on metabolism.

The scleractinian corals Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829 and T. tagusensis Wells, 1982 have invaded reefs along Brazil's coastline. Over the period 2011–2017 a standard, fast, easily repeatable semi-quantitative method was used to produce maps of distribution and a site (n = 77) specific Relative Abundance Index (RAI) to determine range expansion at Cabo Frio, an upwelling region. Invaded sites doubled from six to 12 over the period (one per year) and mean abundance increased tenfold from 0.2 to 2.6 RAI and 0.22 to 1.8 RAI (T. coccinea and T. tagusensis respectively). Site specific oceanographic conditions (temperature, salinity and water transparency) and distance from currently invaded sites (a proxy for propagule pressure) were chosen and used as determinants of invasion success in order to model the expansion. Model results compared favourably with empirical measurements and the simple, regional, and spatially explicit model predicted future range expansion under 10 and 20 year scenarios.

Our research presents the first record of Tubastraea tagusensis (Wells, Notes on Indo-Pacific scleractinian corals. Part 9. New corals from the Galapagos Islands, 1982) in the Gulf of Mexico. Specimens of Tubastraea were collected from various artificial reefs. Morphological analyses of these specimens show that there are three distinct lineages of Tubastraea that have remained cryptic due to similar morphology in the field: Tubastraea coccinea (Lesson, 1829), T. tagusensis, and a third clade containing a mix of characters of the former two. These results based on morphology are corroborated by phylogenetic and haplotype analyses using a partial sequence of the mitochondrial genes ATP8 and cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI). The negative effects on natural habitats by invasive species of Tubastraea have been documented worldwide. Therefore, it is imperative to implement management policies that will help prevent the expansion of these species into natural habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. The essential first step is accurate identification to determine possible sources, vectors, and current expansion rates. We present a clear set of morphological characters and a genetic marker to help distinguish between these three cryptic lineages.

Genus Tubastraea Lesson, 1830 Diagnosis of genus Tubastraea (emended after Cairns 2001 and Cairns & Kitahara 2012) Colonial coralla firmly attached and encrusting; septa cycles hexamerally arranged and typically inserted with spongy columella; septa arranged /not arranged in a Pourtalès plan; corallum with a rough texture; colony developing from a common basal coenosteum by budding, with clear connection among polyps; columella small to moderate in size and lacks an epitheca., Published as part of Yiu, Sam King Fung, Chung, Sheena Suet-Wah & Qiu, Jian-Wen, 2021, A new species of the sun coral genus Tubastraea (Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae) from Hong Kong, pp. 1-16 in Zootaxa 5047 (1) on page 3, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5047.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5533627, {"references":["Cairns, S. D. (2001) A generic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the Dendrophylliidae (Cnidaria: Scleractinia). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 615, 1 - 75. https: // doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00810282.615","Cairns, S. D. & Kitahara, M. V. (2012) An illustrated key to the genera and subgenera of the recent azooxanthellate Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa), with an attached glossary. ZooKeys, 227, 1 - 47. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 227.3612"]}

The safest and most efficient method of avoiding costs and impacts associated with biological invasions is to prevent the introduction and establishment of non-native species. In Brazil, two invasive coral species have been causing ecological, economic and social impacts: Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis. This work presents a protocol to analyze the risk of invasion in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the State of Rio de Janeiro considering the main vector of these species on the Brazilian coast. This protocol takes five risk factors into account: environmental similarity between the donor area and the possible receiving area; available substrate for colonization; proximity to the donor region; proximity and quantity of oil platforms and drill ships that passed by the analyzed MPAs and proximity and quantity of oil platforms and drill ships that anchored near the MPAs. Results must be used by decision-makers for a better management of Marine Protected Areas. The protocol we present can be applied to analyze the relative risk of invasion throughout the Brazilian coast, in order to prioritize areas for early detection and monitoring of the presence of sun corals.

Invasive species have large economic and ecological impacts and are the leading driver of extinction for both plants and animals worldwide. In the USA, coral reefs, which provide $3.4 billion per year in ecosystem services, are impacted by invasive marine species. One such species is Tubastraea coccinea, which was the first scleractinia to invade the western Atlantic and recently has spread to natural reefs within the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We document this recent invasion by compiling occurrence records, develop a species distribution model identifying important determinants of invasion, and project potential range expansion. Our results indicate T. coccinea currently is distributed along the GoM coast from the Florida Keys to southern Texas, with documented localities clustered ≈ 100 km off the Louisiana coast and ≈ 200 km off the Texas coast, and sparsely distributed elsewhere. Our species distribution model identified five environmental factors that together contribute > 99% to the overall model. These factors include two surface variables (mean pH and mean calcite, contributing ≈ 40%) and three benthic variables (maximum current velocity, minimum iron, and minimum dissolved oxygen, contributing ≈ 60%). Our model suggests potential habitat for range expansion is distributed mainly within the western portion of the northern GoM, with the highest probabilities of occurrence (0.8

The objective of this study was to report, for the first time, the presence of an invasive coral (Tubastraea tagusensis) in an oil platform on the Brazilian equatorial continental shelf. This structure is located more than 1200 km north from other oil and gas structures colonized by this coral. We also discussed the retirement and decommissioning of old biofouling-encrusted oil and gas platforms (~62 platforms) from decreased production and the current oil crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This presents an ecological concern due invasive coral range expansion and potential impacts to poorly studied ecosystems such as marginal shallow-water coral reefs and mesophotic ecosystems. It is imperative that mindful risk analysis and rigorous environmental studies must precede the installation of new oil and gas platforms. In addition, decommissioning of retired structures should take into consideration marine restoration and non-indigenous species dispersal, and more specifically, Tubastraea bioinvasion.

Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1830 and T. tagusensis Wells 1982 are azooxanthellate corals non-native to Brazil and introduced through fouling on oil platforms, the primary vector. They first invaded the tropical rocky reefs at Ilha Grande Bay (southwest Atlantic Ocean), during the early 1990s. Currently, at some Brazilian locations these species occupy 80% of the benthos of the shallow subtidal. They cause economic and environmental impacts by fouling shipping and modifying native communities. This study provides observations of an additional mechanism of secondary dispersal by T. coccinea and T. tagusensis that were seen attached to floating wood debris and marine litter, which are highly abundant in the region. Such rafting corals have been found adjacent to invaded reefs and stranded on beaches. These observations indicate that transport by rafting over long distances may be another mechanism of range expansion and secondary introduction of these invasive species within the region.

At present days, biological invasions and climate change are considered the most important threats to marine biodiversity. Invasive sun corals Tubastraea tagusensis and T. coccinea have successfully colonized coastal reef habitats from Florida to Southern Brazil, negatively impacting native coastal assemblages. Despite being focus of several studies, there was so far no information on how sun corals might respond to ocean warming due to climate change. To better understand mechanisms underlying the invasion dynamics in the region and also foresee its possible pathways in a future warmer scenario we investigated: (i) species-specific distribution patterns from large scales across locations (tens of km) to small scales within locations (10 x 10 cm), and their distribution according to a key environmental filter (depth) considered a proxy of thermal preferences; (ii) the effects of temperature on the performance of adult sun corals colonies towards a native competitor; (iii) temperature effects on sun corals propagule mortality rates, settlement rates and dispersal potential. Our results show species segregation across locations, and species-specific depth distributions trends, suggesting possible thermal preferences. At small patches with considerable species co-occurrence, we observed a possible case of neutral coexistence, where both species presence can be modeled as independent events. When in contact with the endemic brain coral, T. tagusensis has shown to be a better competitor, imposing tissue damage and reduced growth to the native coral, exhibiting no sign of reduced performance regardless temperature or season. Sun corals propagules presented an outstanding plasticity, likely to affect their pelagic duration and dispersal potential, due to an eventual temperature-regulated secondary competence window, allowing an escape response from high temperature habitats where larval mortality rates are high. Overall, this work presented a worrying future scenario, since sun corals performance will hardly be affected by climate change. Ocean warming of temperate regions may promote range extensions to subtropical and warm-temperate areas where temperature conditions for propagule survival and settlement success are best. Atualmente, invasões biológicas e mudanças climáticas são consideradas as mais importantes ameaças à biodiversidade marinha. Os corais sol, Tubastraea tagusensis e T. coccinea, são espécies invasores que colonizaram habitats recifais costeiros da Flórida até o Sul do Brasil, impactando negativamente comunidades costeiras. Apesar de ser foco de diversos estudos, até o momento não há informação de como os corais sol responderão ao aquecimento dos oceanos provocado pelas mudanças climáticas. Para melhor compreensão dos mecanismos envolvidos na dinâmica da invasão na região e também prever suas possibilidades em um cenário futuro de aquecimento investigou-se: (i) padrões de distribuição espécie-específica desde grandes escalas entre localidades (dezenas de km) até pequenas escalas dentro de localidades (10 x 10 cm), além de sua distribuição de acordo com um fator ambiental chave (profundidade), como uma aproximação de preferencias térmicas; (ii) efeitos da temperatura na performance de colônias adultas em contato com um competidor nativo; (iii) efeitos da temperatura na taxa de mortalidade, assentamento e potencial de dispersão de propágulos de coral sol. Nossos resultados mostraram segregação de espécies entre localidades e tendências de distribuição espécie-específica em diferentes profundidades, sugerindo possíveis preferências térmicas. A menores escalas, em locais com considerável co-ocorrência das espécies, foi observado um provável caso de coexistência neutra, onde a presença das duas espécies é independente. Quando em contato com uma espécie endêmica, o coral cérebro, T. tagusensis mostrou superioridade competitiva, provocando danos teciduais e redução de crescimento no coral nativo, sem demonstrar sinais de performance reduzida, independente de temperatura ou sazonalidade. Os propágulos de coral sol apresentaram impressionante plasticidade, o que provavelmente afeta o seu tempo em ambiente pelágico e potencial de dispersão devido a uma eventual janela de competência secundária, regulada por temperatura, o que permite uma resposta de escape de ambientes com altas temperaturas, onde as taxas de mortalidade são altas. De forma geral, esse trabalho apresentou um cenário preocupante, uma vez que a performance dos corais sol será dificilmente afetada pelas mudanças climáticas. Aquecimento dos oceanos em regiões temperadas podem promover aumento da área invadida para regiões subtropicais e temperadas onde as condições de temperatura e condições para sobrevivência de propágulos e assentamento são melhores.

The validity and position of the Indo Pacific genus Phestilla Bergh, 1874 (Fionoidea: Trinchesiidae) have been subject of some controversy as a result of several recent studies, which have sequentially synonymized or re-established it. At present, the genus includes eight valid species, the most of them described in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and all but one feeding on scleractinian corals of four genera: Porites Link, 1807 (Poritidae), Tubastraea Lesson, 1830, Dendrophyllia Blainville, 1830 (Dendrophylliidae) and Montipora Blainville, 1830 (Acroporidae). The discovery of an unknown Phestilla species feeding on Pavona explanulata (Lamarck, 1816) (Agariciidae) in Koh Tao, Thailand, motivates this work, in which this new species is described providing morphoanatomical and molecular characters. In addition, its systematic position and ecological significance as coral parasite are discussed.

Corals have been attracting huge attention due to the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on reef formation and resilience. Nevertheless, some species like Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis have been spreading very fast replacing the native ones which affect the local environment and decrease biodiversity of corals and other organisms associated with them. Despite some focal efforts to understand the biology of these organisms, they remain understudied at the molecular level. This knowledge gap hinders the development of cost-effective strategies for both conservation and management of invasive species. In this circumstance, it is expected that genome sequencing would provide powerful insights that could lead to better strategies for prevention, management, and control of this and other invasive species. Here, we present three genomes of Tubastraea spp. in one of the most comprehensive biological studies of corals, that includes flow cytometry, karyotyping, transcriptomics, genomics, and phylogeny. The genome of T. tagusensis is organized in 23 chromosomes pairs and has 1.1 Gb, the T. coccinea genome is organized in 22 chromosome pairs and has 806 Mb, and the Tubastraea sp. genome is organized in 21 chromosome pairs and has 795 Mb. The hybrid assembly of T. tagusensis using short and long-reads has a N50 of 227,978 bp, 7,996 contigs and high completeness estimated as 91.6% of BUSCO complete genes, of T. coccinea has a N50 of 66,396 bp, 17,214 contigs and 88.1% of completeness, and of Tubastraea sp. has a N50 of 82,672 bp, 12,922 contigs and also 88.1% of completeness. We inferred that almost half of the genome consists of repetitive elements, mostly interspersed repeats. We provide evidence for exclusive Scleractinia and Tubastraea gene content related to adhesion and immunity. The Tubastraea spp. genomes are a fundamental study which promises to provide insights not only about the genetic basis for the extreme invasiveness of this particular coral genus, but to understand the adaptation flaws of some reef corals in the face of anthropic-induced environmental disturbances. We expect the data generated in this study will foster the development of efficient technologies for the management of coral species, whether invasive or threatened.

The invasive coral Tubastraea tagusensis (sun coral) is a habitat-forming species currently increasing its geographical range into the Atlantic Ocean, thereby causing negative ecological and socioeconomic impacts. Scuba divers observed this coral in the western equatorial Atlantic in January 2020, growing at high densities on a shipwreck from World War II (sunk in 1943) at a depth of approximately 32 m. Available footage from the beginning of the decade (2012–2018) shows no obvious signs of sun coral on this shipwreck, suggesting recent colonization and range expansion. The recent evidence of expansion was found 200 km east of the last record, which was also found on a WWII shipwreck (sunk in 1942) in 2016. We have identified hundreds of overlooked WWII shipwrecks, as well as new wrecks in shallow and mesophotic waters, that may provide stepping-stone habitats for this coral to expand its distribution in the Atlantic. We discuss the role of shipwrecks as a network of stepping stones for the sun coral spread, creating complementary paths for the invasiveness by overcoming physiological traits and the short lifespan of the coral larvae. Previous research underestimates the importance of these artificial stepping-stone patches in sustaining crucial dispersal events and range expansion of invasive species. These results are a call to action to manage the invasive Tubastraea corals at a national and international scale in the Atlantic basin.

Vinegar/acetic acid (V/AA) has been used to control unwanted marine and freshwater species. As a naturally occurring, available and ubiquitous substance most countries’ legislations do not consider V/AA as harmful to the environment. We investigated the toxicity of household vinegar for the invasive corals Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis (Dendrophylliidae), using injection (1, 2 or 4 of 10, 20 or 40 ml of vinegar) and immersion (full and half concentration; periods of 15, 30, 45, 60 or 120 min) treatments. For Tubastraea spp., immersion treatment always resulted in the death of the corals. In contrast, the lethality of injected vinegar depended on the number and volume of injections per coral colony; partially damaged colonies may be able to recover after vinegar injection. We also carried out a critical review and analysis regarding the use of V/AA in other aquatic species. V/AA has been tested and used as a biocide from virus and bacteria to fish; as for Tubastraea spp., three quarters of studies investigated the positive effects of V/AA as a biocide, the rest negative collateral effects on non-target species. We conclude that V/AA is an effective agent for killing Tubastraea spp. and most other aquatic organisms, can be applied using different methods and in different environments for controlling: (1) invasive or outbreak species; and (2) biofouling by native or invasive species on aquaculture systems and vectors. V/AA may be used applied pre-border to shipping vectors potentially transporting non-indigenous marine biofouling species such as Tubastraea spp.

Sexual recruitment allows corals to maintain their populations through time, reach new habitats, and repopulate areas after an environmental or anthropogenic disturbance. This study aimed to estimate spatiotemporal variation of sexual recruitment along two areas of the southwestern coast of the Gulf of California (Bahia de La Paz and Bahia de Loreto) considered to be suboptimal for coral development (strong seasonality and variability of sea-surface temperature, incidence of hurricanes, turbidity and nutrient concentration, and low Ωar). Recruitment data were compared to sea-surface temperatures and with recruitment data from other sites in the eastern Pacific that have less-stressful environments. Terracotta tiles were used as collectors of larval coral propagules; tiles were immersed for 3-month periods between August 2004 and September 2005. Higher recruitment was found during the warm season, and coral recruits were found at almost all sites, including a vessel grounding area. Recruitment was higher in Bahia de La Paz [12.80 ± 29.57 individuals (ind) m-2 yr-1] than in Bahia de Loreto (0.99 ± 1.49 ind m-2 yr-1). Coral recruits belonged to five coral genera in Bahia de La Paz, with Porites as the dominant genus (102 recruits), followed by Pocillopora (six), Psammocora (three), Pavona, and Tubastraea (one each). At Bahia de Loreto, recruits of two coral genera were recorded: Porites (four) and Psammocora (one). Despite being conducted in a highly stressful environment, this study reports the second-highest rate of Porites recruits in the eastern Pacific and the first instance of Psammocora recruits (four ind) in the area.

Atlantia is described as a new genus pertaining to the family Dendrophylliidae (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) based on specimens from Cape Verde, eastern Atlantic. This taxon was first recognized as Enallopsammia micranthus and later described as a new species, Tubastraea caboverdiana, which then changed the status of the genus Tubastraea as native to the Atlantic Ocean. Here, based on morphological and molecular analyses, we compare fresh material of T. caboverdiana to other dendrophylliid genera and describe it as a new genus named Atlantia in order to better accommodate this species. Evolutionary reconstruction based on two mitochondrial and one nuclear marker for 67 dendrophylliids and one poritid species recovered A. caboverdiana as an isolated clade not related to Tubastraea and more closely related to Dendrophyllia cornigera and Leptopsammia pruvoti. Atlantia differs from Tubastraea by having a phaceloid to dendroid growth form with new corallites budding at an acute angle from the theca of a parent corallite. The genus also has normally arranged septa (not Portualès Plan), poorly developed columella, and a shallow-water distribution all supporting the classification as a new genus. Our results corroborate the monophyly of the genus Tubastraea and reiterate the Atlantic non-indigenous status for the genus. In the light of the results presented herein, we recommend an extensive review of shallow-water dendrophylliids from the Eastern Atlantic.

The impact of invasive species has been increasing in recent decades due to globalization, threatening marine biodiversity. Tubastraea spp. (sun corals) have been spreading worldwide, showing rapid increases in abundance and/or spatial occupancy and adverse effects on recipient native ecosystems. In Brazil, they have become major invaders, extending discontinuously for more than 3000 km along the coast. Despite increased research efforts on sun coral ecology/biology over the last decade, information about the species' environmental tolerance and interactions with native species is still scarce. In this context, temperature may be an important driver, as it affects species interactions, primarily through its influence on organismal physiology. Thus, in the present study we assessed the effects of temperature in the invasive T. coccinea and the native zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum, as well as on their interactions, via a 3-week mesocosm experiment, exposing the species (individually and grafted together) to a temperature range of 16-31 degrees C. This was accompanied by measuring key physiological traits (metabolism, growth, feeding rates and competitive behavior) that underlie species performance, and hence, competitive strength. The results showed that at Arvoredo Island, Brazil, currently the southern distribution limit of both species, (1) T. coccinea exhibited limited capacity to adjust to sudden temperature changes, (2) T. coccinea's physical attacks did not affect P. caribaeorum, but induced increased metabolic costs in the former, while triggering increased growth in the latter, leading to eventual overgrowth of the sun coral and (3) that temperature interacted synergistically with the presence of the competitor in both species under high-temperature stress. These findings suggest that T. coccinea's successful invasion is mainly associated with r-selected life-history traits, rather than competitive strength or a high plasticity to temperature changes, and thus, communities with specific native competitors and/or a variable thermal regime may be more resistant to sun coral invasion. FINEP/Rede CLIMA [01.13.0353-00] PELD-ILOC [403740/2012-6] Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior-Brasil (CAPES)CAPES [001] UFSC (Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciacao Cientifica-PIBIC/CNPq 2016/2017) FAPESC (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa e Inovacao do Estado de Santa Catarina)

Marinas create physical and biotic conditions distinct from those in natural habitats which can facilitate the establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS) in coastal ecosystems. Using a series of images spanning nine years, we detected the introduction and followed the expansion of the NIS Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis populations at a recreational marina in a region of Southeastern Brazil where sun-corals are rarely found on natural substrates. Because sun corals are known to reduce diversity in natural invaded environments, we evaluated how different densities of sun-corals affected the benthic community. Overall, the NIS populations have grown exponentially from 2010 to 2019 inside the marina, occupying up to 60% of the available space. However, the population growth in the breakwater stopped in 2016. Local variation in the population growth across the marina might be associated with the high phytoplankton biomass and larval retention inside the marina, which are results of the lower hydrodynamics. The expansion of sun-coral coverage did not significantly affect the richness of benthic communities but was associated with a reduction of the native bryozoan Amathia brasiliensis, the overall abundance of mobile crustaceans, and an increase in the area covered by the exotic bryozoan S. errata. The fast substitution of a native ecosystem engineer for a NIS suggests signs of invasion meltdown associated with the expansion of Tubastraea spp.

The sun coral Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829 (Dendrophylliidae) is a widely distributed shallow‐water scleractinian that has extended its range to non‐native habitats in recent decades. With its rapid spread, this coral is now one of the main invasive species in Brazil. Its high invasive capability is related to opportunistic characteristics, including several reproductive strategies that have allowed it to disperse rapidly and widely. To better understand the reproductive biology of T. coccinea and aid in developing management strategies for invaded areas, we investigated aspects of its reproductive performance and life cycle, including the effects of colony size, seawater temperature and salinity, and lunar periodicity on offspring production and larval metamorphosis competence. A total of 18,139 offspring were released in different developmental stages, mainly from the larger colonies, which also produced larvae with longer competence periods. The main reproductive peak occurred during the First Quarter and New Moon phases and was highest in water temperatures around 26°C. Together, these results help to explain the rapid expansion of T. coccinea into non‐native habitats such as the Caribbean and southwestern Atlantic, and will inform actions of the recent Brazilian National Plan for the prevention, eradication, control, and monitoring of sun corals.

In contrast with a general decline of Caribbean reef corals, a previously rare sun coral is increasing in abundance within shallow coral communities on Curaçao. This azooxanthellate scleractinian was identified as Cladopsammia manuelensis, which has an amphi‐Atlantic distribution. Over the last decade, C. manuelensis has increased abundance along the leeward coast of Curaçao (southern Caribbean) between depths of 4 and 30 m. This species was initially not noticed because it resembles the invasive coral Tubastraea coccinea, which was introduced to Curaçao from the Indo‐Pacific around 1940. However, in contrast to T. coccinea, C. manuelensis was previously only present on deeper reef sections (>70 m) of Caribbean reefs. Our observations illustrate how the sudden increase in abundance of a previously unnoticed, apparently cryptogenic species could result from natural dynamics on present‐day reefs, but also could easily be mistaken for an invasive species. The finding that deep reef sections can harbor species capable of colonizing shallower reef zones highlights the importance of thorough inventories of reef communities across large depth ranges, which can help us to discriminate between range increases of native species and the arrival of invasives.

In a previous study, we identified host species that housed high and low diversity prokaryotic communities. In the present study, we expand on this and assessed the prokaryotic communities associated with seawater, sediment and 11 host species from 7 different phyla in a Taiwanese coral reef setting. The host taxa sampled included hard, octo- and black corals, molluscs, bryozoans, flatworms, fish and sea urchins. There were highly significant differences in composition among host species and all host species housed distinct communities from those found in seawater and sediment. In a hierarchical clustering analysis, samples from all host species, with the exception of the coral Galaxea astreata, formed significantly supported clusters. In addition to this, the coral G. astreata and the bryozoan Triphyllozoon inornatum on the one hand and the coral Tubastraea coccinea, the hermit crab Calcinus laevimanus and the flatworm Thysanozoon nigropapillosum on the other formed significantly supported clusters. In addition to composition, there were highly pronounced differences in richness and evenness among host species from the most diverse species, the bryozoan T. inornatum at 2518 ± 240 OTUs per 10,000 sequences to the least diverse species, the octocoral Cladiella sp. at 142 ± 14 OTUs per 10,000 sequences. In line with the differences in composition, there were significant differences in predicted metagenomic gene counts among host species. Furthermore, there were pronounced compositional and predicted functional differences between high diversity hosts (Liolophura japonica, G. astreata, T. coccinea, C. laevimanus, T. inornatum) and low diversity hosts (Antipathes sp., Pomacentrus coelestis, Modiolus auriculatus, T. nigropapillosum, Cladiella sp. and Diadema savigny). In particular, we found that all tested low diversity hosts were predicted to be enriched for the phosphotransferase system compared to high diversity hosts.

Corals have been attracting huge attention due to the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on reef formation and resilience. Nevertheless, some coral species have been spreading very fast, replacing native species and affecting local biodiversity. Despite some focal efforts to understand the biology of these organisms, they remain understudied at the molecular level. This knowledge gap hinders the development of cost-effective strategies for management of invasive species. Here, we present the first Tubastraea sp. genome in one of the most comprehensive biological studies of a coral, that includes morphology, flow cytometry, karyotyping, transcriptomics, genomics, and phylogeny. The Tubastraea sp. genome is organized in 23 chromosome pairs and has 1.4 Gb making it the largest coral and Cnidaria genome sequenced to date. The hybrid assembly using short and long-reads has a N50 of 180,044 pb, 12,320 contigs and high completeness estimated as 91.6% of BUSCO complete genes. We inferred that almost half of the genome consists of repetitive elements, mostly interspersed repeats. Gene content was estimated as about 94,000, a high number that warrants deeper scrutiny. The Tubastraea sp. genome is a fundamental study which promises to provide insights not only about the genetic basis for the extreme invasiveness of this particular coral species, but to understand the adaptation flaws of some reef corals in the face of anthropic-induced environmental disturbances. We expect the data generated in this study will foster the development of efficient technologies for the management of corals species, whether invasive or threatened.

Objectives The objective was to analyse the anti-inflammatory potential of the invasive coral species Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis. Methods Methanolic extracts, fractions and synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory ability, and their composition was elucidated through chemical analysis. Key findings The genus Tubastraea (Order Scleractinia, Family Dendrophylliidae) (known as sun corals) presents compounds with pharmacological value. The introduction of these azooxanthellate hard corals into Brazil, initially in Rio de Janeiro state, occurred through their fouling of oil and gas platforms from the Campos oil Basin. The two invasive species have successfully expanded along the Brazilian coast and threaten endemic species and biodiversity. The HPLC-MS and GC-MS data suggest the presence of aplysinopsin analogues (alkaloids). Anti-inflammatory activity was observed in all samples tested in in-vivo assays, especially in T. coccinea. The ethyl acetate fraction from this sample was more effective in in-vitro assays for anti-inflammatory activity. Depending on the concentration, this fraction showed cytotoxic responses. Conclusions These species have potential pharmacological use, and considering their invasive nature, this study presents a potential alternative use, which may enhance the management of this biological invasion.

The sun coral Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829 (Dendrophylliidae) is a widely distributed shallow‐water scleractinian that has extended its range to non‐native habitats in recent decades. With its rapid spread, this coral is now one of the main invasive species in Brazil. Its high invasive capability is related to opportunistic characteristics, including several reproductive strategies that have allowed it to disperse rapidly and widely. To better understand the reproductive biology of T. coccinea and aid in developing management strategies for invaded areas, we investigated aspects of its reproductive performance and life cycle, including the effects of colony size, seawater temperature and salinity, and lunar periodicity on offspring production and larval metamorphosis competence. A total of 18,139 offspring were released in different developmental stages, mainly from the larger colonies, which also produced larvae with longer competence periods. The main reproductive peak occurred during the First Quarter and New Moon phases and was highest in water temperatures around 26°C. Together, these results help to explain the rapid expansion of T. coccinea into non‐native habitats such as the Caribbean and southwestern Atlantic, and will inform actions of the recent Brazilian National Plan for the prevention, eradication, control, and monitoring of sun corals., Tubastraea coccinea is a wide distributed shallow‐water scleractinian coral that has been rapidly increasing its range to non‐native habitats. Its invasive success is related to opportunistic characteristics. Herein, we investigate some aspects from its reproductive performance and life cycle, including the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on offspring production and larval metamorphose competence.

Understanding the effects of environmental drivers on fish distribution is of primary importance for designing effective conservation measures to protect endangered species. In this study, we investigated which habitat and spatial predictors enhance the abundance and biomass of the parrotfish Sparisoma frondosum in tropical rocky reefs from a Southwest Atlantic insular complex. Besides more than 170 islands, the Ilha Grande Bay (IGB) also harbors one of the most threatened Brazilian Marine Protected Area (MPA), the Ecological Station of Tamoios (ESEC–Tamoios). This no-take MPA became an emblematic area of the systematic dismantling of Brazilian environmental laws ongoing since the beginning of 2019 when the current government has declared intentions to recategorize and reduce the ESEC-Tamoios protection status. Our results revealed that distance from the coast and depth better explained the distribution of the iconic and vulnerable S. frondosum, regardless the presence of the no-take areas. An overall trend of increasing abundance and biomass with distance and depth was observed, except for sites with high cover of invasive coral Tubastraea spp. We also discuss the ESEC-Tamoios effectiveness and its current panorama to the Southwest Atlantic rocky reef's conservation. Finally, we identify strategies to protect parrotfishes and expand the ecological benefit of this MPA to adjacent areas.