Two Functionally Distinct Ciliates Dwelling in Acropora Corals in the South China Sea near Sanya, Hainan Province, China.

We detected and characterized two distinct scuticociliate ciliates inside Acropora corals in the South China Sea. One, voraciously foraging on Symbiodinium, resembled the brown band disease of ciliates. The other, which is closely related to Paranophrys magna, grazed on detritus instead of Symbiodinium. These two ciliates may serve contrasting functions (competitor versus "cleaner") in the coral-ciliate-Symbiodinium triangular relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]