Coral death by bleaching and predators
Partial beaching pattern
This Antler Coral (Pocillopora grandis) is partially bleached suggesting this is a result of predation by the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaser planci).
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAcanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeAnthozoaAntler CoralCOTSCOTS predationClass AnthozoaClass AsteroideaClass DinophyceaeCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarEchinodermataFamily SymbiodiniaceaeGenus SymbiodiniumHawaiiInvertebrateKauaiKingdom ChromalveolataOrder ScleractiniaOrder SuessialesOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataPlantPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaespringStone House dive siteSubclass HexacoralliaSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaZoanthariacnidariancoelenterateechinodermfish behaviornightnocturnalsea starstarfishunderwaterzooxanthellae
Predation on coral
Predation on coral by Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) in progress on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii.
Acanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeCOTSClass AsteroideaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataHoover'sInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ValvatidaPhylum EchinodermataSeacam underwater housingSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaVenomousbiospheredangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalharmfulin situlethalmortalnaturalworldpernicioussea starstarfishtoxicunderwatervenomous invertebratewinter
Predation on coral
Predation on Antler Coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) by Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) in progress on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAcanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeAnthozoaAntler CoralCOTSClass AnthozoaClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarEchinodermataHoover'sInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingechinodermin situnaturalworldsea starstarfishunderwaterwinter
Predation on coral
Predation on Antler Coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) by Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) in progress on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAcanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeAnthozoaAntler CoralCOTSClass AnthozoaClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataHoover'sInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaVenomousZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalharmfulin situlethalmortalnaturalworldpernicioussea starstarfishtoxicunderwatervenomous invertebratewinter
Predation on coral
Predation on Antler Coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) by Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) in progress on the Kona coast, the Big Island, Hawaii.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAcanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeAnthozoaAntler CoralCOTSClass AnthozoaClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataHoover'sInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaVenomousZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalharmfulin situlethalmortalnaturalworldpernicioussea starstarfishtoxicunderwatervenomous invertebratewinter
Stages of coral bleaching and death
An Arceye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus)) rests on Antler Coral (Pocillopora grandis) at various stages of coral bleaching (behind the fish) and death (in front of the fish). Dead coral is being colonized by turf algae in the foreground. There is live coral below and behind the dead coral.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiActinopterygiiAnthozoaAntler CoralArceye HawkfishChordataCirrhitidaeClass ActinopterygiiClass AnthozoaCnidariaInfraclass TeleosteiInvertebrateKona coast dive siteNeopterygiiOrder ScleractiniaParacirrhites arcatusPerciformesPercoideiPhylum ChordataPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiVertebrateZoanthariabiospherechordatecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnatureunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwinter
Partially Bleached Antler Coral
A pattern of partial bleaching of an Antler Coral (Pocillopora grandis) that suggests predation by a Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci). Photographed under water while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAcanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeAnthozoaAntler CoralCOTSClass AnthozoaClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarEchinodermataGolden ArchesInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingechinodermin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturesea starstarfishunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwinter
Double jepardy: coral bleaching and seastar predation
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming being attacked by a Crown-of-Thorns Starfish or Seastar (Acanthaster planci) photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
Acanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeCOTSClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ValvatidaPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataSeacam underwater housingSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaTouch of GreyVenomousbiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalharmfulin situlethalmarine lifemortalnaturalworldnatureperniciousscubascuba divingsea starstarfishtoxicunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotovenomous invertebratewild
Double jepardy: coral bleaching and seastar predation
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming being attacked by a Crown of Thorns Seastar (COTS; Acanthaster planci) that also leaves a bleached-white coral in its wake. This was photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island towards the end of the 2015-2016 event. Excessively warm seawater temperature that commenced during that El Nino was stressful to live corals resulting in widespread coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
Acanthaster planciAcanthasteridaecotsClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataEl NinoInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ValvatidaPacificstock RFPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataSeacam underwater housingSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaTouch of GreyVenomousbiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalgobal warmingharmfulin situlethalmarine lifemortalnaturalworldnatureperniciouspredationscubascuba divingsea starseastar predationstarfishtoxicunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotovenomous invertebratewild
Double jepardy: coral bleaching and seastar predation
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming being attacked by a Crown of Thorns Seastar (COTS; Acanthaster planci) that also leaves a bleached-white coral in its wake. This was photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island towards the end of the 2015-2016 event. Excessively warm seawater temperature that commenced during that El Nino was stressful to live corals resulting in widespread coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
Acanthaster planciAcanthasteridaecotsClass AsteroideaCnidariaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataEl NinoInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ValvatidaPacificstock RFPhylum CnidariaPhylum EchinodermataSeacam underwater housingSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaTouch of GreyVenomousbiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalgobal warmingharmfulin situlethalmarine lifemortalnaturalworldnatureperniciouspredationscubascuba divingsea starseastar predationstarfishtoxicunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotovenomous invertebratewild
Bleached Antler Coral
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaTouch of GreyZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
Class DinophyceaeCnidariaEl NinoFamily SymbiodiniaceaeGenus SymbiodiniumInvertebrateKingdom ChromalveolataKona coast dive siteOrder SuessialesPhylum CnidariaPlantSeacam underwater housingTouch of Greybiosphereclimate changecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingglobal warmingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildzooxanthellae
Double jepardy: coral bleaching and seastar predation
Antler coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming being attacked by a Crown of Thorns Seastar (Acanthaster planci) photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
Class DinophyceaeCnidariaDangerous marine animalEl NinoFamily SymbiodiniaceaeGenus SymbiodiniumInvertebrateKingdom ChromalveolataKona coast dive siteOrder SuessialesPhylum CnidariaPlantSeacam underwater housingTouch of GreyVenomousbiosphereclimate changecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingdangerousdeadlydetrimentalfatalglobal warmingharmfulin situlethalmarine lifemortalnaturalworldnatureperniciousscubascuba divingtoxicunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotovenomous invertebratewildzooxanthellae
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaClass DinophyceaeCnidariaEl NinoFamily SymbiodiniaceaeGenus SymbiodiniumInvertebrateKingdom ChromalveolataKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaOrder SuessialesPhylum CnidariaPlantPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass HexacoralliaTouch of GreyZoanthariabiosphereclimate changecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingglobal warmingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildzooxanthellae
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Cauiflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white.
CnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive sitePhylum CnidariaPipedreamSeacam underwater housingbiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island during the spring. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white. Algae colonizing dead coral as shown here is an outcome of prolonged bleaching.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPacificstock RFPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white. Algae will colonizing dead coral as shown here is an outcome of prolonged bleaching.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white. Algae will colonizing dead coral as shown here is an outcome of prolonged bleaching.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white. Algae will colonizing dead coral as shown here is an outcome of prolonged bleaching.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Coral Bleaching at Hawaii
Antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) bleached white by the compounding effects of an El Nino with global warming photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island. Excessively warm seawater temperature is stressful to live corals resulting in coral bleaching. Corals get their colors from symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium, a type of dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. When stressed corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae the live coral turns white. Algae will colonizing dead coral as shown here is an outcome of prolonged bleaching.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Bleached antler coral in a coral reef setting
Bleached antler coral (Pocillopora grandis) in a coral reef setting with scuba divers off the Kona coast, Hawaii.
formally Pocillopora eydouxiAnthozoaAntler CoralClass AnthozoaCnidariaInvertebrateKona coast dive siteOrder ScleractiniaPhylum CnidariaPocillopora grandisPocilloporidaePyramid PinnacleSeacam underwater housingSpringSubclass HexacoralliaZoanthariabiospherecnidariancoelenteratecoral bleachingin situmarine lifenaturalworldnaturescubascuba diversscuba divingunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowild
Crown-of-thorns sea star attacking its prey
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) attacking its prey, coral, in this case a Porites sp. This was photgraphed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island
Acanthaster planciAcanthasteridaeCOTSClass AsteroideaCrown of ThornsCrownofThorns Starfish Sea StarDangerous marine animalEchinodermataInvertebrateKaloko CanyonKona coast dive siteOrder ValvatidaPhylum EchinodermataSeacam underwater housingSpringSubphylum EleutherozoaSuperclass AsterozoaVenomousbiospheredangerousdeadlydetrimentalechinodermfatalharmfulin situlethalmarine lifemortalnaturalworldnatureperniciousscubascuba divingsea starstarfishtoxicunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotovenomous invertebratewild