The First Incidence of an Alien Soft Coral of the Family Xeniidae in the Caribbean, an Invasion in Eastern Venezuelan Coral Communities

Authors

Catherine S. McFadden, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
J. P. Ruiz Allais, Fundación Costa de Venezuela, Dirección Científica
M. E. Amaro, Universidad de Oriente - Venezuela
Anna Halász, Tel Aviv University
Yehuda Benayahu, Tel Aviv University

Document Type

Article

Department

Biology (HMC)

Publication Date

6-2014

Abstract

Octocorals in family Xeniidae (Ehrenberg, 1828) constitute an abundant component of many Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Several xeniids are ephemeral pioneers, with rapid growth rates, high fecundity, and extensive vegetative reproduction (Benayahu and Loya 1985). There is increased evidence that opportunistic Xeniidae are taking over degraded reef substrata (Tilot et al. 2008) and have thus become highly relevant to ecological processes on coral reefs, affecting their colonization, restoration, and function.

Rights Information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag

DOI

10.1007/s00338-013-1122-1

Recommended Citation

Ruiz Allais JP, Halász A, McFadden CS, Amaro ME, Benayahu Y (2014) The first incidence of an alien soft coral of the family Xeniidae in the Caribbean, an invasion in eastern Venezuelan coral communities. Coral Reefs 33: 287.