FWC reports barrel sponges dying in the Fla. Keys. Disintegrating sponges found on Tennessee and Sombrero Reefs.
While the barrel sponge die-off has been referred to as a disease, researchers have not been able to ID a pathogen. At this point it seems more accurate to refer to this mortality event as a syndrome.
The occurrence and distribution of the die-off; Keys to Palm Beach County suggests an upcurrent source. While there is no evidence and it is pure speculation that a causative agent may originate from the Gulf of Mexico, nothing should be ruled out at this point.
Latest Reef Rescue video of Palm Beach barrel sponges:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHdjt3Pc2Vk&list=UURCLqCBgKfokeuw5CtJWQHQ&index=1&feature=plcp
I dove Area 51 with Jupiter Dive Center. I didn’t see the green hue in the barrel sponge but if you check out my video, you will see that I focus on a barrel sponge that had some that appeared to be “white” spots. The video can be found on my Facebook wall if someone wants to scroll down to look at it. The video is titled JDC Area 51 6-2-12. I had seen this post a while ago so when I saw the barrel sponge, I wondered if it was this.
By: Sandy Carlson-Wood on June 21, 2012
at 6:04 pm
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By: New Reef Research Center Opens « Reef Rescue – Coral Reef Blog on September 24, 2012
at 9:16 am