PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF WHITE SYNDROME IN ECHINOPORA LAMELLOSA CORAL AT NATURE RESERVE PULAU SEMPU, MALANG, INDONESIARosdianto1, Oktiyas Muzaky Luthfi, Elda Pebrizayanti, Andik Isdianto, Muhammad Arif Asadi, Moch Affandi and Trisnadi Widyaleksono Catur PutrantoAbstract White syndrome disease (WS) has led to extensive damage to coral reef in Indo-Pacific area. The emerging of WS first reported from Philippine and Australia affected Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae coral. Subsequently, it was reported on other regions in Indo-Pacific. Underwater monitoring at Nature Reserve Pulau Sempu (NR Pulau Sempu) unveiled that WS affects foliouse coral, Echinopora lamellosa, rather other corals. The disease prevalence was 23.11% on average for 2 months period, whereas the incidence was 19.67%. E. lamellosa colonies in NR Pulau Sempu have been found in shallow in very dense population. The pathogens, which cause WS, easily transmits from diseased coral into health that caused width spread of WS in these corals. This study, overall, has confirmed that WS is now impacting reef in west part of the Indian Ocean. In addition, WS also affects on wide range of species not only on Acropora, Montipora and Pocillopora corals but also Echinopora and may be infected on the other coral in different wide regions. |