Abstract
ABSTRACTAnamorphic ascomycetes have been implicated as causative agents of diseases in tissues and skeletons of hard corals, in tissues of soft corals (sea fans) and in tissues and shells of molluscs. Opportunist marine fungal pathogens, such as Aspergillus sydowii, are important components of marine mycoplankton and are ubiquitous in the open oceans, intertidal zones and marine sediments. These fungi can cause infection in or at least can be associated with animals which live in these ecosystems. A. sydowii can produce toxins which inhibit photosynthesis in and the growth of coral zooxanthellae. The prevalence of many documented infections has increased in frequency and severity in recent decades with the changing impacts of physical and chemical factors, such as temperature, acidity and eutrophication. Changes in these factors are thought to cause significant loss of biodiversity in marine ecosystems on a global scale in general, and especially in coral reefs and shallow bays.
Highlights
Primary objectives of this reviewMany species of fungi are known to bore into solid rock, sand grains and shells and can cause disease in many animal and plant tissues in marine ecosystems (Rosenberg and Ben-Haim 2002; Golubic et al 2005; Pitt and Hocking 2009; Raghukumar and Ravindran 2012; Burge et al 2013)
Anamorphic ascomycetes have been implicated as causative agents of diseases in tissues and skeletons of hard corals, in tissues of soft corals and in tissues and shells of molluscs
We discuss what is known about the different ecotypes of Ascomycota with emphasis on anamorphic stages of Aspergillus sydowii and other species, which bore into skeletons of corals or shells of molluscs and infect the soft tissues of these animals causing diseases in marine ecosystems
Summary
Primary objectives of this reviewMany species of fungi are known to bore into solid rock, sand grains and shells and can cause disease in many animal and plant tissues in marine ecosystems (Rosenberg and Ben-Haim 2002; Golubic et al 2005; Pitt and Hocking 2009; Raghukumar and Ravindran 2012; Burge et al 2013). The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. Potential facultatively parasitic anamorphic ascomycetes can cause disease in corals and molluscs
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