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HISTOCHEMICAL AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPICAL STUDY OF A GORGONIAN CORAL INFECTED WITH A GREEN FILAMENTOUS ALGA

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Date Issued:
1987
Summary:
A symbiosis between a gorgonian coral, Pseudoplexaura flagellosa (Houttuyn) and a filamentous green alga results in spongy nodules on the coral host. Morphological and histochemical differences between the normal and algal-infected coral were studied, using transmission electron microscopy and histochemistry. The algal filaments located within the host skeleton are covered with skeletal laminae. The infected skeleton is structurally abnormal and only remants of the mesogleal region adjacent to the skeleton remain. Acidic mucopoly-saccharide substances are associated with these areas. Host granulocytes are located in the mesoglea adjacent to the infected skeleton. These cells release vesicles that attach to algal filaments extending into the tissue zone. These host cells also stain positively for tyrosine and polyphenols which are known to be associated with the production of Pseudoplexaura skeleton. Granulocytes coat the algae and secrete skeletal-like material about them, therefore, participating in an encapsulation mechanism in defense of the host.
Title: A HISTOCHEMICAL AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPICAL STUDY OF A GORGONIAN CORAL INFECTED WITH A GREEN FILAMENTOUS ALGA.
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Name(s): COLLEY, SUSAN BETH.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1987
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 79 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: A symbiosis between a gorgonian coral, Pseudoplexaura flagellosa (Houttuyn) and a filamentous green alga results in spongy nodules on the coral host. Morphological and histochemical differences between the normal and algal-infected coral were studied, using transmission electron microscopy and histochemistry. The algal filaments located within the host skeleton are covered with skeletal laminae. The infected skeleton is structurally abnormal and only remants of the mesogleal region adjacent to the skeleton remain. Acidic mucopoly-saccharide substances are associated with these areas. Host granulocytes are located in the mesoglea adjacent to the infected skeleton. These cells release vesicles that attach to algal filaments extending into the tissue zone. These host cells also stain positively for tyrosine and polyphenols which are known to be associated with the production of Pseudoplexaura skeleton. Granulocytes coat the algae and secrete skeletal-like material about them, therefore, participating in an encapsulation mechanism in defense of the host.
Identifier: 14397 (digitool), FADT14397 (IID), fau:11198 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1987.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Coral reef biology
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14397
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.