Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antipredator Defenses in Soft Corals of the Genus Sarcophyton (Octocorallia; Alcyoniidae) from Coastal Waters of Central Vietnam

  • ORIGINAL PAPERS
  • Published:
Russian Journal of Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As sessile marine organisms, soft corals may use chemical or/and physical factors of defense against fish predators for their survival and growth. In Vietnam, corals of the speciose genus Sarcophyton are abundant on reefs. However, little is known about their defensive traits and strategies. In the study of feeding deterrence, experiments in the field and in an aquarium were conducted using only crude extract, only sclerites, and a mixture of both from Sarcophyton cinereum, S. glaucum, S. serenei, S. trocheliophorum and Sarcophyton sp. For all species, pellets containing a mixture of crude extract and sclerites were consumed by reef fishes from 0.8 to 14.6% (in the field, F) and from 0.3 to 13.3% (in aquarium, A); crude extract was consumed from 5.2 to 42.6% (F) and from 7.4 to 64.0% (A); and sclerites were consumed from 34.6 to 100% (F) and from 30 to 83.3% (A). The consumption of pellets containing S. serenei sclerites was significantly reduced both in the field assays with reef fishes and in the aquarium assays with the moon wrasse Thalassoma lunare (P < 0.05), which showed sclerites as a dominant physical factor in the S. serenei feeding deterrence. Overall, in Sarcophyton soft corals, the effect of fish predation prevention was most pronounced in the combination of both chemical and physical defense factors, followed by the chemical and then the physical factor alone. Hence, both chemical and physical factors of defense against predation may contribute to the Sarcophyton abundance on reefs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Aceret, T.L., Sammarco, P.W., and Coll, J.C., Toxic effects of alcyonacean diterpenes on scleractinian corals, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1995, vol. 188, pp. 63–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(94)00186-H

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ahmed, S., Ibrahim, A., and Arafa, A.S., Anti-H5N1 virus metabolites from the Red Sea soft coral, Sinularia candidula, Tetrahedron Lett, 2013, vol. 54, pp. 2377–2381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2013.02.088

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kasumyan, A., Isaeva, O., and Zvonareva, S., Coloration type of two allied cowries (Ovulidae:Gastropoda) tested through palatability evaluation in feeding experiments with fish, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.,2021, vol. 538, pp. 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bakus, G.J., Chemical defense mechanisms on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Science, 1981, vol. 211, pp. 497–499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Benayahu, Y., Jeng, M.-S., Perkol-Finkel, S., et al., Soft corals (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) from Southern Taiwan: 2. Species diversity and distributional patterns, Zool. Stud, 2004, vol. 43, pp. 548–560.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bhosale, S.H., Nagle, V.L., and Jagtap, T.G., Antifouling potential of some marine organisms from India against species of Bacillus and Pseudomonas, Mar. Biotechnol, 2002, vol. 4, pp. 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-001-0087-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Burns, E. and Ilan, M., Comparison of anti-predatory defenses of Red Sea and Caribbean sponges: 2. Physical defense, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 2003, vol. 252, pp. 115–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Changyun, W., Haiyan, L., Changlun, S., et al., Chemical defensive substances of soft corals and gorgonians, Acta Ecol. Sin., 2008, vol. 28, pp. 2320–2328. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-2032(08)60048-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Dautova, T.N. and Savinkin, O.V., Octocorallia: Alcyonacea. Benthic Fauna of Bay of Nhatrang, Southern Vietnam, Moscow: KMK, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dinesen, Z.D., Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef, Coral Reefs, 1983, vol. 1, pp. 229–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00304420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Duffy, J.E. and Paul, V.J., Prey nutritional quality and the effectiveness of chemical defenses against tropical reef fishes, Oecologia, 1992, vol. 90, pp. 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317689

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fabricius, K.E. and Alderslade, P., Soft Corals and sea Fans: A Comprehensive Guide to the Tropical Shallow Water Genera of the Central-West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, Queensland, Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fleury, B.G., Lages, B.G., Barbosa, J.P., et al., New hemiketal steroid from the introduced soft coral Chromonephthea braziliensis is a chemical defense against predatory fishes, J. Chem. Ecol., 2008, vol. 34, pp. 987–993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9499-y

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Goh, B.P.L., Tan, G.E., and Tan, L.T., Diversity, distribution and biological activity of soft corals (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) in Singapore, J. Coastal Dev., 2009, vol. 12, pp. 89–98.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Goh, N.K.C. and Chou, L.M., Toxicity and palatability of gorgonian (Octocorallia: Gorgonacea) extracts to goldfish Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758), in Asian Marine Biology, Aberdeen, Hong Kong: Hong Kong Univ. Press, 1998, pp. 199–210.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hoang, B.X., Sawall, Y., Al-Sofyani, A., et al., Chemical versus structural defense against fish predation in two dominant soft coral species (Xeniidae) in the Red Sea, Aquat. Biol., 2015, vol. 23, pp. 129–137. https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hoang, X.B. and Dautova, T.N., Diversity of soft corals (Alcyonacea) in Vietnam, in Marine Biodiversity of East Asian Sea: Status, Challenges and Sustainable Development, Proc. Int. Conf., Dautova, T.N. and Lutaenko, K.A., Eds., Nha Trang, Vietnam, 2010, pp. 82–87.

  18. Hoang, X.B. and Thai, M.Q., Biodiversity and characteristic of octocoral communities (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea and Gorgonacea) in Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area, Quang Nam province, Vietnam J. Mar. Sci. Technol., 2019, vol. 19, pp. 589–599. https://doi.org/10.15625/1859-3097/19/4/12661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kelman, D., Benayahu, Y., and Kashman, Y., Chemical defence of the soft coral Parerythropodium fulvum fulvum (Forskål) in the Red Sea against generalist reef fish, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1999, vol. 238, pp. 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(99)00016-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Koh, L.L., Goh, N.K.C., Chou, L.M., et al., Chemical and physical defenses of Singapore gorgonians (Octocorallia: Gorgonacea), J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 2000, vol. 251, pp. 103–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(00)00207-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. La Barre, S.C., Coll, J.C., and Sammarco, P.W., Defensive strategies of soft corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia) of the Great Barrier Reef: 2. The relationship between toxicity and feeding deterrence, Biol. Bull., 1986, vol. 171, pp. 565–576. https://doi.org/10.2307/1541624

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Lages, B.G., Fleury, B.G., Ferreira, C.E.L., et al., Chemical defense of an exotic coral as invasion strategy, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 2006, vol. 328, pp. 127–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2005.07.011

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Limna Mol, V.P., Raveendrana, T.V., Parameswaran, P.S., et al., Antifouling sesquiterpene from the Indian soft coral Sinularia kavarattiensis Alderslade and Prita, Indian J. Mar. Sci., 2010, vol. 39, pp. 270–273.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Martín, D. and Uriz, M.J., Chemical bioactivity of Mediterranean benthic organisms against embryos and larvae of marine invertebrates, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1993, vol. 173, pp. 11–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(93)90205-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Nguyen, V.L. and Mai, X.D., Characteristics of fish fauna in marine ecosystems in the World Biosphere Reserve of Cu Lao Cham-Hoi An, Vietnam J. Mar. Sci. Technol., 2020, vol. 20, pp. 105–120. https://doi.org/10.15625/1859-3097/20/1/13553

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Pawlik, J.R., Chanas, B., Toonen, R.J., et al., Defenses of Caribbean sponges against predatory reef fish: 1. Chemical deterrency, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 1995, vol. 127, pp. 183–194.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Pawlik, J.R. and Fenical, W., Chemical defense of Pterogorgia anceps, a Caribbean gorgonian coral, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 1992, vol. 87, pp. 183–188.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Puglisi, M.P., Paul, V.J., and Slattery, M., Biogeographic comparisons of chemical and structural defenses of the Pacific gorgonians Annella mollis and A. reticulata, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 2000, vol. 207, pp. 263–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Rocha, J., Peixe, L., Gomes, N.C.M., et al., Cnidarians as a source of new marine bioactive compounds: An overview of the last decade and future steps for bioprospecting, Marine Drugs, 2011, vol. 9, pp. 1860–1886.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Rotjan, R.D. and Lewis, S.M., Impact of coral predators on tropical reefs, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 2008, vol. 367, pp. 73–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Sammarco, P.W., Barre, S.L., and Coll, J.C., Defensive strategies of soft corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia) of the Great Barrier Reef: 3. The relationship between ichthyotoxicity and morphology, Oecologia, 1987, vol. 74, pp. 93–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Sammarco, P.W., Coll, J.C., and La Barre, S., Competitive strategies of soft corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia): 2. Variable defensive responses and susceptibility to scleractinian corals, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1985, vol. 91, pp. 199–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(85)90176-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Sammarco, P.W., Coll, J.C., La Barre, S., et al., Competitive strategies of soft corals (Coelenterata: Octocorallia): Allelopathic effects on selected scleractinian corals, Coral Reefs, 1983, vol. 1, pp. 173–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00571194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Slattery, M., Hines, G.A., Starmer, J., et al., Chemical signals in gametogenesis, spawning, and larval settlement and defense of the soft coral Sinularia polydactyla, Coral Reefs, 1999, vol. 18, pp. 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Slattery, M., Starmer, J., and Paul, V., Temporal and spatial variation in defensive metabolites of the tropical Pacific soft corals Sinularia maxima and S. polydactyla, Mar. Biol., 2001, vol. 138, pp. 1183–1193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270100540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Van Alstyne, K.L., Wylie, C.R., and Paul, V.J., Antipredator defenses in tropical Pacific soft corals (Coelenterata: Alcyonacea) II. The relative importance of chemical and structural defenses in three species of Sinularia, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1994, vol. 178, pp. 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(94)90222-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Van Alstyne, K.L., Wylie, C.R., Paul, V.J., et al., Antipredator defenses in tropical pacific soft corals (Coelenterata: Alcyonacea): 1. Sclerites as defenses against generalist carnivorous fishes, The Biological Bulletin, 1992, vol. 182, pp. 231–240. https://doi.org/10.2307/1542116

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Van Ofwegen, L.P., Status of knowledge of the Indo-Pacific soft coral genus Sinularia May, 1898 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia), in Proc. 9th Int. Coral Reef Symp., Moosa, M.K., Soemodihardjo, S., Soegiarto, A. et al., Eds., Bali, Indonesia, 2000, vol. 1, pp. 23–27.

  39. Wylie, C.R., Paul, V.J., Chemical defenses in three species of Sinularia (Coelenterata, Alcyonacea): Effects against generalist predators and the butterflyfish Chaetodon unimaculatus Bloch, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 1989, vol. 129, pp. 141–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(89)90053-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the Department of Aquaculture Technology, Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and Cu Lao Cham MPA for providing facilities to collect soft coral samples and conduct experiments; Prof. Dr. Martin Wahl and Dr. Lyndon Devantier for helpful suggestions that improved the quality of the manuscript. This paper is a contribution to celebrate the 100 years Anniversary of the Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

Funding

This research was funded by the project of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, grant no. TĐĐTB0.02/21-23.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 650000, Nha Trang, Vietnam

    Xuan Ben Hoang, Minh Quang Thai, Phan Minh-Thu, Xuan Ky Pham & Ha Viet Dao

  2. Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 100000, Ha Noi, Vietnam

    Xuan Ben Hoang, Phan Minh-Thu, Nguyen Ngoc Tung & Ha Viet Dao

  3. Center for Research and Technology Transfer, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 100000, Ha Noi, Vietnam

    Ha Viet Dao

Authors
  1. Xuan Ben Hoang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Minh Quang Thai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Phan Minh-Thu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xuan Ky Pham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nguyen Ngoc Tung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ha Viet Dao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xuan Ben Hoang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Additional information

The article is published in the original.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hoang, X.B., Thai, M.Q., Minh-Thu, P. et al. Antipredator Defenses in Soft Corals of the Genus Sarcophyton (Octocorallia; Alcyoniidae) from Coastal Waters of Central Vietnam. Russ J Mar Biol 48, 122–128 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063074022020055

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063074022020055

Keywords:

Search

Navigation