{"id":357,"date":"2023-01-25T10:57:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T10:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/?page_id=357"},"modified":"2026-02-03T12:44:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T12:44:15","slug":"stony-coral-tissue-loss-in-barbados","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/versicolor.ca\/barbados\/observations-ii\/stony-coral-tissue-loss-in-barbados\/","title":{"rendered":"Presumptive SCTLD on Vauxhall Reef & Environs in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAVIGATION
\nThis page is a sub-page of ObsII<\/a>, a top-level page on
\nthe website Barbados Fringing Reefs and Seagrass Beds<\/a>
\n(www.versicolor.ca\/barbados).
\nGo to Obs II<\/a> for a list of other subpages in this section
\nof the website.<\/small><\/p>\n

\n
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Healthy Pillar Corals on the Vauxhall Reef <\/strong>(Feb 8, 2023).<\/p><\/div>\n

Related pages:
\n– Lit & Links\/Coral Diseases\/SCTLD & WPD<\/a>
\n– Notes & More Observations<\/a> (sub-page of this page)
\n– Reports to AGRRA<\/a> (sub-page of this page)
\n——-<\/p>\n

UPDATE Apr 11, 2023<\/strong>: AGRRA confirms presence of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Barbados 10May2023<\/a><\/p>\n

UPDATE 30 May, 2023: McGill students release their final report:\u00a0Occurrence of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on Vauxhall Reef and a Breakwater in the Folkstone Marine Protected Area of Barbados<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(28.7 MB)<\/p>\n

UPDATE Feb 16, 2023 – SCTLD or White Plague Disease? \u2013 we don\u2019t yet know<\/strong>:\u00a0Based on a recent discussion with an authority on this disease, it’s not clear right now whether SCTLD is present in Barbados or whether what we are looking at is an outbreak of WPD (White Plague Disease<\/a>),<\/em> which has been reported to occur in Barbados in the past (see, e.g., Barbados Gov. 2012<\/a>; Hoetles et al., 2002<\/a>). One reservation about labelling the presumptive IDs as definitely SCTLD is the limited number of coral species so far recorded as possibly affected;\u00a0 notably missing amongst my “OICs” (Obviously Infected Corals), for example,\u00a0 are pillar corals which are known to be highly susceptible to SCTLD. (See my AGRRA Report #7<\/a> for examples of healthy pillar corals).<\/p>\n

Because\u00a0SCTLD and WPD\u00a0 are macroscopically similar and\u00a0 specific causative agents have not been identified for either disease,\u00a0 it is not a simple matter to confirm or not the presence of SCTLD in Barbados, at least not in early 2023.\u00a0 To distinguish between the two diseases we have to rely\u00a0 on information on patterns of spread of the diseases, and analyses of tissue samples combined with ongoing research on the nature of the associated microbial communities e.g., see
\n– Similarities and Differences Between Two Deadly Caribbean Coral Diseases: White Plague and Stony Coral Tissue Loss<\/a> Disease, Aldo Cr\u00f3quer et al. 2021 in Frontiers in Marine Science<\/em>
\n– Experimental transmission of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease results in differential microbial responses within coral mucus and tissue<\/a>, Naomi Huntley et al.m 2022 in Nature ISME<\/p>\n

Reviewing the photos to date**with reference to descriptions of WPD and SCTLD in\u00a0Cr\u00f3quer et al., 2021<\/a>, my interpretation would lean toward WPD rather than SCTLD. However, I\u00a0 must defer to experts for a definitive ID and as of yet, I am told, there is not enough info. to make\u00a0 one. (What we are seeing seems not to be highly typical of WPD disease either, e.g., O. annularis<\/em> appears to be\u00a0 highly susceptible to WPD<\/a> and as of yet, i haven’t seen much disease on this species.)
\n________
\n**See Photos under\u00a0\u00a0Notes & More Observations<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Reports to AGRRA.<\/a><\/p>\n

Both diseases are cause for concern – comment Croquer et al.,2021: “Our review shows that WPDs and SCTLD are the major causes of coral tissue loss in the Caribbean”.<\/p>\n

Initially I labelled my observations of SCTLD “presumptive” because of my lack of experience identifying coral diseases;\u00a0 now it’s clear that was prudent regardless, although “possible” might be a better label than “presumptive”. The uncertainties underscore the need for more info. on the pattern and progress of whatever coral\u00a0 diseases we have in Barbados in early 2023.<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how this story eventually unfolds, locally, regionally\u00a0 and in the scientific literature.<\/p>\n

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ORIGINAL PAGE\/POST
\nPage and associated post<\/a> created Jan 25, 2023; edits\u00a0 Feb 11, 2023; more updates at\u00a0\u00a0Notes & More Observations<\/a>\u00a0 &\u00a0Reports to AGRRA<\/a>\u00a0(sub-pages of this page).<\/p>\n

SCTLD\u00a0 (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease) was first observed off the southeast coast of Florida in 2014 and appeared in the northern Caribbean by 2019. It kills the soft tissues of at least 22 species of corals and has been described as “deadliest coral disease ever recorded” (Wikipedia<\/a> 25Jan2023).<\/p>\n

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Records of\u00a0SCTLD in the Caribbean by year as reported on AGGRA<\/a><\/strong> 25Jan2023.<\/p><\/div>\n

After reading about this disease in 2018 and the ominous forecasts of what it could do to Caribbean reefs, I kept an eye out for it in the Vauxhall Reef area during my visits in 2018, 2019 and 2020 but saw no sign of it. That was no surprise as it had not been reported anywhere close to Barbados over that interval. But by 2022 it had spread to the southern Caribbean, and there was a report of its occurrence\u00a0 \u00a0on deeper reefs on the west coast of Barbados in early 2022, yet to be formally confirmed, on the AGGRA<\/a> database (Locations: “Friars Craig”, 18 m, Dec 1, 2022, see e.g. this pic<\/a> by S. Howell; and “near Allens”, 18 m, Nov 4, 2022, see e.g. this pic<\/a> by R. Suckoo.)<\/p>\n

Currently a page about this disease on the\u00a0website of Coastal Zone Management Unit<\/a> (Barbados), comments that “it has reached our neighbours in St. Lucia and the possibility of it making its way to Barbados is slowly increasing”. They ask for\u00a0 assistance in surveillance and reporting of any suspected cases of SCTLD.
\nUPDATE Feb 12, 2023: There is now a form for reporting observations of SCTLD in Barbados, see: STONY CORAL TISSUE LOSS DISEASE REPORT<\/a> (Link updated May 8, 2023)<\/p>\n

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Zones on the Vauxhall Reef, after Lewis (1960)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

In early 2023 we returned to Barbados, Holetown area, after missing a couple of years due to Covid-related issues at home. On January 11, conditions were perfect for snorkelling at the Vauxhall\u00a0 Reef* and I looked out for SCTLD-infected corals on a route approx. perpendicular from shore that took me across the Reef Flat, Diploria-Palythoa, Reef Crest, Seaward Slope and Reef Front zones (Lewis 1960<\/a>), to ‘The Wreck”.\u00a0 I saw only one obviously infected coral, that in the outer Reef Crest zone, until I reached The Wreck where there were many, and at least some of them appear to fit the description for\u00a0Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. *My reference to “Vauxhall Reef” is to ‘Vauxhall Reef North’, which is Reef #34 in MacLean & Oxenford 2016<\/a>; there is a second reef, #35 to the south of it,\u00a0 which they also call “Vauxhall Reef” ( ‘Vauxhall Reef South’\u00a0 in my terminology).<\/small><\/p>\n

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Corals on landward corner of The Wreck on Jan 11, 2023<\/strong>
Click on photo for larger version<\/p><\/div>\n

Subsequently (Jan 12-21) I have criss crossed the Vauxhall\u00a0 Reef\u00a0 out to\u00a0 & including\u00a0 the Reef Front several times,\u00a0 and swum along the seaward edges of the next 2 fringing reefs to the north, finding about 30 “Obviously Infected Corals” in total but every time I look, I find more. (I do have precise records and photos and GPS positions, ‘still working through those). Currently, most of the infected corals (i.e., with symptoms characteristic of SCTLD) appear to be\u00a0 Pseudodiploria strigosa,\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0Colpophyllia natans, Diploria labyrinthiniformis,\u00a0 Meandrites meandrina:\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>possibly\u00a0 some Siderastrea siderea <\/em>specimens are infected. All of these species are considered to be highly susceptible to SCTLD (see lists<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Meandrites meandrina <\/em>with presumptive\u00a0<\/strong>SCTLD <\/strong>Jan 13, 2023\u00a0 in Folkestone MPA, north of Vauxhall Reefs; Reef Crest zone<\/td>\n

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Diploria labyrinthiniformis<\/strong>, <\/em> with presumptive\u00a0<\/strong>SCTLD<\/strong>\u00a0Jan 13, 2024 in Folkestone MPA north of Vauxhall Reefs, Reef Crest zone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The particularly high concentration of diseased corals on The Wreck is curious. I wonder if it could be related to high nutrient levels associated with large schools of fish usually seen over the wreck, attracted in part by snorkelling operations feeding them;\u00a0 \u00a0there is some\u00a0 evidence that coral diseases including SCTLD<\/a> are stimulated by high nutrient levels. Alternatively, it might be related to the\u00a0 high intensity of pleasure boats, including some from other regions, visiting and mooring in the immediate area (re: ship borne spread<\/a> of the disease)\u00a0 or to both factors (or neither).<\/p>\n

I have not seen any signs of infection on Orbicella annularis<\/em>,\u00a0described as Highly Susceptible<\/a> or Intermediately Susceptible<\/a> to SCTLD. This coral was\u00a0 described by Lewis (1960) as the dominant species of shallow water Barbados reefs and it is still very prominent. Note added Feb 10, 2023: Nor have I seen it on pillar coral, which is fairly on these on these reefs and also described by AGRRA as a Highly Susceptible Species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Healthy Orbicella annularis<\/em> in the Reef Crest zone<\/strong>, Jan 25, 2023<\/td>\n

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Healthy Orbicella annularis<\/em> on the bottom by The Wreck (Reef Front zone)<\/strong>\u00a0Jan 21, 2023<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

So it seems SCTLD is in its early stages on Vauxhall Reef. Or is it?<\/p>\n

I am not an expert of any sort on coral diseases (or even corals), so independent verification that what I have been seeing is indeed\u00a0Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is still required. I\u00a0 have submitted a comment on my observations\u00a0 to the Barbados Coastal Zone Management group, and I submitted 4 records, each with 5 photos to AGRRA<\/a>. A member of CORALL<\/a> I met recently told me that some of their members have also recently seen what they suspect to be\u00a0Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on shallow water reefs in Barbados.<\/p>\n

While this is definitely bad news, there is a bit of good news. The Acroporoids, which have been making a comeback in Barbados (see MacLean & Oxenford, 2016<\/a>), have so far shown no susceptibility to\u00a0Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease ( AGRRA<\/a>). I observed all 3 Caribbean species on\u00a0\u00a0the Vauxhall Reef<\/a>\u00a0 in 2015\/6 and my observations to date in 2023 indicate that they continue to thrive. Also, there remain large numbers and diversity of fishes on this reef.<\/p>\n

——
\nPOSTERS BY BARBADOS COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT UNIT<\/a>
\n“The posters outline decontamination procedures as well as the basic characteristics of the disease.” Note May 8, 2023. The website has been revised recently, and these posters do not seem to be available right now<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Forms to make reports:<\/p>\n