ITS2 of Symbiodiniaceae in large benthic foraminifera in Okinawa

The symbiotic relationship between dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae and marine organisms supports the coral reef ecosystems and reef-dwelling large benthic foraminifera contribute to the formation of the reef substrate. Although foraminifera in the subfamily Soritinae hosting Symbiodiniaceae form unique relationships, the environmental influences on the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae within soritid individuals and at the population level and their spatial variation are not yet understood. Here, we investigated variations in the Symbiodiniaceae community in individual Amphisorus kudakajimensis collected from nine sites at different depths in three reef locations on Akajima Island, and one depth in one location in Okinawajima Island, Okinawa, Japan. Next-generation sequencing technology and application of the SymPortal pipeline specific to analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene of Symbiodiniaceae yielded 39 lineages in 137 specimens. Our results provide insight into foraminiferal adaptation patterns to future climate change.