Gene Expression Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Transmission in M. cavernosa and O. faveolata from Florida

Florida's coral reefs are currently experiencing massive die-offs due to a multi-year disease event. Stony coral tissue loss disease, or SCTLD, has been described as causing tissue lesions that often result in entire colony mortality. As this disease continues to spread in the Caribbean, many questions remain as to why certain coral species are more susceptible than others. Identifying potential genetic markers that indicate the presence of SCTLD before visual signs are observed would be very beneficial to practitioners and managers. The genetic information gathered from this study can be used to identify corals at high risk of developing this disease, and therefore help in prioritizing which corals to collect and protect.