Niche breadth and divergence in sympatric cryptic coral species (Pocillopora spp.) across habitats within reefs and among algal symbionts

While the presence of morphologically cryptic species is increasingly recognized, we still lack a useful understanding of what causes and maintains co-occurring cryptic species and its consequences for the ecology, evolution, and conservation of communities. We sampled 724 Pocillopora corals from five habitat zones (the fringing reef, back reef, and fore reef at 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m) at four sites around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. Using validated genetic markers, we identified six sympatric species of Pocillopora, most of which cannot be reliably identified based on morphology: P. meandrina (42.9%), P. tuahiniensis (25.1%), P. verrucosa (12.2%), P. acuta (10.4%), P. grandis (7.73%), and P. cf. effusa (2.76%). For 423 colonies (58% of the genetically-identified hosts), we also used psbAncr or ITS2 markers to identify symbiont species (Symbiodiniaceae). The relative abundance of Pocillopora species differed across habitats within the reef. Sister taxa P. verrucosa and P. tuahi..., , , # Data from: Niche breadth and divergence in sympatric cryptic coral species (Pocillopora spp.) across habitats within reefs and among algal symbionts

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wh70rxwx4](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wh70rxwx4)

All data and R code associated with the manuscript \"Niche breadth and divergence in sympatric cryptic coral species (Pocillopora spp.) across habitats within reefs and among algal symbionts\".

## Sharing/Access information

Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data:

* [https://github.com/scottcburgess/niche-breadth-Pocillopora-Symbiodiniaceae](http://...)
* [https://zenodo.org/records/12745666](https://zenodo.org/records/12745666)

This README.txt file was generated on 2024-Jul-22 by Scott Burgess

GENERAL INFORMATION

1\. Title of Dataset: Niche breadth and divergence in sympatric cryptic coral species (Pocillopora spp.) across habitats within reefs and among algal symbionts

2\. Author Information

```
A. Principal Investigator Contact I...