Data from: Unrecognized coral species diversity masks differences in functional ecology

Porites corals are foundation species on Pacific reefs but a confused taxonomy hinders understanding of their ecosystem function and responses to climate change. Here, we show that what has been considered a single species in the eastern tropical Pacific, Porites lobata, includes a morphologically similar yet ecologically distinct species, Porites evermanni. While P. lobata reproduces mainly sexually, P. evermanni dominates in areas where triggerfish prey on bioeroding mussels living within the coral skeleton, thereby generating asexual coral fragments. These fragments proliferate in marginal habitat not colonized by P. lobata. The two Porites species also show a differential bleaching response despite hosting the same dominant symbiont subclade. Thus, hidden diversity within these reef-builders has until now obscured differences in trophic interactions, reproductive dynamics and bleaching susceptibility, indicative of differential responses when confronted with future climate change.

微孔珊瑚属（Porites）珊瑚是太平洋珊瑚礁的建群种，但分类学认知的混乱阻碍了学界对其生态系统功能及其应对气候变化响应的理解。本研究证实，此前被认定为东热带太平洋单一物种的疣状微孔珊瑚（Porites lobata），实则包含一个形态相似但生态功能截然不同的物种——埃氏微孔珊瑚（Porites evermanni）。疣状微孔珊瑚主要通过有性方式繁殖，而埃氏微孔珊瑚在扳机鱼（triggerfish）捕食栖息于珊瑚骨骼内的蚀生贻贝（bioeroding mussels）的区域占据优势，该过程可产生珊瑚无性繁殖片段。这些无性片段会在疣状微孔珊瑚尚未定植的边缘生境中快速增殖。尽管两种微孔珊瑚均携带相同的优势共生菌亚支（symbiont subclade），但二者的珊瑚白化响应仍存在显著差异。由此可见，这些造礁生物体内此前未被揭示的隐藏物种多样性，长期以来掩盖了二者在营养互作、繁殖动态以及白化易感性上的差异，这表明二者在未来气候变化情境下的响应模式存在显著分化。