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Coralliophila salebrosa is a marine snail that specializes in live coral tissue and live coral polyps.
Coralliophila salebrosa is not particularly picky about its prey corals, it has been photographed in action on a variety of stony corals in the Caribbean, we have posted a selection of the photos.
The snail has been shown to feed on the following coral species:
Mycetophyllia ferox, Porites porites, Porites divaricata, Colpophyllia natans, Montastraea cavernosa, Antillogorgia sp., Siderastrea siderea, Siderastrea stellata, Gorgonia sp. , Pseudoplexaura sp., Colpophyllia natans, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria strigosa.
Healthy coral reefs withstand a certain feeding pressure by predators, but if the populations of parasites literally explode, see also the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), even vital reefs suddenly have a very big problem, because the reefs in this critical condition are additionally weakened by El Niño phenomena and human intervention (pollution, introduction of fertilizers, poisons, etc.).
When buying new corals, please scan the sticks carefully and remove snails with the help of tweezers to avoid possible encroachment on existing corals.
Synonyms:
Coralliophila caribaea R. T. Abbott, 1958
Ringicula cruzensis Nowell-Usticke, 1969·
Literature reference:
Potkamp, Gerrit, Vermeij, Mark, Hoeksema, Bert
Genetic and morphological variation in corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) living on different host corals at Curaçao, southern Caribbean
DOI: 10.1163/18759866-08602002
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317388309_Genetic_and_morphological_variation_in_corallivorous_snails_Coralliophila_spp_living_on_different_host_corals_at_Curacao_southern_Caribbean/citation/download
open access artikel
Coralliophila salebrosa is not particularly picky about its prey corals, it has been photographed in action on a variety of stony corals in the Caribbean, we have posted a selection of the photos.
The snail has been shown to feed on the following coral species:
Mycetophyllia ferox, Porites porites, Porites divaricata, Colpophyllia natans, Montastraea cavernosa, Antillogorgia sp., Siderastrea siderea, Siderastrea stellata, Gorgonia sp. , Pseudoplexaura sp., Colpophyllia natans, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria strigosa.
Healthy coral reefs withstand a certain feeding pressure by predators, but if the populations of parasites literally explode, see also the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), even vital reefs suddenly have a very big problem, because the reefs in this critical condition are additionally weakened by El Niño phenomena and human intervention (pollution, introduction of fertilizers, poisons, etc.).
When buying new corals, please scan the sticks carefully and remove snails with the help of tweezers to avoid possible encroachment on existing corals.
Synonyms:
Coralliophila caribaea R. T. Abbott, 1958
Ringicula cruzensis Nowell-Usticke, 1969·
Literature reference:
Potkamp, Gerrit, Vermeij, Mark, Hoeksema, Bert
Genetic and morphological variation in corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) living on different host corals at Curaçao, southern Caribbean
DOI: 10.1163/18759866-08602002
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317388309_Genetic_and_morphological_variation_in_corallivorous_snails_Coralliophila_spp_living_on_different_host_corals_at_Curacao_southern_Caribbean/citation/download
open access artikel
