Scott & Jeanette Johnson, Kwajalein Unterwater
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Coralliophila erosa (Röding, 1798)
Coralliophila erosa is a marine snail that specializes in live coral tissue and live coral polyps. Coralliophila erosa is not particularly picky about its prey corals, it has been photographed in the Caribbean on a variety of stony corals in action, we have posted a selection of the photos.
The snail has been shown to feed on the following stony coral species: Acropora muricata and Porites lutea, but there are probably significantly more species.
Special characteristic of the snail: the operculum is yellow.
Coralliophila erosa can consume up to 9 cm² of tissue in 24 hours, you can imagine what is left of a stick after a day when a whole troop of snails is all over a coral!
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/z72-217
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:
Cantharus erosus Röding, 1798
Coralliophila (Coralliophila) erosa (Röding, 1798)
Coralliophila (Liniaxis) groschi Kilburn, 1977
Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck, 1816)
Coralliophila deformis (Lamarck, 1822)
Coralliophila groschi Kilburn, 1977
Coralliophila orbignyana (Petit de la Saussaye, 1851)
Coralliophila stearnsiana Dall, 1919
Coralliophila suturalis A. Adams in H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Murex plicatus W. Wood, 1818
Purpura trichotropoides Montrouzier, 1861
Pyrula abbreviata Lamarck, 1816
Pyrula deformis Lamarck, 1822
Rapana (Rhizochilus) coralliophila A. Adams, 1854
Rapana (Rhizochilus) fragilis A. Adams, 1854
Rapana coralliophila A. Adams, 1854
Rapana fragilis A. Adams, 1854
Rapana suturalis (A. Adams in H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853)
Rhizochilus exaratus Pease, 1861
Trichotropis dorbignyanum Petit de la Saussaye, 1851
Literature reference:
The importance of the gastropod Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck) and the polychaete Hermodice carunculata (Pallas) as coral reef predators
Canadian Journal of Zoology
December 1972
https://doi.org/10.1139/z72-217
open access artikel
Coralliophila erosa is a marine snail that specializes in live coral tissue and live coral polyps. Coralliophila erosa is not particularly picky about its prey corals, it has been photographed in the Caribbean on a variety of stony corals in action, we have posted a selection of the photos.
The snail has been shown to feed on the following stony coral species: Acropora muricata and Porites lutea, but there are probably significantly more species.
Special characteristic of the snail: the operculum is yellow.
Coralliophila erosa can consume up to 9 cm² of tissue in 24 hours, you can imagine what is left of a stick after a day when a whole troop of snails is all over a coral!
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/z72-217
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:
Cantharus erosus Röding, 1798
Coralliophila (Coralliophila) erosa (Röding, 1798)
Coralliophila (Liniaxis) groschi Kilburn, 1977
Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck, 1816)
Coralliophila deformis (Lamarck, 1822)
Coralliophila groschi Kilburn, 1977
Coralliophila orbignyana (Petit de la Saussaye, 1851)
Coralliophila stearnsiana Dall, 1919
Coralliophila suturalis A. Adams in H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853
Murex plicatus W. Wood, 1818
Purpura trichotropoides Montrouzier, 1861
Pyrula abbreviata Lamarck, 1816
Pyrula deformis Lamarck, 1822
Rapana (Rhizochilus) coralliophila A. Adams, 1854
Rapana (Rhizochilus) fragilis A. Adams, 1854
Rapana coralliophila A. Adams, 1854
Rapana fragilis A. Adams, 1854
Rapana suturalis (A. Adams in H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853)
Rhizochilus exaratus Pease, 1861
Trichotropis dorbignyanum Petit de la Saussaye, 1851
Literature reference:
The importance of the gastropod Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck) and the polychaete Hermodice carunculata (Pallas) as coral reef predators
Canadian Journal of Zoology
December 1972
https://doi.org/10.1139/z72-217
open access artikel
