An invasion of snowflake coral carijoa riisei (Duchassaing and Michelotti 1860) in Indian Seas: Threats to coral reef ecosystem

Abstract

Carijoa riisei is a shallow water fast growing zooxanthellate octocoral, native to the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Since its first invasion discovered from Hawaii Islands in 1972, the species spreads across several countries. Presently this species is reported to occur in the coral reef ecosystems of Indian Seas. Carijoa riisei is typically found in a wide variety of habitats that provide shade, but in deeper water uninhibited by light and can be found on exposed hard substrate. Though the occurrence of this non-indigenous species invasion in Indian Seas is relatively minor component of the total biota, it is essential to prevent further spreading on the coral reef ecosystem by adopting effective managerial plans. When limited information is available on marine bioinvasion in tropical counties especially in India, there is an urgent need of study on the occurrence and impacts of non-indigenous species that are focused on coral reef environment as this ecosystem habors 25 % of total marine biodiversity and contribute 10 % fishery production. This chapter summarises the occurrence of Carijoa riisei in coral reefs, impacts and policies for bioinvasion in Indian context.