Published Papers - Reimer James Davis

Systematic Revision of Symbiodiniaceae Highlights the Antiquity and Diversity of Coral Endosymbionts.

LaJeunesse TC, Parkinson JE, Gabrielson PW, Jeong HJ, Reimer JD, Voolstra CR, Santos SR

Current biology : CB ( Current Biology )  28 ( 16 ) 2570 - 2580.e6   2018.08 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Population Connectivity in the Common Reef Zoantharian Zoanthus sansibaricus (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) in Southern Japan.

Albinsky D, Wham D, Shinzato N, Reimer JD

Zoological science ( Zoological Science )  35 ( 4 ) 321 - 329   2018.08 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Tropical and subtropical shallow benthic marine communities are highly diverse and balanced systems that constitute an important natural resource. Knowledge of the genetic diversity, connectivity and reproduction mode of each population is critical to understanding the fate of whole assemblages in times of disturbances. Importantly, the capability of populations to adapt to environmental challenges will be crucial to determining their survival. Here, we report on the population structure of the common reef zoantharian Zoanthus sansibaricus in the northwestern Pacific, by examining populations at three different locations in southern Japan using five highly variable microsatellite markers. Analyses of a population at the species' northern distribution limit combined with analyses of two subtropical populations suggest that habitat characteristics and ocean currents influence the connectivity and genetic diversity of this species. Our findings emphasize the adaptive ability of Z. sansibaricus to different environmental conditions and may help explain the wide distribution and generalist nature of this species.

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First records of zooxanthellate Zoanthus (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) from Korea and Japan (East) Sea

Reimer J.D.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  48 ( 2 ) 1269 - 1273   2018.06 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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This report presents the first records of the zooxanthellate species Zoanthus sansibaricus (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia: Zoanthidae) from Jeju Island, Korea, in the East China Sea, and from Dogo-jima Island in the Oki Islands, Japan, in the Sea of Japan (= East Sea). Its discovery at Jeju Island also represents the first formal record of the order Zoantharia from Korea, while the record from Dogo-jima Island is the first from the Sea of Japan. These two records greatly expand the recorded range of this widespread species, suggesting that it is highly tolerant of winter sea surface temperatures as low as 11.5 °C. Additionally, these records will provide important range limit information to compare with future findings in the face of global warming and predicted northward expansion of benthic zooxanthellate species.

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KB343, a Cyclic Tris-guanidine Alkaloid from Palauan Zoantharian Epizoanthus illoricatus

Matsumura K.

Organic Letters ( Organic Letters )  20 ( 10 ) 3039 - 3043   2018.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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A new tris-guanidine alkaloid, KB343 (1), was isolated from the aqueous extract of a Palauan zoantharian, Epizoanthus illoricatus. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of spectral analyses of 1 and its derivatives. The absolute configuration for 1 was determined upon comparison of the CD spectrum of 1 to those obtained from density functional theory calculations. The structure of 1 is highly unusual, as three guanidine groups are present in one ring system.

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Phylogenetic analyses of Symbiodinium isolated from Waminoa and their anthozoan hosts in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southern Japan

Kunihiro S.

Symbiosis ( Symbiosis )  76 ( 3 ) 1 - 12   2018.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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It is known that the genus Waminoa (order Acoela, Family Convolutidae) associates with anthozoans (Scleractinia, Octocorallia, Zoantharia) and feeds on the mucus of their host. Despite the close relationship between Waminoa and its host species, it is known from phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 2 of ribosomal DNA (ITS-2) that photosymbiotic Symbiodinium isolated from Waminoa are different from the Symbiodinium of their anthozoan hosts. Additionally, Waminoa inherit their Symbiodinium and Amphidinium via vertical transmission. In the current study, we looked for and collected Waminoa from different anthozoan hosts from the Ryukyu Archipelago in southern Japan, and then examined the Symbiodinium of Waminoa as well as hosts’ Symbiodinium, and utilized sequences of the hyper-variable non-coding region of the plastid minicircle (psbAncr) in order to re-examine the diversity of Symbiodinium within Waminoa. In the resulting psbAncr phylogenetic tree, all Symbiodinium within Waminoa comprised a unique group within Clade C, all with the same genotype in the psbAncr phylogenetic tree. Our results reconfirm that most Waminoa host their own lineage of Symbiodinium, and demonstrate that Waminoa are also found on azooxanthellate anthozoan hosts, as we found Waminoa on Siphonogorgia sp., expanding their potential known habitat. Additionally, two Symbiodinium from Waminoa from both shallow (4 m) and mesophotic (32 m) depths were not included in main group of Symbiodinium from Waminoa in the ITS-2 phylogenetic tree, although we could not acquire psbAncr sequences for these specimens. Therefore it is possible that undetected Symbiodinium diversity may yet exist within Waminoa, and future work at shallow to mesophotic depths examining both zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate hosts may find more Waminoa and Symbiodinium diversity.

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Rafting in Zoantharia: a hitchhiker's guide to dispersal?

Santos MEA, Reimer JD

Marine pollution bulletin ( Marine Pollution Bulletin )  130   307 - 310   2018.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The increasing availability of human-made structure in the oceans coupled with climate changes may lead to the range expansion of species able to disperse by rafting. In this study, we report on zoantharian species of genera 'saurus, Palythoa, Umimayanthus and Zoanthus covering artificial substrates in locations in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Moreover, we reviewed observations of additional zoantharians as macrofouling organisms, and discuss the possible role of rafting in the dispersal of this cosmopolitan group. Traits reported to some zoantharian species, such as hermaphroditism and resistance to desiccation, support their dispersal potential by drifting attached to floating objects. Further reports of zoantharian species covering floating artificial structures and natural debris are needed to increase our knowledge of dispersal mechanisms in the oceans. Additionally, this information is essential to monitor and manage possible exotic species invasions, especially for zoantharian species that are common in the aquarium trade.

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Molecular Phylogeny Demonstrates the Need for Taxonomic Reconsideration of Species Diversity of the Hydrocoral Genus Millepora (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Pacific.

Takama O, Fernandez-Silva I, López C, Reimer JD

Zoological science ( Zoological Science )  35 ( 2 ) 123 - 133   2018.04 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Millepora (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Milleporidae) spp. are distributed throughout shallow subtropical and tropical marine environments in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean-Atlantic, and have traditionally been identified using pore characteristics and colony form. Until now, representatives of Millepora spp. on the island of Okinawa-jima, Japan, have been divided into five species; three branching species (Millepora intricata, M. tenera, M. dichotoma), one species with plate-like morphology (M. platyphylla), and one encrusting species (M. exaesa). There have been only a few reports from the Indo-Pacific that have studied the genetic diversity within Millepora spp., although phylogenetic analyses in the Caribbean-Atlantic have proven useful in delimiting closely-related species, while demonstrating that morphologically-based identification systems may have problems. In the present study, we sought to clarify taxonomic confusion of Millepora spp. in the Pacific by using sequence data of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS-rDNA) of specimens from Okinawa, Japan and other localities (Johnston Atoll, Great Barrier Reef). Four separate clades were recovered from the ITS-rDNA analyses. Although we examined specimens of all three branching Millepora spp. previously reported from Okinawa-jima Island, in our phylogenetic analyses they were concentrated within a single clade, with only three specimens in other clades. Encrusting Millepora specimens were found within all clades, although it should be noted all species initially start as encrusting forms, and plate-like specimens were found within three clades. Our data also point to the existence of a previously unknown lineage within Millepora characterized by its ability to overgrow live scleractinian corals.

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Living fossil <em>Nanipora</em> (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) as the dominant calcifying benthos in a seagrass meadow in the South China Sea

James Reimer, Yee Wah Lau, Wee Hin Boo, Keryea Soong

Matters Select ( Sciencematters )    2018.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Speciation among sympatric lineages in the genus Palythoa (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Zoantharia) revealed by morphological comparison, phylogenetic analyses and investigation of spawning period

Mizuyama M

PeerJ ( PeerJ )  2018 ( 7 )   2018 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Stolonifera from shallow waters in the north-western Pacific: a description of a new genus and two new species within the Arulidae (Anthozoa, Octocorallia).

Lau YW, Stokvis FR, van Ofwegen LP, Reimer JD

ZooKeys ( ZooKeys )  2018 ( 790 ) 1 - 19   2018 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The distribution of reef-dwelling Waminoa flatworms in bays and on capes of Okinawa Island

Biondi P.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  49 ( 1 ) 1 - 9   2017.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Waminoa spp. are acoel worms living on the surface of anthozoans. Despite being potential parasites, there is still not much information available regarding the genus’ distribution or host selectivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and occurrence of Waminoa on coral reefs along the west coast of Okinawa Main Island (26.5° N, 127.9° E) in southern Japan, comparing sites located on capes with sites located in bays and identifying associated hosts. Scuba surveys were conducted along eight coral reef sites on the west coast of the island, between June and October 2016. Seven out of eight sites showed the presence of Waminoa. Occurrence and associated hosts varied considerably from site to site, and between sites located within bays and those at capes facing the open ocean. Waminoa individuals were significantly more abundant close to the sandy bottom at the lower end of the reef slopes and were always absent in the shallowest 5 m of every site. Waminoa coverage varied depending on the host anthozoan species. No significant differences in coverage were observed within the same host species at different sites. Thus, in Okinawa, the distribution of Waminoa on coral reefs is not random, but has patterns specific to certain anthozoan host species, with the highest occurrences within 10 m in depth from the sandy bottom areas of reefs.

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Zooxanthellate zoantharians (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia: Brachycnemina) in the northern Red Sea

Reimer J.D.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  47 ( 4 ) 1079 - 1091   2017.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The Red Sea was one of the first areas of the Indo-Pacific to be investigated by marine taxonomists, and the literature on suborder Brachycnemina (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) for this region dates from the early nineteenth century. However, in the last 100 years there has been only one focused study on this group in the Red Sea. In the present study, specimens collected from the Saudi Arabian coast of the northern half of the Red Sea were phylogenetically analyzed by sequencing nuclear internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA (ITS-rDNA), mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), and 16S ribosomal DNA (16S-rDNA). The new results were compared with historical data in the literature and recent results from the Persian Gulf and the southeastern coast of Africa. Results show the presence of six to seven potential Brachycnemina species in the Red Sea; five to six Palythoa species (Palythoa mutuki, P. tuberculosa, P. cf. heliodiscus, P. aff. heliodiscus, and one to two species within the P. sp. "sakurajimensis" group) together with Zoanthus sansibaricus. While P. mutuki, P. tuberculosa, and Z. sansibaricus are known to be widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, P. cf. heliodiscus and P. sp. "sakurajimensis" have not been reported from the Persian Gulf or the southeastern coast of Africa, and the current results represent large range extensions for these two species. Only one of the observed species, P. aff. heliodiscus, is potentially endemic to the Red Sea, further demonstrating the generally wide distributions of most zooxanthellate Brachycnemina species.

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On the paraphyly of Cytaeididae and placement of Cytaeis within the suborder Filifera (Hydrozoa: Anthoathecata)

Prudkovsky A.A.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  47 ( 4 ) 1057 - 1064   2017.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Identification of hydrozoans of the family Cytaeididae L. Agassiz, 1862 is confused due to their morphological similarity, to the shortage of morphological characteristics, and to a lack of molecular data. In this study, sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers were analyzed from hydroids of Cytaeis Eschscholtz, 1829 collected in the southern Red Sea on shells of Nassarius Dum,ril, 1805 (Gastropoda: Nassariidae), along with sequences of Cytaeis and Perarella Stechow, 1922 from GenBank. Analyses revealed the paraphyly of the family Cytaeididae, and indicate that the genus Cytaeis may actually belong to the family Bougainvilliidae Lutken, 1850 (Hydrozoa: Anthoathecata). Perarella species grouped within different families and far from Cytaeis species within phylogenetic trees. Additional studies are necessary to confirm the phylogenetic position and formally revise the taxonomy of Perarella. These results demonstrate the need to utilize molecular sequences in re-assessing the taxonomy and phylogeny of filiferan hydrozoans.

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Diversity of microbial communities and quantitative chemodiversity in layers of marine sediment cores from a causeway (Kaichu-Doro) in Okinawa Island, Japan

Soliman T.

Frontiers in Microbiology ( Frontiers in Microbiology )  8 ( DEC )   2017.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Microbial community diversity and chemodiversity were investigated in marine sediments adjacent to the Okinawan " Kaichu-Doro" Causeway, which was constructed 46 years ago to connect a group of four islands (Henza-jima, Miyagi-jima, Ikei-jima, Hamahiga-jima) to the Okinawan main island. This causeway was not built on pilings, but by land reclamation; hence, it now acts as a long, thin peninsula. The construction of this causeway was previously shown to have influenced the surrounding marine ecosystem, causing ecosystemfragmentation and loss of water circulation. In this study, we collected sediment cores (n = 10) from five paired sites in 1m water depths. Each pair of sites consisted of one site each on the immediate north and south sides of the causeway. Originally the members of each pair were much closer to each other (&lt; 150m) than to other pairs, but now the members of each pair are isolated by the causeway. Each core was 60-80 cm long and was divided into 15-cm layers. We examined the vertical diversity of microbial communities and chemical compounds to determine the correlation between chemodiversity and microbial communities among marine sediment cores and layers. Principal coordinate analyses (PCoA) of detected compounds and of bacterial and archaeal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed that the north and south sides of the causeway are relatively isolated, with each side having unique microbial OTUs. Additionally, some bacterial families (e.g., Acidaminobacteraceae, Rhizobiaceae, and Xanthomonadaceae) were found only on the south side of Kaichu-Doro. Interestingly, we found that the relative abundance of OTUs for some microbial families increased from top to bottom, but this was reversed in some other families. We conclude that the causeway has alteredmicrobial community composition andmetabolite profiles inmarine sediments.

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Description of the juvenile form of the sea cucumber Thelenota anax H. L. Clark, 1921

Soliman T.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  49 ( 1 ) 1 - 8   2017.11 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Our knowledge of the ecology and habitat of juveniles of many sea cucumber species is limited, due to their cryptic habitats and differing color and shape from adults. In the present study, a juvenile specimen of the sea cucumber Thelenota anax H. L. Clark, 1921, collected from 30 m at Rukan Reef, Okinawa, Japan, is described. We confirmed specific identity using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences. We show that the pseudotable ossicles in Thelenota are table ossicles, and document synallactid-like ossicles not previously recorded in the Stichopodidae.

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Nanozoanthus (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia: Nanozoanthidae) outside of tropical and subtropical waters

Reimer J.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  47 ( 3 ) 965 - 969   2017.09 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Two specimens of the zooxanthellate zoantharian Nanozoanthus aff. harenaceus Fujii and Reimer, 2013 are reported from Hakamagoshi, Kagoshima, Japan (31A degrees 35'N, 135A degrees 35'E). They represent the first record for the genus from temperate waters and from Japan outside of the Ryukyu Islands. The collected specimens, although clearly Nanozoanthus, differ in coloration, number of tentacles, and Symbiodinium density in the tentacles, from the only described species of the genus, N. harenaceus Fujii and Reimer, 2013, which is known only from Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. Additionally, acquired cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences from the two specimens were identical to previously reported sequences of Nanozoanthus sp. from western Australia. Based on these combined morphological and molecular results, the specimens were identified as an undescribed species, Nanozoanthus aff. harenaceus. This northward extension of Nanozoanthus' range demonstrates that this genus is not limited to subtropical and tropical waters as has been previously reported. They may also be found in a wider range of environments than assumed, as all earlier records are from carbonate substrate in coral reef environments and not from volcanic rock as in the current report. Due to its very small polyp size and somewhat cryptic nature, Nanozoanthus may be more widely spread than has been thought, and future research should examine other temperate locations in the Indo-Pacific.

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Case 3740 — Sphenopidae Hertwig, 1882 (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia): proposed conservation by being given precedence over Palythoidae Duchassaing de Fombressin & Michelotti, 1860

James Davis Reimer, Martyn E. Y. Low

The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature ( The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature )  74 ( 1 ) 92 - 92   2017.08 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Shifting communities after typhoon damage on an upper mesophotic reef in Okinawa, Japan

White K.N.

PeerJ ( PeerJ )  5 ( 8 )   2017.08 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Very few studies have been conducted on the long-term effects of typhoon damage on mesophotic coral reefs. This study investigates the long-term community dynamics of damage from Typhoon 17 (Jelawat) in 2012 on the coral community of the upper mesophotic Ryugu Reef in Okinawa, Japan. A shift from foliose to bushy coral morphologies between December 2012 and August 2015 was documented, especially on the area of the reef that was previously recorded to be poor in scleractinian genera diversity and dominated by foliose corals. Comparatively, an area with higher diversity of scleractinian coral genera was observed to be less affected by typhoon damage with more stable community structure due to less change in dominant coral morphologies. Despite some changes in the composition of dominant genera, the generally high coverage of the mesophotic coral community is facilitating the recovery of Ryugu Reef after typhoon damage.

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Ascension Island shallow-water Zoantharia (Hexacorallia: Cnidaria) and their zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium)

Reimer J.

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ( Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom )  97 ( 4 ) 695 - 703   2017.06 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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This is the first report on the Zoantharia fauna (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia) of the isolated oceanic island of Ascension, southern Atlantic, where zoantharians are a dominant component of the shallow-water benthos. Specimens from two expeditions (1983, 2012) were examined regarding external morphology and molecular phylogeny using three DNA markers, which confirmed the presence of four zoantharian species: Palythoa caribaeorum; Palythoa aff. clavata; Parazoanthus swiftii; and Zoanthus sp. Two of these, Palythoa aff. clavata and Parazoanthus swiftii, were previously only known from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. Molecular examination of the zooxanthellae (=Symbiodinium spp.) of Palythoa specimens showed that they were in association with only one type, subclade C1.

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Rare zooxanthellate Nanipora octocoral (Helioporacea) in the Gulf of Thailand

Plaza P.U.

Marine Biodiversity ( Marine Biodiversity )  48 ( 4 ) 1 - 7   2017.04 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The octocoral Nanipora kamurai is the fifth species of octocoral described with an aragonite skeleton. So far, it has only been known from a single location in Okinawa, Japan. Here, we report on the second recorded location of the genus Nanipora, in the Gulf of Thailand, where its colonies were found in relatively high densities. A total of 143 separate Nanipora colonies were counted in transects on a coral reef at Koh Tao, Thailand. They were found living on dead coral skeletons and on the shell of a living Tridacna squamosa clam. Phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and mitochondrial mismatch repair protein (mtMutS) sequences showed that they belong to N. kamurai or to a close relative of this species. Additionally, a symbiotic relationship with Symbiodinium was observed for the first time in Nanipora, confirmed by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA (ITS-rDNA) of the dinoflagellate.

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