Coral Disease and Ingestion: Investigating the Role of Heterotrophy in the Transmission of Pathogenic Vibrio spp. using a Sea Anemone ( Exaiptasia pallida ) Model System

Abstract

The front line of pathogen defense in corals is the mucus membrane. This membrane coats the surface body wall creating a semi-impermeable layer that inhibits pathogen entry from the ambient water both physically and biologically through mutualistic antagonism from resident mucus microbes.