Abstract
A highly polymorphic and complex allorecognition system in the coral Stylophora pistillata was revealed in the field by assaying branch pair combinations among 11 colonies (181 assays) for 24 months. Replicates of between-colony combinations exhibited consistent outcomes, in both time scale and type of response. Different allogeneic combinations exhibited one of two main outcomes, either unilateral rejection, or an array of other incompatible reactions following a state of “non-fusion”. These responses were partially linked with color morphs (purple dominated yellow). An additional 22 isogeneic grafts resulted in complete fusion. Unilateral rejection occurred 1–7 months following initial contact. Nonfusion usually developed into skeletal suture barriers after 3–9 months, and then into unilateral colony-specific overgrowths at 6–23 months with some reversals in direction at 18–22 months. During this process, small lesions usually developed on the tissue of the subordinate partner, which were either overgrown by the dominant partner or healed. After two years, a network of overgrowths among colonies was established with essentially hierarchial properties, but some nontransitive interactions also occurred. The colonies segregated into three distinct histocompatibility groups; within each group, colonies engaged in nonfusion. Between groups, colonies exhibited nonfusion or rejected each other in a group-specific manner. Based on the results, we discuss the terminology used for fusion versus rejection phenomena in scleractinian corals, the possible genetic background for self-nonself recognition in Stylophora, and the methodological artifacts associated with the use of short-term allorecognition assays.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bak RPM, Criens SR (1982) Experimental fusion in Atlantic Acropora (Scleractinia). Mar Biol Lett 3:67–72
Bancroft FW (1903) Variation and fusion of colonies in compound ascidians. Proc Calif Acad Sci 3:137–186
Beale G (1990) Self and nonself recognition in the ciliate protozoan Euplotes. Trend Genet 6:137–139
Bothwell AM (1981) Fragmentation, a means of asexual reproduction and dispersal in the coral genus Acropora (Scleractinia Astrocoeniida Acroporidae) — a preliminary report. Proc 4th Int Coral Reef Symp 2:137–144
Brace RC, Reynolds HA (1989) Relative intraspecific aggressiveness of pedal disc colour phenotypes of the beadlet anemone, Actinia equina. J Mar Biol Ass UK 69:273–278
Burnet FM (1971) Self-recognition in colonial marine forms and flowering plants in relation to the evolution of immunity. Nature 232:230–235
Chornesky EA (1989) Repeated reversals during spatial competition between corals. Ecology 70:843–855
Chornesky EA (1991) The ties that bind: inter-clonal cooperation may help a fragile coral dominate shallow high-energy reefs. Mar Biol 109:41–51
Fuke MT, Nakamura I (1985) Pattern of cellular alloreactivity of the solitary ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi, in relation to genetic control. Biol Bull 169:631–637
Grosberg RK (1988) The evolution of allorecognition specificity in clonal invertebrates. Q Rev Biol 63:377–412
Grosberg RK, Quinn JF (1989) The evolution of selective aggression conditioned on allorecognition specificity. Evolution 43: 503–515
Hauenschild C (1954) Genetische und entwichlungphysiologische Untersuchungen uber Intersexualitat und Gewebevertraglichkeit bei Hydractinia echinata Flem. Wilhelm Roux Arch. 147: 1–141
Heyward AJ, Collins JD (1985) Fragmentation in Montipora ramosa: the genet and ramet concept applied to a reef coral. Coral Reefs 4:35–40
Heyward AJ, Stoddart JA (1985) Genetic structure of two species of Montipora on a patch reef: conflicting results from electrophoresis and histocompatibility. Mar Biol 85:117–121
Hidaka M (1985) Tissue compatibility between colonies and newly settled larvae of Pocillopora damicornis. Coral Reefs 4:111–116
Hidaka M, Yamazato K (1984) Intraspecific interactions in a scleractinian coral, Galaxea fascicularis: induced formation of sweeper tentacles. Coral Reefs 3:77–85
Hildemann WH, Linthicum DS, Vann DC (1975) Transplantation and immunocompatibility reactions among reef-building corals. Immunogenetics 2:269–284
Hildemann WH, Raison RL, Cheung G, Hull CJ, Akaka L, Okamoto J (1977) Immunological specificity and memory in a scleractinian coral. Nature 270:219–223
Hildemann WH, Johnston IS, Jokiel PL (1979) Immunocompetence in the lowest metazoan phylum. Transplantation immunity in sponges. Science 204:420–422
Hildemann WH, Bigger CH, Johnston IS, Jokiel PL (1980) Characteristics of transplantation immunity in the sponge Callyspongia diffusa. Transplantation 30:362–367
Hunter CL (1985) Assessment of clonal diversity and population structure of Porites compressa (Cnidaria, Scleractinia). Proc 5th Int Coral Reef Congr 6:69–74
Jokiel PL, Hildemann WH, Bigger CH (1983) Clonal population structure of two sympatric species of the reef coral Montipora. Bull Mar Sci 33:181–187
Kingsley EA, Briscoe DA, Raftos DA (1989) Correlation of histocompatibility reactions with fusion between conspecies in the solitary urochordate Styela plicata. Biol Bull 176:282–289
Loya Y (1976) The Red Sea coral Stylophora pistillata is an r strategist. Nature 259:478–480
Müller WEG, Müller I, Zahn RK, Maidhof A (1984) Intraspecific recognition system in scleractinian corals: morphological and cytochemical description of the autolysis mechanism. J Histochem Cytochem 32:285–288
Neigel JE (1988) Recognition of self or nonself. Theoretical implications and an empirical test. In: Grosberg RK, Hedgecock D, Nelson K (eds) Invertebrate historecognition. Plenum, NY, pp 127–142
Neigel JE, Avise JC (1983) Clonal diversity and population structure in a reef-building coral, Acropora cervicornis: self-recognition analysis and demographic interpretation. Evolution 37:437–453
Oka H, Watanabe H (1960) Problems of colony-specificity in compound ascidians. Bull Biol Stn Asamushi 10:153–155
Potts DC (1976) Growth interactions among morphological variants of the coral Acropora palifera. In: Mackie GO (ed), Coelenterate ecology and behavior. Plenum, NY, pp 79–88
Raftos DA, Briscoe DA (1990) Genetic basis of histocompatibility in the solitary urochordate Styela plicata. J Heredity 81:96–100
Resing JM, Ayre DJ (1985) The usefulness of the tissue grafting bioassay as an indicator of clonal identity in scleractinian corals (Great Barrier Reef-Australia). Proc 5th Int Coral Reef Congr 6:75–81
Rinkevich B Loya Y (1983a) Intraspecific competitive networks in the Red Sea coral Stylophora pistillata. Coral Reefs 1:161–172
Rinkevich B, Loya Y (1983b) Oriented translocation of energy in grafted reef corals. Coral Reefs 1:243–247
Rinkevich B, Loya Y (1985) Intraspecific competition in a reef coral: effects on growth and reproduction. Oecologia 66:100–105
Rinkevich B, Weissman IL (1987) Chimeras in colonial invertebrates: a synergistic symbiosis or somatic and germ-cell parasitism? Symbiosis 4:117–134
Sabbadin A (1962) Le basi genetiche della capacita difusione fra colonie in Boyryllus schlosseri. Atti Accad Naz Lincei Rend 32:1031–1035
Scofield VL, Schlumpberger JL, West LA, Weissman IL (1982) Protochordate allorecognition is controlled by an MHC-like gene system. Nature 295:499–502
Willis BL, Ayre DJ (1985) Asexual reproduction and genetic determination of growth form in the coral Pavona cactus: biochemical, genetic and immunogenic evidence. Oecologia 65:516–525
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to: B. Rinkevich
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chadwick-Furman, N., Rinkevich, B. A complex allorecognition system in a reef-building coral: delayed responses, reversals and nontransitive hierarchies. Coral Reefs 13, 57–63 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426436
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426436