Mass mortality of C. maximum in Moorea, French Polynesia

Posted by Craig Osenberg on 10 August 201513 October 2015

During our July 2015 surveys in Moorea, French Polynesia, we observed a massive mortality event of our focal study organism, Cereasignum (previously Dendropoma) maximum.

Vermetid nets from Hal — Typical situation with healthy vermetids extruding nets over surface of coral. Photo courtesy of Hal Lescinsky.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Situation in the midst of the die-off. Snails had stopped secreting mucus nets, had lost mass, and were deeply retracted into their tubes. Over a two week period, 90% of the snails were dead (typically mortality rates are approximately 10% per year).