08 July, 2016
We have characterized the prokaryotic coral symbiont in Endozoicomonas in Stylophora pistillata and Pocillopora verrucosa. The bacteria form large endodermal aggregations and are specific in P. verrucosa whereas S. pistillata associates vary spatially. This may reflect the different reproductive strategies of both corals which imply different acquisition modes for their respective microbiomes.