Miss Clare Grimm1, Dr. Yui Sato1,2, Dr. Jonathan Barton1,3, Prof David Bourne1,2, Jason Doyle1
1Australian Institute Of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia, 2College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, 3The National Sea Simulator, AIMS, Townsville, Australia
Biography:
Clare works at the Australian Institute of Marine Science as a Research Technician under The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program. She is from a cold and landlocked state in the US called Wisconsin and relocated to Australia five years ago to study marine biology. In 2022, Clare completed her Master of Science thesis through AIMS and has been working with the same lab group since. In her free time, Clare is passionate about the outdoors, connecting with nature, and exploring the underwater world that surrounds us.
Abstract:
Captive culturing of coral is required to supply a burgeoning aquarium trade and supply populations to replenish reefs that have been degraded globally due to anthropogenic impacts. The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program aims to develop coral propagation systems capable of producing the quantity and diversity of corals required for effective reef restoration. However, high-density coral production faces challenges such as disease and pests, which can reduce their output. Prosthiostomum acroporae, the Acropora-eating flatworm (AEFW), feeds exclusively on tissues of branching coral species of the genus Acropora, which are key targets for aquaculture production. Tissue consumption by AEFW causes damage and often colonial mortality of the host if populations proliferate in captive aquaria, where high fecundity facilitates heavy infestation. Cryptic camouflage and complex life history of AEFW often allow them to evade visual detection and eradiation, making them a serious threat to coral propagation facilities. We developed a highly sensitive and specific droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay to detect environmental DNA (eDNA) from AEFW. Specific primers and a probe were designed for targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (mtCOI), followed by standard assay validation and optimization of the ddPCR conditions. We present assay performance metrics and in-situ detection results, demonstrating this eDNA assay serves as an early diagnostic tool for detecting the cryptic P. acroporae species in coral propagation systems. Importantly, early pest detection in coral aquaculture also reduces the risk of harmful organisms spreading to natural environments, ensuring the health of target ecosystems for resource and conservation.