In recent years, coral in the seas around Okinawa Prefecture has been turning black and dying off due to a particular variety of coral-killing sponge called Terpios hoshinota.
“It’s otherwise known as the ‘Black Devil.’ The way the damage is spreading poses a new threat to coral,” says Hideyuki Yamashiro, a professor at the University of the Ryukyus’ Tropical Biosphere Research Center. “I want to develop research and stop the damage.”
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