THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A large colony of Snowflake Coral (Carijoa riisei) discovered on the seabed off Kovalam has now more or less disappeared, leaving researchers perplexed.
Thiruvananthapuram-based Friends of Marine Life (FML) had reported the presence of the soft coral at Kovalam and Enayam in southern Tamil Nadu in January 2016. The discovery of the colourful coral had triggered interest as the invasive species was capable adversely impacting the ecological balance on the seabed. At the time, FML had pointed out that the Snowflake Coral, first reported in Hawai in 1972, had a reputation for smothering other life forms such as corals and sponges and molluscs. FML convener Robert Panipilla said deeper studies would be required to ascertain the exact causes of the sudden destruction of the colony.
''In India, the Snowflake Coral has been reported in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Gulf of Mannar, Kutch, before their discovery in Kovalam and Enayam. But compared to those places, the sea is deeper at Kovalam and Enayam and the currents are also stronger. Perhaps these factors were unfavourable for its survival,'' he said.
Again, the strong tidal movements during and after the Ockhi cyclone also may have affected them as they did other other underwater life forms like mussels, he said, adding that the presence of their species that fed on these corals also cannot be ruled out.
In 2016, two fishermen, Samkutty and Sudhi, had tipped off FML about the presence of the strange coral. At the time, the research group was involved in a documentation and assessment of marine biodiversity in 25 locations in Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari. In Kovalam, the Carijoa riisei colony covered an area of 100 sq ft at a depth of ten metres, and in Enayam, Kanyakumari, at a depth of 18 metres.
On the other hand, no government scientific groups had shown any interest in studying the coral after it was reported in 2016, Panipilla said.