On the occurrence of the hydrocoral Millepora (Hydrozoa: Milleporidae) in the subtropical eastern Atlantic (Canary Islands): Is the colonization related to climatic events?

Abstract

The occurrence of a hydrocoral of the genus Millepora has been recorded for the first time in the eastern subtropical Atlantic (Tenerife, Canary Islands), at a latitude of 11º N of its previously known northernmost limit of distribution in the Cape Verde Islands. The moderate development of the colonies, their fast growth rate and very restricted location indicate a recent colonization process, possibly related to an extreme climatic event that took place in the summer of 2004, adding to the rising seawater temperatures in the region during recent years.