Population dynamics and genotypic richness of threatened Acropora species and their hybrid in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Abstract Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata have experienced substantial losses in coral cover throughout the Caribbean, but their hybrid ( prolifera ) appears to be increasing at some sites. The shifts relative abundance could result from hybridization with subsequent asexual fragmentation, recent increased hybridization, or a disproportionate loss parental species. Here, acroporid taxa three U.S. Virgin Islands sites were genotyped revealing 35 genotypes, suggesting multiple events. Genotypic richness (0.62), (0.64), (0.68) was not significantly different across To further explore dynamics these sites, we analyzed existing photo transects 2009 2017 reveal significant of stable percent cover. High genotypic populations suggest hybrids may become primary shallow reef-builders locations previously occupied by