June 7, 2024 12:33 PM

Sea urchin pandemic spreads beyond Red Sea, endangering coral reef

A sea-borne pandemic that wiped out sea urchin populations in the Red Sea has spread and is taking out the species in parts of the Indian Ocean and could go global, scientists in Israel say. The particular species of sea urchin impacted is a well-known protector of coral reefs and the deaths put the already fragile reef ecosystem in even more peril. The pandemic was first noticed in the Gulf of Aqaba a year ago and researchers say they have since identified the pathogen behind it through molec...