The most widespread bleaching in the lagoon during the 2009 event happened to one of the species of Goniopora. Other Goniopora species were not affected, but this common sprawling species with very lightweight skeletons just about all bleached. The pure white of the bleached but still living corals contrasted sharply with the surrounding unbleached corals.
The brownish colored fuzzy-looking coral in the lower right quarter of the photo below is unbleached Goniopora.
The brownish patch on the end of one of the middle Goniopora stalks is algae growing over a patch of the coral that has already died.
This particular Goniopora species is almost a "weedy" coral; fast growning with a lightweight skeleton, it tends to grow fast and seems to crowd out other corals. The die-off may actually allow different species to settle out in this area.
Unbleached polyps of another Goniopora, with some bleached ones in the following photo.
Here is another species of Goniopora with some isolated bleaching. Most of this variety of coral was unaffected during this episode.
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