Conservation of coral-associated fauna

Coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems harboring thousands of species, many of them symbionts that play important roles in the survival of their hosts. These associated taxa, mostly invertebrates, remain largely unstudied and the conservation status of the majority of these species is not assessed. With coral reefs under severe global and local threats, effective conservation measures based on a whole ecosystem approach are needed. The IUCN Red List is the most up to date inventory of species’ conservation status, yet does not include symbiont fauna of important host organisms. Here we suggest including associated taxa in future endangerment assessments, especially those living in obligate symbiosis.