Potential dispersal vector: Occurrence of sun coral on the sculptured mitten lobster

The sun coral Tubastraea spp. is rapidly spreading worldwide. We report for the first time the occurrence of sun coral on the sculptured mitten lobster Parribacus antarcticus, a highly mobile species. In a dive into the monitoring program for sun coral in the mooring dolphins of Suape Harbor (Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil), we found several living polyps of Tubastraea spp. attached to the carapace of an adult lobster. This report points to a novel mode of dispersal of the sun coral by mobile organisms, given that these animals can carry epibionts, potentially enhancing the spread of invasive species. This newly recognized dispersal mechanism highlights the necessity of incorporating the inspection of living animals with hard-body structures in risk assessment and monitoring protocols for invasive non-native species like the sun coral.