Update On The Aspergillosis-Gorgonian Story: Increased Host Range And Strain Origins   Garriet W. Smith   Biology Department, University of South Carolina, Aiken, SC 29801        Aspergillus sydowii was show to be pathogenic on the sea-fans Gorgonia ventilina and G. flabellum, but recently, A. sydowii was isolated from diseased Pseudopterogorgia americana, P. acerosa and other gorgonians. Cross-species inoculations showed that A. sydowii may be a nonspecific pathogen of gorgonians. Secondary chemicals may also play a role in pathogenesis. Fungal isolates obtained from diseased coral tissue and reference strains were grown in pure culture and secondary metabolites extracted and analysed using HPLC. Specific peaks were observed only with pathogenic strains. Results were confirmed by inoculation on healthy sea-fan tissue. Other isolates obtained from sediment samples from the mouth of the Orinoco and African dust showed positive HPLC peaks and were pathogenic using bioassays. Results show that reference strains are very different than pathogenic strains and that a possible origin of the pathogenic strains may be African dust.