Fire ! The spread of the Caribbean fire coral Millepora alcicornis in the Eastern Atlantic

The Western Atlantic fire coral Millepora alcicornis is recorded from Madeira Island in the Eastern Atlantic for the first time. A large colony of this species has apparently been present at a very exposed site at the northern shore of Madeira Island for more than 15 years. Genetic analyses suggest that the colonies of this tropical fire coral at a mid-Atlantic location (Ascension Island) and at each of three Eastern Atlantic locations (Cape Verde Islands, Canary Islands, Madeira Island) originated from independent long-distance dispersal events from the Caribbean area.