Molecular signatures of host specificity linked to habitat specialization in sea anemones.

Rising ocean temperatures associated with global climate change induce breakdown of the symbiosis between coelenterates and photosynthetic microalgae of the genus . Association with more thermotolerant partners could contribute to resilience, but the genetic mechanisms controlling specificity of hosts for particular types are poorly known. Here, we characterize wild populations of a sea anemone laboratory model system for anthozoan symbiosis, from contrasting environments in Caribbean Panama.