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IntroductionIn recent decades, Caribbean coral reefs have lost many vital marine species due to diseases. The well-documented mass mortality event of the long-spined black sea urchinDiadema antillarumin the early 1980s stands out among these collapses. This die-off killed over 90% ofD. antillarumchanging the reefscape from coral to algal-dominated. Nearly 40 years later,D. antillarumpopulations have yet to recover. In early 2022, a new mortality event ofD. antillarumwas reported along the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. MethodsThis study identifies the gut microbiota changes associated with theD. antillarumduring this mortality event. It contrasts them with the bacterial composition of gut samples from healthy individuals collected in 2019 by using 16S rRNA sequencing analyses. ResultsNotably, the die-off group’s core microbiome resembled bacteria commonly found in the human skin and gut, suggesting potential anthropogenic contamination and wastewater pollution as contributing factors to the 2022 dysbiosis. The animals collected in 2022, especially those with signs of disease, lacked keystone taxa normally found inDiademaincludingPhotobacteriumandPropionigenium. DiscussionThe association between human microbes and disease stages in the long-spined urchinD. antillarum, especially in relation to anthropogenic contamination, highlights a complex interplay between environmental stressors and marine health. While these microbes might not be the direct cause of death in this species of sea urchins, their presence and proliferation can indicate underlying issues, such as immune depletion due to pollution, habitat destruction, or climate change, that ultimately compromise the health of these marine organisms. 

Pervasive epizootic events have had a significant impact on marine invertebrates throughout the Caribbean, leading to severe population declines and consequential ecological implications. One such event was the regional collapse of herbivory, partly caused by theDiadema antillarummortality event in 1983–84, resulting in a trophic cascade and altering the structure of reef communities. Consequently, there was a notable decrease in coral recruitment and an increase in the coverage of macroalgae. Nearly four decades later, in early 2022, the Caribbean basin experienced another widespread mass mortality event, further reducing the populations ofD. antillarum. To assess the effects of this recent mortality event on the current demographics ofD. antillarum, we surveyed eight populations along the eastern, northeastern, northern, and northwestern coast of Puerto Rico from May to July 2022, estimating their population density, size distribution, and disease prevalence. Additionally, the study compared these population parameters with data from four sites previously surveyed in 2012 and 2017 to understand the impact of the recent mortality event. The survey conducted in 2022 showed varying population densities at the surveyed reefs. Some populations exhibited mean densities of nearly one individual per square meter, while others had extremely low or no living individuals per square meter. The four populations with the highest density showed no evidence of disease, whereas the four populations with the lowestD. antillarumdensities exhibited moderate to high disease prevalence. However, when considering all sites, the estimated disease prevalence remained below 5%. Nevertheless, the comparison with data from 2012 and 2017 indicated that the recent mortality event had a negative impact onD. antillarumdemographics at multiple sites, as the densities in 2022 were reduced by 60.19% compared to those from the previous years. However, it is still too early to determine the severity of this new mortality event compared to the 1983–84 mortality event. Therefore, it is imperative to continue monitoring these populations.