Table 2 Relative abundance, taxonomic classification and closely BLASTn match of top bacterial OTUs

001

85

43

28

55

58

59

Proteobacteria (α)

Family Rhodobacteraceae

Sponge-associated (94.8 % EU350873)

002

7

44

25

3

14

5

Proteobacteria (α)

Order Rhodobacterales

Octocoral-associated (95.7 % DQ395396)

003

-

3

5

6

<1

5

Proteobacteria (γ)

Order Alteromonadales

Deep sea sediment (98.1 % AB694145)

004

-

-

18

2

<1

<1

Bacteroidetes

Family Flammeovirgaceae

Deep sea sediment (97.5 % FN562913)

005

-

-

-

-

-

17

Proteobacteria (γ)

Class Gammaproteobacteria

Coral-associated (100 % KC527310)

006

2

5

<1

1

1

<1

Proteobacteria (α)

Order Rhodobacterales

Sponge-associated (94.8 % EU350873)

007

-

-

-

9

<1

-

Proteobacteria (γ)

Family Xanthomonadaceae

Crab-associated (99.5 % AB476258)

008

3

<1

-

<1

-

<1

Proteobacteria

Phylum Proteobacteria

Ascidian-associated (97.2 % KF799034)

009

-

-

7

<1

-

-

Bacteroidetes

Genus Roseivirga

Ascidian-associated (99.5 % KF798800)

010

-

-

2

2

-

<1

Proteobacteria (α)

Class Alphaproteobacteria

Ascidian-associated (100 % KF798861)**

011

-

-

-

<1

3

2

Planctomycetes

Order Phycisphaerales

Biofilm (100 %, JF272039)**

012

-

-

<1

-

5

-

Bacteroidetes

Genus Maribacter

Octocoral-associated (100 % KF181050)**

013

-

-

<1

<1

-

2

Planctomycetes

Order Phycisphaerales

Microbial mat (96.7 % JN435867)

014

-

-

-

2

<1

-

Nitrospirae

Family Nitrospiraceae

Sediment (100 % AJ704710)**

015

-

-

-

1

1

<1

Nitrospirae

Family Nitrospiraceae

Seawater (100 % KC706459)**