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Abstract Coral bleaching, a consequence of stressed symbiotic relationships between corals and algae, has escalated due to intensified heat stress events driven by climate change. Despite global efforts, current early warning systems lack local precision. Our study, spanning 2015–2017 in the Mesoamerican Reef, revealed prevalent intermediate bleaching, peaking in 2017. By scrutinizing 23 stress exposure and sensitivity metrics, we accurately predicted 75% of bleaching severity variation. Notably, distinct thermal patterns—particularly the climatological seasonal warming rate and various heat stress metrics—emerged as better predictors compared to conventional indices (such as Degree Heating Weeks). Surprisingly, deeper reefs with diverse coral communities showed heightened vulnerability. This study presents a framework for coral reef bleaching vulnerability assessment, leveraging accessible data (including historical and real-time sea surface temperature, habitat variables, and species composition). Its operational potential lies in seamless integration with existing monitoring systems, offering crucial insights for conservation and management.

Oxybenzone, octyl salicylate, and octinoxate are compounds used in a variety of products as a protection against exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Concerns have emerged regarding their environmental safety as previous studies have shown that they tend to bioaccumulate and act as potential xenoestrogens in aquatic organisms. To our knowledge no studies have investigated their impact on tropical reef-associated species. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the estrogenic effects of these three compounds on the abundant, reef-associated sergeant major damselfish, Abudefduf saxatilis. As no genomic information of A. saxatilis was available, the first part of the study was to isolate and to sequence the vitellogenin (VTG) and β-actin genes. In the second part, the potential estrogenicity of the three compounds in juvenile fish (