Coral associations on submarine terraces in the Bahamian Region

Benthic communities on coral reefs at locations in Florida, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti were surveyed in October 1972. This survey supplemented the extensive sampling of the reef terrace off Grand Bahama Island made possible due to having access, over several years, to the saturation diving facility, Hydro Lab. \n \nObservations were made along 10m line transects. The length occupied by each sessile organism and the distance between organisms were recorded in sequence. The total length of an individual species within a transect was used to calculate the percent cover of that species. A total of 46 transects were completed. \n \nSpecimens were also collected and returned to the surface for identification to species level where possible.\n Research was undertaken to investigate and compare the little known benthic communities on submarine terraces within the Bahamian region.\n List of species or species groups identified along transects and used in data analyses (68 of 126): \nBriareum asbestinum (Pallas) \nErythropodium caribaeorum (Duchassaing and Michelotti) \nPlexaura homomalla (Esper) \nPlexaura flexuosa Lamouroux \nPlexaura sp. \nPseudoplexaura porosa (Houtuyn) \nEunicea palmeri Bayer \nEunicea mammosa Lamouroux \nEunicea fusca Duchassaing and Michelotti \nEunicea tourneforti Milne-Edwards and Haime \nEunicea clavigera Bayer \nEunicea knightii Bayer \nEunicea calyculata Ellis and Solander \nEunicea sp. \nMuriceopsis flavida (Lamarck) \nPlexaurella nutans (Duchassaing and Michelotti) \nPlexaurella grisea Kunze \nPlexaurella fusifera Kunze \nMuricea muricata (Pallas) \nMuricea laxa Verrill \nMuricea elongata Lamouroux \nPseudopterogorgia bipinnata (Verrill) \nPseudopterogorgia kallos (Bielschowsky) \nPseudopterogorgia rigida (Bielschowsky) \nPseudopterogorgia americana (Gmelin) \nPseudopterogorgia elisabethae Bayer \nGorgonia ventalina Linnaeus \nStephanocoenia michelinii Milne-Edwards and Haime \nMadracis decactis (Lyman) \nAcropora cervicornis (Lamarck) \nAgaricia agaricites L. forma agaricites \nAgaricia agaricites L. forma carinata \nAgaricia agaricites L. forma purpurea \nAgaricia fragilis Dana \nAgaricia lamarcki Milne-Edwards and Haime \nHelioseris cucullata (Ellis and Solander) \nSiderastrea siderea (Ellis and Solander) \nPorites astreoides Leseur \nPorites porites (Pallas) \nPorites furcata Lamarck \nDiploria labyrinthiformis (Linnaeus) \nManicina areolata (Linnaeus) \nColpophyllia natans (Muller) \nMontastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander) \nMontastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus) \nMeandrina meandrites (Linnaeus) \nDichocoenia stokesii Milne-Edwards and Haime \nDichocoenia stellaris Wells \nDendrogyra cylindrus Ehrenberg \nMussa angulosa (Pallas) \nScolymia lacera (Pallas) \nlsophyllia sinuosa (Ellis and Solander) \nlsophyllastrea rigida (Dana) \nMycetophyllia lamarckana Milne-Edwards and Haime \nEusmilia fastigiata (Pallas) \nSpheciospongia \nIotrochota birotulata \nGeodia gibberosa \n(Axinellidae) \nVerongia? \nVerongia? \nIanthella ardis \n? \nDasychalina cyathina \n? \n(other infrequent sponges) \nMillepora alcicornis \n(algae) \n \nAdditional data collected in relation to these communities are described in the metadata record "Standing stocks of organic carbon associated with sessile reefal communities on submarine terraces in the Bahamian region".\nBunt, John S, Dr (Principal Investigator