Plate 14.
scleractinian corals and two hydrocorals were identified during the baseline survey by
García-Sais et al. (2001b). Boulder star coral, Montastrea annularis (faveolata
morphotype) was the dominant coral species in terms of substrate cover with a mean of
s
o
er star coral (M. annularis), with a mean cover of
6.1% represented almost 75 % of the total stony coral cover. Lettuce coral (Agaricia
32.0 %, representing 62% of the total cover by stony corals at a depth of 20 m.
The shelf-edge reef off Puerto Canoas is at the southwest end of a massive and
impressive coral buildup that has developed as a series of patch reef promontories
separated by coralline sand deposits. Coral promontories are typically comprised of
several very large colonies of Boulder star coral (Montastrea annularis). There are
colonies that rise from the bottom at least four meters and extend horizontally more than
5 meters, in some instances merging with other large colonies to form continuous
laminar coral formations that are unique in Puerto Rico. There are many sections in this
reef at depths between 23 – 27 m where coral cover along 10 meter long transects is
between 80 – 100 %. In the baseline survey by García-Sais et al. (2004), stony coral
dominated reef substrate cover along surveyed transects at the shelf-edge off Puert
Canoas with a mean of 48.4 %. Bould
3
agaricites), mustard-hill coral (Porites astreoides) and flower coral (Eusmilia fastigiata)
were among the species with highest percent substrate cover.
102
scleractinian corals and two hydrocorals were identified during the baseline survey by
García-Sais et al. (2001b). Boulder star coral, Montastrea annularis (faveolata
morphotype) was the dominant coral species in terms of substrate cover with a mean of
s
o
er star coral (M. annularis), with a mean cover of
6.1% represented almost 75 % of the total stony coral cover. Lettuce coral (Agaricia
32.0 %, representing 62% of the total cover by stony corals at a depth of 20 m.
The shelf-edge reef off Puerto Canoas is at the southwest end of a massive and
impressive coral buildup that has developed as a series of patch reef promontories
separated by coralline sand deposits. Coral promontories are typically comprised of
several very large colonies of Boulder star coral (Montastrea annularis). There are
colonies that rise from the bottom at least four meters and extend horizontally more than
5 meters, in some instances merging with other large colonies to form continuous
laminar coral formations that are unique in Puerto Rico. There are many sections in this
reef at depths between 23 – 27 m where coral cover along 10 meter long transects is
between 80 – 100 %. In the baseline survey by García-Sais et al. (2004), stony coral
dominated reef substrate cover along surveyed transects at the shelf-edge off Puert
Canoas with a mean of 48.4 %. Bould
3
agaricites), mustard-hill coral (Porites astreoides) and flower coral (Eusmilia fastigiata)
were among the species with highest percent substrate cover.
102