Table 7. continued
DEPTH (m)
20
30
35
40
SPECIES
COMMON NAME
Priacanthus cruentatus
Glasseye
X
X
Rypticus saponaceus
Soapfish
X
Pseudupeneus maculatus
Spotted Goatfish
X
X
X
Scomberomorus regalis
Cero Mackerel
X
X
Scarus iserti
Striped Parrotfish
X
X
Scarus vetula
Queen Parrotfish
X
Serranus baldwini
Lantern Bass
X
Serranus tabacarius
Tobbaco Fish
X
Sphyraena barracuda
Great Barracuda
X
Stegastes partitus
Bicolor Damselfish
X
X
X
X
Stegastes planifrons
Yelloweye Damselfish
X
X
Thalassoma bifasciatum
Blue-head Wrasse
X
X
X
Xanthychthys ringens
Sargassum Triggerfish
X
B. Geographical Distribution and Physical Characteristics of Deep Reefs
around Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands
The regional bathymetry of the Puerto Rico and U. S. Virgin Islands insular slope reveals
that both the northern and southern sections are characterized by an abrupt, almost
vertical drop, without any large topographic features where extensive deep
(ahermatypic) reef banks could develop (Figure 3). Located 50 kilometers off the north
shoreline is the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, with depths
exceeding 8.4 kilometers. The Puerto Rico trench is a deep trough where the North
American plate slides past and underneath the Antilles and becomes deeper and wider
north of Puerto Rico. In most sections of the south coast, depths of more than one
kilometer are reached within horizontal distances of less than one kilometer from the
shelf-edge (Figure 4). The slope of the north coast is more gradual, but essentially
featureless in terms of large scale bathymetric discontinuities down to the maximum
depths of ahermatypic coral reef formation (c.a. 1,500 m) (Figure 3). Still, the rocky
substrate of the abrupt insular slopes represents a critical habitat for commercially
important demersal snapper and grouper populations. The historical record of deep
water snapper and grouper fisheries yields off the north-east coast between Fajardo, PR
and St. Croix, USVI suggest that deep reefs, or reef benthic communities that support
36
DEPTH (m)
20
30
35
40
SPECIES
COMMON NAME
Priacanthus cruentatus
Glasseye
X
X
Rypticus saponaceus
Soapfish
X
Pseudupeneus maculatus
Spotted Goatfish
X
X
X
Scomberomorus regalis
Cero Mackerel
X
X
Scarus iserti
Striped Parrotfish
X
X
Scarus vetula
Queen Parrotfish
X
Serranus baldwini
Lantern Bass
X
Serranus tabacarius
Tobbaco Fish
X
Sphyraena barracuda
Great Barracuda
X
Stegastes partitus
Bicolor Damselfish
X
X
X
X
Stegastes planifrons
Yelloweye Damselfish
X
X
Thalassoma bifasciatum
Blue-head Wrasse
X
X
X
Xanthychthys ringens
Sargassum Triggerfish
X
B. Geographical Distribution and Physical Characteristics of Deep Reefs
around Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands
The regional bathymetry of the Puerto Rico and U. S. Virgin Islands insular slope reveals
that both the northern and southern sections are characterized by an abrupt, almost
vertical drop, without any large topographic features where extensive deep
(ahermatypic) reef banks could develop (Figure 3). Located 50 kilometers off the north
shoreline is the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, with depths
exceeding 8.4 kilometers. The Puerto Rico trench is a deep trough where the North
American plate slides past and underneath the Antilles and becomes deeper and wider
north of Puerto Rico. In most sections of the south coast, depths of more than one
kilometer are reached within horizontal distances of less than one kilometer from the
shelf-edge (Figure 4). The slope of the north coast is more gradual, but essentially
featureless in terms of large scale bathymetric discontinuities down to the maximum
depths of ahermatypic coral reef formation (c.a. 1,500 m) (Figure 3). Still, the rocky
substrate of the abrupt insular slopes represents a critical habitat for commercially
important demersal snapper and grouper populations. The historical record of deep
water snapper and grouper fisheries yields off the north-east coast between Fajardo, PR
and St. Croix, USVI suggest that deep reefs, or reef benthic communities that support
36