T
w
ough there are
“thicket-like” banks of some of the branching ahe atypes, the isolated “shrub-like”
growth forms are the most frequently encountere
ers of th
tic
Ocean (Squires, 1959). Deep “coral banks” have been reported for the southern
Caribbean (Santodomingo et al., 2003; Rey
t al., 2005
explorato su eys of
the Colombian upper shelf slope. The most abundant coral species reported were
Cladocora debilis, Anomocora fecunda, Madracis myriaster, Polymices fragilis,
C
rbuscula and Thalamophyllia
ii (Santodomingo et al., 2003; Reyes et
a
from this deep sea
edition to
mbian Ca
e n
s
ive deep sea coral banks may be present off the Guajira Peninsula
(70 m), off Santa Marta (200 m) and nearby the San Bernardo Archipielago (150 m)
(Santodomingo et al., 2003; Reyes et al., 2005).
Biogeographic patterns of ahermatypic corals in the Caribbean show a definitive trend
toward increase in endemism when the faunas are ordered from greater to lesser
d
theory that the deep Atlantic Ocean is an effective barrier for the
d
ter coral species. According to Ca
79), the Caribbean,
a
tilles is the center of
rsity of sclera
western Atlantic. Away from the Caribbean, both north an
, there is
a
r
number of species (Cairns, 1979). Dawson (2002) recognized two
d
inces of ahermatypic corals
he Caribbean. One province has a
t
arily insular component, w
the other ha
ub-tropical
p imarily
c
There are 65 hermatypic coral species reported for the Caribbean (Cairns 1999). The
vertical distribution of the hermatypic corals
maica was examined by Goreau and
W
rmatypic (zooxanthe
) species
mple vertical distribution
r
ast 37 species reported to
ur at dept
meters o
p r
(
mblage of reef-coral popula ons curs
down to 70 meters. The deep hermatypic coral fauna of Puerto Rico and the USVI has
not been properly characterized. Table 15 shows species
ed during
en
surveys of outer shelf and upper slope reef
García-Sa
(this study nd
Armstrong et al. ( in press).
he greatest number of ahermatypic coral species in the Caribbean and adjacent
aters are from a depth range of 200 - 500 meters (Cairns, 1979). Alth
rm
d in the deep wat
e Atlan
es e
) during
ry rv
oenosmillia a
rise
l., 2005). The findings
exp
the Colo
ribb a
uggest that extens
epths, supporting the
ispersal of shallow wa
irns (19
nd specifically the An
dive
ctinian corals in the tropical
d south
a sh rp
eduction in the
istribution prov
in t
ropical and prim
hile
s a s
and r
ontinental component.
in Ja
ells (1967). Many he
llate
have a
anges, with at le
occ
hs of 30
f dee e
Table 14). In Jamaica, a rich and diverse asse
ti
oc
identifi
rec t
s by
is et al
) a
59
w
ough there are
“thicket-like” banks of some of the branching ahe atypes, the isolated “shrub-like”
growth forms are the most frequently encountere
ers of th
tic
Ocean (Squires, 1959). Deep “coral banks” have been reported for the southern
Caribbean (Santodomingo et al., 2003; Rey
t al., 2005
explorato su eys of
the Colombian upper shelf slope. The most abundant coral species reported were
Cladocora debilis, Anomocora fecunda, Madracis myriaster, Polymices fragilis,
C
rbuscula and Thalamophyllia
ii (Santodomingo et al., 2003; Reyes et
a
from this deep sea
edition to
mbian Ca
e n
s
ive deep sea coral banks may be present off the Guajira Peninsula
(70 m), off Santa Marta (200 m) and nearby the San Bernardo Archipielago (150 m)
(Santodomingo et al., 2003; Reyes et al., 2005).
Biogeographic patterns of ahermatypic corals in the Caribbean show a definitive trend
toward increase in endemism when the faunas are ordered from greater to lesser
d
theory that the deep Atlantic Ocean is an effective barrier for the
d
ter coral species. According to Ca
79), the Caribbean,
a
tilles is the center of
rsity of sclera
western Atlantic. Away from the Caribbean, both north an
, there is
a
r
number of species (Cairns, 1979). Dawson (2002) recognized two
d
inces of ahermatypic corals
he Caribbean. One province has a
t
arily insular component, w
the other ha
ub-tropical
p imarily
c
There are 65 hermatypic coral species reported for the Caribbean (Cairns 1999). The
vertical distribution of the hermatypic corals
maica was examined by Goreau and
W
rmatypic (zooxanthe
) species
mple vertical distribution
r
ast 37 species reported to
ur at dept
meters o
p r
(
mblage of reef-coral popula ons curs
down to 70 meters. The deep hermatypic coral fauna of Puerto Rico and the USVI has
not been properly characterized. Table 15 shows species
ed during
en
surveys of outer shelf and upper slope reef
García-Sa
(this study nd
Armstrong et al. ( in press).
he greatest number of ahermatypic coral species in the Caribbean and adjacent
aters are from a depth range of 200 - 500 meters (Cairns, 1979). Alth
rm
d in the deep wat
e Atlan
es e
) during
ry rv
oenosmillia a
rise
l., 2005). The findings
exp
the Colo
ribb a
uggest that extens
epths, supporting the
ispersal of shallow wa
irns (19
nd specifically the An
dive
ctinian corals in the tropical
d south
a sh rp
eduction in the
istribution prov
in t
ropical and prim
hile
s a s
and r
ontinental component.
in Ja
ells (1967). Many he
llate
have a
anges, with at le
occ
hs of 30
f dee e
Table 14). In Jamaica, a rich and diverse asse
ti
oc
identifi
rec t
s by
is et al
) a
59