Reyes et al. (2005) reported the occurrence of deep water azooxanthellate coral banks at
three sites along the outer continental shelf and upper slope off Colombia, southern
Caribbean. The most abundant coral at La Guajira (depth of 70 m) was Cladocora debilis,
whereas Madracis myriaster was the dominat species off Santa Marta (depth of 200 m) and
San Bernardo (depth of 150 m). In total, 290 invertebrates and 48 fish species were
reported from these coral banks (Reyes et al., 2005).
At depths between 60 to 2,170 m, the deep sea coral, Lophelia pertusa forms massive reefs
throughout the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico, and also
in the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian, and eastern Pacific Oceans (Reed, 2002).
The diversity of species associated with ahermatypic coral banks is much higher than that of
the surrounding environment, suggesting that these reefs create biodiversity hot spots in
deep water (Rogers, 1999; Reed et al.,1982; Reed and Mikkelsen, 1987; Reyes et al. 2005).
Since the edge of the insular shelf of PR and the USVI is typically found at depths between
20 to 30 meters, reef systems deeper than 30 meters are considered deep reefs for the
purpose of this zonal review. Thus, coral reefs in deep terraces of the outer shelf, rocky
outcrops and vertical wall features of the insular slope, submerged volcanic ridges, and
oceanic seamounts comprise the deep reef systems of the US Caribbean EEZ.
A series of exploratory cruises have sampled the submerged ridges, seamounts and insular
slope habitats of PR and the USVI producing highly valuable collections from which the
taxonomic record of our deep reef communities has been constructed. This includes the
pioneer expedition of the H. M. S. Challenger, which sampled the north coast of St. Thomas
(USVI) at 390 fathoms (709 m) in 1873. Other major expeditions include the U. S. Coast
Survey Steamer “Blake”, which sampled insular slope stations of the Lesser Antilles during
1878-79; the expedition by the U. S. Fish Commission “Fish Hawk”, which sampled 17
stations below 20 fathoms (36 m) off San Juan, Mayaguez, Aguadilla, Vieques and St.
Thomas in 1899; and the Johnson-Smithsonian expedition to the Puertorrican Deep, which
sampled 109 stations in Mona Passage, the north coast of Puerto Rico (including the
Puertorrican Trench), and the USVI during 1933.
Extensive deep sea samplings of the southwestern Atlantic were performed during the 1956
– 60 by the exploratory fishing vessels R/V Oregon, R/V Silver Bay, R/V Combat, and R/V
Pelican (Bullis and Thompson, 1965; Manning, 1969). Likewise, the Florida Straits, Gulf of
Mexico, West Central and Southern Caribbean, Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles were
intensively sampled during the 1960’s - 1970’s by the R/V Gerda, R/V Pillsbury, Columbus5
three sites along the outer continental shelf and upper slope off Colombia, southern
Caribbean. The most abundant coral at La Guajira (depth of 70 m) was Cladocora debilis,
whereas Madracis myriaster was the dominat species off Santa Marta (depth of 200 m) and
San Bernardo (depth of 150 m). In total, 290 invertebrates and 48 fish species were
reported from these coral banks (Reyes et al., 2005).
At depths between 60 to 2,170 m, the deep sea coral, Lophelia pertusa forms massive reefs
throughout the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico, and also
in the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian, and eastern Pacific Oceans (Reed, 2002).
The diversity of species associated with ahermatypic coral banks is much higher than that of
the surrounding environment, suggesting that these reefs create biodiversity hot spots in
deep water (Rogers, 1999; Reed et al.,1982; Reed and Mikkelsen, 1987; Reyes et al. 2005).
Since the edge of the insular shelf of PR and the USVI is typically found at depths between
20 to 30 meters, reef systems deeper than 30 meters are considered deep reefs for the
purpose of this zonal review. Thus, coral reefs in deep terraces of the outer shelf, rocky
outcrops and vertical wall features of the insular slope, submerged volcanic ridges, and
oceanic seamounts comprise the deep reef systems of the US Caribbean EEZ.
A series of exploratory cruises have sampled the submerged ridges, seamounts and insular
slope habitats of PR and the USVI producing highly valuable collections from which the
taxonomic record of our deep reef communities has been constructed. This includes the
pioneer expedition of the H. M. S. Challenger, which sampled the north coast of St. Thomas
(USVI) at 390 fathoms (709 m) in 1873. Other major expeditions include the U. S. Coast
Survey Steamer “Blake”, which sampled insular slope stations of the Lesser Antilles during
1878-79; the expedition by the U. S. Fish Commission “Fish Hawk”, which sampled 17
stations below 20 fathoms (36 m) off San Juan, Mayaguez, Aguadilla, Vieques and St.
Thomas in 1899; and the Johnson-Smithsonian expedition to the Puertorrican Deep, which
sampled 109 stations in Mona Passage, the north coast of Puerto Rico (including the
Puertorrican Trench), and the USVI during 1933.
Extensive deep sea samplings of the southwestern Atlantic were performed during the 1956
– 60 by the exploratory fishing vessels R/V Oregon, R/V Silver Bay, R/V Combat, and R/V
Pelican (Bullis and Thompson, 1965; Manning, 1969). Likewise, the Florida Straits, Gulf of
Mexico, West Central and Southern Caribbean, Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles were
intensively sampled during the 1960’s - 1970’s by the R/V Gerda, R/V Pillsbury, Columbus5