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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, A characterization of deep-sea coral and sponge communities within Puerto Rico; Okeanos Explorer, April 2015

Dataset ID: NOAA_EX-15-02-L3
Database Version: 20260416-1
Data Provider: NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
Data Contact: Etnoyer, Peter | peter.etnoyer@noaa.gov

Locator Map

Geographic Range

Ocean: North Atlantic
Fishery Management Council Region(s): Caribbean
Large Marine Ecosystem(s): Caribbean Sea
Marine Ecoregion(s): Greater Antilles, Eastern Caribbean, Bahamian

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

Minimum Latitude: 17.66635
Maximum Latitude: 19.0013
Minimum Longitude: -67.77923
Maximum Longitude: -64.32942

Overview

Note: The numbers below only reflect published records. Additional records may be retained by the Program for further review.

Number of records: 298
Number of coral records: 152
Number of sponge records: 146
Records with images: 298
Record type(s): still image
Minimum depth (meters): 304
Maximum depth (meters): 4,062
Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 0
Time frame: 2015 to 2015

Data Set Description: This is a subset of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program’s National Database. The data represent observations of deep-sea corals and sponges observed during deepwater ROV surveys by NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer off Puerto Rico, West of Desecheo Island, Pichincho, Puerto Rico Trench, Arecibo Amphitheater (Guajataca Canyon), Septentrional Fault, Mona Canyon - West Wall, Mona Canyon - East Wall, unnamed platform between Mona and Mayaguez, Guayanilla Canyon, Pinnacles south of St. Croix, Exocet Seamount, and Whiting Seamount. This research and exploration cruise was conducted from April 10 to April 29 of 2015. Changes to the original dataset may have been made to conform to the National Database Schema and for quality control purposes. Further information can be found at: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1502/background/plan/welcome.html

Collection methodogy details:

See link for methods.
Link: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/maps/oer-digital-atlas/mapsOE.htm?cruiseNum=EX1502L3 | https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/EX1502L3 | https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1502/background/plan/welcome.html | https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/10424

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Data Set Level Citation

NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Observation date range: 2015 to 2015. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). Principal investigator: Kennedy, Brian. DSCRTP Dataset ID: NOAA_EX-15-02-L3. Database version: 20260416-1.

Note: Individual records within a data set may have additional citations in the ‘Citation’ field.

Expedition Details

SurveyID	Vessel	VehicleName	SamplingEquipment	RecordType
EX1502L3	Okeanos Explorer R/V	Deep Discoverer ROV	ROV	still image

Taxonomic Summary

Percent of coral, sponge, and fish records by lowest taxonomic rank.

Corals

Number of coral records: 152

Taxon rank	Percent of all coral records
class	1 %
order	23 %
family	32 %
subfamily	2 %
genus	39 %
species	4 %

Sponges

Number of sponge records: 146

Taxon rank	Percent of all sponge records
phylum	3 %
class	76 %
family	14 %
genus	7 %

Fishes

Number of fish records: 0

## No fish records in this data set.

Coral Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no coral taxa were observed.

ScientificName	AphiaID	Order	Family	Records
Acanella	125303	Scleralcyonacea	Keratoisididae	2
Acanthogorgia	125293	Malacalcyonacea	Acanthogorgiidae	1
Anthomastinae	1510270	Scleralcyonacea	Coralliidae	3
Antipatharia	22549	Antipatharia	NA	26
Bathypathes	103304	Antipatharia	Schizopathidae	6
Callogorgia	125317	Scleralcyonacea	Primnoidae	2
Chrysogorgia	125294	Scleralcyonacea	Chrysogorgiidae	8
Clavularia	125286	Malacalcyonacea	Clavulariidae	1
Coralliidae	125280	Scleralcyonacea	Coralliidae	3
Desmophyllum pertusum	1245747	Scleractinia	Caryophylliidae	5
Distichopathes	267396	Antipatharia	Aphanipathidae	1
Enallopsammia rostrata	135190	Scleractinia	Dendrophylliidae	1
Heteropathes	723286	Antipatharia	Cladopathidae	1
Iridogorgia	125295	Scleralcyonacea	Chrysogorgiidae	1
Keratoisididae	1544106	Scleralcyonacea	Keratoisididae	18
Lepidisis	125307	Scleralcyonacea	Keratoisididae	7
Madrepora	135123	Scleractinia	Madreporidae	3
Metallogorgia	125296	Scleralcyonacea	Chrysogorgiidae	1
Octocorallia	1341	NA	NA	1
Paramuricea	125311	Malacalcyonacea	Acanthogorgiidae	5
Plexauridae	125277	Malacalcyonacea	Plexauridae	9
Plumarella	177839	Scleralcyonacea	Primnoidae	1
Primnoidae	125278	Scleralcyonacea	Primnoidae	5
Scleractinia	1363	Scleractinia	NA	9
Stichopathes	103308	Antipatharia	Antipathidae	11
Stylasteridae	22805	Anthoathecata	Stylasteridae	13
Swiftia	125314	Malacalcyonacea	Plexauridae	2
Tanacetipathes	267888	Antipatharia	Myriopathidae	3
Umbellula	1757986	Scleralcyonacea	Umbellulidae	2
Victorgorgia	267946	Malacalcyonacea	Victorgorgiidae	1

Sponge Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no sponge taxa were observed.

ScientificName	AphiaID	Order	Family	Records
Asbestopluma	131893	Poecilosclerida	Cladorhizidae	10
Demospongiae	164811	NA	NA	50
Hexactinellida	22612	NA	NA	61
Hyalonematidae	131684	Amphidiscosida	Hyalonematidae	20
Porifera	558	NA	NA	5

Fish Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no fish taxa were observed.

## No fish records in this data set.