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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nancy Foster, June and July, 2018

Dataset ID: NOAA_NF-18-04
Database Version: 20260416-1
Data Provider: NOAA, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Data Contact: Battista, Tim

Locator Map

Geographic Range

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

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

Minimum Latitude: 17.86517
Maximum Latitude: 17.96107
Minimum Longitude: -66.90681
Maximum Longitude: -66.57799

Overview

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

Number of records: 4,194
Number of coral records: 2,821
Number of sponge records: 1,373
Records with images: 4193
Record type(s): video observation
Minimum depth (meters): 2
Maximum depth (meters): 284
Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 5
Time frame: 2018 to 2018

Data Set Description: This is a subset of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program’s National Database. The data represent records deep-sea corals and sponges observed during 2018 ROV surveys aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. The objectives of this Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program expedition were to survey, sample, and map deep-sea coral ecosystems in Southwest Puerto Rico.

Collection methodogy details:

The expedition conducted 27 ROV dives (1 test dive and 26 survey dives), moving from deep water (~275m) to shallow water (~30m), along the southwest side of Puerto Rico (off the coast of Ponce, PR). Dives averaged 346 meters but climbed often vertical relief. A total distance of 9km was travelled by the ROV over the course of the expedition. EventID is formatted as OMAO cruise number, dive number, and SampleID. Dives for this cruise retained the number assigned during dive planning and do not represent the numerical order they were completed in and were more accurately described as stations, therefore the Station field contains the dive number. SampleID is the sequential number generated for each screenshot. The sequential number generated is specific to a given dive not for the cruise as a whole. Screenshots were generated for each coral or sponge occurrence that was observed. Each coral and sponge was identified directly from the video and screenshots are intended to serve as a representation of the occurrence and do not represent the quality of the footage from which the identification was made. The discrepancy between video quality and image quality is due to motion blur occurring in the image that is not present when watching the video. Enumeration for IndividualCount occurred within the cone of light of the ROV. Corals or sponges outside of the cone of light were imaged and documented in subsequent images if possible.
Link: https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/exploring-puerto-rican-reef-habitats-from-noaa-ship-nancy-foster/

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Data Set Level Citation

NOAA, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Observation date range: 2018 to 2018. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). Principal investigator: Battista, Tim | tim.battista@noaa.gov. DSCRTP Dataset ID: NOAA_NF-18-04. 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
NF1804	Nancy Foster R/V	Mohawk ROV, Mohawk 18 ROV	ROV	video observation

Taxonomic Summary

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

Corals

Number of coral records: 2,821

Taxon rank	Percent of all coral records
class	0 %
order	11 %
family	14 %
subfamily	0 %
genus	69 %
species	1 %
NA	4 %

Sponges

Number of sponge records: 1,373

Taxon rank	Percent of all sponge records
class	98 %
species	2 %

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
Acanthogorgia	125293	Malacalcyonacea	Acanthogorgiidae	10
Acanthogorgiidae	125272	Malacalcyonacea	Acanthogorgiidae	86
Anthomastinae	1510270	Scleralcyonacea	Coralliidae	1
Antipatharia	22549	Antipatharia	NA	178
Antipathes	103302	Antipatharia	Antipathidae	103
Antipathes furcata	103312	Antipatharia	Antipathidae	14
Antipathidae	103301	Antipatharia	Antipathidae	1
Chrysogorgia	125294	Scleralcyonacea	Chrysogorgiidae	1
Desmophyllum	135093	Scleractinia	Caryophylliidae	2
Ellisella	125298	Scleralcyonacea	Ellisellidae	792
Leptogorgia	125302	Malacalcyonacea	Gorgoniidae	36
Muricea	177745	Malacalcyonacea	Plexauridae	3
Nephtheidae	146762	Malacalcyonacea	Nephtheidae	2
Nicella	125299	Scleralcyonacea	Ellisellidae	320
Octocorallia	1341	NA	NA	3
Pennatuloidea	1609360	Scleralcyonacea	NA	102
Plexauridae	125277	Malacalcyonacea	Plexauridae	226
Primnoidae	125278	Scleralcyonacea	Primnoidae	77
Scleractinia	1363	Scleractinia	NA	138
Stichopathes	103308	Antipatharia	Antipathidae	689
Stylasteridae	22805	Anthoathecata	Stylasteridae	10
Swiftia exserta	286416	Malacalcyonacea	Plexauridae	25
Thesea	125315	Malacalcyonacea	Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis	2

Sponge Taxa Observed

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

ScientificName	AphiaID	Order	Family	Records
Amphimedon nodosa	1814728	Haplosclerida	Niphatidae	34
Demospongiae	164811	NA	NA	1299
Hexactinellida	22612	NA	NA	40

Fish Taxa Observed

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

## No fish records in this data set.