NOAA’s National Database for Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges: Data Set Dashboard (Repository)

NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program (DSCRTP)

Report last ran on 2026-01-26

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Texas A&M, Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections

  • Dataset ID: Texas_AM_BRTC
  • Database Version: 20260121-0
  • Data Provider: Texas A&M, Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections
  • Data Contact: Wicksten, Mary:

Locator Map

Geographic Range

  • Ocean: North Atlantic
  • Fishery Management Council Region(s): Gulf (formerly Gulf of Mexico)
  • Large Marine Ecosystem(s): Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea
  • Marine Ecoregion(s): Northern Gulf of Mexico, Western Caribbean, Southern Gulf of Mexico, Floridian, Southwestern Caribbean, Greater Antilles

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

  • Minimum Latitude: 16.71667
  • Maximum Latitude: 30
  • Minimum Longitude: -97.4333
  • Maximum Longitude: -82.6

Overview

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

  • Number of records: 538
  • Number of coral records: 538
  • Number of sponge records: 0
  • Records with images: 0
  • Record type(s): specimen
  • Minimum depth (meters): 12
  • Maximum depth (meters): 4,526
  • Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 1
  • Time frame: 1884 to 2007

Data Set Description: This is a subset of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program’s National Database. The data set contains records of deepwater coral specimens in the Texas A&M, Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (formerly known as the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection). The overall Collection of Marine Invertebrates consists of over 47,000 dry and fluid-preserved marine invertebrates primarily from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This collection was donated in 1995 by the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University. The majority of the specimens were collected by Research Vessels Alaminos and Gyre during the 1960’s and 1970’s. 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://brtc.tamu.edu/collections/marine-invertebrates/

Collection methodogy details:

Specimens were collected using a variety of methods and gears.
Link: NA

Data Set Level Citation

Texas A&M, Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections. Observation date range: 1884 to 2007. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). DSCRTP Dataset ID: Texas_AM_BRTC. Database version: 20260121-0.

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

Taxonomic Summary

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

Corals

Number of coral records: 538

Taxon rank Percent of all
coral records
class 3 %
order 3 %
family 3 %
genus 14 %
species 77 %
NA 1 %

Sponges

Number of sponge records: 0

## No sponge records in this data set.

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 12
Acanella arbuscula 125371 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 6
Acanthogorgia aspera 177735 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 1
Acanthopathes thyoides 289313 Antipatharia Aphanipathidae 1
Anomocora fecunda 135130 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 5
Anomocora prolifera 286719 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Anthomastus 125285 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 1
Anthoptilum 128489 Scleralcyonacea Anthoptilidae 4
Antipatharia 22549 Antipatharia NA 5
Antipathes 103302 Antipatharia Antipathidae 2
Antipathes atlantica 283882 Antipatharia Antipathidae 5
Antipathes furcata 103312 Antipatharia Antipathidae 5
Antipathes gracilis 283901 Antipatharia Antipathidae 2
Antipathidae 103301 Antipatharia Antipathidae 1
Aphanipathes pedata 283938 Antipatharia Aphanipathidae 1
Balanophyllia 135108 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) floridana 286923 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 3
Bebryce cinerea 286340 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 9
Bellonella 267263 Malacalcyonacea Alcyoniidae 6
Caliacis nutans 289550 Octocorallia incertae sedis NA 5
Callipodium rubens 289560 Scleralcyonacea Spongiodermidae 2
Callogorgia 125317 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 1
Callogorgia gracilis 286489 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 1
Callogorgia verticillata 125405 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 2
Carijoa riisei 395098 Malacalcyonacea Carijoidae 1
Caryophyllia 135085 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 7
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) ambrosia 135135 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 22
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) berteriana 286731 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) polygona 286759 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Caryophylliidae 135073 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Chironephthya agassizii 418845 Malacalcyonacea Siphonogorgiidae 4
Chrysogorgia elegans 177823 Scleralcyonacea Chrysogorgiidae 11
Cirrhipathes 204279 Antipatharia Antipathidae 3
Cladopsammia manuelensis 286959 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 2
Coenocyathus parvulus 286785 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Coralliidae 125280 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 1
Dasmosmilia lymani 135152 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 4
Deltocyathus 135092 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 1
Deltocyathus calcar 286791 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 4
Deltocyathus italicus 135156 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 37
Desmophyllum 135093 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Desmophyllum dianthus 135159 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Desmophyllum pertusum 1245747 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 4
Diodogorgia nodulifera 288872 Scleralcyonacea Spongiodermidae 1
Distichopora 205513 Anthoathecata Stylasteridae 1
Distichoptilum gracile 128524 Scleralcyonacea Protoptilidae 1
Eguchipsammia cornucopia 135188 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Elatopathes abietina 289886 Antipatharia Aphanipathidae 3
Ellisella 125298 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 1
Ellisella atlantica 292603 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 3
Ellisella elongata 520722 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 13
Ellisella funiculina 517713 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 4
Enallopsammia profunda 157965 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 3
Flabellum 135114 Scleractinia Flabellidae 1
Flabellum (Flabellum) floridanum 287008 Scleractinia Flabellidae 2
Funiculina quadrangularis 128506 Scleralcyonacea Funiculinidae 14
Guynia annulata 135206 Scleractinia Guyniidae 2
Hypnogorgia pendula 290166 Octocorallia incertae sedis NA 3
Javania cailleti 135198 Scleractinia Flabellidae 2
Keratoisididae 1544106 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 9
Keratoisis 125306 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 4
Lepidisis simplex 286336 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 2
Leptogorgia medusa 286250 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 1
Leptogorgia stheno 286285 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 3
Madracis 135125 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 2
Madracis asperula 135211 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 18
Madracis brueggemanni 287105 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 8
Madracis myriaster 287111 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 9
Madracis pharensis 135212 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 1
Madrepora carolina 287092 Scleractinia Madreporidae 9
Madrepora oculata 135209 Scleractinia Madreporidae 10
Muriceides hirta 418852 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 1
Nicella 125299 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 2
Nicella americana 286164 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 1
Nicella deichmannae 286166 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 2
Nicella flagellum 418862 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 4
Nicella guadalupensis 286171 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 8
Nidalia occidentalis 290487 Malacalcyonacea Nidaliidae 4
Nidaliidae 196169 Malacalcyonacea Nidaliidae 1
Octocorallia 1341 NA NA 14
Oculina 135124 Scleractinia Oculinidae 5
Oculina diffusa 287097 Scleractinia Oculinidae 2
Oculina varicosa 287102 Scleractinia Oculinidae 5
Oxysmilia rotundifolia 290565 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 5
Paracyathus pulchellus 135163 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 36
Paramuricea multispina 286382 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 1
Pennatuloidea 1609360 Scleralcyonacea NA 3
Peponocyathus stimpsonii 546694 Scleractinia Turbinoliidae 1
Phyllangia americana 346430 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Placogorgia rudis 286408 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 2
Placogorgia tenuis 286413 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 2
Pourtalosmilia conferta 286849 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Protoptilum carpenterii 128525 Scleralcyonacea Protoptilidae 3
Riisea paniculata 290997 Scleralcyonacea Ellisellidae 3
Sarcodictyon 125287 Scleralcyonacea Sarcodictyonidae 2
Schizocyathus fissilis 135207 Scleractinia Schizocyathidae 1
Scleracis 267830 Malacalcyonacea Scleracidae 1
Scleracis guadalupensis 418854 Malacalcyonacea Scleracidae 11
Scleractinia 1363 Scleractinia NA 10
Scleranthelia rugosa 125342 Octocorallia incertae sedis NA 1
Siphonogorgia 206094 Malacalcyonacea Siphonogorgiidae 1
Solenosmilia variabilis 135168 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Stephanocyathus (Odontocyathus) coronatus 286851 Scleractinia Stephanocyathidae 4
Stephanocyathus (Stephanocyathus) diadema 286852 Scleractinia Stephanocyathidae 12
Stereotelesto corallina 291129 Malacalcyonacea Tubiporidae 2
Stichopathes 103308 Antipatharia Antipathidae 7
Stichopathes gracilis 103334 Antipatharia Antipathidae 3
Stichopathes luetkeni 1287835 Antipatharia Antipathidae 1
Stichopathes occidentalis 283972 Antipatharia Antipathidae 1
Stichopathes setacea 283979 Antipatharia Antipathidae 1
Stylatula 128502 Scleralcyonacea Virgulariidae 3
Swiftia 125314 Malacalcyonacea Plexauridae 1
Swiftia exserta 286416 Malacalcyonacea Plexauridae 3
Tanacetipathes barbadensis 291173 Antipatharia Myriopathidae 4
Tanacetipathes hirta 291175 Antipatharia Myriopathidae 1
Tanacetipathes tanacetum 291180 Antipatharia Myriopathidae 1
Tanacetipathes thamnea 291182 Antipatharia Myriopathidae 2
Telesto fruticulosa 287517 Malacalcyonacea Tubiporidae 3
Thalamophyllia riisei 286868 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Thesea 125315 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 2
Thesea grandiflora 286433 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 2
Thesea granulosa 418856 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 2
Thesea guadalupensis 286434 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 1
Thesea nivea 418857 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 3
Thesea parviflora 286440 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 2
Thesea rugosa 286445 Malacalcyonacea Malacalcyonacea incertae sedis 3
Trochocyathus (Trochocyathus) rawsonii 286893 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Umbellula 1757986 Scleralcyonacea Umbellulidae 5
Umbellula lindahli 128531 Scleralcyonacea Umbellulidae 2
Villogorgia nigrescens 286471 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 1
Virgularia presbytes 286712 Scleralcyonacea Virgulariidae 2

Sponge Taxa Observed

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

## No sponge records in this data set.

Fish Taxa Observed

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

## No fish records in this data set.

Please send feedback if you notice any problems with this data set.

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