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 2025-10-06

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United States Geological Survey Cold-Water Coral Geographic Database

  • Dataset ID: USGS_CoWCoG
  • Database Version: 20251001-0
  • Data Provider: United States Geological Survey
  • Data Contact: Scanlon, Kathryn M.:

Locator Map

Geographic Range

  • Ocean: North Atlantic
  • Fishery Management Council Region(s): Gulf (formerly Gulf of Mexico), New England, South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic
  • Large Marine Ecosystem(s): Gulf of Mexico, Southeast U.S. Continental Shelf, Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf, Caribbean Sea
  • Marine Ecoregion(s): Northern Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy, Floridian, Virginian, Bahamian, Carolinian, Greater Antilles, Southern Gulf of Mexico

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

  • Minimum Latitude: 23.01667
  • Maximum Latitude: 41.56689
  • Minimum Longitude: -92.48567
  • Maximum Longitude: -65.86634

Overview

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

  • Number of records: 744
  • Number of coral records: 744
  • Number of sponge records: 0
  • Records with images: 0
  • Record type(s): still image, literature, specimen
  • Minimum depth (meters): 48
  • Maximum depth (meters): 2,500
  • Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 1
  • Time frame: 1868 to 2005

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 corals. primarily scleractinians from the Northwest Atlantic, from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Cold-Water Coral Geographic Database (CoWCoG). The original database formed the start of the National Database. The records were gathered primarily from literature. 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://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1351/

Collection methodogy details:

See link for methods.
Link: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1351/

Data Set Level Citation

United States Geological Survey. Observation date range: 1868 to 2005. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). DSCRTP Dataset ID: USGS_CoWCoG. Database version: 20251001-0.

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: 744

Taxon rank Percent of all
coral records
genus 9 %
species 91 %

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 arbuscula 125371 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 23
Acanthogorgia armata 125348 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 84
Anomocora fecunda 135130 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Anthomastus agassizii 158261 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 35
Anthomastus grandiflorus 125335 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 23
Anthothela grandiflora 125414 Malacalcyonacea Alcyoniidae 18
Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) floridana 286923 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Bathypsammia 267260 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Bathypsammia fallosocialis 289502 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Bathypsammia tintinnabulum 289503 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 5
Caryophyllia 135085 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) ambrosia 135135 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 7
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) antillarum 286727 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) berteriana 286731 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 6
Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) polygona 286759 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Cladopsammia 135109 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 19
Concentrotheca laevigata 135151 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Crispatotrochus 267348 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 3
Dasmosmilia 135091 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Dasmosmilia lymani 135152 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Dasmosmilia variegata 135153 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Deltocyathus 135092 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 8
Deltocyathus calcar 286791 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 1
Deltocyathus italicus 135156 Scleractinia Deltocyathidae 4
Dendrophyllia alternata 135184 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 3
Desmophyllum dianthus 135159 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 32
Desmophyllum pertusum 1245747 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 53
Distichoptilum gracile 128524 Scleralcyonacea Protoptilidae 2
Drifa glomerata 146941 Malacalcyonacea Capnellidae 2
Duva florida 146943 Malacalcyonacea Capnellidae 31
Enallopsammia profunda 157965 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 12
Enallopsammia rostrata 135190 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Flabellum 135114 Scleractinia Flabellidae 18
Flabellum (Ulocyathus) alabastrum 135194 Scleractinia Flabellidae 24
Flabellum (Ulocyathus) moseleyi 287019 Scleractinia Flabellidae 10
Fungiacyathus (Bathyactis) crispus 135203 Scleractinia Fungiacyathidae 1
Fungiacyathus (Bathyactis) marenzelleri 135205 Scleractinia Fungiacyathidae 32
Fungiacyathus (Bathyactis) symmetricus 287088 Scleractinia Fungiacyathidae 2
Gardineria minor 287444 Scleractinia Gardineriidae 2
Gardineria paradoxa 287445 Scleractinia Gardineriidae 2
Gersemia fruticosa 156101 Malacalcyonacea Alcyoniidae 3
Guynia annulata 135206 Scleractinia Guyniidae 1
Javania cailleti 135198 Scleractinia Flabellidae 4
Leiopathes 103305 Antipatharia Leiopathidae 1
Leiopathes glaberrima 103326 Antipatharia Leiopathidae 1
Madracis myriaster 287111 Scleractinia Pocilloporidae 2
Madrepora carolina 287092 Scleractinia Madreporidae 1
Madrepora oculata 135209 Scleractinia Madreporidae 11
Oculina varicosa 287102 Scleractinia Oculinidae 6
Oxysmilia rotundifolia 290565 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Paracyathus pulchellus 135163 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 19
Paragorgia arborea 125418 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 35
Paramuricea grandis 158289 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 83
Peponocyathus stimpsonii 546694 Scleractinia Turbinoliidae 4
Polymyces fragilis 290837 Scleractinia Flabellidae 13
Pourtalocyathus hispidus 290848 Scleractinia Schizocyathidae 3
Premocyathus cornuformis 135167 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Primnoa resedaeformis 125411 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 10
Schizocyathus fissilis 135207 Scleractinia Schizocyathidae 4
Solenosmilia variabilis 135168 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Stenocyathus vermiformis 135208 Scleractinia Stenocyathidae 3
Stephanocyathus 135102 Scleractinia Stephanocyathidae 8
Stephanocyathus (Odontocyathus) coronatus 286851 Scleractinia Stephanocyathidae 11
Stephanocyathus (Stephanocyathus) diadema 286852 Scleractinia Stephanocyathidae 20
Tethocyathus recurvatus 286865 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 2
Thalamophyllia 135104 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Thalamophyllia riisei 286868 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 4
Thecopsammia socialis 291210 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 5
Trachythela rudis 1116761 Malacalcyonacea Victorgorgiidae 3
Trochocyathus 135105 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 3

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.

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