Seamount biology, Deep-sea corals, Seamount invertebrate communities, Endemism
Seamounts are unique and biologically productive deep-sea habitats that have often been described as having high levels of endemism, highly productive fisheries, and benthic communities vulnerable to trawl fishing. We describe the abundance and distribution of benthic megafaunal invertebrates found on 3 seamounts off central and southern California.
Calcaxonian octocorals, Pacific, seamounts
Eleven calcaxonian gorgonians are reported from seamounts in the Northeast Pacific, including eight new records for this region, six of which are described as new species. Twenty-one calcaxonians are now known from the Northeast Pacific (exclusive of Alaska). A table of comparisons is given for all six species of Parastenella and the three eastern Pacific species of Calyptrophora. A neotype is designated for Chrysogorgia fruticosa.
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Davidson Seamount, resource protection, coral distribution, habitat, education, Paragorgia
In May 2002, 90 hours of digital video was recorded from all depths of the Davidson Seamount, using a remotely operated vehicle, and deep-sea coral specimens were collected. Preliminary analyses indicate that 20 coral taxa were found, and they were almost exclusively located in high relief, ridge areas.
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Davidson Seamount; age; growth; radiometry; lead-21; radium-226
A recent biological characterization of the Davidson Seamount off central California using a remotely operated vehicle revealed communities rich with deep-sea corals.