The importance of the stenoglossan prosobranch gastropod Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck) and the amphinomid errant polychaete Hermodice carunculata (Pallas) as coral predators in Barbados, West Indies, was investigated. Coralliophila normally feeds upon the coral Montastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander), can consume up to 9 cm2 of tissue in 24 h, and has a mean density of 13 individuals per square meter of living coral in shallow water. Hermodice normally feeds upon the zooanthid Palythoa mammillosa (Ellis and Solander) and the corals Porites porites (Pallas) and Porites astreoides Lamarck. The mean density of Hermodice was less than one individual per square meter of surface of living prey and large worms could consume up to 3 cm2 of living coral tissue in a 3-h feeding period. Because of the low densities of the predators the preference of Hermodice for the zooanthid Palythoa and the fact that Coralliophila feeds only rarely, they did not cause extensive damage to reef corals.

The history of sponge collecting and systematics in British Columbia is reviewed over the period 1878 to 1966. Recent additions and changes are provided in an on-line species list: www.mareco/org/kml/projects/NEsponges.asp. Hadromerids are the focus of this paper as eight of 19 species in British Columbia are considered new. An additional new species is described from southern California to clarify the status of Tethya californiana in BC. An update is timely for hadromerids in BC as there is new material and renewed interest, while existing descriptions are often inadequate. We describe new species and provide additions to previous descriptions for sponges of the order Hadromerida (Porifera: Demospongiae) in the cold temperate NE Pacific off British Columbia and adjacent waters. We propose one range extension and one new species in Clionaidae; two range extensions and five new species in Polymastiidae; one range extension, two name changes and two new species in Suberitidae; and one new species in Tethyidae. New species include Pione gibraltarensis n.sp., Polymastia piscesae n. sp., Radiella endeavourensis n. sp., Sphaerotylus raphidophora n. sp., Sphaerotylus verenae n. sp., Weberella perlucida n. sp., Prosuberites saanichensis n. sp., Suberites lambei n. sp., and Tethya vacua n. sp..

1 quantitative survey of a submerged barrier reef n as undertaken in Barbados, Irest Indies, over a two year period . Photo-line transects were employed to obtain coverage data on corals and other benthic organisms. Light, sedimentation, currents, oxygen, temperature and salinity were also monitored.Results indicate corals cover about 30 per cent of the bottom with living colonies; another 7 per cent is contributed by other zoobenthos. The most abundant coral species are Montrtstretr nnnulnrin, N. CucertLoSn and Sidernstreu siderea, each contributing between 4 and 5 per cent of bottom cover.Light is the only physical factor monitored that correlated significantly m-ith biomass; sedimentation may have a secondary effect. Most of the barrier reef is composed of mixed coral associations forming a biologically accomniodated community.Comparisons are made betxeen the bariier reef in Barbados and deeper reefs in Jamaica and C'uracao. Reefs are. in the main, similar but c.oral species and community structure differences (lo occw.

The deep sea represents the largest and least explored biome on the planet. Despite the iconic status of the Galapagos Islands and being considered one of the most pristine locations on earth, the deep-sea benthic ecosystems of the archipelago are virtually unexplored in comparison to their shallow-water counterparts. In 2015, we embarked on a multi-disciplinary scientific expedition to conduct the first systematic characterization of deep-sea benthic invertebrate communities of the Galapagos, across a range of habitats. We explored seven sites to depths of over 3,300 m using a two-part Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system aboard the E/V Nautilus, and collected 90 biological specimens that were preserved and sent to experts around the world for analysis. Of those, 30 taxa were determined to be undescribed and new to science, including members of five new genera (2 sponges and 3 cnidarians). We also systematically analysed image frame grabs from over 85 h of ROV footage to investigate patterns of species diversity and document the presence of a range of underwater communities between depths of 290 and 3,373 m, including cold-water coral communities, extensive glass sponge and octocoral gardens, and soft-sediment faunal communities. This characterization of Galapagos deep-sea benthic invertebrate megafauna across a range of ecosystems represents a first step to study future changes that may result from anthropogenic impacts to the planet’s climate and oceans, and informed the creation of fully protected deep-water areas in the Galapagos Marine Reserve that may help preserve these unique communities in our changing planet.

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