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![Gray's Reef Banner](images/grbanner.jpeg)
- Summary of 1998 research conducted aboard the NOAA
Ship Ferrel in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
under permit #GRNMS-02-98
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- PROJECT TITLE: Identification and Species Diversity of Sessile Invertebrate Fauna Indigenous to the Natural Rock Formations of
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
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- PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 06-09 April 1998
- SITE/AREA: Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (N
31023.792, W 80053.421)
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Mr. Greg McFall /Ms.Elizabeth LaRoche
- INSTITUTION: University of North Carolina at Wilmington / Phytera Inc.
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- Table 1: Specimens
collected for Gray's Reef NMS voucher
collection.
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- Table 2: Organisms
identified and present on Gray's Reef but not collected
as voucher samples.
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary may be a northern
limit to several species of, what are generally considered
to be "tropical" organisms, as evidenced by the absence of
these species on North Carolina hardbottom reefs. I was most
surprised by the presence of the sponges H. Eaten,
A. fulva, T. morchellum. D. etheria, G. gibberosa, A.
varians, S. vesparium, E. formosus, and S.
obliqua, and the scleractinian coral Eusmilia
fastigiata.
Considering the size of some of the "tropical" sponge
colonies, it is apparent that they are able to survive as
year-round residents of the hardbottom reef ecosystem; this
would lead me to surmise that many of these "tropical"
species are eurythermal, and not as temperature intolerant
as was previously thought. Judging by the size of several
sponge colonies, and compared to the growth rates we've
witnessed in the Caribbean, I'd say that there are several
sponges in Gray's Reef NMS that are over 7 years old. The
contiguity of GRNMS to the Gulf Stream, with it's episodic
oceanographic events, undoubtedly accounts for the source of
invertebrate larval recruits as well as the warmer water
masses necessary to maintain the established fauna. The fact
that these warm-water species are present and thriving
suggests that the physical oceanographic parameters
necessary to maintain these invertebrates are fairly
constant from year to year.
Another anomaly that I witnessed on the reef was the
presence of sponges that have only been reported in tropical
mangrove ecosystems. Two sponges, G. gibbersoa and
D. etheria, were not only represented in the fauna,
but were some of the more abundant species present. In more
tropical climes, these two sponges are thought to thrive in
the mangrove environment due to the absence of spongivorous
fishes (angelfishes, filefishes and parrotfishes.). In past
experiments we've shown that when these two mangrove sponges
are transplanted to the reef, they are consumed within 24
hours by spongivores. These results, coupled with the
absence of spongivorous fishes in the mangroves, have led us
to conclude that tropical sponge environments are largely
controlled by predation. Although there are angelfishes
present in GRNMS (Holacanthus bermudensis - Blue
angelfish and H. ciliaris - Queen angel) they don't
appear to be abundant enough to control the plethora of
sponges present on the hardbottom reefs of the
sanctuary.
Table 1: Specimens collected
for Gray's Reef NMS voucher collection.
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Red Beard Sponge (Microciona prolifera)
From left the right finger morph, blade morph, and brown morph.
Temperate
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- A. Stinker Sponge (Ircinia felix)
- Lombate morph- Temperate/Tropical
- B. Red Beard Sponge (Microciona prolifera) -brown morph- Temperate
- C. Sea Liver Tunicate (Eudistoma hepaticum)- Temperate/Tropical
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- A. Sponge* (Dysidea etheria) -Tropical
- B. Strawberry Sponge (Aplysills roceacea) - Tropical
- C. Lambs Wool Sponge (Hippospngia lachne) - Tropical
- D. Red/Orange Branching Sponge (Ptilocaulis walpersi) with zooanthids- Tropical
- E. Chicken-liver Sponge (Chondrilla nucula)-Temperate/Tropical
- F. Scattered-pore Rope Sponge (Aplysina fulva) - Tropical
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- A. Loggerhead Sponge (Spheciospongia vesparium) -Tropical
- B. Sponge*(Vergongula sp.) -Tropical
- C. Sponge*(Teichaxinella morchellum) -Tropical
- D. Red Beard Sponge (Microciona prolifera) - Temperate
- E. Orange Branching Sponge (unid)- Temperate
- F. Sponge*(Vergongula sp.) -Tropical
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- A. Brown Variable Sponge (Anthosigmella varinas) - Tropical
- B. Brain Sponge (Geodia gibbersosa) -Tropical
- C. Sea Pork Tunicate (Aplydium stellatum) -Tropical
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- A. Orange Branching Sponge (unid)- Temperate
- B. Scattered-Pore Rope Sponge (Aplysina fulva)- Tropical
- C. Sun Sponge (Hymeniacidon heliophila) -Temperate
- D. Red/Orange Branching Sponge* (Ptilocaulis walpersi) with zooanthids- Tropical
- E. Tubular-horn Bryozoan (Schizoporella violacea) -Temperate/Tropical
- F. Temperate-reef Coral (Oculina arbuscula) Temperate
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- A. Short Spined Sea Urchin (Lytechinus variegatus)- Temperate/ Tropical
- B. Brown Spiny Sea star (Echinaster spinulosus) Temperate
- C. Stinking Vase Sponge (Ircinia campana) -Temperate/Tropical
- D. Stinker Sponge (Ircinia felix)- Temperate/Tropical
- E. Sponge*(Teichaxinella morchellum) Tropical
- F. Encrusting Bryozoan (Schizoporella unicornis) -Temperate/Tropical
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* Sponges with no known common name.
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Table 2: Organisms
identified and present on Gray's Reef but not collected as
voucher samples.
Identification
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Common Name
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Distribution
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Aplysilla longispina
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Sulfur Sponge
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Temperate
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Zoobotryon verticillatum
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Common Moss Bryozoan
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Temperate
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Parazoanthus puertoricense
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Maroon Sponge Zooanthid
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Tropical
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Echinaster spinulosus
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Brown Spiny Sea star
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Temperate
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Trematooecia aviculifera
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Bleeding-tooth Bryozoan
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Temperate/Tropical
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Bugul a neritina
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Common Buglua Bryozoan
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Temperate
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Tridemnum solidum
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Overgrowing Mat Tunicate
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Temperate/Tropical
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Distaplia bermudensis
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Mottled Encrusting Tunicate
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Tropical
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Erylus formosus
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None Known (sponge)
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Tropical
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Eudistoma olivaceum
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Olive Gelatinous Tunicate
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Tropical
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Spongia obliqua
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Commercial Bath Sponge
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Tropical
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Spirastrella sp.
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Red Encrusting Sponge
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Tropical
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Halichondria melanodocia
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None Known (sponge)
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Tropical
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Anoplodacylus lentus
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Sea Spider
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Temperate/Tropical
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Polycera chilluna
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Harelequin Nudibranch
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Temperate
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Ptilocaulis spiculifera
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Red Branching Sponge
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Tropical
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Mycale americana
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Flabby Sponge
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Temperate
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Leptogorgia virgulata
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Golden Sea Whip
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Temperate
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Eusmilia fastigiata
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Smooth Flower Coral
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Tropical
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Luidia clathrata
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Gray Sea Star
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Temperate/Tropical
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Sclerodactyla briareus
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Hairy Sea Cucumber
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Temperate
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Thyonella gemmata
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Stripped Sea Cucumber
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Temperate
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Lytechinus variegatus
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Short-spined Sea Urchin
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Temperate/Tropical
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Arbacia punctula
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Brown Rock Urchin
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Temperate/Tropical
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Mellita quinquiesperforata
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Common Sand Dollar
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Temperate
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Astrophyton muricatum
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Basket Star
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Tropical
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Astropecten articulatus
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Margined Sea Star
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Temperate/Tropical
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Aplysina cauliformis
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Golden Rope Sponge
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Tropical
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