Figure 1.
Bathymetric chart of Saba Bank in relation to Caribbean islands, showing the 17 collecting locations with the unique algal sites labeled as Field of Greens, Brown Town and Seaweed City.
Figure 2.
Species accrual curve for algae on Saba Bank.
Several undetermined species (spp.) not included in the check list were used in this graph. Sample based rarefaction curve shown in black is based on 17 dive sites. The Mau Tao estimator [8] of expected richness with 95% confidence intervals shown in blue. The curve reaches no asymptote, indicating a likelihood that many additional algal species remain to be found.
Table 1.
Annotated list of algae identified from Saba Bank arranged by major groups.
Table 2.
Listing of site data.
Figure 3.
Selected species from “Field of Greens”.
A region (> one hectare) of Saba Bank (depth 25 m) that our group named “Field of Greens” because the vast sand plain was dominated by green algae (Chlorophyta). Top left: Udotea occidentalis. Top right: Caulerpa mexicana. Middle left: Halimeda cf. tuna forma platydisca. Middle right: Caulerpa prolifera. Bottom left: Penicillus dumentosus. Bottom middle: Caulerpa cupressoides. Bottom right: Caulerpa racemosa f. lamourouxii.
Figure 4.
Selected species from “Brown Town”.
The large region (> one hectare) of Saba Bank (depth 25 m) nicknamed “Brown Town” because of the domination by brown macroalgae (Phaeophyceae). Top left: Overview of “Brown Town” habitat with over 50% cover of Dictyota turf. Top right: Dictyota hamifera. Middle left: Stypopodium zonale. Middle right: mixture of Lobophora variegata and Dictyota humifusa. Bottom right: Dictyopteris justii. Bottom right: Sargassum hystrix.
Figure 5.
Selected specimens from “Seaweed City”.
Specimens dominating the stony pavement area (30 m deep) termed “Seaweed City”, dominated by red algae (Rhodophyta). Top left: Wrightiella blodgettii. Top right: Hypoglossum hypoglossoides. Middle right: Gracilaria cylindrica. Bottom left: Jania capillacea. Bottom right: Tricleocarpa fragilis.
Figure 6.
Selected specimens from “Seaweed City”.
More Rhodophyta species characteristic of “Seaweed City” (Figure 5). Top left: Porolithon pachydermum. Top right: Scinaia halliae. Middle left: Dasya antillarum. Middle right: Meristiella schramii. Bottom left: Laurencia intricate. Bottom right: Chrysymenia dickieana.
Figure 7.
Selected specimens from potential new species.
Some examples of potential new species of brown algae (Phaeophyceae) from Saba Bank (35–45 m deep). Top four: Sargassum spp. Bottom right and left: Dictyota spp.
Figure 8.
Coral-dominated community characteristic of the windward (east) fore-reef slope of Saba Bank.