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Fishery Bulletin 97(3). 1999 



The three most abundant species were the sailors 

 choice (Haemulon parra), silver porgy [Diplodus 

 argenteus), and cocoa damselfish (Stegastes variablis) 

 with means of 4.5, 3.8, and 3.7 individuals/transect 

 over all sites (Table 1). The most abundant species 

 at Coral Cove, sailors choice, black margate 

 [Anisotremus surinamensis), and hairy blenny 

 [Labrisomus nuchipinnis), represented 32% of all 

 individuals. Seven of the 15 most abundant species 

 at Coral Cove were grunts. At Carlin Park, silver 

 porgy, cocoa damselfish, and sailors choice repre- 

 sented 41% of all individuals. Eight of the 16 most 

 abundant species were grunts. At Ocean Ridge, the 

 most abundant species were silver porgy, sergeant 

 major (Abudefduf saxatilis), and sailors choice. Grunt 

 species ranked first in frequency of occurrence per 

 transect at Coral Cove and Ocean Ridge, and second 

 at Carlin Park (Table 1). Damselfish species ranked 

 first in frequency at Carlin Park and second at the other 

 sites. The most frequently occurring species overall 

 were cocoa damselfish, hairy blenny (Labrisomus 

 nuchipinnus), and sailors choice (Table 1). 



Normal cluster analysis of samples from all sites 

 resolved three groups that broadly reflected tempo- 

 ral patterns (Fig. 3). No distinct spatial groupings 

 emerged in the normal analysis. Group 1 consisted 



of 21 samples (eight from Carlin Park, ten from Coral 

 Cove, and three from Ocean Ridge) mostly taken in 

 spring and summer months. Group 2 consisted of 8 

 samples (four each from Carlin Park and Coral Cove) 

 taken in mid and late summer. Group 3 included the 

 only winter samples (February 1995 and 1996) taken 

 during the project. 



Inverse cluster analysis revealed seven groups of 

 taxa (Fig. 4). Group A contained 26 common taxa 

 including the most frequently occurring and abun- 

 dant species from visual surveys such as sailors 

 choice, cocoa damselfish, hairy blenny, and silver 

 porgy ( Table 1 ). This group characterized the spring- 

 summer group of samples defined by normal group 

 1. The remaining six groups consisted of taxa that 

 were temporally variable in their abundance and 

 occurrence in the samples. Group B was character- 

 ized by species that occurred at lower abundances. 

 Groups F and G were represented by single taxa: 

 Apogon maculatus and Archosargus probatocephal us, 

 respectively. The latter species was important in de- 

 fining normal group 3 (Fig. 3). 



Ordination of samples projected on CA axes 1 and 

 2 produced a pattern that generally agreed with the 

 normal cluster analysis (Fig. 5A). The eigenvalue for 

 CA axis 1 was 0.218 and accounted for 16. 9*^ of the 



