66. 



Lydonia Canyon and 400 to 1800 meters in Oceanographer Canyon. 



1. Baltimore Canyon has the least amount of substrate 

 variability, with most outcrops being restricted to the axis, 

 Lydonia and Oceanographer Canyons both have quite a variety 

 of substrate types, with outcrops not limited to the axis. 

 Additionally, large outcrops of consolidated clay and numerous 

 glacial erratics are also present in these latter two canyons. 



2. Corals are found in all three canyons. Baltimore 

 Canyon has the lowest concentration and least diverse coral 

 assemblage, which is dominated by a small white sea pen. 

 Lydonia Canyon has a considerably higher concentration of 

 corals, the most abundant of which is Eunephthya florida. 

 Oceanographer Canyon has the largest and most diverse coral 

 population, with Paramur-ioea grandis and Acanthogorgia avmata 

 being the dominant species. 



3. Canyon faunal assemblages are variable in shallow 

 water (100-400 m) . The shallow water species have a more 

 restricted depth range. Of the three canyons studied Ocean- 

 ographer Canyon has the most variable deep water fauna (400- 

 1800 m) . 



4. Faunal densities are high in shallow water and de- 

 crease with increasing depth. Below 1700 meters faunal 

 densities increase again. The high densities in shallow 

 water are largely due to anemones and the quill worm 



