A-32 



abundances at approximately 1800 meters. It is also likely 

 that more than one species of cerianthid occurs within the 

 study area, however, this would not be discernible from the 

 photographs. Echinus af finis is found between 1400 to 3000 

 meters within the study area, with peak densities at 1800 

 meters in the northern region and somewhat deeper in the 

 south. However, the coverage is too sparse to determine the 

 full extent of its depth distribution. 



Corals 



Corals (primarily alcyonarians) were seen at all depths 

 throughout the study area. Figure El shows the depths where 

 corals were seen during individual dives, as well as the 

 availability of hard substrates. These corals include a wide 

 variety of types, sizes and growth forms. Both scleractin- 

 ians (hard corals) and alcyonarians (soft corals) were seen. 

 The scleractinians range from delicate solitary cup corals to 

 large branching colonies. The alcyonarians range from small 

 nondescript sea pens to massive branching colonies several 

 meters in height. The following is a brief description of 

 most of the dominant or more striking corals seen during the 

 survey. 



Scleractinians 



Dasmosmilia lymani is a pale orange fairly delicate 

 solitary coral that reproduces by longitudinal splitting. 



