Avrainvlllea asarlfolia Borgesen. An uncommon plant of the algal 

 plain in 20 to 22 m depth.. Known only from Florida, Jamaica 

 and the Virgin Islands, reported by Taylor (1960) from 4.6 

 to 90.0 m depth. 



Avrainvillea geppl Borgesen. Found twice on the algal plain in 



20 and 23 m depth. Previously known from Borgesen's original 

 collection at St. John, Virgin Islands, from 16 m depth. 



*Avrainvillea levis Howe. Three plants were obtained from a bed of 



Syringodium in 13 m depth, 325 m N. of the habitat. Known 



from many places in the Caribbean, but reported here for the 

 first time from the Virgin Islands. 



Avrainvillea longicaulis (Kutzing) Murray and Boodle. Obtained 

 from several places on the algal plain in 20 to 22 m depth 

 where it occurred with A. nigricans , which it closely 

 resembles. Reported by Taylor (1960) to 30 m depth. 



Avrainvillea nigricans Decaisne. The most common and conspicuous 

 member of the genus, occurring in sea grass beds and on the 

 algal plain from 10 to 31 m depth. Recorded by Taylor (1960) 

 in depths to 30 m. When other plants are available, A. 

 nigricans is often ignored by grazing fishes, but on the plain 

 the following fishes were observed eating this species: 

 Ganthigaster rostrata , Pomo can thus arcuatus , Scarus croicensis . 

 During feeding trials , S^. croicensis and S pari soma aurofrenatum 

 sampled this species, and Randall (1967) found it in the stomach 

 contents of Pomacentrus f us cus . 



Bryopsis pennata Lamouroux. Occasional on the reef and on hard 



surfaces on the plain to 20 m depth. Randall (1967) reported 

 the following consxxmers : Abudefduf saxatilis , Pomocentrus 

 f us cus , Acanthurus bahianus , and Cantherhines pullus . 



Caulerpa ashmeadli Harvey. Occasional plants were found on the algal 

 plain from 50 to 180 m from the reef in 15 to 24 m depth. 

 During feeding trials , C^. ashmeadii was eaten by Pomo can thus 

 arcuatus and Sparisoma aurofrenatum . 



Caulerpa cupressoides (West) C. Agardh. Occasional on the algal 



plain to 22 m depth. Forms of this species have been reported 

 from the intertidal to 110 m depth (Taylor, 1960). During 

 feeding trials , Acanthurus coeruleus ate this species , and 

 Randall (1967) recorded Pomocanthus arcuatus and P^. paru as 

 consumers . 



VI-178 



