Specimens were pre-processed at the DMWR laboratory to reduce volume of material to be shipped. Algal specimens were processed as described in Appendix A and identified by PAS at the International Ocean Institute in Townsville, Australia. Invertebrate taxa requiring relaxation, i.e. hydroids, anemones, ophiuroids, holothurians, and ascidians were held in a solution of saturated magnesium sulfate in seawater for at least 12 hours, transferred to 5% formalin-seawater, and then into 70% isopropyl alcohol. The remaining organisms were preserved directly in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Coral rubble was broken into small pieces of ca. 5-20 cm dimension and treated in 5% formalin for 12 hours, the residue was washed though a 0.5 mm screen to remove small invertebrates, and these were transferred to 70% isopropyl for shipment to Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Upon arrival all invertebrate specimens were transferred to 70% ethyl alcohol for storage until sorting and identification.
Invertebrate specimens were sorted under dissecting microscope magnification into major taxonomic groups and, where needed, sent to taxonomic experts for identification to species or the lowest practicable taxa (see Acknowledgments). Identified taxa on were compiled into spreadsheets and converted into a database for comparison with previous species reports for the sites and to evaluate the presence and impact of introduced marine species at each site.
Acknowledgements: Taxonomic expertise for identifying organisms was provided by the following individuals, and their generous efforts and contributions to this project are gratefully acknowledged. Porifera, Amphipoda and Brachyura: Mr. Ralph DeFelice, Los Angeles County Museum Hydrozoans: Dr. Dale Calder, Royal Ontario Museum Zoantharians: Dr. Daphne Fautin and Ms. Meg Daly, University of Kansas Molluscs: Dr. Gustav Paulay, Florida Museum of Natural History Polychaetes: Dr. Pat Hutchings, The Austalian Museum, Sydney Cirripedia: Dr. Alan Southward, Marine Biological Association, U. K. Ostracods: Dr. Louis Kornicker, U.S. National Museum of Natural History Isopods: Dr. Brian Kensley, U.S. National Museum of Natural History Pycnogonids: Dr. C. Allan Child, U.S. National Museum of Natural History Bryozoa: Ms. Chela Zabin, Department of Zoology, University of Hawai\346i Opihuroids: Dr. Gordon Hendler. Los Angeles County Museum Crinoidea: Dr. Charles Messing, Nova Southeastern University Ascidians: Mr. Scott Godwin, Bishop Museum
Coles, S.L., P.R. Reath, P.A. Skelton, V.Bonito, R.C.DeFelice, and L.Basch, 2003. Introduced Marine Species in Pago Pago Harbor, Fagatele Bay and the National Park Coast, American Samoa. Bishop Museum, Pacific Biological Survey, BM Tech. Report No. 26, Honolul, HI December 2003, 191 pp.
From the original file, the following ASCII text files were derived to augment archival and access to the data:
FILE Comment pagopago.txt Full text ASCII version Figure_1.jpg JPEG plot of study area appendix_a.txt Algae Survey Report by Posa A. Skelton Introduced Marine Species Survey in Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa appendix_b.txt List of Marine Organisms Reported by the Present and Previous Studies or in Bishop Museum Collections from Pago Pago Harbor, Fagatele Bay, Vatia Bay, and Fagasa Bay. appendix_c.txt Taxa Observed or collected from 10 Stations in Pago Pago Harbor, Fagetele Bay, Vatia Bay, or Fagasa Bay, October 2002 *note, species identification by station has the format corrupted in this file. Refer to Appendix C in the PDF document for correct formatting. appendix_d.txt Corals and Fishes Observed in Moats and on Reef crest at Ofu Island, October 2002 table_1.txt Locations, dates, coordinates, and depths of stations table_4.txt Numbers of taxa for major taxonomic groups and total biota at sampling stations in present study. table_5.txt Nonindigenous and cryptogenic marine species collected or observed on Tutuila surveys, October, 2002.