Fenner, D.

Some Reefs and Corals of Roatan (Honduras), Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman

1993

Atoll Research Bulletin

388

30

"The topography, zonation, and coral communities of small sections of the reefs which surround three western Caribbean islands were studied for comparison with well - studied Caribbean reefs of northwestern Roatan (Honduras), an Brac , and northwestern Little Cayman all have terraces a t 5-10 n depth and 15-20 m depth , and a nearly vertical deep forereef , with the exception of one section on Little Cayman which lack deep the Terrace , and sections on Roatan that have only one terrace, Northwestern Roatan has a well-developed set of buttresses and sand channels, although it receives little wave energy. Forty-four taxa of corals were found on Roatan, 47 on Cayman Brac, and 45 on Little Cayman. Nine were new records on Roatan, 24 were new on Cayman Brac, and 20 on Little Cayman. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index averaged 1.38 over a 0.1-15 m depth range at Roatan, and 1.58 over 0.1-25 m depth at Cayman Brac, indicating slightly low and average coral diversities compared to other Caribbean reefs . Coral cover averaged 21% a t Roatan and 20% at Cayman Brac, indicating a slightly low coral cover for Caribbean reefs, well within the range reported."