Common Shallow-Water Gorgonians of Trinidad

Abstract

Gorgonians may be divided into hermatypes, which harbour unicellular algae termed zooxanthellae , and ahermatypes, which do not have zooxanthellae. Indications are that there exists a symbiotic relationship between these algae and their gorgonian hosts. Hermatypic forms are therefore, of necessity, confined to shallow water. In Trinidad these species are found only at depths shallower than 10 metres. The species described in this paper are all hermatypes and thus shallow-water species, except Pacifigorgia elegans. P. elegans apart from being an ahermatype, occurs both in shallow and deeper water.