File:Bulletin (1971-) (19802015293).jpg

Title: Bulletin
Identifier: bulletin8502sout (find matches)
Year: 1971- (1970s)
Authors: Southern California Academy of Sciences
Subjects: Science; Natural history; Natural history
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : The Academy
Contributing Library: New York Botanical Garden, LuEsther T. Mertz Library
Digitizing Sponsor: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden

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98 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
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Fig. 4. Typical hard-bottom community observed in water depths >90 m. Species present include (1) the basket star Gorgonocephalus caryi, (2) the anemone Actinostola sp., (3) the feather star Flo- rometra serratissima, (4) ophiuroids lOphiopholis/TOphiocantha and lOphiopsila, and (5) rockfish Sebastes spp. The deepest assemblage (90 to at least 150 m depth) was dominated by the feather star Florometra serratissima and several species of ophiuroids (lOphio- pholis/lOphiocantha spp. and lOphiopsila sp.) (Fig. 4). This assemblage was found mainly on the ridge (Area G) and deeper portions of the banks (Areas C and F). In Area G the basketstar Gorgonocephalus caryi was common and often occurred near the tops of rock pinnacles. This association of echinoderms is known from other deep-water areas of the Bight (J. Word, pers. comm.) but has not been described previously as an assem- blage. During recent surveys conducted on hard-bottom areas near Point Con- ception, California (Nekton, Inc. 1981; Dames and Moore 1982), photographs were taken at depths down to 500 m of assemblages we believe correspond with the Florometra/ophmroid community described here. In these studies Florometra was reported as the dominant species with the ophiuroids Ophiocantha sp. and Ophiopholis sp. as subdominants. Although qualitative, our review of video tapes from Point Conception studies indicated that populations of Florometra were not as dense as on Tanner and Cortes Banks and Santa Rosa-Cortes Ridge. Recent (July 1984) manned submersible surveys conducted by SAIC in the Santa Maria Basin recorded several areas of dense assemblages of Florometra, Ophiocantha and other ophiuroid species. Many species of feather stars commonly occur in dense aggregations probably resulting from the poor dispersal abilities of their larvae and settlement near the adults (Hyman 1955). However, Florometra serratissima larvae exhibit good dis-

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