An unexpectedly high amount of new species, revealed within only one hour of summarized bottom time, leads to the conclusion that the sponge fauna of the steep slopes of the deep fore-reef is still largely unknown. Four mixed gas dives at depths between 70 and 90 m, performed in May and June, 1993, at the deep fore-reef off the north Jamaican coast in front of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, revealed a total of 27 demosponge species, ten of which are new to science.

Depth range
70- 90 m

Mesophotic “mentions”
0 x (total of 9579 words)

Classification
* Presents original data
* Reports new species
* Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
* Focused on 'mesophotic coral ecosystem'

Fields
Biodiversity
Taxonomy

Focusgroups
Porifera (Sponges)

Locations
Jamaica

Platforms
SCUBA (open-circuit or unspecified)