Scleractinian Coral Fauna of Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Citation
Glynn P W, Wellington G M, Riegel B, Olson D B, Borneman E, Wieters E A (2024). Scleractinian Coral Fauna of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Southwestern Pacific Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) Node. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/cbvfdh accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-11.Description
Three surveys at Easter Island (Rapa Nui) spanning the period 1999–2005, and examination of private and museum collections, have revealed a depauperate zooxanthellate scleractinian fauna. Collections were all made off island shelf exposures, from tide pools to 70 m with scuba, and by dredging to 100 m. With synonymies, reassignments, and two new records in the families Pocilloporidae and Faviidae, the Easter Island coral fauna now comprises 13 species. Pocilloporid and poritid coral abundances were generally high on all island shelves protected from southern swells. A cluster analysis of the coral fauna relationships of 19 south, central, and far-eastern Pacific sites indicates a strong affinity between those of Easter Island and the far-eastern Pacific equatorial region (e.g., Colombia, Ecuador, Panama´, and the Galapagos Islands). The precipitous drop in coral species richness from the Pitcairn Island group (61 species) to Easter Island suggests the presence of a dispersal barrier between these two remote southeastern Pacific areas, separated by @ 1,800 km of deep ocean waters. Consideration of the surface circulation based on satellite-tracked surface drifters confirms this conclusion. Surface currents are from east to west along the topography on which Easter and Sala-y-Gomez Islands sit, suggesting a substantial barrier to recruitment from the west.Sampling Description
Study Extent
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)Sampling
The focus of this study is Easter Island (Rapa Nui), centered at 109° 22' W, 27° 07' S. This is one of the most isolated localities in the tropical/subtropical oceans. Coral collection sites were concentrated along the western and northern shores, with some collections also carried out at two offshore islets to the south of the island and at Punta Redonda on the southeastern coast.Method steps
- Most collections were made with scuba to 70m depth on surveys conducted during 14–19 March 1999, 18–22 March 2000, and 12–20 March 2005. Most specimens were deposited in the Marine Invertebrate Museum of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami (UMML)
- Material was also examined from drag hauls at 100 m, and in the collections of the Museo de Zoologıa, Departamento de Zoologıa, Universidad de Concepcion (UCMZ).
Additional info
marine, harvested by iOBISTaxonomic Coverages
Scleractinian coral
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Scleractiniarank: order
Geographic Coverages
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Bibliographic Citations
- Glynn, P.W., Wellington, G.M., Riegl, B., Olson, D.B., Borneman, E., and Wieters, E.A. 2007. Diversity and Biogeography of the Scleractinian Coral Fauna of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Pacific Science (2007), vol. 61, no. 1:67–90. -
Contacts
Peter W. Glynnoriginator
position: Researcher
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami
33149-1098
Florida
US
Gerard M. Wellington
originator
position: Researcher
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston
Houston
77204-5513
Texas
US
Bernhard Riegel
originator
position: Researcher
National Coral Reef Institute, Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeast University
8000 North Ocean Drive
Dania
33004
Florida
US
Donald B. Olson
originator
position: Researcher
Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami
33149-1098
Florida
US
Eric Borneman
originator
position: Researcher
Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami
33149-1098
Florida
US
Evie A. Wieters
originator
position: Researcher
Departamento de Ecologıa, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
Santiago
CL
Peter W. Glynn
metadata author
position: Researcher
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami
33149-1098
Florida
US
Kevin Mackay
user
email: kevin.mackay@niwa.co.nz
Peter W. Glynn
administrative point of contact
position: Researcher
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami
33149-1098
Florida
US