Coral Reef Data from Trinidad and Tobago 1981 - 1985

Sampling event Observation
Latest version published by Institute of Marine Affairs on Jul 23, 2025 Institute of Marine Affairs
Publication date:
23 July 2025
License:
CC-BY 4.0

Download the latest version of this resource data as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) or the resource metadata as EML or RTF:

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Description

A baseline survey of the nature and distribution of reefs in the coastal waters of Trinidad and Tobago - The Coral Assemblages in Macqueripe Bay, Trinidad (1983) The Coral Reefs at Speyside, Tobago (1985) The Fore-Reef Slopes of The Buccoo Reef Complex, Tobago (1985) The Reefs at Arnos Vale Bay, Tobago (1985) The Reefs at Culloden Bay, Tobago (1985) The Reefs in Man-O-War, Tobago (1985)

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 6 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

Event (core)
6
Occurrence 
520

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Laydoo, R.S. 1983. Baseline Survey of the nature and distribution of reefs in the coastal waters of Trinidad and Tobago. Institute of Marine Affairs (QH109.T8L39M33 1983) Laydoo, R.S.(1985) The Coral Reefs at Speyside Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs (QH109.T8L39C66 1995/B) Laydoo, R.S.(1985) The Fore-Reef Slopes of The Buccoo Reef Complex Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs (QH109.T8L39C63 1985/B) Laydoo, R.S.(1985) The Reefs at Arnos Vale Bay, Tobago. Technical Report. Intitute of Marine Affairs (QH109.T8L39C62 1985/B) Laydoo, R.S.(1985) The Reefs at Culloden Bay, Tobago. Technical Report (QH109.T8L39C64 1985/B) Laydoo, R.S.(1985) The Reefs in Man-O-War Bay, Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs (QH109.T8L39C65 1985/B)

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Institute of Marine Affairs. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 3fcfced7-176f-4af9-8481-1a1f2d7f093b.  Institute of Marine Affairs publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Participant Node Managers Committee.

Keywords

Samplingevent; Trinidad and Tobago; Coral Reefs; Observation

Contacts

Richard Laydoo
  • Originator
Institute of Marine Affairs
  • Hilltop Lane
Chaguaramas
TT
Paul Nelson
  • Point Of Contact
  • Data Officer
Institute of Marine Affairs
  • Hilltop Lane
Chaguaramas
TT
  • 8686344291
Alana Jute
  • Curator
Institute of Marine Affairs
Chaguaramas
TT

Geographic Coverage

Surveys of coral reefs were conducted on the Northwestern Coast of Trinidad and the southern and northern coastlines of Tobago.

Bounding Coordinates South West [10.739, -61.622], North East [11.329, -60.537]

Taxonomic Coverage

No Description available

Kingdom Chromista, Plantae, Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda, Ochrophyta, Chordata, Rhodophyta, Annelida, Chlorophyta, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Porifera, Chorophyta, Cnidaria
Order Scleractinia, Testudines, Comatullida, Dictyotales, Scleractinia, Decapoda, Agelasida, Zoantharia, Amphinomida, Carangaria incertae sedis, Orectolobiformes, Scleralcyonacea, Zoantharia, Tetraodontiformes, Diadematoida, Angulliformes, Holocentriformes, Haplosclerida, Acanthuriformes, Anthoathecata, Myliobatiformes, Sabellida, Carangiformes, Ophiacanthida, Antipatharia, Aulopiformes, Dictyoceratida, Syngnathiformes, Limida, Perciformes, Mulliformes, Littorinimorpha, Actiniaria, Alcyonacea, Blenniformes, Corallinales, Echinoidea, Euryalida, Ovalentaria incertae sedis, Bryopsidales, Scleratinia, Verongiida, Leptothecata, Amphilepidida, Pleuronectiformes, Eupercaria incertae sedis, Antipatharia, Clupeiformes, Malacalcyonacea
Family Diadematidae, Faviidae, Stylasteridae, Comatulidae, Haemulidae, Synodontidae, Serpulidae, Sphyraenidae, Ovulidae, Carangidae, Epinephelidae, Acroporidae, Pterogorgiidae, Gorgonocephalidae, Sabellidae, Gerreidae, Merulinidae, Pocilloporidae, Pomacentridae, Amphinomidae, Siderastreidae, Zoanthidae, Rhizangiidae, Erythropodiidae, Myriopathidae, Mullidae, Ophiotrichidae, Irciniidae, Pomacanthidae, Lithophyllaceae, Aulostomidae, Serranidae, Agelasidae, Oculinidae, Blenniidae, Bothidae, Petrosiidae, Clavulariidae, Diodontidae, Montastraeidae, Gorgoniidae, Pocilloporidae, Ostraciidae, Cheloniidae, Meandrinidae, Halimedaceae, Ginglymostomatidae, Grammatidae, Scaridae, Melithaeidae, Tetraodontidae, Antipathidae, Plexaurellidae, Plakobranchidae, Sciaenidae, Holocentridae, Milleporidae, Bryopsidaceae, Ophiodermatidae, Faviinae, Agariciidae, Poritidae, Merulinidae, Limidae, Briareidae, Ellisellidae, Ophiocomidae, Astrocoeniidae, Sabellinae, Muraenidae, Plexauridae, Anthothelidae, Balistidae, Carpiliidae, Caryophylliidae, Pomacanthidae, Dasyatidae, Solanderiidae, Dictyotaceae, Acanthuridae, Labridae, Stenopododae, Chaetodontidae, Echeneidae, Inachoididae, Sphenopidae, Lutjanidae, Dorosomatidae, Centropomidae, Aplysinidae, Palinuridae, Spongiodermidae, Phymanthidae, Aglaopheniidae, Mithracidae, Serraninae

Temporal Coverage

Start Date / End Date 1981-08-01 / 1984-06-30

Project Data

The anthozoan component of the sessile fauna in the hard-bottom biotope of Macqueripe Bay was surveyed between August 1981 and January 1982. A preliminary investigation of the nature and distribution of coral reefs in the Speyside marine area was conducted between January and February 1983 and February 1984. A Survey to determine the extent and biological characteristics of the fore reef zone of the Buccoo reef complex, located off south-western Tobago, was conducted from May to June 1984. A survey to determine the nature and distribution of reefs in Arnos Vale Bay, located on Tobago's Caribbean coast, was conducted in May 1984. A survey of an area fringing reef tract adjacent to Culloden Bay on the Caribbean coast of Tobago was conducted in April 1984.

Title Baseline Coral Reefs survey 1981 - 1984
Identifier BID-CA2020-004-INS
Funding Funded by the Institute of Marine Affairs via the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Study Area Description Macqueripe Bay is the northernmost of five embayments on Trinidad's northwestern peninsula. The marine area investigated is situated on north-eastern Tobago's Atlantic coast between Latitudes 11° 17’ N and 11° 19’ N and Longitudes 60° 30’ W and 60° 32’ W. The Buccoo reef complex is located off south-western Tobago at 11° 10’ N Latitude W, 60° 50’ W Longitude. Arnos Vale Bay is situated on Tobago's Caribbean or Leeward coast at 11° 13’ 30''N, Latitude, 60° 46’ 00''W Longitude. Culloden Bay is situated on Tobago's Caribbean of leeward coast at 11° 15’ N Latitude, 60° 45’ W Longitude.
Design Description The main aim and objective of these coral reef surveys during 1981 - 1984 were to gather baseline information on Trinidad and Tobago's coral reefs. This was done using transects, observations and underwater images were taken to be analyzed.

The personnel involved in the project:

Richard Laydoo
  • Author

Sampling Methods

Each transect consisted of a 1cm diameter white polyproylene rope marked at one-metre intervals; the line was placed so as to conform as much as possible with the bottom topography. Horizontal distance covered by the line was measured as a function of the configuration of the substratum underlying the transect line. This was achieved by placing a weighted line with a buoy attached (a vertical) on the first metre mark of the line; another vertical was held to the adjacent metre mark and the horizontal distance between the two verticals measured. By transposition of the verticals along successive marks on the transect line and summation of the horizontal distances per metre interval, the actual distance covered by each transect was determined. Depths were recorded with a divers' depth gauge (DACOR), at each metre mark on the transect line, and subsequently corrected to the tide datum level, which is the approximate level of the lowest astronomical tide.

Study Extent Surveys of coral reefs were conducted on the Northwestern Coast of Trinidad and on the southern and northern coastline of Tobago.
Quality Control The data is entered into Microsoft Excel using the Darwin Core Method. The species names are checked on WoRMS for changes in names. Errors are checked with GBIF validator, Open Refine, and corrected in Microsoft Excel.

Method step description:

  1. The biological event data is transcribed into Microsoft Excel using the Darwin Core Method. The species names are checked on WoRMS for changes in names. IMAs GIS Unit does the checks on the latitude and longitude data. If there are no GPS coordinates, the GIS unit will use an approximate location to georeference the data. The errors are checked with GBIF validator, Open Refine, and corrected in Excel.

Bibliographic Citations

  1. Laydoo, R.S.(1983). Baseline Survey of the nature and distribution of reefs in the coastal waters of Trinidad and Tobago. Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39M33 1983).
  2. Laydoo, R.S.(1985). The Coral Reefs at Speyside Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39C66 1995/B)
  3. Laydoo, R.S.(1985). The Reefs at Arnos Vale Bay, Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39C62 1985/B)
  4. Laydoo, R.S.(1985). The Reefs at Culloden Bay, Tobago. Technical Report, Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39C64 1985/B)
  5. Laydoo, R.S.(1985). The Reefs in Man-O-War Bay, Tobago. Technical Report. Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39C65 1985/B)
  6. Laydoo, R. S.(1985). The Fore-Reef Slopes of the Buccoo Reef Complex, Tobago. Institute of Marine Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. (QH109.T8L39C63 1985/B)

Additional Metadata

Coral Reef Surveys for Trinidad and Tobago 1983 - 1985 was collated for persons who are interested in historical coral reef biodiversity data. Biodiversity data over a long period of time can tell us a story of what is taking place in the environment during a particular time. This data, with current data, can be compared, and changes in the environment can be seen, and possible management and policies can be developed.

Purpose Coral Reef Surveys for Trinidad and Tobago 1983 - 1985 was collated for persons who are interested in historical coral reef biodiversity data. Biodiversity data over a long period of time can tell us a story of what is taking place in the environment during a particular time. This data with current data can be compared and changes in the environment can be seen and possible management and policies can be developed.
Alternative Identifiers 3fcfced7-176f-4af9-8481-1a1f2d7f093b
https://cloud.gbif.org/lac/resource?r=coraldata1983to85