Benthic communities on coral reefs at locations in Florida, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti were surveyed in October 1972. This survey supplemented the extensive sampling of the reef terrace off Grand Bahama Island made possible due to having access, over several years, to the saturation diving facility, Hydro Lab. Observations were made along 10m line transects. The length occupied by each sessile organism and the distance between organisms were recorded in sequence. The total length of an individual species within a transect was used to calculate the percent cover of that species. A total of 46 transects were completed.Specimens were also collected and returned to the surface for identification to species level where possible.

Research was undertaken to investigate and compare the little known benthic communities on submarine terraces within the Bahamian region.

List of species or species groups identified along transects and used in data analyses (68 of 126):Briareum asbestinum (Pallas)Erythropodium caribaeorum (Duchassaing and Michelotti)Plexaura homomalla (Esper)Plexaura flexuosa LamourouxPlexaura sp.Pseudoplexaura porosa (Houtuyn)Eunicea palmeri BayerEunicea mammosa LamourouxEunicea fusca Duchassaing and MichelottiEunicea tourneforti Milne-Edwards and HaimeEunicea clavigera BayerEunicea knightii BayerEunicea calyculata Ellis and SolanderEunicea sp.Muriceopsis flavida (Lamarck)Plexaurella nutans (Duchassaing and Michelotti)Plexaurella grisea KunzePlexaurella fusifera KunzeMuricea muricata (Pallas)Muricea laxa VerrillMuricea elongata LamourouxPseudopterogorgia bipinnata (Verrill)Pseudopterogorgia kallos (Bielschowsky)Pseudopterogorgia rigida (Bielschowsky)Pseudopterogorgia americana (Gmelin)Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae BayerGorgonia ventalina LinnaeusStephanocoenia michelinii Milne-Edwards and HaimeMadracis decactis (Lyman)Acropora cervicornis (Lamarck)Agaricia agaricites L. forma agaricitesAgaricia agaricites L. forma carinataAgaricia agaricites L. forma purpureaAgaricia fragilis DanaAgaricia lamarcki Milne-Edwards and HaimeHelioseris cucullata (Ellis and Solander)Siderastrea siderea (Ellis and Solander)Porites astreoides LeseurPorites porites (Pallas)Porites furcata LamarckDiploria labyrinthiformis (Linnaeus)Manicina areolata (Linnaeus)Colpophyllia natans (Muller)Montastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander)Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus)Meandrina meandrites (Linnaeus)Dichocoenia stokesii Milne-Edwards and HaimeDichocoenia stellaris WellsDendrogyra cylindrus EhrenbergMussa angulosa (Pallas)Scolymia lacera (Pallas)lsophyllia sinuosa (Ellis and Solander)lsophyllastrea rigida (Dana)Mycetophyllia lamarckana Milne-Edwards and HaimeEusmilia fastigiata (Pallas)SpheciospongiaIotrochota birotulataGeodia gibberosa(Axinellidae)Verongia?Verongia?Ianthella ardis?Dasychalina cyathina?(other infrequent sponges)Millepora alcicornis(algae)Additional data collected in relation to these communities are described in the metadata record "Standing stocks of organic carbon associated with sessile reefal communities on submarine terraces in the Bahamian region".