Big Sponge (2) - Leo E

 Big Sponge (2)

    Big Sponge 2 was visited on Tuesday, May 25th because some fishermen were anchored on Big Sponge. The site was observed from approximately 13:40-14:40. This site was located on the oceanside of the Keys. This site was very shallow, varying from approximately 3 to 8 feet in depth and had low relief. Visibility was pretty decent at this site, approximately 15 feet. The water temperature was 79.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The current and wind were rather mild on this day, as it was observed slightly after high slack tide, and this stratified habitat was primarily dominated by hard bottom structure. 

    Big Sponge 2 was a habitat that harbored a variety of different organisms. Many sponges, such as the loggerhead sponge, bowl sponge, and barrel sponge were observed here. Other invertebrates observed here include the inflated seabiscuit, a Caribbean reef squid, spiny lobster, red and sargassum shrimp, queen conchs, diademas, brittle stars, and red-ridged clinging crabs. Fish observed here include scrawled cowfish, beaugregories, hogfish, white grunts, shrimp fish, high hats, slippery dicks, file fish, sergeant majors, blue-striped grunts, spotfin and banded butterflyfish, and French angelfish. Corals observed here were Siderastrea radians, Manicina areolata, Porites astreoides, Cladocora arbuscula, Plexaura sp., Eunicea sp., Solenastrea hyades, and Pseudodipteria gorga. Finally plants observed here included Thalassia testudinum, Udotia sp., Laurencia sp., Acetabularia sp., and Halimeda sp.