Surveys of octocorals in the Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Mermaid Reef National Marine Nature Reserve, Western Australia

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Octocoral biodiversity was surveyed at eighteen sites across all three Rowley Shoals (Mermaid, Clerke and Imperieuse Reefs). At each site, transects commenced at ~20m depth and ascended gradually, finishing at ~5m depth over a horizontal distance of ~300m. All octocorals encountered were identified (so far as possible in the field), most were photographed and selected samples were taken of new observations for later taxonomic analysis.The data will be maintained by AIMS, while the WA Museum will hold the taxonomic specimens. This research was undertaken as a component of a major biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Mermaid Reef National Marine Nature Reserve. The survey was undertaken in response to management information needs and was aimed at collecting data that could directly inform management of the Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Mermaid Reef National Marine Nature Reserve.The octocoral data has been used to produce a basic photo ID guide to facilitate analysis of benthic monitoring video tapes from the Rowley Shoals. A subset of the data has been provided to the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS, http://www.iobis.org/OBISWEB/DisplayMetaData.jsp?content=meta/1460.html).

Data and resources

A brief photo guide to the shallow-water octocorals of the Rowley Shoals, Western Australia: Fabricius KE (2008) A brief photo guide to the shallow-water octocorals of the Rowley Shoals, Western Australia. 40 p.

A brief photo guide to the shallow-water octocorals of the Rowley Shoals, Western Australia: Fabricius KE (2008) A brief photo guide to the shallow-water…

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Comparative marine biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals, 1-17 Dec 2007: metadata report: Long S, Armstrong S, Fabricius KE, Field IC, Cook K, Colquhoun J and Huisman J (2008) Comparative marine biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals, 1-17 Dec 2007: metadata report. Government of Western Australia. Dept. of Environment and Conservation and Australian Institute of Marine Science. 14 p.

Comparative marine biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals, 1-17 Dec 2007: metadata report: Long S, Armstrong S, Fabricius KE, Field IC, Cook K, Colquhoun J…

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OBIS dataset

OBIS dataset

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AIMS Web Site

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AIMS Web Site

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AIMS Web Site

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AIMS Web Site

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Additional information

Date (revision)	2026-10-24
Status	completed
Update frequency	notPlanned
Metadata language	en
License	All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.
Source metadata	ISO 19115 XML
Last updated	2026-11-05
Created	2026-11-05
API	package_show