Bosques de coral negro del Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica: especies y distribución

Black coral forests, previously thought to be rare and limited to Isla del Coco, have been discovered in multiple sites within the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG) in Costa Rica's north Pacific. This study identifies two dominant species, Myriopathes panamensis and Antipathes galapagensis, with distinct depth distributions: M. panamensis thrives between 15-35 meters, while A. galapagensis is found at 30-45 meters. The research involved visual censuses and laboratory analysis of samples to characterize these ecosystems, revealing no significant morphological variations compared to other regions. Associated fauna, including the anemone Nemanthus californicus, bivalve Pteria sterna, and longnose hawkfish Oxycirrhithes typus, were documented but require further study to understand their ecological roles. The findings underscore the ACG's critical role in marine biodiversity conservation, particularly for these understudied antipatharian ecosystems.

Matamoros-Calderón, W., Lara, M., & Breedy, O. (2021). Bosques de coral negro del Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica: especies y distribución. Revista de Biología Tropical, 69(Suppl.2), S208–S218. https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v69isuppl.2.48317