Images

Gray Snappers (Lutjanus griseus) are among the largest fish found in schools in the mangroves.

This Giant Caribbean Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) tucked in between mangrove roots.

Solitary Sea Squirts grow on prop roots and on the bottom in the mangroves. Tunicates are unusual animals that are classified along with humans and other vertebrates in the Phylum Chordata.

Pale-blue sponges and plate-like coral colonies (Agaricia agaricites) grow on mangrove prop roots.

This photo shows a mangrove ecosystem that may be unique in the Caribbean in terms of the abundance and diversity of corals.

This photo shows a mangrove ecosystem that may be unique in the Caribbean in terms of the abundance and diversity of corals.

A large colony of Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) has grown almost completely around a prop root.

This coral (Mycetophyllia sp.) is not abundant in coral reefs of the Virgin Islands. It most commonly grows in water deeper than 40 ft., and it is surprising to find it growing in the shade of the mangroves in 3 ft of water.

Some of the corals in these bays are so large that they must have been growing here before the bleaching event in 2005. The Mountainous Star Coral (Montastraea faveolata) (background) is one of the largest colonies in these mangroves. In the foreground is the Flower Coral (Eusmilia fastigiata).

In Hurricane Hole, Red Mangrove trees extend from land into the water, anchoring the trees along the shoreline and creating a rich marine ecosystem.

Prop roots of the Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) tree create thickets that harbor a wide variety of creatures both above and below the water.

A view of red mangrove trees and their prop roots above and below the water surface.

Prop roots extending into the water column are commonly colonized by a variety of colorful and bizarrely-shaped sponges.

A grooved brain coral, a massive starlet coral and a boulder brain coral growing under mangrove prop roots.

This photo shows a mangrove ecosystem that may be unique in the Caribbean in terms of the abundance and diversity of corals.

This striking Flower Coral (Eusmilia fastigiata) grows with an assortment of sponges among Red Mangrove prop roots.

Many species of corals grow directly on or near the Red Mangrove prop roots.

A Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) leaves his den to hunt for conchs and clams.

This photo shows an endangered hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) swimming over a colony of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata).

USGS scientists are doing research on sea turtles and corals in Florida and the US Virgin Islands.

Aggregation of different species of shorebirds feeding in the salt marsh.

Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), such as the one hiding here under a boulder, and Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) are occasionally seen in Hurricane Hole. Hawksbills feed mostly on sponges while Greens eat mostly sea grasses.