Marine Biodiversity of the Dampier Archipelago: Methodology

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years ago

INTRODUCTION – The two diving expeditions (DAI/98 and DA3/ 99) and the dredging expedition (DA2/99) conducted surveys of a selected marine biota of the Dampier Archipelago, from the support vessels Kimberley Quest, Top Gun Il and the Fisheries Research Vessel Flinders, respectively.

The selection of the groups of organisms studied was based mainly on two factors, the scientific expertise available and the ecological significance of the organisms in the Dampier Archipelago. The groups of organisms selected for study were as follows: marine algae, sponges, hard corals, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms and fishes. Marine reptiles, snakes and mammals were not included in the current survey. However, the Pilbara coastline and mangroves are important habitats for a number of marine turtles and sea snakes and at least 12 species of marine mammal have been recorded in the waters of the Dampier Archipelago (Carr and Livesey, 1966; Smith, 1974; Morris, 1995; Osborne et al., 2000).