NAVIGATION
This page is a sub-page of ObsSG, a top-level page on
the website Barbados Fringing Reefs and Seagrass Beds
(www.versicolor.ca/barbados).
Go to ObsSG for a list of other subpages in this section
of the website.
The following “Species Groups” were defined for the Carriacou seagrass flora by Patriquin et al.,2024 in “Shifts in biodiversity and physical structure of seagrass beds across 5 decades at Carriacou, Grenadines” – see Table S2 ; also view Materials & Methods/Stations pp 5-6 in the article PDF
The “Species Groups” included “closely related species that were not reliably or consistently distinguished in the field or for which the taxonomic distinctions are not well defined (e.g., the Porites furcata group refers to P. furcata and/or P. divaricata; Tripneustes ventricosus group refers to T. ventricosus and Lytechinus variegatus).”
I am (in early 2026) in the process of reviewing all Barbados seagrass species, posting 2015 images with proposed species ID on iNaturalist and determining which species identified in the field as part of the multi-year comparisons included a group of species; it’s likely the same Species Groups as listed below will be applicable to many of the Barbados field identified species.
List of Species Groups for the Carriacou seagrass beds (from Table S2)
The bolded, asterisked species name is that for the Species Group.
1. Dictyopteris justii*: Dictyopteris justii &/or D. jolyana
2. Padina sanctaecrucis*: Padina sanctae-crucis &/or P. gymnospora
3. Sargassum*: S. hystrix &/or S. platycarpum, possibly other species.
4. Avrainvillea nigricans*: A. nigricans and/or A. longicaulis and possibly any one or more of 6 other species of Avrainvillea in the West Indies with stipes and paddle- or fan-shaped blades and occurring in the Lesser Antilles (A. ascarifolia, A. elliotti, A.
fulva, A levis, A. mazei, A. silvana). See: Littler DS, Littler DM. Caribbean Reef Plants. OffShore Graphics, Washington, D.C. 2000. ISBN 0-9678901-0-1.
5. Avrainvillea rawsonii*: A. rawsonii and/or A. digitata (finger to club shaped blades interwoven/in mats)
6. Dictyosphaeria cavernosa*: Dictyosphaeria cavernosa &/or D. ocellata
7. Halimeda simulans*: May have included some H. tuna
8. Penicillus capitatus*: Penicillus capitatus &/or P. dumetosus
9. Ulva lactuca*: Ulva lactuca &/or U. fasciata
10. Valonia ventricosa*: Valonia ventricosa &/or V. macrophysa
11. Porites furcata*: Porites furcata &/or P. divaricata
12. Tripneustes ventricosus*: Tripneustes ventricosus &/or Lytechinus variegatus; most were T. ventricosus.