REEF ASSOCIATED MOLLUSCAN FAUNA OF THE SANTA MARTA AREA, CARIBBEAN COAST OF COLOMBIA

Abstract

A total of 263 molluscan species (201 of them found alive), collected from 1982 to 1989, is reported from seven coral reef localities of the Santa Marta area, Colombia. Species were arranged according to the reef zones in which they were found, their feeding habits and mode of life. Cluster analysis of faunal similarity between reef zones revealed the ocurrence of three molluscan assemblages (settled respectively in shallow environments, reef-slope zones, and sand-coral rubble zones), plus one containing few species and limited toa small zone dominated by lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifoiia). There are some differences between reef zones in the distribution of species with respect to feeding habits. Vagrant, carnivore gastropods constitute the most diverse group, but filter-feeding bivalves and herbivore gastropods reach high numbers in some zones. Some species were not recorded previously from the Caribbean coast of Colombia.