A sessile shallow-water community dominated by sponges and algae at Nelson Island, Trinidad and Tobago

The sponges Halichondria melanadocia and Niphates erecta and the algae Dictyota ciliota and Caulerpa verticellata dominated the community. The corals Porites porites, Favia fragrum, Dichocoenia stokesii, Siderastrea radians, Astrangia solitaria, and Phyllangia americana were recorded but were insignificant in their contribution to the community.

About 45 percent of the area sampled was occupied by sessile organisms which is comparable to stony coral coverage on a Bermudan reef.