Banc Capel

Banc Capel is a guyot, or flat-topped underwater volcano, in the Coral Sea.

Banc Capel
Coral Sea, in the South Pacific Ocean, near New Caledonia
Location
Location	Coral Sea, in the South Pacific Ocean, near New Caledonia
Coordinates	24°45.70′S 159°42.13′E) [1]
Country	France
Geology
Type	Guyot
Volcanic arc/chain	Lord Howe Seamount Chain

Description

Banc Capel is a guyot – a former atoll with steep sides and a flat top – and is swept by strong currents. There are no sandy or muddy substrates, the surface being occupied by rocks or gravel scree.^[2]

Biodiversity

Banc Capel is inhabited by species including Nassarius alabasteroides and Laurentaeglyphea.^{[3][4][5][2][6]} It is dominated by sponges, including the genus Phloedictyon and gorgonians. Other decapods found in the same trawls including the slipper lobster Ibacus brucei, the crab Randallia and swimming crabs.^[2]

Notes and references

1. "GeoHack". Retrieved 2014-09-25.
2. Bertrand Richer de Forges (2006). "Découverte en mer du Corail d'une deuxième espèce de glyphéide (Crustacea, Decapoda, Glypheoidea)" (PDF). Zoosystema. 28 (1): 17–28.
3. Kool (2009). Miscellanea Malacologica 3 (5) : 97-100. World Register of Marine Species, Retrieved 18 April 2010.
4. Nassarius alabasteroides Kool, 2009. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 18 April 2010.
5. Nassarius alabasteroides Kool, 2009, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, 2009
6. T. Y. Chan; M. Butler; A. MacDiarmid; A. Cockcroft & R. Wahle (2011). "Laurentaeglyphea neocaledonica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T185043A8357202. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T185043A8357202.en.