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Gorgon ian communities of the Santa Marta area are dominated by species with large numbers of large colonies (height ;;.40 em) in contrast to that reported for other Caribbean sites where species with large numbers of small (<10 em in height) colonies are predominant. Cyphoma gibbosum and Hermodice caruncu/ata are the main predators of gorgonians in the area, but Cyphoma signatum and the fishes Alutera scripta, Acanthostracion quadricornis and Chaetodipterus faber were also observed feeding on gorgonians. Tumor-like outgrowths commonly appear in species of Pseudop/exaura and in Plexaura flexuosa and contain a chlorophyta Entocladia sp. Tubercle-like outgrowths in Plexaura homomalla, P. flexuosa, Pseudopterogorgia americana and Plexaurel/a grisea were found to contain a variety of invertebrates. RESUMEN: Las communidades de gorgonaceos del area de Santa Marta estan dominadas por especies con gran numero de colonias grandes (altura ;;.40 em) en contraste a lo registrado en otros sitios del Caribe donde predominan especies con gran numero de colonias pequenas (altura ~10 em). Cyphoma gibbosum y Hermodice carunculata son los principales predadores de gorgonaceos en el area. Cyphoma signatum y los peces Alutera scripta, Acanthostracion quadricornis y Chaetodipterus faber tambien fueron vistos comiendo gorgonaceos. Formaciones parecidas a "tumores" aparecen comunmente en especies de Pseudoplexaura y en Plexaura flexuosa y contienen un alga clorofita, Entoc/adia sp. En Plexaura homomalla, P. flexuosa, Pseudopterogorgia americana y Plexaurella grisea, aparecen comunmente formaciones parecidas a "tuberculos" que contienen una variedad de invertebrados. Gorgonian octocorals of the area of Santa Marta-Tayrona National Park are abundant and diverse (Botero 1987a). Dense gorgon ian growth most commonly occurs (a) on hard, steep substrata adjacent to the coastline, (b) on shallow coral-octocoral patches in the middle of inlets, (c) on and around large submerged rocks whose tops emerge 2-3 m from the water surface (piedras ahogadas) and (d) around islets. Botero (1987a,b) described and quantified the zonation, density and diversity of gorgonian communities of the area. She concluded that the main environmental factors affecting their zonation and depth distribution are water movement, general unavailability of hard consolidated substratum below 20-25 m 1 and relatively low water transparency (compared to other Caribbean locations). The present paper adds to what is known about octocoral communities of the Santa Marta area by describing height frequency distributions of species at two representative sites, where examples of the gorgonian communities of the area can be found. It also reports on the main gorgonian predators of the area and on tumor and tubercle-like outgrowths appearing in certain species. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study area is located in the Departamento del Magdalena, Caribbean Coast of Colombia (Fig. 1). Botero 1 Botero: Observations on the Size, Predators and Tumor-Like Outgrowths of Published by The Aquila Digital Community, 1990

Observations on the Size, Predators and Tumor-Like Outgrowths of Gorgonian Octocoral Colonies in the Area of Santa Marta, Caribbean Coast of Colombia