Rock Key Reef is a typical spur and groove formation reef. In the upper portion of this image the mustard colored coral covered ‘fingers’ (spurs) are surrounded by sand channels (grooves), hence the name spur and groove. In the shallowest part of the reef Elkhorn Coral (common name) / Acropora palmata (scientific name) grows in abundance and is seen as dark red in this image. The term palmata zone is often used to describe this section of the reef.

image captions #1-#20

#01 north edge of palmata zone /wide angle.	#11 severe white pox / medium angle
#02 elkhorn coral /wide angle.	#12 palmata zone white pox /wide angle
#03 white pox small elkhorn / close up.	#13 white pox / close up
#04 ‘cavernosa channel’ / wide angle.	#14 palmata zone white pox /wide angle
#05 elkhorn coral loss.	#15 palmata zone white patch / wide angle
#06a coral loss / medium angle	#16 white pox close up
#06b archive 1993 / medium angle.	#17 white pox close up
#07 turtle elkhorn white pox / wide angle.	#18 magnificent elkhorn white patch / medium angle
#08 turtle white pox / close up.	#19 beauty / wide angle
#09 turtle fish white pox / close up.	# 20 white pox medium angle
#10 turtle exiting coral / medium angle.