Coral associations of the Pleistocene Ironshore Formation, Grand Cayman

The 125-ka sea level, which was approximately 6 m above present-day sea level, led to the partial flooding of many Caribbean islands. On Grand Cayman, this event led to the formation of the large Ironshore Lagoon that covered most of the western half of the island and numerous, small embayments along the south, east, and north coasts. At that time, at least 33 coral species grew in waters around Grand Cayman. This fauna, like the modern coral fauna of Grand Cayman, was dominated by Montastr ea annularis, Porites porites, Acropora polmata, and A. cervicornis. Scolymia cubensis and Mycetophyllia ferox, not previously identified from the Late Pleistocene, are found in the Pleistocene patch reefs. Madracis mirabilis, Colpophyllia breviserialis, Agaricia tenuifolia, A. lamarcki, A. undata, Millepora spp., Mycetophyllia reesi, M. aliciae, and M. danaana, found on modern reefs, have not been identified from the Late Pleistocene reefs. Conversely, Pocillopora sp. cf. P. palmata, which is found in Late Pleistocene reefs, is absent on the modern reefs around Grand Cayman. The corals in the Ironshore Formation of Grand Cayman have been divided into 10 associations according to their dominant species, overall composition, and faunal diversity. Many of these associations are similar to the modern associations around Grand Cayman. Each of the Pleistocene coral associations, which can be accurately located on the known Late Pleistocene paleogeography of Grand Cayman, developed in distinct environmental settings. Overall trends identified in the modern settings are also apparent in the Late Pleistocene faunas. Thus, the diversity of the coral faunas increased from the interior of the Ironshore Lagoon to the reef crest. Similarly, the coral diversity in the Pleistocene patch reefs was related to the size of the reefs and their position relative to breaks in the barrier reef. The barrier reef included corals that are incapable of sediment rejection; whereas the patch reefs lacked such corals.