Dollabarat
Encyclopedia
The Dollabarat Reef is situated 5 km (3 nautical miles) south-southeast of the Formigas Islets
, on the Formigas Bank in the Azores
archipelago.
captain of the ship Maria de Sebourre, who had the unlucky honour of discovering the reef
as his small boat wrecked on it on 7 March 1788.
The highest point is just 3 m below sea level. Dollabarat is one of the higher parts of the Formigas Bank, a seamount with similar volcanic origins as the islands of the Azores. The reef was formed from rocks emerging from volcanic activity in submarine volcanos and deeper spaces made up of drained lava holes with an irregular morphology. The deeper parts of the Dollabarat are covered with large rocks and irregular plains covered with a carpet of seaweeds.
Given the relatively shallow waters, the reef is a peril to navigation (similar to sandy shorelines).
s makes diving difficult for those not familiar with open-ocean diving. The subtidal zone, is a shelter for many fish species, and the abundance of black coral, located around the 15 metere depth in the eastern part of the reef has resulted in a small habitat.
There is a large abundance of sea animals in the vicinity; in addition to species of shark, other species such as sea chub
, trigger fish, manta
s, turtle
s and dolphin
s have been observed in these waters, including the Atlantic Goliath Grouper (usually found in depths between 10–40 m). The floor of the seamount is generally covered in a dense carpet of seaweed
, dominated by the Cystoseira
species, a seaweed found in deeper areas, and is densely covered. In shallower depths (less than 50 m from the surface) there are populations of Laminaria
(large colonies of chestnut seaweeds). The Department of Oceanography and Fisheries at the University of the Azores (Ponta Delgada
) monitors and studies these species annually through scientific missions to the islets.
Formigas Islets
The Formigas Islet and Dollabarat Reef, sometimes referred to as the Formigas Bank, are a remote group of rock outcroppings in the eastern group of the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal. The bank is located 43 km northeast of Santa Maria Island and southeast of São Miguel...
, on the Formigas Bank in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
archipelago.
History
The origin of the name comes from Pierre Dollabarats, the BasqueBasque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
captain of the ship Maria de Sebourre, who had the unlucky honour of discovering the reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
as his small boat wrecked on it on 7 March 1788.
Geography
The Dollabarat is part of the Formigas Islets Nature Reserve which covers 35.42 km² (or 3,542 ha). Around the Formigas Reserve, including the Dollabarat, the sea cliffs fall rapidly between 50-70 metres, although gently to the north and south. The gradient around the Dollabarat is less accentuated, which is generally more heterogeneous.The highest point is just 3 m below sea level. Dollabarat is one of the higher parts of the Formigas Bank, a seamount with similar volcanic origins as the islands of the Azores. The reef was formed from rocks emerging from volcanic activity in submarine volcanos and deeper spaces made up of drained lava holes with an irregular morphology. The deeper parts of the Dollabarat are covered with large rocks and irregular plains covered with a carpet of seaweeds.
Given the relatively shallow waters, the reef is a peril to navigation (similar to sandy shorelines).
Biome
The strong currents, deeper waters and the presence of sharkShark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s makes diving difficult for those not familiar with open-ocean diving. The subtidal zone, is a shelter for many fish species, and the abundance of black coral, located around the 15 metere depth in the eastern part of the reef has resulted in a small habitat.
There is a large abundance of sea animals in the vicinity; in addition to species of shark, other species such as sea chub
Sea chub
The sea chubs are a family, Kyphosidae, of fishes in the order Perciformes.-Subfamilies:* Girellinae - nibblers* Kyphosinae* Microcanthinae Johnson, 1984 * Scorpidinae...
, trigger fish, manta
Manta
Manta is a mid-sized city in Manabí Province, Ecuador. It is the second most populous city in the province, the fifth most populous in the country and, economically, the third most important city of Ecuador. Manta has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Mantas....
s, turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s and dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s have been observed in these waters, including the Atlantic Goliath Grouper (usually found in depths between 10–40 m). The floor of the seamount is generally covered in a dense carpet of seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
, dominated by the Cystoseira
Cystoseira
Cystoseira is a genus of brown algae in the order Fucales.-Description:Cystoseira is characterized by highly differentiated basal and apical regions and the presence of catenate pneumatocysts ....
species, a seaweed found in deeper areas, and is densely covered. In shallower depths (less than 50 m from the surface) there are populations of Laminaria
Laminaria
Laminaria is a genus of 31 species of brown algae , all sharing the common name "kelp". This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relatively large size. Some species are referred to by the common name Devil's apron, due to their shape, or sea colander, due to...
(large colonies of chestnut seaweeds). The Department of Oceanography and Fisheries at the University of the Azores (Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. It includes 44,403 residents in the urban area, and approximately 20,113 inhabitants in the three central parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro,...
) monitors and studies these species annually through scientific missions to the islets.