"December 1971." "This publication is partially supported by the National Sea Grant Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of Commerce, through an institutional grant made to Texas A & M University." Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-196).

The West Flower Garden Bank, located on the outer edge of the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf at longitude 93À49.0' west and latitude 27À52.6' north, was investigated with respect to the subsurface structure of the pre-reef pinnacle, the environment currently surrounding the pinnacle and the carbonate sediments being deposited on the bank. Based on previous gravity work and on 3.5 kHz, 1 cubic inch air gun and bathymetric profiles taken during this survey, the topographic high is shown to have been formed by the intrusion of a shallow salt plug. The central section of the dome is a collapsed area, flanked on the east, west and north by banks rising to within 10.5 fms (19 m) of the surface. Based on erosional and depositional surfaces of the bank, stillstands of the Gulf of Mexico waters during the last transgression were at 67-73 fms (121-134 m) sometime prior to 18,000 years B.P.; 40-45 fms (73-82 m) at 17,000-15,000 years B.P.; 48-50 fms (89-90 m) at 14,000-13,000 years B.P. and 28 fms (51 m) 13,000-12,000 years B.P. The Holocene sediments of the bank are (1) a Diploria-Montastrea-Porites Facies from 10.5 fms (19 m) to 27 fms (50 m); (2) a Coral Detritus Facies that interfingers with the Diploria-Montastrea-Porites Facies at 17 fms (31 m) and the Gypsina-Lithothamnium Facies at 27 fms (50 m); (3) a Gypsina-Lithothamnium Facies from 25 fms (46 m) to 40-45 fms (73-82 m); (4) the 1st Transition Facies from 28 fms (51 m) to 50 fms (91 m); (5) an Amphistegina Facies from 40 fms (70 m) to 55 fms (100 m); (6) the 2nd Transition Facies between the Amphistegina and Quartz-Planktonic Foraminiferal Facies; and (7) a Quartz-Planktonic Foraminiferal Facies from 50 fms (91 m) to the surrounding shelf. ...