Seagrasses interspersed with macroalgae are distributed either as dense continuous meadows, as tiny disconnected patches or in highly heterogeneous complexes of varying sizes. The SAV is normally found as a mix of different species rather than as monospecific patches. Eleven species of seagrass are found in Chwaka Bay with Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle, Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenberg) Ascherson, Cymodocea rotundata Ehrenb. et Hempr. ex Aschers., Cymodocea serrulata (R. Brown) Aschers. et Magnus and Thalassodendron ciliatum (Forsk.) den Hartog being the most dominant stands (S.M. Mohammed and N. Jiddawi, pers. comm.).