Oremus M. auteur aut IRD Garrigue Claire auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access The Chesterfield Archipelago is a large, uninhabited complex located in the central Coral Sea (19°-22°S, 158°-160°E), halfway between Australia and the main island of New Caledonia. It is composed of two main plateaus, the Chesterfield platform and the Bellona platform (Missègue and Collot 1987), covering a total area of about 16,000 km2. These platforms are surrounded by reefs, islets and coral sand cays, forming relatively shallow lagoons (45-80 m deep) largely open to the Coral Sea. This vast complex potentially represents an important habitat for cetaceans, in particular for wintering humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that typically spend their breeding season in these latitudes. Several points suggest that the archipelago is, or at least was, important for this species. specialized NOUVELLE CALEDONIE CHESTERFIELD MER DE CORAIL 036 30 2 827-834 2014 0824-0469 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066294 10.1111/mms.12080 0824-0469 [F B010066294] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066294 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/depot/2016-01-25/010066294.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2016-01-23 2016-02-18 fdi:010066294 fre