Ardasier Reef (), also known as ms, Terumbu Ubi, lit=Yam Reef; Antonio Luna Reef ( tl, Bahura ng Antonio Luna); vi, đá Kiêu Ngựa;

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

, is a triangular shaped feature on the SW extremity of Dangerous Ground in the

Spratly Islands The Spratly Islands ( fil, Kapuluan ng Kalayaan; zh, c=南沙群島/南沙群岛, s=, t=, p=Nánshā Qúndǎo; Malay, id, Kepulauan Spratly; vi, Quần đảo Trường Sa) are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Composed o ...

. It lies 26 km NNE of

Swallow Reef Swallow Reef, also known as ms, Pulau Layang-Layang, lit=; vi, Đá Hoa Lau; Mandarin ; Celerio Reef ( tl, Bahura ng Celerio, lit=), is an oceanic atoll of the Spratly Islands administered by Malaysia, which is situated approximately northwest ...

, and 9 km east of

Dallas Reef Dallas Reef (), also known as ms, Terumbu Laya, lit=; vi, đá Suối Cát; Mandarin ; Rajah Matanda Reef ( tl, Bahura ng Rajah Matanda), lies on the SW extremity of Dangerous Ground (South China Sea) in the Spratly Islands of the South China Se ...

, with the large Ardasier Bank extending 69 km ENE. Ardasier Bank, a sunken

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...

except for drying Ardasier Reef at its southwestern end, has a total area of 2347 km², and its former

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') a ...

is up to 65 metres deep. Ardasier Reef is steep-to, except on its eastern side where it adjoins the Ardasier Bank. Its huge areas of sandy patches have an abundance of shy Guitar Sharks, Eagle Rays, Giant Reef Rays and other intriguing bottom dwelling creatures that bury themselves in the sand. It is one of the areas in the Spratly Islands occupied by

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. The

Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...

has maintained an "offshore naval station" there called "Station Uniform", since 1986. The

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

( Tagalog) name is named after Philippine revolutionary

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Antonio Luna Antonio Narciso Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (; October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899) was a Filipino army general who fought in the Philippine–American War before his assassination in 1899. Regarded as one of the fiercest generals of his ...

References

External links

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker
Reefs of the Spratly Islands {{Malaysia-geo-stub