Abstract The North Sea is one of the most extensively studied marine regions world. Hence, large amounts molecular data for species identification are available in public repositories, and expectations to find numerous new this well-known region rather low. However, reference harpacticoid copepods from area particular but also group general scarce. By assessing COI barcodes MALDI-TOF mass spectra small crustaceans, it was discovered that there a huge unknown diversity area. In total,...

Correct identification of species is required to assess and understand the biodiversity an ecosystem. In deep sea, however, this only possible a limited extent, as large part fauna undescribed keys for most taxa are inadequate or missing. With progressive impact climate change anthropogenic activities on deep-sea ecosystems, it imperative define reliable methods robust identification. study, different techniques tested, including combination morphological, molecular (DNA barcoding, proteomic...

Abstract Proteomic fingerprinting using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is a well-established tool for identifying microorganisms and has shown promising results identification of animal species, particularly disease vectors marine organisms. And thus can be vital biodiversity assessments in ecological studies. However, few studies have tested species across different orders classes. In this study, we collected data from 1246 specimens 198 to test diverse dataset. We also evaluated specimen...

Abstract The increasing demand for metals is pushing forward the progress of deep‐sea mining industry. abyss between Clarion and Clipperton Fracture Zones (CCFZ), a region holding higher concentration minerals than land deposits, most targeted area exploration polymetallic nodules worldwide, which may likely disturb seafloor across large areas over many years. Effects from nodule extraction cause acute biodiversity loss organisms inhabiting sediments nodules. Attention to ecosystems their...

Nowadays, most biodiversity assessments involving meiofauna are mainly carried out specimen by based on morphological identifications, which is very time-consuming and demands comprehensive taxonomic knowledge. Specimens have to be examined for minor differences of setae compositions, mouthpart morphology or number segments various extremities. DNA-based methods such as metabarcoding well recently emerged rapid analyses using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identify specimens a proteome...

Abstract Ecological studies require accurate identification of specimens. This is very time consuming when processing plankton, meiobenthos or soil biota samples due to the presence a high number minute A solution this problem may be MALDI ‐ TOF MS , an emerging technique for metazoan species. As alternative factory delivered software clustering approaches, Random Forest ( RF ) models can trained identify species, using data. However, in real‐world scenario, will fail detecting species which...

Recently, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has been used to reliably identify taxonomically difficult harpacticoid copepods from sediment samples. In agreement with former studies, a negative impact of short storage periods was stated. Other studies reported inferior spectra quality samples fixated in varying ethanol concentrations. Therefore, mudflat sampling site the North Sea were stored under different temperature conditions explore possible effect. Samples either 70% or 100% and specimens...

The crustacean marine isopod species Haploniscus bicuspis (Sars, 1877) shows circum-Icelandic distribution in a wide range of environmental conditions and along well-known geographic barriers, such as the Greenland-Iceland-Faroe (GIF) Ridge. We wanted to explore population genetics, phylogeography cryptic speciation well investigate whether previously described, but unaccepted subspecies have any merit. Using same set specimens, we combined mitochondrial COI sequences, thousands nuclear loci...

Cold-water corals build up reef structures or coral gardens and play an important role for many organisms in the deep sea. Climate change, deep-sea mining, bottom trawling are severely compromising these ecosystems, making it all more to document diversity, distribution, impacts on corals. This goes hand with species identification, which is morphologically genetically challenging Hexa- Octocorallia. Morphological variation slowly evolving molecular markers both contribute difficulty of...

Abstract Accurate and reliable biodiversity estimates of marine zooplankton are a prerequisite to understand how changes in diversity can affect whole ecosystems. Species identification the deep sea is significantly impeded by high numbers new species decreasing taxonomic experts, hampering any assessment biodiversity. We used parallel morphological, genetic, proteomic characteristics specimens calanoid copepods from abyssal South Atlantic test if fingerprinting accelerate estimating...

We analysed the robustness of species identification based on proteomic composition to data processing and intraspecific variability, specificity sensitivity species-markers as well discriminatory power fingerprinting its phylogenetic distance. Our analysis is MALDI-TOF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time flight mass spectrometry) from 32 marine copepod coming 13 regions (North Central Atlantic adjacent seas). A random forest (RF) model correctly classified all specimens...

Sponges are an important component of deep-water ecosystems enhancing eukaryotic biodiversity by hosting diverse endo- and epibiota providing three dimensional habitats for benthic invertebrates fishes. As holobionts they hosts microorganisms which involved in carbon nitrogen cycling. While increasing exploration results new sponge species being discovered, little is known about their physiology role nutrient fluxes. Around New Zealand (Southwest Pacific), the particularly high, we selected...

Species identification is pivotal in biodiversity assessments and proteomic fingerprinting by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has already been shown to reliably identify calanoid copepods species level. However, data may contain more information beyond mere identification. In this study, we investigated different ontogenetic stages (copepodids C1-C6 females) of three co-occurring Calanus from the Arctic Fram Strait, which cannot be identified level based on morphological characters alone....

Abstract The Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) is a vast deep-sea region harboring highly diverse benthic fauna, which will be affected by potential future mining of metal-rich polymetallic nodules. Despite the need for conservation plans and monitoring strategies in this context, majority taxonomic groups remain scientifically undescribed. However, molecular rapid assessment methods such as DNA barcoding Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry...

Abstract Species identification using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) data strongly relies on reference libraries to differentiate species. Because comprehensive libraries, especially for metazoans, are rare, we explored the accuracy of unsupervised diversity estimations communities MALDI‐TOF MS in absence provide a method future application ecological research. To discover best analysis strategy providing high congruence with true...

<title>Abstract</title> The depths of the North Atlantic Ocean host a species-rich fauna providing heterogeneous habitats from thermal vent fields to cold-water coral reefs. With increasing threat destruction deep-sea due human impacts, such as demersal fishing and beginning mining, an analysis diversity distribution species is crucial for conservation efforts. Brittle stars occur in high biomasses, contributing biodiversity seafloor. We collected specimens during several scientific...

Abstract The depths of the North Atlantic Ocean host a species-rich fauna providing heterogeneous habitats from thermal vent fields to cold-water coral reefs. With increasing threat destruction deep-sea due human impacts, such as demersal fishing and beginning mining, an analysis diversity distribution species is crucial for conservation efforts. Brittle stars occur in high biomasses, contributing biodiversity seafloor. Specimens were collected during several scientific expeditions gain more...

Abstract The common hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus (Linnaeus, 1758) is an abundant and ecologically important benthic crustacean in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. While this species has been intensively studied terms of its ecology, physiology, behavior, larval development, knowledge about population structure demographic history still lacking. We examined, for first time, genetic variability P. by analyzing two mitochondrial gene fragments (CO1 16S) from more than 150 specimens collected...

Morphological identification of cnidarian species can be difficult throughout all life stages due to the lack distinct morphological characters. Moreover, in some taxa genetic markers are not fully informative, and these cases combinations different or additional verifications may required. Proteomic fingerprinting based on MALDI-TOF mass spectra was previously shown provide reliable metazoans including taxa. For first time, we tested method across four classes (Staurozoa, Scyphozoa,...

The isopod species Haploniscus bicuspis (G.O. Sars, 1877) shows circum-Icelandic distribution in a wide range of environmental conditions and along well-known geographic barriers, such as the Greenland-Iceland-Faroe (GIF) Ridge. We wanted to explore population genetics, phylogeography cryptic speciation well investigate whether previously described, but unaccepted subspecies have any merit. Using same set specimens, we combined mitochondrial COI sequences, thousands nuclear loci (ddRAD),...

We analyzed robustness of species identification based on proteomic composition to data processing and intraspecific variability, specificity sensitivity species-markers as well discriminatory power fingerprinting its phylogenetic distance. Our analysis is MALDI-TOF MS from 32 marine copepod coming 13 regions (North Central Atlantic adjacent seas). A random forest (RF) model correctly classified all specimens level with only small processing, demonstrating the strong method. Compounds high...

Morphological identification of cnidarian species can be difficult throughout all life stages due to the lack distinct morphological characters. Moreover, in some taxa genetic markers are not fully informative, and these cases combinations different or additional verifications may required. Proteomic fingerprinting based on MALDI-TOF mass spectra was previously shown provide reliable metazoans including taxa. For first time, we tested method across four classes (Staurozoa, Scyphozoa,...

Proteomic fingerprinting using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is a well-established tool for identifying microorganisms and has shown promising results identification of animal species, particularly disease vectors marine organisms. And thus can be vital biodiversity assessments in ecological studies. However, few studies have tested species across different orders classes. In this study, we collected data from 1,246 specimens 198 to test diverse dataset. We also evaluated specimen preparation...