The macro- and megabenthic fauna on the continental shelf of the eastern Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

• DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2013.08.012
• Publication Date: 2013-09-05T13:32:57Z
• Authors: Katrin Linse; Huw J Griffiths; Dave KA Barnes; Angelika Brandt; Niki Davey; Bruno David; Sammy De Grave; Cédric d′Udekem d...; Marc Eléaume; Adrian G. Glover; Lenaïg G. Hemery; Christopher Mah; Rafael Martín-Ledo; Tomás Munilla; Mark O′Loughlin; Benjamin Pierrat; Thomas Saucède; Chester J Sands; Jan M Strugnell; Peter Enderlein
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 590; [SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity; Biodiversity; 15. Life on land; 551; 01 natural sciences; [SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Pine Island; Abundance; 14. Life underwater; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Megabenthos; Southern Ocean; [SDV.BID] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity

In 2008 the BIOPEARL II expedition on board of RRS James Clark Ross sailed to the eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment and Pine Island Bay, one of the least studied Antarctic continental shelf regions due to its remoteness and ice cover. A total of 37 Agassiz trawls were deployed at depth transects along the continental and trough slopes. A total of 5469 specimens, belonging to 32 higher taxonomic groups and more than 270 species, were collected. Species richness per station varied from 1 to 55. The benthic assemblages were dominated by echinoderms and clearly different to those in the Ross, Scotia and Weddell seas. Here we present the macro- and megafaunal assemblage structure, its species richness and the presence of several undescribed species.