Invertebrate diversity in the deep Great Australian Bight (200–5000 m)

• DOI: 10.1186/s41200-018-0158-x
• Publication Date: 2018-11-03T14:24:18Z
• Authors: H. MacIntosh; F. Althaus; A. Williams; J. E. Tanner; P. Alderslade; S. T. Ahyong; N. Bax; F. Criscione; A. L. Crowther; C. A. Farrelly; J. K. Finn; L. Goudie; K. Gowlett-Holmes; A. M. Hosie; E. Kupriyanova; C. Mah; A. W. McCallum; K. L. Merrin; A. Miskelly; M. L. Mitchell; T. Molodtsova; A. Murray; T. D. O’Hara; P. M. O’Loughlin; H. Paxton; A. L. Reid; S. J. Sorokin; D. Staples; G. Walker-Smith; E. Whitfield; R. S. Wilson
• Keywords: Meiobenthos

The Great Australian Bight (GAB) comprises the majority of Australia's southern coastline, but to date its deep water fauna has remained almost unknown. Recent issuing oil and gas leases in region highlighted this lack baseline biological data established a pressing need characterise benthic abyssal fauna. From 2013 2017, six large-scale systematic surveys GAB were conducted from 200 5000 m depth, constituting deepest sampling Australia. Sampling was on soft sediment hard substrates, both at pre-determined depth intervals along north-south transect lines sites interest identified by multibeam sonar. A total 66,721 invertebrate specimens collected, comprising 1267 species, with 401 species (32%) new science. In addition novelty fauna, there high degree rarity, 31% known only single specimens. paper, we provide an annotated checklist GAB, supplemented colour photos live commentary taxonomy, diversity distributions. This work represents important knowledge sea will foundation for further ecological, biogeographical research.