Benthic isopod species in the Ross Sea and their distribution in the Southern Ocean

In this study isopod species of the Ross Sea were investigated. Literature until May 2008 was checked to provide an overview of all known and described species in the Ross Sea. This species checklist was then enlarged through material of the 19th Italica expedition in 2004. During this expedition for the first time a small mesh net (500 µm) was used. Nine thousand four hundred and eighty one isopod specimens were collected during this expedition. Through this material the number of isopod species in the Ross Sea increased from 42 to 117 species, which belong to 20 families and 49 genera. Fifty-six percentage of the isopods species collected during the Italica expedition are new to science. The zoogeography of the 117 species was investigated. A non-transformed binary presence-absence data matrix was constructed using the Bray-Curtis coefficient. The results were displayed in a cluster analysis and by nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS). This paper gives a first insight into the occurrence and distribution of the isopod species of the Ross Sea.

Abundance of mesozooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea during PELMED 1995 and PELMED 1996

The PELMED-ECOPEL dataset contains mesozooplankton data collected in 1995-1996 in the Gulf of Lion (North Western Mediterranean Sea) between 43°35' N, 2°50' E and 42°15' N, 6°15' E. Zooplankton taxonomy-related abundance per unit volume of the water column.

Benthic fauna associated with mussel beds and shrimp swarms within hydrothermal fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Macrofaunal assemblages with prevalence of Bresiliidae shrimps and Mytilidae mussels are abundant in at hydrothermal vents along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Mussels inhabit zones of diffuse seeps of hydrothermal fluids with temperature abnormalities up to several degrees. Shrimps inhabit an extreme biotope in a mixed interface between seawater and hydrothermal fluids at temperature up to 20-30°C. We studied the mussel and shrimp assemblages in three hydrothermal vent fields: Rainbow, Broken Spur, and Snake Pit. Species richness of the mussel assemblages within at least two fields (Broken Spur and Snake Pit) is higher as compared with shrimps from the same hydrothermal vent fields. Fauna inhibiting shrimp swarms lack almost any taxa specific for particular assemblages: almost all the taxa are also present in the mussel beds. Structure of the shrimp assemblage is less homogeneous as compared with that of the mussel assemblage. Population prevalence of one taxon (Copepoda) in the shrimp assemblage is most likely connected with extreme and unstable conditions of the biotope occupied by the shrimps in a hydrothermal field. Taxonomic similarity between the mussel and shrimp assemblages within one hydrothermal vent field is higher as compared with similarity between the mussel (or shrimp) assemblages from different fields.

Stations data for crustacean at Juan de Nova Island during BIORECIE fieldwork in 2013

Field stations where Crustacea (Decapoda, Stomatopoda) have been collected during BIORECIE campaign at Juan de Nova Island (December 3-9, 2013). Station 20, in front of the camp, has been visited each day. Station 31 is arbitrarily chosen for a few samples collected in shallow waters of the outer reef.