A bioturbation classification of European marine infaunal invertebrates

Bioturbation, the biogenic modification of sediments through particle reworking and burrow ventilation, is a key mediator of many important geochemical processes in marine systems. In situ quantification of bioturbation can be achieved in a myriad of ways, requiring expert knowledge, technology, and resources not always available, and not feasible in some settings. Where dedicated research programmes do not exist, a practical alternative is the adoption of a trait-based approach to estimate community bioturbation potential (BPc). This index can be calculated from inventories of species, abundance and biomass data (routinely available for many systems), and a functional classification of organism traits associated with sediment mixing (less available). Presently, however, there is no agreed standard categorization for the reworking mode and mobility of benthic species. Based on information from the literature and expert opinion, we provide a functional classification for 1033 benthic invertebrate species from the northwest European continental shelf, as a tool to enable the standardized calculation of BPc in the region. Future uses of this classification table will increase the comparability and utility of large-scale assessments of ecosystem processes and functioning influenced by bioturbation (e.g., to support legislation). The key strengths, assumptions, and limitations of BPc as a metric are critically reviewed, offering guidelines for its calculation and application

Amphipod crustaceans in the diet of pygoscelid penguins of the King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Paper received 10 December 1980.Information is presented concerning amphipod crustaceans eaten by three penguin species breeding on King George Island: Pygoscelis adeliae, P. antarctica and P. papua. In their stomachs 10 gammaridean and 3 hyperiidean amphipod species were found. The most abundant species was Parathemisto gaudichaudii. Noteworthy are the records of recently described and still poorly known species: Eusirus propeperdentatus and Eusirus cf. tridentatus. Some 15% of all amphipod specimens found in penguin stomachs were benthic species that are very common in the Antarctic littoral and which probably swarm.Разработано материал Amphipoda из желудков 3 видов пингвинов из рода Pygoscelis (P. adeliae, P. antarctica, Р. рариа), гнездящихся на остове Кинг Джорж в архипелаге Южно-Шетландских островов. В желудках этих птиц найдено 13 видов бокоплавов: "10 из подотряда Gammaridea и 3 из подотряда Hyperiidea (таблица I). Наиболее обыч- ным и многочисленным оказался планктонный Parathemisto gaudichaudii. Интересной находкой является обнаружение недавно описанных и пока слабо изученных видов рода Eusirus: Е. propeperdentatus и Е. cf. tridentatus. Около 15% найденных бокоплавов принадлежит к донным видам, обитающим в массовом количестве на антарктической литорали.Omówiono skład gatunkowy Amphipoda znalezionych w pokarmie 3 gatunków pingwinów z rodzaju Pygoscelis (P. adeliae. P. antarctica i P. papua) gnieżdżących się na wyspie Króla Jerzego w archipelagu Południowych Szetlandów. W żołądkach badanych ptaków stwierdzono 13 gatunków obunogów, w tym 10 gatunków z podrzędu Gammaridea i 3 z podrzędu Hyperiidea (Tabela I). Najpospolitszym i najliczniejszym okazał się planktonowy Parathemisto gaudichaudii. Interesującym odkryciem było znalezienie dwu niedawno opisanych i jeszcze słabo poznanych gatunków: Eusirus propeperdentatus i Eusirus cf. tridentatus. Około 15% znalezionych osobników Amphipoda reprezentowało pospolite gatunki bentosowe, występujące masowo w antarktycznym litoralu.This study was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences within the MR—II—16A Project

A new species of Hyalella (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Dogielinotidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Misiones, Argentina

The freshwater genus Hyalella Smith, 1874 has a distribution restricted to the Western Hemisphere with most species being found in South America. In this report we describe a new species of Hyalella from the Atlantic Forest of the Misiones province, Argentina.Fil: Colla, Maria Florencia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División de Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: César, Inés Irma. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División de Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Taxonomy of the spring dwelling amphipod Synurella ambulans (Crustacea: Crangonyctidae) in West Russia: with notes on its distribution and ecology

This study deals with taxonomic problems of the semi-subterranean crangonyctid amphipod Synurella ambulans (F. Müller, 1846), well-known from various freshwater habitats in Europe. The taxonomy of the species S. ambulans and the generic diagnosis for the genus Synurella are revised. A new synonymy is proposed: Synurella ambulans (F. Müller, 1846) = Synurella ambulans meschtscherica Borutzky, 1929, syn. nov. The affinity with the related groups, distribution and ecology of the species are examined

Application of the dendrite analysis in the discussion on the biogeography of the Antarctic

Paper received 20 October 1984.The method of construction and division of dendrites proposed by Florek et al. (1951) was used for defining of the Antarctic biojjeographic areas. The affinity matrices of Knox and Lowry (1977) resulting from the analysis of the distribution of Antarctic Polychaeta and Amphipoda were taken as a basis for dendrite construction The results of the present analysis are compared with the conclusions of these authors and similarities and differences are discussed on the background of the hitherto published biogeographic divisions of Antarctica

Do circum-Antarctic species exist in peracarid Amphipoda? A case study in the genus Epimeria Costa, 1851 (Crustacea, Peracarida, Epimeriidae)

The amphipod genus Epimeria is species rich in the Southern Ocean and at present eight of its 19 species are reported with circum-Antarctic distributions. For the first time, specimens of epimeriid species from the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea were analysed using partial COI genes sequences and morphological characters. In total 37 specimens of 14 species of Epimeria and two species of Epimeriella were analysed and the resulting molecular topology checked by critically reviewing taxonomic characters. The genus Epimeriella, genetically grouping within Epimeria is synonymised with the genus Epimeria. Sequences distances between populations of the nominal species Epimeria robusta from the Weddell and Ross Sea led to detailed morphological investigations, resulting in the description of Epimeria robustoides sp. n. from the Weddell Sea. Epimeria robusta Barnard, 1930 from the Ross Sea is redescribed. Sequences of a damaged Epimeria specimen of a species new to science from the lower continental shelf of the eastern Weddell Sea were included. Based on the current study, the hypothesis of circum-Antarctic species' distributions in brooding amphipods proved to be unlikely

Iphimediidae of New Zealand (Crustacea, Amphipoda)

New Zealand species of Iphimediidae, Amphipoda, are revised. Based on new material from the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand, two new species are described in detail: Labriphimedia meikae sp. nov. and Labriphimedia martinae sp. nov. A key to the six species belonging to three genera of New Zealand Iphimediidae is provided

British freshwater Malacostracan

This short divertissement touches lightly on the vagaries of vernacular names for culinary and other crustaceans, gives a thumbnail sketch of the distribution of the common and less well-known freshwate

New Antarctic stenothoids sensu lato (Amphipoda, Crustacea)

Three stenothoid species are reported from recent Antarctic collections. Two of these are new to science (Prometopa cedrici sp. nov. and Antatelson claudei sp. nov.). A few character states of Antatelson walkeri are discussed. Keys are provided for Prometopa as well as for Antatelson