Spatial distribution of pelagic fish off Adélie and George V Land, East Antarctica in the austral summer 2008

AbstractPelagic fish assemblages and community structure were examined along longitudinal and meridian transects off Adélie and George V Land, East Antarctica, in the austral summer 2008. Fish were sampled with an RMT 8 net principally from six discrete depth layers (0–50–100–200–500–1000–2000 m) in the oceanic zone and from three depth layers (0–50–100–200 m) over the continental shelf zone. A total of 20,281 individuals from 27 species were collected. Pleuragramma antarcticum was the most dominant species by number (18,710 inds), followed by Chionodraco hamatus (768), Trematomus newnesi (375), Cyclothone microdon (101), Electrona antarctica (92), Bathylagus antarcticus (51) and Notolepis coatsi (54). Cluster analysis revealed that the fish community was clearly divided at the Antarctic Slope Front into separate oceanic and shelf assemblages, being dominated by mesopelagic fish and notothenioids, respectively. The Southern Boundary of Antarctic Circumpolar Current likely restricted a more northern distribution of notothenioids in the upper 200 m. Mesopelagic fish dominated the large biomass below 500 m and notothenioids dominated that in the upper 100 m. It is considered that mesopelagic fish in the oceanic zone would unlikely be eaten by seabirds because no distinctive diel vertical migration to the surface layer was observed. In the neritic zone, notothenioids (C. hamatus, T. newnesi and P. antarcticum) possibly play an important role as prey items for flying seabirds, penguins and other notothenioids fish especially in the shallow depth stratum (0–100 m)

Studies on the anatomy of some South African Mytilidae (Bivalvia) with notes on their ecology and distribution

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Studies on the anatomy of some South African Mytilidae (Bivalvia) with notes on their ecology and distribution

[Re-OCR and works to Copy

Size distribution of meso- and bathypelagic fish in the Dumont d'Urville Sea (East Antarctica) during the CEAMARC surveys

The pelagic fish community of the Dumont d'Urville Sea (East Antarctica) was investigated during the 2008 austral-summer using IYGPT (International Young Gadoid Pelagic Trawl) samples taken in different depth layers from the surface to 1000 m. The aim of this paper is to describe the mesopelagic fish community and its size distribution. The family Myctophidae dominated the mesopelagic ichthyofauna, while bathylagids were abundant in deeper hauls. Bathylagids, Cyclothone spp., Gymnoscopelus opisthopterus, Electrona antarctica, Protomyctophum bolini, and Krefftichthys anderssoni were the most abundant taxa in the samples and showed size stratification with depth. Community and size structuring appear to be influenced by the hydrology and by the proximity of the continental margin, as well as a relationship to the circulation of the Modified Circumpolar Deep Water. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. and NIPR. All rights reserved

Ecoregionalization of myctophid fish in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean: Results from generalized dissimilarity models

International audienc

Chapter 7 Biogeographic patterns of fish

International audienc

Chapter 7 Biogeographic patterns of fish

International audienc

Estimating the biodiversity of the East Antarctic shelf and oceanic zone for ecoregionalisation: example of the ichthyofauna of the CEAMARC (Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census) CAML surveys

Ecoregions are defined in terms of community structure as a function of abiotic or even anthropogenic forcing. They are mesoscale structures defined as the potential habitat of a species or the predicted communities geographic extent. We assume that they can be more easily defined for long-lived species, such as benthos or neritic fish, in the marine environment. Uncertainties exist for the pelagic realm because of its higher variability, plus little is known about the meso- and bathypelagic zones. A changing environment and modification of habitats will probably drive new communities from plankton to fish or top predators. We need baseline studies, such as those of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life, and databases like SCAR-MarBIN as tools for integrating all of these observations. Our objective is to understand the biodiversity patterns in the Southern Ocean and how these might change through time