Distribution and ecology of Ophionotus victoriae Bell, 1902 (Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata) in the South Shetland Islands area (Antarctica)

We present a distribution analysis for Ophionotus victoriae Bell, 1902, based on abundance data obtained during the Bentart 95 Expedition, on a macrozoobenthos sampling transect from north of Livingston Island to the Antarctic Peninsula, with 24 Agassiz trawls carried out at depths of 40850 m. This ophiuroid seems characteristic of the macrobenthic assemblages south of Livingston Island and Deception, where the species represents 60-90 % of numerical abundance and 40-80 % of biomass for the total epifauna. Pearson and Spearman coefficients correlation showed interesting results which could explain the success of O. victoriae in this area. The highest O. victoriae abundances were related to acidic and carbonated sediments, as well as to mysid density; moreover, the presence of the largest specimens was apparently related to euphasids, and we also found a negative relationship with a filter-feeder biomass.

[1]  M. E. Manjón-Cabeza,et al.  Ophiuroid community structure of the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula region , 2003, Polar Biology.

[2]  E. Poulin,et al.  Evolutionary versus ecological success in Antarctic benthic invertebrates , 2002 .

[3]  T. Brey,et al.  Determination of Growth and Age of Slow Growing Brittle Stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) From Natural Growth Bands , 1998, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

[4]  J. Saiz-Salinas,et al.  Changes in the biomass and dominant feeding mode of benthic assemblages with depth off Livingston Island (Antarctica) , 1998, Polar Biology.

[5]  A. Ramos-Esplá,et al.  Semi-quantitative study of macrobenthic fauna in the region of the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula , 1998, Polar Biology.

[6]  J. Sorbe,et al.  Suprabenthic assemblages from South Shetland Islands and Bransfield Strait (Antarctica): preliminary observations on faunistical composition, bathymetric and near-bottom distribution , 1997, Polar Biology.

[7]  J. Saiz-Salinas,et al.  Quantitative analysis of macrobenthic soft-bottom assemblages in South Shetland waters (Antarctica) , 1997, Polar Biology.

[8]  J. Gutt,et al.  Assemblages of sea stars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) and brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in the Weddell Sea (Antarctica) and off Northeast Greenland (Arctic): a comparison of diversity and abundance , 1997, Polar Biology.

[9]  J. Pearse,et al.  Reproduction of Antarctic Benthic Marine Invertebrates: Tempos, Modes, and Timing , 1991 .

[10]  D. Fratt,et al.  Feeding biology of the Antarctic brittle star Ophionotus victoriae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) , 1984, Polar Biology.

[11]  G. Picken.  Reproductive adaptations of Antarctic benthic invertebrates , 1980 .

[12]  C. Dahm.  Ökologie und Populationsdynamik antarktischer Ophiuroiden (Echinodermata) = Ecology and population dynamcis of Antarctic ophiuroids (Echinodermata) , 1996 .

[13]  J. McClintock.  Trophic biology of antarctic shallow-water echinoderms , 1994 .

[14]  B. David,et al.  Echinoderms through time: Proceedings of the Eighth International Echinoderm Conference Dijon, France 6-10 September 1993 , 1994 .

[15]  P. Dayton.  12 – Polar Benthos , 1990 .

[16]  V. Gallardo.  The sublittoral macrofaunal benthos of the Antarctic shelf , 1987 .

[17]  P. Presler.  Necrophagous invertebrates of the Admiralty Bay of King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) , 1986 .

[18]  P. Arnaud.  Essai de synthèse des particularités éco-biologiques (adaptations) des invertébrés benthiques antarctiques , 1985 .

[19]  M. A. Retamal,et al.  Analisis cuali y cuantitativo de las comunidades bentonicas en bahia foster (isla decepcion) (xxxv expedicion antartica chilena, enero 1981) , 1982 .

[20]  N. V. I. Oslo,et al.  Echinodermata from the Palmer archipelago, South Shetlands, South Georgia and the Bouvet Island , 2022 .

[21]  R. Kœhler.  Échinodermes (astéries, ophiures et échinides) , 1912 .