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Sponge assemblages of the deep Weddell Sea: ecological and zoogeographic results of ANDEEP I–III and SYSTCO I expeditions

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the community structure, ecology and distribution of deep Weddell Sea sponge faunas. Analysis was performed on the basis of sponges sampled during ANDEEP I–III and SYSTCO I expeditions (2002–2008) by RV Polarstern. The material obtained comprises about 800 sponge specimens, representing 129 species, within these are 95 species of demosponges (including 15 new to science), 25 hexactinellid species (7 new) and 9 calcarean species (5 new). Sponges were sampled at 51 stations in depths between 500 and 5,500 m. At most stations, sponge densities were very low, and many species are represented by one or two specimens only. Community structure by Bray–Curtis similarity was analyzed as well as depth range and spatial distribution of the most common species. Zoogeographic affinities of sampled faunas are analyzed. Three associations of sponges are found in the deep Weddell Sea: (1) The Polymastia/Tentorium community, (including Rossella associations) distributed on the lower shelf and continental slope. (2) The Bathydorus community, distributed on the continental slope and upper abyssal. (3) The Caulophacus community, associated with Cladorhizidae, is characteristic for the abyssal plains. The associations follow each other successively both bathymetrically and geographically, from shallow to deep, from shelf and ridge structures into the open abyssal. A distinct faunistic boundary between shelf and deep sea is not present. In general, the sponge fauna of the deep Weddell Sea is regionally restricted and shows stronger affinities only to the sponge fauna of the subantarctic islands.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG-Project JA 1063/14-1.2), as well as SYNTHESYS (projects, GB-TAF 885, NL-TAF 11, ES-TAF 1705, AT-TAF-2600) for financial support to our research on Antarctic Porifera and for financing visits to important Porifera collections. We are especially indebted to Angelika Brandt and the ANDEEP/SYSTCO team and also to the captain and crew of RC Polarstern for good cooperation, excellent handling on board and kindness during the ANDEEP I–III and SYSTCO I cruises. We furthermore wish to thank those colleagues who supported and discussed with the identification and revision of our sponge taxa (in alphabetical order): Eduardo Hajdu, Alexander Plotkin, Hans Tore Rapp, Henry M. Reiswig, Konstantin Tabachnick, Ole Tendal. We are indebted to Henry M. Reiswig for critical reading and correction, especially of the English language, and to three anonymous reviewers for their helpful critical comments to the manuscript. This is ANDEEP publication number 172.

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  1. Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Senckenberg, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Christian Göcke & Dorte Janussen

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  1. Christian Göcke
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  2. Dorte Janussen
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Correspondence to Christian Göcke.

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300_2013_1329_MOESM1_ESM.xls

Online Resource 1 Includes the full taxa list of ANDEEP I-III- and SYSTCO I-expedition, station information, and data on zoogeographic affinities. Abbreviations used are as follows: AGT: Agassiz trawl; EBS: Epibenthic sledge; GKG: Giant box corer; MUC: Multicorer; RD: Rauschert dredge. (XLS 62 kb)

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Göcke, C., Janussen, D. Sponge assemblages of the deep Weddell Sea: ecological and zoogeographic results of ANDEEP I–III and SYSTCO I expeditions. Polar Biol 36, 1059–1068 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1329-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1329-1

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