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Distribution patterns in Antarctic and Subantarctic echinoderms

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Abstract

Echinoderms are the dominant megafaunal taxa in Antarctic and Subantarctic waters in terms of abundance and diversity, having a predominant role in structuring communities. The current study presents new data on the asteroids, holothuroids, and ophiuroids (three of the five extant classes of echinoderms) collected in seven scientific campaigns (1995–2012) from Bouvet Is., South Shetland Is., and the Eastern Weddell Sea, from a wide bathymetric range (0–1,525 m). Among the 316 echinoderms collected, we extended the bathymetric ranges of 15 species and expanded the geographic distribution of 36 of them. This novel dataset was analyzed together with previous reports in order to establish general patterns of geographic and bathymetric distribution in echinoderms of the Southern Ocean (SO). Nearly 57 % of the assembled-data species resulted endemic of the SO, although further taxonomic efforts in less accessible areas are needed. Interestingly, some islands presented high levels of species richness even comparable to large geographic areas. While generally exhibiting a wide range of eurybathy, there were differences in species composition across depths corresponding to sublittoral, upper and lower bathyal, and abyssal. Bathymetric distribution was analyzed considering biological aspects for each class. As expected, circumpolar trends were found, although hydrographic currents may be the cause of differences in species composition among SO areas. Our analyses suggest zoogeographic links between Antarctica and the adjacent ocean basins, being the Scotia Arc the most remarkable. This study contributes to the knowledge of large-scale diversity and distribution patterns in an Antarctic key group.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Prof M. O’Loughlin (Museum Victoria, Australia) for his help in the identification of holothuroid species. Special thanks are given to M. Ballesteros, J. Cristobo, L. Núñez-Pons, and J. Vázquez for laboratory and field support. Thanks are also due to the Unidad de Tecnología Marina (CSIC), as well as the “Bentart”, the BIO-Las Palmas, the BIO-Hespérides, and the “Gabriel de Castilla” Spanish Antarctic Base crews for providing logistic support during the ECOQUIM-2 cruise. Thanks are due to Prof W. Arntz and the R/V Polarstern crew during the ANT XV/3 and XXI/2 Antarctic cruises. Thanks are also given to I. Afán and D. Aragonés (LAST-EBD-CSIC) for helping with map design. We also thank the support and valuable comments of A. Riesgo and J. Giménez and the helpful comments of three anonymous referees. We thank the editor, Dr. D. Piepenburg, for his patience and support along the revision of this manuscript. Funding was provided by the Spanish Government through the ECOQUIM and ACTIQUIM Projects (REN2003-00545, REN2002-12006E ANT, CGL2004-03356/ANT, CGL2007-65453, and CTM2010-17415/ANT).

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  1. Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates) and Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Juan Moles, Blanca Figuerola, Sergi Taboada & Conxita Avila

  2. Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada

    Neus Campanyà-Llovet

  3. Department of Statistics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Toni Monleón-Getino

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  1. Juan Moles
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Moles, J., Figuerola, B., Campanyà-Llovet, N. et al. Distribution patterns in Antarctic and Subantarctic echinoderms. Polar Biol 38, 799–813 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1640-5

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