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Distribution and diversity of polychaetes collected by trawling in Admiralty Bay: an Antarctic glacial fiord

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Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine patterns of distribution, species richness and diversity of polychaetes collected by trawling in Admiralty Bay. Forty-seven species of polychaetes were found in 75 samples collected in 1988 along a depth range from 15 to 500 m. Four polychaete assemblages were distinguished. The most diverse and peculiar assemblage was found in the deepest sublittoral of the central basin from ca. 300–500 m with main constant species Laetmonice producta, Sternaspis sp. and Thelepus cincinnatus. Shallow water assemblages had low diversity and species richness. The most common and eurytopic epifaunal polychaetes were Aglaophamus trissophyllus, Barrukia cristata, Harmothoe spp., Flabelligera mundata and Perkinsiana littoralis. The low species richness in shallow waters of Admiralty Bay is probably associated with depth, influence of glacial streams and suspended matter inflow which is particularly distinct in the shallow water fiord areas.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Dr. P. Presler for the polychaete collection used in this analysis. Thanks are also due to Dr. M. Grabowski for his kind assistance in the manuscript editing. We want to thank the reviewers of the manuscript Dr. Briggite Ebbe, Dr. Monica Petti and one anonymous reviewer for the advices and critiques that help us to improve this article. The study was supported by grant from Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 51/N-IPY/2007/0.

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  1. Laboratory of Polar Biology and Oceanobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland

    Krzysztof Pabis & Jacek Sicinski

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  1. Krzysztof Pabis
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Correspondence to Krzysztof Pabis.

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Pabis, K., Sicinski, J. Distribution and diversity of polychaetes collected by trawling in Admiralty Bay: an Antarctic glacial fiord. Polar Biol 33, 141–151 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0692-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0692-4

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