Deep-sea ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Ophiurida) from the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic)
Rodrigues, C.F.; Paterson, G.L.J.; Cabrinovic, A.; Cunha, M.R. (2011). Deep-sea ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Ophiurida) from the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic). Zootaxa 2754(2754): 1-26
In: Zootaxa. Magnolia Press: Auckland. ISSN 1175-5326; e-ISSN 1175-5334, more
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| Keywords |
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| Author keywords |
mud volcanoes; reducing environments; macrofauna; biodiversity |
| Authors | | Top | Dataset |
- Rodrigues, C.F.
- Paterson, G.L.J., more
- Cabrinovic, A.
- Cunha, M.R.
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| Abstract |
The Ophiuroidea collected from mud volcanoes and adjacent bathyal environments from the Gulf of Cadiz are reviewed. Thirteen species from six families-Ophiacanthidae, Ophiactidae, Amphiuridae, Amphilepididae, Ophiuridae and Ophiolepididae - were identified. A direct relationship to the chemosynthetic assemblages has not been established as the ophiuroids found in the mud volcanoes do not appear to have novel morphological adaptations and also occur in non-reducing environments. The ophiuroid fauna from the Gulf of Cadiz differs from other cold seep regions not only by the high species richness but also because members of Amphiuridae are dominant both in number of species and abundance. One species previously unknown, Ophiopristis gadensis sp. nov., (Ophiacanthidae) was collected from a dead cold-water coral thicket at the flank of a mud volcano and differs from its congeners in the type of disk spines which are more rugose and not smooth as in most of the other species, the presence of the thickened integument in larger specimens and the distinct separation between the oral papillae and the second oral tentacle scales. |
| Dataset |
- Ribeiro da Cunha, M. (2006). Macrofauna of the Gulf of Cadiz collected during 3 cruises in 2004-2006 and processed by Uaveiro. Universidade de Aveiro; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Portugal., more
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