Open AccessThe sipunculan fauna of Svalbard
Author(s) -
Kędra Monika,
Murina Galena V.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
polar research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.508
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1751-8369
pISSN - 0800-0395
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-8369.2007.00005.x
Subject(s) - fauna , subspecies , taxon , arctic , ecology , biology , identification key , key (lock) , zoology , taxonomy (biology)
This study presents the species of Sipuncula collected in the Svalbard area (74–81°N and 10–35°E) in the summer seasons from 1996 until 2005 at depths ranging from 40 to 2553 m. The faunistic analysis of the material (1056 specimens from 251 stations) resulted in a total of six species and one subspecies, belonging to two families (Golfingiidae and Phascolionidae). One species, Golfingia vulgaris , has not been reported previously from Svalbard waters, and increases the total number of Sipuncula taxa known from Svalbard to nine. Three species dominated the collected material: G. vulgaris (53.5% of all specimens found), G. margaritacea (19.3%) and Nephasoma diaphanes diaphanes (15.5%). The study shows that compared with other northern regions, Svalbard hosts a relatively rich sipunculan fauna, which is most similar in species composition to the sipunculan fauna found in Asian Arctic waters. An easy‐to‐use identification key to Svalbard Sipuncula species is given to aid field researchers in the identification of this often overlooked taxon.