Benthic biogeographic patterns in the southern Australian deep sea: Do historical museum records accord with recent systematic, but spatially limited, survey data?

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To document biogeographic patterns in the deepwater benthic epifauna and demersal fishes of southern Australia, and determine whether museum records and systematic survey data provide matching results.

Location

Southern Australian (32-44^oS) continental slope (200-3,000 m deep).

Taxon

Marine benthic fauna (Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Porifera, Sipuncula, and fishes).

Methods

All available electronic records of fauna from the above taxa and ≥200 m depth off the southern Australian coastline, regardless of organism size, were collated from Australian museums and checked for geographic and taxonomic consistency. These records were then split into 40 geographic segments of roughly equal numbers, with each segment then treat

SUBMITTER: Tanner JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6303719 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature