Cryptic frenulates are the dominant chemosymbiotrophic fauna at Arctic and high latitude Atlantic cold seeps.

ABSTRACT: We provide the first detailed identification of Barents Sea cold seep frenulate hosts and their symbionts. Mitochondrial COI sequence analysis, in combination with detailed morphological investigations through both light and electron microscopy was used for identifying frenulate hosts, and comparing them to Oligobrachia haakonmosbiensis and Oligobrachia webbi, two morphologically similar species known from the Norwegian Sea. Specimens from sites previously assumed to host O. haakonmosbiensis were included in our molecular analysis, which allowed us to provide new insight on the debate regarding species identity of these Oligobrachia worms. Our results indicate that high Arctic seeps are inhabited by a species that though closely related to Oligobrachia haakonmosbiensis, is nonetheless dist

SUBMITTER: Sen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6310283 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature