Marine biodiversity from zero to a thousand meters at Clipperton Atoll (Ile de La Passion), Tropical Eastern Pacific.

ABSTRACT: Clipperton Atoll (Île de La Passion) is the only atoll in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) ecoregion and, owing to its isolation, possesses several endemic species and is likely an important stepping stone between Oceania, the remainder of the TEP, including other oceanic islands and the west coast of Central America. We describe the biodiversity at this remote atoll from shallow water to depths greater than one thousand meters using a mixture of technologies (SCUBA, stereo baited remote underwater video stations, manned submersible, and deep-sea drop cameras). Seventy-four unique taxa of invertebrates were identified during our expedition. The majority (70%) of these taxa were confined to the top 400 m and consisted mostly of sessile organisms. Decapod crustaceans and black corals (Anti

SUBMITTER: Friedlander AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6640628 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature