ALBERT

Description: A general study of structure, biomass, and dynamic estimates on meiofauna was carried out during PREFLEX (1975) and FLEX (1976), in 117-141 m water depth. On the basis of these data an attempt was made to estimate meiofauna production, and this is discussed in relation to the energy input from the spring phytoplankton bloom. Sampling was performed at five stations, but only the stations 1, 4, and 5 were covered by a complete series from August 1975 to July 1976. At each station, from four replicate box core samples, two were withdrawn to study the abundance, distribution, and biomass of meiofauna, the content of chloroplastic pigment equivalents (CPE), and chemical and grain size analyses. At all stations grain size feil in the range of fine sand having median diameters (MD) of 〈125 μm. From Station 1 to 5 an increase in MD was observed. Highest values of CPE (7.81 μg ml-1) and organic matter (4.7%) were obtained in June and July (1976)/August (1975), respectively. Meiofauna abundance was fairly uniform at all stations examined. Station 1 displayed maximal numbers during the whole investigation period. The abundance per 100 cm2 varied between 15,550 and 34,900 organisms. All meiofauna studied both in total and as separate taxa showed annual cycles of abundance. Low abundance values were recorded during early summer, and maximum values during winter. High numbers of Foraminifera were obtained for August 1975 (9,460 per 100 cm2) and July 1976 (9,710 per 100 cm2). From December to June the values decreased from 3,280 to 1,030 per 100 cm2. At station 1 maximum values of meiofauna biomass were recorded ranging from 1.5 to 2.7 g DWT m-2. The mean meiofauna dry weight amounted to 2.1 g DWT m-2. Based on minimum production, the P/B ratio for the area of Station 1 might have a mean of 1.4. Taking into consideration generation times we believe that a turnover ratio of 2 is a conservative value for the Fladen Ground meiofauna. The annual production would amount to 4.2 g DWT m-2 yr-1. This is 27.5% of the energy supply during the spring phytoplankton bloom, which is channelled into the meiofauna. The hypothesis is put forward that the energetic strategy of deep offshore meiofauna differs distinctively from that of shallow inshore meiofauna. While the shallow inshore meiofauna show a relatively fast response to organic matter input, the deep offshore meiofauna reacts much more slowly, the food energy consumption seems to be spread out over a longer period.

Description: A general study of structure, biomass estimates and dynamics on the macrofauna was carried out in August 1975 and March 1976 during PREFLEX (1975) and FLEX (1976), the Fladen Ground Experiment. On the basis of these data an attempt was made to estimate macrobenthic production expressed as minimum production (MP). The macrobenthic production is discussed together with meiobenthic annual production (FAUBEL, HARTWIG & THIEL 1983) and with indirectly estimated microbenthic production in relation to an energy input from the water column of about 25g C m-2 year-1 (STEELE 1974). From the production estimates of the three benthic components a rough energy budget is proposed. Sampling was performed at five Stations for endofauna twice during the time of investigation and for epifauna once. At each station two replicate box core samples (30 X 20 cm) were taken for endofauna. Epifauna was sampled with an Agassiz trawl once at each Station. The total numbers of endofauna increased from station l to 5. This was valid as well for August 1975 (4,233-12,166 individuals per m2 and 10 cm sediment depth) as for March 1976 (1,008-2,925 individuals). The polychaetes were the dominant organisms with a share of 33 to 62%. The densities for the endofauna decreased from August 1975 to March 1976 by a mean factor of 2.8. Abundances of epifauna amounted to values between 11 and 102 individuals per 1000 m2. The biomass dry weights (DWT) for macrobenthic endofauna varied between 0.97g DWT m-2 and 6.42g DWT m-2 in August 1975 and between 0.27g DWT m-2 and 2.64g DWT m-2 in March 1976. The mean amounted to 1.74g DWT m-2. Dry weights of epifauna biomass gave values between 4.9 and 83.1g DWT, 1000 m-2. The minimum production for the total macro-endofauna at Fladen Ground amounted to 1.43g DWT m-2 yr-1 or 0.82g C m-2 yr-1. This resulted in a minimum turnover rate (P/B) of 0.8. The share produced by the polychaetes amounted to 1.06g DWT m-2 yr-1 or 74%.

Description: Based on more than 1800 neuston tows, the ranges and mean abundances per area of 10 taxa of beloniform fish are calculated. The distributional patterns of fry of most oceanic taxa are a consequence of both surface temperatures and direction of currents. Oxyporhamphus microptems has a strictly tropical distribution; in the centre of its distribution the mean abundance reaches 10-50 ind./1000 m2. Nanichthys simulans occurs polewards of 0. micropterus, mainly within the great warm circulation systems. Scomberesox saurus has a bipolar subtropical-temperate distribution with seasonal shift of the boundaries, and a general abundance of 30-40 ind./1000 m2, though in subtropical frontal zones values above 100 ind./1000 m2 are common. Exocoetus volitans covers the warmer parts of the Atlantic, but has two antiequatorial belts of maximum abundance within the tropics (25-35 ind./1000 m2). The other exocoetid taxa have similar poleward boundaries as E. volitans. E. obtusirostris and genus Cypselurus average 1.5 ind./1000 m2, whilst Prognichthys gibbifrons, Danichthys rondeletii and genus Hirundichthys have mean abundances of an order of 0.5 ind./1000 m2. Belone svetovidovi is strictly neritic, and shows great regional differences of abundance off NW Africa.

Description: Macro- and meiobenthic abundance and biomass as well as metabolic activity (respiration, ETS activity) have been studied along a transect ranging from 130 to 3000 m water depth off northern Morocco (35° N) during "Meteor" cruise No. 53 (1980). The distribution of chloroplastic pigment concentration (chlorophyll a, pheophytins) in the sediment has been investigated as a measure of sedimented primary organic matter. High chloroplastic pigment concentrations were found on the shelf and around the shelf break, but values declined rapidly between 200 and 600 m depth. Below 1200 m pigment concentrations remained at a relatively uniform low level. Macrobenthic abundance and biomass (wet weight) decreased with increasing water depth and with distance from the shore. Significant changes occurred between the shelf and upper slope and below 2000 m depth. Meiobenthic abundance and biomass (ash free dry weight) followed the same general pattern, but changes were found below 400 and 800 m depth. In the depth range of 1200 to 3000 m values differ only slightly. Meiofauna abundance and biomass show a good correlation with the sedimentary chloroplastic pigment concentrations. Respiratory activity of sediment cores, measured by a shipboard technique at ambient temperatures, decreased with water depth and shows a good correlation with the pigment concentrations. ETS activity was highest on the shelf and decreased with water depth, with significant changes between 200 and 400 m, and below 1200 m depth, respectively. Activity was generally highest in the top 5 cm of the sediment and was measurable, at all Stations, down to 15 cm sediment depth. Shelf and upper slope stations exhibited a vertical distribution pattern of ETS activity in the sediment column, different from that of deeper Stations. The importance of biological activity measurements as an estimate of productivity is discussed. To prove the thesis that differences in benthic abundance, biomass and activity reflect differences in pelagic surface primary production, in the case of the NW-African coast caused by different upwelling intensities, the values from 35° N were compared with data from 21° N (permanent upwelling activity) and 17° N (ca. 9 months upwelling per year). On the shelf and upper slope (〈 500 m) hydrographical conditions (currents, internal waves) influence the deposition of organic matter and cause a biomass minimum between 200 and 400 m depth in some regions. But, in general, macrobenthic abundance and biomass increases with enhanced upwelling activity and reaches a maximum in the area off Cape Blanc (21° N). On the shelf and in the shelf break region meiofauna densities are higher at 35° N in comparison to 21° N; but in contrast to the decreasing meiofauna abundance with increasing water depth at 35° N, an abundance maximum between 400 and 1200 m depth is formed in the Cape Blanc region; this maximum coincides with the maximum of sedimenta1y chloroplastic pigment equivalents. The comparison of ETS activities between 35° N and 21° N shows on the shelf activity at 21° N is up to 14 times higher and on the slope 4-9 times higher, which demonstrates that benthic activity responds to the surface productivity regime.

Description: 7 new Harpacticoidea species and the female of a known species of the family Cletodidae (Crustacea, Copepoda) new to science are dealt with in this paper. Heteropsyllus serratus n. sp. Mesocletodes trisetosa n. sp. Mesocletodes parabodini n. sp. Mesocletodes variabilis n. sp. Paranannop11s plumosus n. sp. Paranannopus langi WELLS, 1965 ♀ Metahuntemannia pseudomagniceps n. sp. Metahuntemannia atlantica n. sp. As far as possible the species relationships within each genus are discussed. All species were collected at 500 m depth on the Iceland-Faroer-Ridge.

Description: In the present paper results of taxonomic investigations on 1137 specimens of Cyllopus magellanicus DANA 1853 and of 730 specimens of Cyllopus lucasii BATE 1862 are reported. A brief diagnosis and key are given for the genus and the species. For the first time larvae of the pantochelis stage of these species are described. The habitus of the larvae are very similar, small differences were found on the structures of the pereopod 3-6. Due to special morphological similarities it is concluded that the larvae of both species display a parasitic way of life like Vibilia. The distribution of the species in the Antarctic Ocean is circumpolar: C. magellanicus occurs probably only within the West Wind Drift while C. lucasii was found within both the West and the East Wind Drift. Remarkable is the occurrence of a great number of males of C. magellanicus in the uppermost layer (30-0 cm depth), meanwhile the females of this species were found only in deeper layers.

Description: Light and electron microscopic examination of a number of dpecies previously attributed to the genus Syracosphaera LOHMANN show that three groups can be delimited, all of which warrant generic status. Caneosphaera GAARDER and Coronosphaera GAARDER are described, and the genus Syracosphaera with type species the two-layered S. pulchra LOHMANN is emended with redescription in terms of morphological features seen under light and electron microscope. New combinations are presented for five species.

Description: 1. 52 species of Crustacea Decapoda Reptantia, one of which new, were obtained on the cruises of R. V. "Meteor" dealt with in this paper. 2. The status of Euchirograpsus liguricus and E. americanus is discussed in some detail. It is shown that E. americanus is restricted to the western Atlantic, while E. liguricus occurs only in the eastern Atlantic. Records of E. americanus outside the western Atlantic are due to confusions with E. liguricus or other new species which have been described elsewhere (TÜRKAY 1975). 3. 3 species ( Polycheles crucifera, Munida iris ruttlandi, Cymonomus normani) are recorded for the first time from the Portuguese and 4 species ( Polycheles granulatus, Munida iris ruttlandi, Jaxea nocturna1, Macropipus rugosus) from the Moroccan coast. 4. The characterization of the Moroccan and Lusitanic province may be performed quantitatively rather than qualitatively. Further investigations are needed in order to get complete results.

Description: This paper deals with Euphausiacea collected in the upwelling region off Northwest Africa between Cap Blanc and Cap Mirik (Timiris) during the voyages 19 (1970) and 26 (1972) of the research vessel "Meteor". 20 species have been recorded, 4 of these dominate in the area under study. Euphttsia krohnii, Nematoscelis megalops and Thysanoessa gregaria are atlantic temperate species, whereas Nyctiphanes capensis inhabits neritic areas around the edge of the Banc d' Arguin, together with Euphausia hanseni from the Southern Atlantic. The population density of the euphausiids in the upwelling area is very high. The vertical distribution of the dominant species E. krohnii and N. megalops reveal significant differences. E. krohnii occurs down to a depth of 200 m, whereas N. megalops lives between 100 and 300 m. The shelf and the edge of the shelf (down to 2000 m) are populated by different species. On the shelf, adult and juvenile N. capensis predominate, but great numbers of juvenile N. megalops have also been found. Along the edge of the shelf E. krohnii, N. megalops and T. gregaria are most abundant. E. hanseni was represented by juveniles, both on the shelf and along its edge. Comparing the species composition of the area under study with that of other regions of the North Atlantic, the dominant species exhibit certain similarities with the species present near Cap Verde and Canary Island, but none similarities could be established with the Great Meteor Seamount. The reasons for this situation are discussed.

Description: Through correspondence, the authors determined that each possessed material of an undescribed wrasse of the genus Suezichthys SMITH. The first five specimens of this species were taken in December, 1964 by R. V. "Anton Bruun" while trawling in 78-82 m and in 70-80 m (2 and 3 specimens resp.) off the Somali Republic, East Africa; the next two were collected a month later by R. V. "Meteor" by trawl off Kenya in 124-130 m; the last two were trawled in July and October, 1972 by U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service research vessel "Townsend Cromwell" off Oahu, Hawaiian Islands in 119-168 m. These nine specimens form the basis for the description herein of this new labrid fish.