Biogeographical affinities of polychaetes from Îles Crozet

[摘要] The study of polychaetes from the Marion Dufresne expedition to the Îles Crozet in 1982provided 45 species from depths ranging from 50–1055 m. The most abundant was Eunice pennata, found atall depths and in all types of substratum in about 66% of the samples. This species with Laetmoniceproducta, Harmothoe spinosa and Lanice marionensis made up over 50% of all polychaete specimens. Ahomogenous polychaete assemblage dominated by the above mentioned group of species was encounteredin the shallower stations (100–300 m). A mosaic-like and less abundant polychaete fauna with somecharacteristic, abundant species: Amage sculpta, Laetmonice wyvillei, Leanira quatrefagesi and Melinnacristata was encountered in the deeper stations (300–1055 m). Clear similarities between the polychaetefauna of Îles Crozet and soft-sediment polychaete assemblages of Marion and Prince Edward Islands werenoticed. No such affinity was encountered with the polychaete fauna of Îles Kerguelen. Their position inrelation to the Polar Front as well as possible differences in bottom deposits (calcareous versus siliceous)may in part explain these dissimilarities. The biogeographical status of Kerguelen Islands is also discussed.

[学科分类] 自然科学（综合）