Check-list of the pycnogonids from Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters: zoogeographic implications

Abstract

This study contains the current list of the austral pycnogonids together with details of their depth range and distribution. To date 264 species have been recorded, accounting for 19.6% of the 1344 species recorded worldwide. One hundred and eight species are endemic to Antarctic waters, 62 to the subAntarctic, 63 are common in both regions, and 55 are circumpolar. The richest genus is Nymphon, with 67 species and the richest area is the Scotia Sea. Comparing species lists between the years 2000 and 2007 shows that increased expeditions with more sampling has increased the circumpolarity of species and decreased zonal endemicity. The benthic insular refuge hypothesis is proposed as an explanation for the southern distribution of the present pycnogonid fauna, with an origin in the Scotia Arc.

Cryptic mitochondrial lineages in the widespread pycnogonid Colossendeis megalonyx Hoek, 1881 from Antarctic and Subantarctic waters

“…One of the most prominent examples among the higher taxa is the Pycnogonida. Recent surveys reported 264 species in the Southern Ocean, accounting for 19.6% of the 1,344 species recorded worldwide (Munilla and Soler Membrives 2008). Of these 264 species, 233 (88.3%) are endemic to Antarctic and/or Subantarctic waters (Munilla and Soler Membrives 2008).…”

“…Recent surveys reported 264 species in the Southern Ocean, accounting for 19.6% of the 1,344 species recorded worldwide (Munilla and Soler Membrives 2008). Of these 264 species, 233 (88.3%) are endemic to Antarctic and/or Subantarctic waters (Munilla and Soler Membrives 2008). In the last decade, several molecular genetic studies in the marine Antarctic benthos provided strong evidence that Antarctic biodiversity is severely underestimated due to the presence of multiple morphologically highly similar lineages that most likely represent cryptic species (Allcock et al 1997;Held 2003;Held and Wägele 2005;Hunter and Halanych 2008;Leese and Held 2008;Linse et al 2007; Raupach and Wägele 2006;Raupach et al 2007;Thornhill et al 2008;Wilson et al 2007, Wilson et al 2009).…”

“…However, several pycnogonids are reported to have an eurybathic distribution (see e.g. Bamber and El Nagar 2009;Munilla and Soler Membrives 2008) so that stretches of deep sea may represent less of a barrier to gene flow than they are to species that occur in shallow water only. Other pycnogonids, e.g.…”

Biodiversity and phylogeny of Ammotheidae (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida)

“…As a consequence, we have a great amount of knowledge on this fauna in terms of biodiversity (León 2001;Munilla & Soler-Membrives 2009, integrative taxonomy, population genetics Dietz et al 2015;Krabbe et al 2010), biogeography (Griffiths et al 2011;Munilla & SolerMembrives 2009) and parasitology (Schiaparelli et al 2008). Historically, one of the first invertebrate species described from Antarctica was a sea spider (Decolopoda australis Eights, 1835) and since then, pycnogonids have been considered as a flagship group in Antarctica.…”

Nuclear and Mitochondrial Gene Data Support Recent Radiation within the Sea Spider Species Complex Pallenopsis patagonica

“…In this context, Pycnogonida or sea spiders have attracted particular attention, since they show an exceptionally high species diversity in the Southern Ocean (Clarke and Johnston, 2003;Munilla and Soler Membrives, 2009;Griffiths et al, 2011). Moreover, many pycnogonids are benthic brooders with probably limited dispersal capacity.…”