First in situ observations of the deep-sea carnivorous ascidian Dicopia antirrhinum Monniot C., 1972 in the Western Mediterranean Sea |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;2. GRC Geociències Marines, Departament d''Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;3. Centre d''Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain;1. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1370, Launceston, TAS, 7250, Australia;2. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA;1. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Region South, Jon Lilletuns vei 3, NO-4879 Grimstad, Norway;2. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU University Museum, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway;3. University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway;1. Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos-LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia;2. Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia |
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| Abstract: | Dicopia antirrhinum C. Monniot, 1972 is a rare species of deep-sea ascidian belonging to the Family Octacnemidae, reported at depths of 1000–2500 m in European Atlantic waters. Adult individuals have never been reported before in the Mediterranean Sea, where only seven juvenile specimens were found in 1975 at 500 m water depth in the Central basin (Malta). The affinities of these specimens with D. antirrhinum were noted, but lack of some typical characters of the species in juveniles prevented a definite taxonomical identification. No other member of the Octacnemidae has ever been found in the Mediterranean. In this study we describe the sampling of an adult specimen of D. antirrhinum at around 1100 m water depth on the flank of the La Fonera (Palamós) canyon, Northwestern Mediterranean, confirming their presence in the Mediterranean Sea. We also observed 5 individuals of this species on their natural habitat with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Our results highlight the potential occurrence of Octacnemidae, the presence of which has been largely overlooked, in several deep-sea canyon areas within the Western Mediterranean basin. These observations are important because they indicate the need for increased sampling effort with new technologies, such as ROVs, in ecologically relevant habitats such as canyons, in order to obtain a more accurate picture of deep-sea biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. |
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| Keywords: | Octacnemidae Western Mediterranean La Fonera canyon Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) |
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