J. A. Moore, M. Vecchione, B. B. Collette, R. Gibbons, K. E. Hartel, J. K. Galbraith, M. Turnipseed, M. Southworth, and E. Watkins

Florida Atlantic University, Honors College, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA

Source - Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science, Volume 31: 363-372
ISSN-0250-6408

 

Moore, J.A., Vecchione, M., Collette, B.B., Gibbons, R., Hartel, K.E., Galbraith, J.K., Turnipseed, M., Southworth, M., and Watkins, E. 2003. Biodiversity of Bear Seamount, New England Seamount Chain: Results of Exploratory Trawling. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 31: 363-372. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v31.a28

Abstract

Bear Seamount (39°55'N 67°30'W) is an extinct undersea volcano located inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone south of Georges Bank. The fauna associated with the seamount was little known until twenty trawl stations were made 2-7 December 2000, by the NOAA ship R/V Delaware II. The objective of the survey was to begin to document the biodiversity on and over the seamount, particularly of fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Representatives of most species were preserved as vouchers and for subsequent definitive identification. This report presents a description of the biodiversity. A total of at least 274 species were collected. Preliminary identifications indicate the capture of 115 fish species. Among these were a number of new fish records for the area or rare species, including Acromycter pertubator (Congridae), Diastobranchus capensis (Synaphobranchidae), Alepocephalus bairdii (Alepocephalidae), Mirognathus normani (Alepocephalidae), Bathygadus favosus (Bathygadidae), Nezumia longebarbata (Macrouridae), Gaidropsarus argentatus (Phycidae), Dibranchus tremendus (Ogcocephalidae) and Kali indica (Chiasmodontidae). Only two fish species of potential commercial importance were encountered: Coryphaenoides rupestris and Macrourus berglax. Cephalopods comprised 26 species from 15 families, including one new distributional record and several rarely-collected species. The crustacean fauna was diverse with at least 46 species. Totals for other invertebrate species are pending laboratory identification, but number at least 87 species from 10 Phyla. This includes a number of new distributional records and a new species of gorgonian.

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Language - English
Publisher - Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Dartmouth, N.S., Canada
Publication Date - 2003
Publication Type - Journal Article
Descriptors - biodiversity, deep-sea, fauna, fishes, invertebrates, North Atlantic, seamount

Citation: Moore, J.A., Vecchione, M., Collette, B.B., Gibbons, R., Hartel, K.E., Galbraith, J.K., Turnipseed, M., Southworth, M., and Watkins, E. 2003. Biodiversity of Bear Seamount, New England Seamount Chain: Results of Exploratory Trawling. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 31: 363-372. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v31.a28