ANTAEUTM BENTHOS
11
Powell (1951), considering molluscs particularly, discussed some of
the history of subdivision into biogeographic zones, and used the term
“ province ’) for the units. He considered it undesirable to formulate a
comprehensive scheme. He did, however, nominate a Georgian Province for the South Georgia-Shag Rocks area. I n later work (1965) he
did not modify this scheme in relation to the Antarctic.
Knox (1 960) proposed a subdivision of the Antarctic Province into
Rossian and Scotian Subprovinces with a distinct South Georgian
Province. The Rossian Subprovince comprised Victoria Land and the
Ross Sea area of East Antarctica. The evidence for his separate rank
for the Rossian Subprovince was the lack of many Magellanic species,
the fact that the algae Ascoseira mirabilis and Cytosphaera jaquinotii
had not been recorded, and the distinct Australasian affinities shown
by the occurrence of algae such as Gigartinu apoda. The Scotian Subprovince comprised Graham Land, the South Shetlands, South Orkney
and South Sandwich Islands. The South Georgian Province was based
largely on algal evidence, quoted from Skottsberg (1941), which allied
South Georgia to the Falklands. The only zoological evidence quoted
was Powell’s (1951) statement that the molluscan fauna of South Georgia
is distinctive with little in common with that of the Falklands. Knox
therefore considered that South Georgia is best considered transitional
between the Antarctic and Subantarctic cold temperate. Knox’s
treatment shows the difficulties in applying the concept of biological
provinces in general, and in reference to the Antarctic, especially widely
separated island groups in particular. He, himself, (Knox, 1960, p. 611)
was quite clear that he was discussing a subdivision for the littoral zones
of the Antarctic and southern temperateregions. Other workers using his
scheme subsequently have not always realized this limitation.
Kusakin (1967) commented on the difficulties in comparing Subantarctic and Antarctic faunas as follows : “An important failing in ow
analysis (of which we are well aware) is that we examine entirely
different fauna, namely, littoral, sublittoral, pseudo-abyssal and bathyal.
However, this is at present unavoidable . . . although it is certain that
the boundaries of the biogeographical zones for all these zones do not
and usually should not coincide ”. It is unfortunate that all workers
on marine biogeography do not see the issues so clearly. He also comments on the difficulty of comparing the faunas of the Antarctic and of
other areas because of the absence of littoral isopods on Antarctio
shores, and because the shelf fauna which elsewhere occurs down to
depths of 150-200 in, here descends to between 400 and 700 m.
Unfortunately Knox does not always seem to realize that the only
littoral evidence that would be available for the Antarctic Region would
11
Powell (1951), considering molluscs particularly, discussed some of
the history of subdivision into biogeographic zones, and used the term
“ province ’) for the units. He considered it undesirable to formulate a
comprehensive scheme. He did, however, nominate a Georgian Province for the South Georgia-Shag Rocks area. I n later work (1965) he
did not modify this scheme in relation to the Antarctic.
Knox (1 960) proposed a subdivision of the Antarctic Province into
Rossian and Scotian Subprovinces with a distinct South Georgian
Province. The Rossian Subprovince comprised Victoria Land and the
Ross Sea area of East Antarctica. The evidence for his separate rank
for the Rossian Subprovince was the lack of many Magellanic species,
the fact that the algae Ascoseira mirabilis and Cytosphaera jaquinotii
had not been recorded, and the distinct Australasian affinities shown
by the occurrence of algae such as Gigartinu apoda. The Scotian Subprovince comprised Graham Land, the South Shetlands, South Orkney
and South Sandwich Islands. The South Georgian Province was based
largely on algal evidence, quoted from Skottsberg (1941), which allied
South Georgia to the Falklands. The only zoological evidence quoted
was Powell’s (1951) statement that the molluscan fauna of South Georgia
is distinctive with little in common with that of the Falklands. Knox
therefore considered that South Georgia is best considered transitional
between the Antarctic and Subantarctic cold temperate. Knox’s
treatment shows the difficulties in applying the concept of biological
provinces in general, and in reference to the Antarctic, especially widely
separated island groups in particular. He, himself, (Knox, 1960, p. 611)
was quite clear that he was discussing a subdivision for the littoral zones
of the Antarctic and southern temperateregions. Other workers using his
scheme subsequently have not always realized this limitation.
Kusakin (1967) commented on the difficulties in comparing Subantarctic and Antarctic faunas as follows : “An important failing in ow
analysis (of which we are well aware) is that we examine entirely
different fauna, namely, littoral, sublittoral, pseudo-abyssal and bathyal.
However, this is at present unavoidable . . . although it is certain that
the boundaries of the biogeographical zones for all these zones do not
and usually should not coincide ”. It is unfortunate that all workers
on marine biogeography do not see the issues so clearly. He also comments on the difficulty of comparing the faunas of the Antarctic and of
other areas because of the absence of littoral isopods on Antarctio
shores, and because the shelf fauna which elsewhere occurs down to
depths of 150-200 in, here descends to between 400 and 700 m.
Unfortunately Knox does not always seem to realize that the only
littoral evidence that would be available for the Antarctic Region would