ANTAROTIC BENTHOS
43
(1903, 1914, 1927, 1928, 1930 and 1939). The last publication to
discuss the composition and distribution of the Antarctic fauna
as such seems to be Carlgren (1928). In this paper he lists 31
species from the Antarctic. One of these, Halcampoides purpurea
(Studer) is cosmopolitan. Five other species are found elsewhere, e.g. Edwardsia intermedia McMurrich, Choriactis laevis (Carlgren),
Glyphoperidium bursa Roule, Hormosomu scotti Stephenson and Artemidactis victrix Stephenson. Edwardsia intermedia occurs on the Antarctic Peninsula and at South Georgia, Tierra del Fuego and off
Southern Chile, while Choriactis Zaevis occurs on the South Shetlands
and South Orkneys, the Burdwood Bank and Tierra del Fuego. These
two species with restricted distribution in the Antarctic could perhaps
be more properly considered Subantarctic species which have extended
into the Antarctic through the Scotia Arc. The other three species
mentioned had a wider distribution in the Antarctic but extended north
to South Georgia. Carlgren was here not considering South Georgia as
falling within the Antarctic region. Distributions of this type are well
exemplified in other groups of animals. The following species appear to
have a circumpolar distribution : Dactylanthus antarcticus (Clubb),
Glyphoperidium bursa Roule, Hormosoma scotti, Stomphia selaginella
(Stephenson), Artemidactis victrix and Tealianthus incertw Carlgren
(Carlgren, 1928). Some 19 species appear to be confined to East Antarctica, and two to West Antarctica, apart from nine which are confined
as far as is known to South Georgia. Two species seem so far to be
known only from off Bouvet Island. Judging by the records available
the fauna of East Antarctica would seem to have been rather more
thoroughly collected than that from West Antarctica.
Of the 31 species recorded by Carlgren (1928) from the Antarctic
seven were known from depths from 0 to 200 m, seven spanned part
of the range from 0 to 700 m, 12 occurred between 200 and 700 m and
five were only known from depths greater than 1000 m. However,
many of the species concerned had only been recorded from one station
and the bathymetric data generally seem rather sparse.
Dayton et al. (1970) have published a series of delightful underwater photographs of Urticinopsis antarctica (Verrill) in McMurdo
Sound, and described its feeding habits, especially its preying on the
echinoid Sterechinus neumayri (Meissner) as well as its habit of capturing
medusae. The above authors recorded Artemidactis victrix, Isotealia
antarctica Carlgren (believed to be a synonym of Tealianthus incertus
by Carlgren), Urticinopsis antarctica and Hormathia lacunifera (Stephenson) as very conspicuous in a zone between 15 and 33 m in McMurdo
Sound.
43
(1903, 1914, 1927, 1928, 1930 and 1939). The last publication to
discuss the composition and distribution of the Antarctic fauna
as such seems to be Carlgren (1928). In this paper he lists 31
species from the Antarctic. One of these, Halcampoides purpurea
(Studer) is cosmopolitan. Five other species are found elsewhere, e.g. Edwardsia intermedia McMurrich, Choriactis laevis (Carlgren),
Glyphoperidium bursa Roule, Hormosomu scotti Stephenson and Artemidactis victrix Stephenson. Edwardsia intermedia occurs on the Antarctic Peninsula and at South Georgia, Tierra del Fuego and off
Southern Chile, while Choriactis Zaevis occurs on the South Shetlands
and South Orkneys, the Burdwood Bank and Tierra del Fuego. These
two species with restricted distribution in the Antarctic could perhaps
be more properly considered Subantarctic species which have extended
into the Antarctic through the Scotia Arc. The other three species
mentioned had a wider distribution in the Antarctic but extended north
to South Georgia. Carlgren was here not considering South Georgia as
falling within the Antarctic region. Distributions of this type are well
exemplified in other groups of animals. The following species appear to
have a circumpolar distribution : Dactylanthus antarcticus (Clubb),
Glyphoperidium bursa Roule, Hormosoma scotti, Stomphia selaginella
(Stephenson), Artemidactis victrix and Tealianthus incertw Carlgren
(Carlgren, 1928). Some 19 species appear to be confined to East Antarctica, and two to West Antarctica, apart from nine which are confined
as far as is known to South Georgia. Two species seem so far to be
known only from off Bouvet Island. Judging by the records available
the fauna of East Antarctica would seem to have been rather more
thoroughly collected than that from West Antarctica.
Of the 31 species recorded by Carlgren (1928) from the Antarctic
seven were known from depths from 0 to 200 m, seven spanned part
of the range from 0 to 700 m, 12 occurred between 200 and 700 m and
five were only known from depths greater than 1000 m. However,
many of the species concerned had only been recorded from one station
and the bathymetric data generally seem rather sparse.
Dayton et al. (1970) have published a series of delightful underwater photographs of Urticinopsis antarctica (Verrill) in McMurdo
Sound, and described its feeding habits, especially its preying on the
echinoid Sterechinus neumayri (Meissner) as well as its habit of capturing
medusae. The above authors recorded Artemidactis victrix, Isotealia
antarctica Carlgren (believed to be a synonym of Tealianthus incertus
by Carlgren), Urticinopsis antarctica and Hormathia lacunifera (Stephenson) as very conspicuous in a zone between 15 and 33 m in McMurdo
Sound.