Research Article |
Corresponding author: Anne-Nina Lörz ( anne-nina.loerz@uni-hamburg.de ) Academic editor: Jörundur Svavarsson
© 2021 Anne-Nina Lörz, Tammy Horton.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Lörz A-N, Horton T (2021) Investigation of the Amathillopsidae (Amphipoda, Crustacea), including the description of a new species, reveals a clinging lifestyle in the deep sea worldwide. ZooKeys 1031: 19-39. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1031.62391
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Amathillopsidae is a widely distributed, but rarely sampled family of deep-sea amphipods. During a recent expedition to the North Atlantic, specimens were filmed clinging to a polychaete tube in situ at abyssal depths by a Remote Operated Vehicle and then sampled for further study. The species was new to science and is described in detail herein. A barcode sequence is provided. Further investigations of photographic and video records revealed the genus Amathillopsis to be more widely distributed, both geographically and bathymetrically, than indicated by current literature records, and that these species occur at abyssal depths in all oceans. Specimens of Amathillopsis are reported clinging to a variety of different organisms whose erect structures provide the means to raise these charismatic deep-sea predators above the seafloor facilitating feeding opportunities.
Benthic, Porcupine Abyssal Plain, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), worldwide distribution
During the third expedition of the Icelandic Genetics & Evolution (IceAGE) project on the RV ‘Sonne’ (Cruise SO267) to the North Atlantic from June to July 2020, large numbers of amphipod crustaceans were collected using a variety of methods. Using the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) KIEL 6000, an interesting amathillopsid amphipod was observed sitting as a pair clinging to an onuphid worm tube at 4600 m depth at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. The amathillopsid species was successfully sampled and proved to be new to science. A single specimen of the new species, collected at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory site at 4844 m, was also found within the Discovery Collections at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK. This new species, amongst the deepest confirmed record of the genus, is described herein.
Three species of Amathillopsis and one species of Cleonardopsis have been reported from the North Atlantic to date: Amathillopsis affinis Miers, 1881; Amathillopsis spinigera Heller, 1875; Amathillopsis atlantica Chevreux, 1908; and a probable new species of Cleonardopsis which was first reported from off the coast of eastern Greenland by
The Amathillopsidae are rarely collected, and very little is known of their biology and ecology. Most studies of the family relate to the description of new species based on material from a single or very few specimens, from a single locality.
In recent years, the increased use of ROVs to capture high-resolution footage of deep-sea ecosystems has provided an opportunity for the study of poorly known and rarely captured organisms (
During the IceAGE 3 expedition on the RV ‘Sonne’, the ROV KIEL 6000 sampled the Porcupine Abyssal Plain at station 133-4 (49°47.969'N, 015°12.975'E, 4622 m, 20 July 2020), via photo and video transects, as well as physical sampling. The specimens of the new species of Amathillopsis were initially photographed and filmed in situ, after which attempts were made to use the ROV suction to collect them. When this failed the specimens were scooped up by the ROV operator arm using a net and then placed into a sampling box.
Once on board, the single specimen collected was immediately photographed and then placed in RNAlater. The left first pleopod was then dissected and placed in a separate tube to be used for DNA extraction. The whole specimen and the dissected pleopod sample were then both transferred to the -20 °C freezer for later study.
The type localities and holotype materials of all known species of Amathillopsis were collated to aid in future studies of the genus (Table
Type localities of all described species (and subspecies) of Amathillopsis and Cleonardopsis. The type locality of Amathillopleustes alticoxa is included as this likely represents a different species from Cleonardopsis carinata, with which it is currently synonymised. All localities are taken from original descriptions. Coordinates of localities for A. annectens, A. pacifica, and C. carinata are inferred from the verbatim type locality.
Species | Verbatim latitude and verbatim longitude | Decimal latitude and longitude | Depth (m) | Geographic locality |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amathillopsis affinis | 79°55'N, 51°E | 80.5667, 54.7833 | unknown | Arctic Ocean |
Amathillopsis annectens | SE point Santa Catalina Island, 3.2 miles | 33.2735, -118.2705 | 611–1097 | North Pacific, California |
Amathillopsis atlantica | 39°11'N, 30°24'W | 39.1833, -30.4000 | 1600–1919 | North Atlantic, Azores |
Amathillopsis australis | 12°8'S, 145°10'E | -12.3333, 145.1667 | 2560 | Coral Sea, Celebes Sea, Arafura Sea |
Amathillopsis charlottae | 66°33.10'S, 68°41.90'W | -66.5528, -68.7083 | 607 | Antarctic Peninsula |
Amathillopsis comorensis | 12°14.4'S, 46°41.6'E | -11.6520, 43.3726 | 2500 | Indian Ocean, Comoros |
Amathillopsis grevei | -44.3, 166.7667 | -44.3, 166.7667 | 3580 | Tasman Sea |
Amathillopsis pacifica margo | 23°59.5'N, 113°11.9'W | 23.9847, -113.1858 | 3479–3515 | North Pacific, Baja California |
Amathillopsis pacifica | Southern Basin Okhotsk Sea | 52.8736, 149.3658 | 2850 | Okhotsk Sea, North Pacific |
Amathillopsis roroi | -60.61833, -54.93167 | -60.3710, -54.9317 | 3213 | Antarctic Peninsula |
Amathillopsis septemdentata | 13°46'S, 47°33'E | -13.7667, 47.5500 | 1490–1600 | Indian Ocean, Nosy-Be, Madagascar |
Amathillopsis spinigera | 79°15'N, 60°E | 77.8750, 20.9752 | 240 | Arctic Ocean |
Amathillopsis takahashiae | 31.43889, 131.67333 | 31.4389, 131.6733 | 528 | North Pacific, Japan |
Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov. | 50.0525, -15.470833 | 50.0525, -15.4708 | 4622 | North Atlantic, Porcupine Abyssal Plain |
Cleonardopsis carinata | 36 miles NNE Cape Point | -34.3567, 18.4968 | 1189 | South Africa, South Atlantic |
Amathillopleustes alticoxa | 2°40'S, 128°37'.5E | -2.9358, 128.6181 | 835 | Ceram Sea, Indonesia |
The adult male holotype specimen (ZMH K 60236) was photographed in situ by the ROV KIEL 6000, photographed on board by a Nikon D5 camera with an objective Nikon AF-S Mikro-Nikkor 105 mm 1:2.8, and dissected appendages were photographed using a Keyence 7000 microscope. A video of the Amathillopsis in situ can be found in the Suppl. material
Initial observations and photographs were made on board of the RV ‘Sonne’.
The pencil drawings were conducted using a LeicaM125 and an Olympus BX53. Pencil drawings were scanned and inked digitally using Adobe Illustrator and a WACOM digitiser tablet (
Isolation of DNA was performed on board using the NucleoSpin tissue extraction kit from MACHEREY-NAGEL GmbH & Co. KG according to the manufacturer’s protocol. A fragment of the COI gene (ca. 670 bp fragment) was amplified using primers LCO1490-JJ CHACWAAYCATAAAGATATYGG Forward (
The PCR reaction mixes were prepared to a final volume of 25 µl containing 12.5 µl AccuStart II PCR ToughMix (Quanta Bio), 0.5 µl of each primer (10 pmol/µl), 9.5 µl dH2O and 2 µl template DNA. PCR settings for amplifying CO1 sequences consisted of initial denaturing of 4 min at 95 °C, 5 cycles of 45 s at 95 °C, 90 s at 45 °C, 60 s at 72 °C, following 35 cycles of 45 s at 95 °C, 60 s at 51 °C, 60 s at 72 °C, and final extension 3 min at 72 °C. PCR products were purified using the Exonuclease-I/Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (Thermo Fisher) method and were sequenced at Macrogen Inc. Europe. Sequences were edited using Geneious 9.1.8 resulting in a sequence of length of 626 bp excluding primers. Relevant voucher information, taxonomic classifications and sequences are deposited in BOLD.
Setal and mouthpart classifications follow
The following abbreviations have been used:
A antenna;
E epimeron;
Ep epistome;
G gnathopod;
H Head;
LL lower lip;
Md mandible;
Mx maxilla;
Mxp maxilliped;
P pereopod;
T telson;
U uropod;
UL upper lip.
Suborder Amphilochidea Boeck, 1871
Infraorder Amphilochida Boeck, 1871
Parvorder Amphilochidira Boeck, 1871
Superfamily Iphimedioidea Boeck, 1871
Family Amathillopsidae Pirlot, 1934
Amathillopsis
Heller, 1875: 35. –
Acanthopleustes Holmes, 1908: 533 (Acanthopleustes annectens Holmes, 1908 by original designation).
Amathillopsis spinigera Heller, 1875 (by original designation).
(after
Pereon. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, overlapping, coxae 1–3 or coxae 1–4 ventrally acute. Coxae 1–3 similar in size or progressively larger. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; carpus shorter than or subequal to propodus; propodus with or without peg-like robust setae along palmar margin. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3 or subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; carpus short, shorter than propodus. Pereopods: some or none prehensile. Pereopod 4 coxa ventrally acute, with or without small posteroventral lobe. Pereopod 5 coxa equilobate, with posteroventral lobe or with acute posterodistal lobe; basis slightly expanded or linear. Pereopod 6 subequal in length to, or longer than pereopod 7; basis slightly expanded or linear. Pereopod 7 shorter than or subequal in length to pereopod 5; basis slightly expanded or linear.
Pleon. Urosomite 1 carinate, urosomites 1–2 carinate or urosomites not carinate. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Telson notched, emarginate or entire; dorsal or lateral robust setae absent; apical robust setae absent.
Amathillopsis is the type genus of the family Amathillopsidae and the genus has a cosmopolitan distribution (
Amathillopsis affinis Miers, 1881, A. annectens (Holmes, 1908), A. atlantica Chevreux, 1908, A. australis Stebbing, 1883, A. charlottae Coleman, 1998, A. comorensis Ledoyer, 1986, A. grevei J.L. Barnard, 1961, A. pacifica Gurjanova, 1955, A. pacifica margo J.L. Barnard, 1967, A. roroi Coleman & Coleman, 2008, A. septemdentata Ledoyer, 1978, A. spinigera Heller, 1875, A. takahashiae Tomikawa & Mawatari, 2006.
Holotype: North East Atlantic • Male, 9.4 mm; Porcupine Abyssal Plain; 49°47.969'N, 015°12.975'E, 4622 m; 20 July 2020; RV ‘Sonne’ cruise 267, station 133–4, gear ROV KIEL 6000;
Porcupine Abyssal Plain, 4622 m, 49°47.969'N, 015°12.975'E, RV ‘Sonne’ cruise 267, station 133–4, gear ROV KIEL 6000.
Pereonites 3 and 4 with small, rounded mid-dorsal projections. Pereonites 5–7 mid-dorsal projections, small, rounded, increasing in size. Pleonites 1 and 2 mid-dorsal projections small, rounded, reduced to dorsal hump on pleonite 3. Urosomite 1 mid-dorsal projection absent, urosomites 2 and 3 carinate, urosomite 3 with a small mid-dorsal process. Gnathopod 2 posterodistal basis lobe developed. Strong, acute tooth on posterodistal corner of epimeron 3. Telson cleft.
Male holotype 9.4 mm: Head slightly shorter than pereonites 1 and 2 combined, rostrum very short, pointed, lateral cephalic lobe quadrate, eyes present, pigmented, strongly white in fresh specimen. Pereonites 1 and 2 indistinctly keeled dorsally; pereonite 3–5 with short mid-dorsal processes; pereonites 6 and 7 each with short, weakly posteriorly curved mid-dorsal process. Pleonites 1 and 2 each with short weakly posteriorly curved mid-dorsal process; pleonite 3 with low, mid-dorsal rounded process. Epimeral plates 1 and 2 with ventral margin rounded, posteroventral corner rounded; epimeral plate 3 with ventral margin curved and posteroventral corner produced into an acute tooth. Urosomite 1 lacking dorsal armature, urosomites 2–3 dorsally carinate, each with short weakly posteriorly curved mid-dorsal process, urosomite 3 with a small mid-dorsal process. Antenna 1 long, as long as body length, with peduncular articles 1, 2, and 3 in length ratio of 1.0: 1.1: 0.4. Article 1 longer than head length; accessory flagellum uni-articulate, not spine-like; primary flagellum consisting of 64 articles, article 1 long, as long as articles 2–7 combined. Antenna 2 0.8 × as long as antenna 1; peduncular article 3 reaching to mid length of peduncular article 1 of antenna 1; peduncular article 4 long, 1.7 × as long as peduncular article 5, flagellum approximately the same length, as long as peduncle, 54-articulate.
Mouthparts. Upper lip with weakly convex apical margin, bearing two groups of setae. Lower lip with outer lobes broad, setulose; inner lobes indistinct, fused. Mandibles with left incisors bearing eight teeth, left lacinia mobilis with four teeth; accessory setal row with nine setae, some bearing a row of minute protuberances. Molar developed, triturative. Palp articles 1, 2, and 3 in length ratio of 1.0: 5.0: 7.1, article 1 lacking setae, article 2 with marginal and submarginal setae, and article 3 with six marginal and three terminal setae. Maxilla 1 with inner plate ovate and bearing four plumose setae; outer plate rectangular, with 11 serrate, robust setae; palp two-articulate, longer than outer plate, terminally with seven long robust setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate slightly broader than outer plate, bearing row of long plumose setae. Maxilliped, inner plate reaching base of palp, with three robust nodular setae on the distomedial margin, distolateral margin with apical robust setae; outer plate exceeding distal margin of palp article 1. Maxillipedal palp long, raptorial, four-articulate; article 2 and 3 heavily setose and widened medially; dactylus as long as article 3.
Pereon. Coxae 1 and 2 with acute processes projecting anteroventrally. Coxa 3 subtriangular, Coxa 4 rhomboid, both with acute processes projecting anteroventrally. Coxae 5 and 6 wider than long, bilobate. Coxa 7 small, rounded. Gnathopod 1 subchelate, basis posterior margin with row of robust setae, posterodistal lobe absent; ischium and merus short; carpus 0.68 × as long as propodus, ventral lobe broad, concave, allowing propodus to retract; propodus stout, tapering distally, with four groups of robust setae, palmar margin with long and short robust setae; dactylus as long as palmar margin, sickle-like. Gnathopod 2 subchelate, basis with posterodistal lobe present, posterior margin with row of robust setae; carpus 0.67 × as long as propodus, ventral lobe broad, concave, allowing propodus to retract; propodus stout, tapering distally, with four groups of robust setae, palmar margin with long and short robust setae; dactylus as long as palmar margin, sickle-like. Pereopod 3 basis with row of robust setae along weakly convex posterior margin, ischium short, as long as wide; merus margins subparallel with slight anterior curvature. Pereopod 4 similar to pereopod 3. Pereopods 5–7 anterior and posterior margins of basis sub-parallel, linear, posterior lobe lacking; ischium short, as long as wide; merus margins subparallel with slight anterior curvature. Carpus, propodus and dactylus missing from pereopods 3–7.
Uropods. Uropod 1 long, peduncle length 0.88 × inner ramus; medial margin of peduncle with robust setae, inner ramus, lateral and medial margins with robust setae, outer ramus 0.88 × as long as inner, lateral and medial margins with robust setae. Uropod 2 with peduncle length 0.57 × inner ramus, lateral margin with robust setae, dorsomedial margin with one robust seta distally; inner ramus, lateral and medial margins with robust setae; outer ramus 0.64 × inner, lateral and medial margins with robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle length 0.74 × inner ramus; dorsomedial margin of peduncle with three robust setae distally; inner ramus with lateral and medial margins bearing robust setae, outer ramus 0.64 × as long as inner, lateral, and medial margins with robust setae. Telson length 1.44 × width, cleft 22%. Each lobe bearing terminal setae.
Paratype male, 14 mm: As for holotype except the dorsal processes are more pronounced and acute on pereonites 5–7 and pleonites 1 and 2 (Fig.
Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov., Holotype:
The name is dedicated to Dr. Inken Suck, the pilot who flew the ROV and sampled the specimen, to honour her dedication to deep-sea biology.
In live condition, Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov. has a white coloured body and antennae, the last three segments of both gnathopods as well as the mouthparts are red. Eyes are clearly visible, solid white, in live and fresh condition, but fade after a few days of fixation. Care should be taken in use of the relative sizes of the dorsal processes as these are likely to vary ontogenetically, as for the two specimens available here, where the larger male paratype has more pronounced, acute processes than the smaller male holotype. This is also likely to occur in other species in the genus. The specimens reported by
Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov. differs from known species of Amathillopsis by the characters listed in Table
Morphological tabulation of characters for separating known species of Amathillopsis.
Character | A. inkenae sp. nov. | A. affinis | A. annectens | A. atlantica | A. australis | A. charlottae | A. comorensis | A. grevei | A. pacifica | A. p. margo | A. roroi | A. septemdentata | A. spinigera | A. takahashiae |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pereonites 1–4 mid-dorsal projections | small, rounded on 3 & 4 | strong, acute on 1–4 | small, rounded on 2–4 | absent | keeled on 1–4 | keeled on 2–4 | small, rounded on 2–4 | absent | small, rounded on 2–4 | small, rounded on 2–4 | absent | absent | strong, acute on 1–4 | absent |
Pereonites 5–7 mid-dorsal projections | small, rounded, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute on 5–7 | medium, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | medium, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | absent but trace of keel on 6–7 | strong, acute, increasing in size on 5–7 | strong, acute on 5–7 | rounded hump on 5, acute on 6–7 |
Pleonites 1–3 mid-dorsal projections | 1–2 small, rounded, 3 reduced to dorsal hump | strong, acute on 1–2, 3 small | medium, acute, 1–3, smaller on 3 | strong, acute on 1–3 | strong, acute on 1–3 | strong, acute on 1–2, slightly smaller on 3 | medium acute on 1–2 , 3 with tiny upright process | medium, acute, 1–3, decreasing | strong, acute on 1–2, smaller on 3 | strong, acute on 1–2, smaller on 3 | 1–2 short, acute, 3 small upright process | strong, acute on 1–3 | strong, acute on 1–3 | strong, acute on 1–2, smaller on 3 |
Urosomite 1 mid-dorsal projection | absent | unknown | absent | absent | absent | absent | absent | absent | absent | absent | absent | present | present | absent |
Gnathopod posterodistal basis lobe | developed on G2 only | unknown | absent | well-developed on G1 and G2 | developed on G2 only | developed on G1 and G2 | developed on G2 only | slightly developed on G2 only | well-developed | well-developed | small | small | small | small |
Mandible palp article 3: article 2 length | 1.4 | unknown | 1.2 | unknown | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.4 | unknown | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
Telson | cleft | emarginate | entire | emarginate | emarginate | entire | cleft | emarginate | emarginate | emarginate | emarginate | entire | emarginate | emarginate (with dorsal keel) |
Antenna 1 Accessory Flagellum | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, spine-like, straight | uniarticulate, spine-like, curved | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, spine-like | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, spine-like, straight | uniarticulate, spine-like, straight | uniarticulate, ordinary | uniarticulate, spine-like, straight | bi-articulate, ordinary | uniarticulate |
The barcode of Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov. is deposited in BOLD:AEF9286 and GenBank MW726208.
4622–4844 m.
Only known from the North East Atlantic Ocean, Porcupine Abyssal Plain, between 4622–4844 m.
We have described a new species of Amathillopsis collected from abyssal depths and differentiated this new species from the known species found globally. Only A. grevei, A. roroi, and A. pacifica have been collected at abyssal depths; all other Amathillopsis species were collected shallower than 2000 m. However, photographs and video captured by ROVs are now able to show that the genus is relatively common at bathyal and abyssal depths. Amathillopsis species have now been observed by ROVs and other camera systems on a number of occasions, clinging in pairs (and occasionally in larger numbers), to a tubular or stalk-like structure erected from soft substrate, and also on corals attached to hard substrates. We have collated these records and present them alongside the type localities of known Amathillopsis species (Table
Locality data for collated photographic records of specimens of Amathillopsis. DISCOL = DIS-turbance and re-COL-onization experiment; APEI = Areas of Particular Environmental Interest; TOML = Tonga Offshore Mining Limited.
Geographic Locality | Latitude and longitude | Depth (m) | Date (dd/mm/yyyy) | Publication/credit |
---|---|---|---|---|
North Atlantic, Porcupine Abyssal Plain | 50.0525, -15.4708 | 4622 | 20/07/2020 | This study |
Kiribati (east of the Line Island Group) | 5.9903, -156.7402 | 4660 | 02/08/2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00605 |
Kiribati (west of the Line Island Group) | 2.5704, -162.2069 | 5111 | 30/07/2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00605 |
Kiribati (east of the Phoenix Islands Group) | -0.0001, -170.9988 | 5559 | 27/07/2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00605 |
Kiribati (east of the Line Island Group) | 5.9725, -156.7832 | 4653 | 02/08/2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00605 |
Eastern Clarion Clipperton Zone (TOML-C) | 15.2734, -129.6792 | 5002 | 02/09/2015 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2020.102405 |
Eastern Clarion Clipperton Zone (APEI-6) | 17.3400, -122.9007 | 4005 | 07/05/2015 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2018.11.003 |
Eastern Clarion Clipperton Zone (APEI-6) | 17.3575, -122.9053 | 4013 | 07/05/2015 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2018.11.003 |
Eastern Clarion Clipperton Zone (APEI-6) | 17.2421, -122.8223 | 4239 | 10/05/2015 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2018.11.003 |
Peru Basin – DISCOL site | -7.0736, -88.4653 | 4130 | 24/03/2017 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44492-w |
Peru Basin – DISCOL site | -7.1258, -88.4568 | 4160 | 24/03/2017 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44492-w |
Peru Basin – DISCOL site | -7.0801, -88.4678 | 4133 | 24/03/2017 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44492-w |
Peru Basin – DISCOL site | -7.1252, -88.4506 | 4149 | 15/09/2015 | courtesy of GEOMAR |
Peru Basin – DISCOL site | -7.0898, -88.4463 | 4140 | 13/09/2015 | courtesy of GEOMAR |
New Zealand, Abyssal basin between Three Kings & Colville Ridges | -30.9908, 177.5010 | 4159 | 01/02/2017 | courtesy of GEOMAR |
Northern Mariana Islands, Southern Marianas, Fina Nagu Volcanic Chain | 12.7956, 143.7862 | 2629 | 27/04/2016 | courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
Northern Mariana Islands, Marianas Trench Marine National Monument | 21.5679, 145.5185 | 3300 | 29/06/2016 | courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
Northern Mariana Islands, Marianas Trench Marine National Monument | 20.7234, 145.0618 | 1909 | 01/07/2016 | courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, northeast of Kingman Reef | 6.4178, -162.2202 | 1930 | 14/05/2017 | courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Suiko Seamount | 44.5561, 170.4798 | 2252 | 08/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4313, 170.4371 | 1495 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4313, 170.4377 | 1493 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4318, 170.4357 | 1479 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4319, 170.4354 | 1472 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4402, 170.4381 | 1336 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount | 42.4320, 170.4350 | 1470 | 09/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
North West Pacific, Emperor Seamount Chain, Nintoku Seamount | 40.7519, 170.5925 | 1490 | 12/08/2019 | Schmidt Ocean Institute, courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |
Sea of Okhotsk, Bussol Strait | 46.9426, 151.0836 | 3299 | 22/07/2015 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2018.05.022 |
Aleutian Islands | 52.4981, -174.9232 | 2947 | 27/07/2004 | ROV JASON, courtesy of Les Watling |
All photographic records of Amathillopsis collated here are from the Pacific (Fig.
A selection of photographic records of specimens of Amathillopsis: A Eastern Clarion Clipperton Zone, APEI-6, 4013 m B Emperor Seamount Chain, Yomei Seamount, 1470 m C Northern Mariana Islands, Fina Nagu Volcanic Chain, 2629 m D Peru Basin, DISCOL site, 4149 m E New Zealand, Abyssal basin, 4160 m F northeast of Kingman Reef, 1930 m. See Table
The ROV KIEL 6000 captured images of pairs of Amathillopsis clinging to sponges below 4000 m during the DISCOL expedition on RV ‘Sonne’ to the southeast Pacific in 2015 (Fig.
Map showing the type localities of known species of Amathillopsis (orange stars), the location of photograph records of Amathillopsis species (purple diamonds), and type localities of Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov. (red stars). The types of the two specimens of Cleonardopsinae are included. See Table
Based on the raptorial structure of the mouthparts and gnathopods we assume Amathillopsis to be predators (or micropredators), capturing their prey, such as zooplankton or small suprabenthic crustaceans from the water column. The red colour of gnathopods and mouthparts may result from the consumption of carotinoids from prey. Amathillopsids have never been caught in baited traps, and therefore we exclude the possibility of them being scavengers. Also remarkable are the well-developed eyes of Amathillopsis specimens living below 3000 m. It is probable that they rely on bioluminescence as communication, either for catching prey, avoiding predators or finding mating partners.
We are grateful to Saskia Brix, Deutsches Zentrum für Marine Biodiversitätforschung (DZMB) for organizing and leading the IceAGE 3 expedition. We appreciate the extra sampling effort and great in situ images taken by the ROV team led by Fritz Abegg from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Zentrum Kiel. We thank the team of expedition SO197 on board of RV ‘Sonne’. Solvin Zankl took the board photographs. Karen Jeskulke (DZMB) is thanked for her technical support with the collection databases. Molecular lab support was provided by Eva Paulus and Nicole Gatzemeier (DZMB). Alexandra Kerbl (CeNak Hamburg), kindly identified the polychaete tube from a photograph. We are grateful to Erik Simon-Lledó (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton), Virginia Moriwake (University of Hawai‘i), NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Sadie Mills (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand), Dr. Inken Suck (GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany), and Les Watling (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa & Schmidt Ocean Institute), for allowing us to use photographs of other specimens of Amathillopsis from a variety of locations for inclusion in our study. The authors are grateful to the two reviewers whose comments and suggestions greatly improved the manuscript.
Anne-Nina Lörz as well as laboratory consumables and sequencing costs were financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft project IceAGE Amphipoda (LO2543/1-1). Tammy Horton was funded by Climate Linked Atlantic Section Science (CLASS) programme (NE/R015953/1) supported by UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) National Capability funding to the National Oceanography Centre.
In situ video
Data type: mp4. video file
Explanation note: Amathillopsis inkenae sp. nov., clinging onto a polychaete tube in 4622 m, Porcupine Abyssal Plain, filmed by the ROV KIEL 6000 during the RV ‘Sonne’ expedition 267, station 133-4.