Saskia Brix

Senckenberg Research Institute · German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research DZMB

The genus Eugerdella Kussakin, 1965 (Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897) occurs worldwide with 14 described species. Samples of the DIVA-2 (Latitudinal Gradients of deep-sea Biodiversity in the Atlantic Ocean) expedition contained 87 specimens belonging to 10 different species of the genus Eugerdella. One species, Eugerdella huberti sp. nov., is described i...

The benthic fauna was investigated during the expedition ANT-XXIV/2 (2007/08) in relation to oceanographic features, biogeochemical properties and sediment characteristics, as well as the benthic, pelagic and air-breathing fauna. The results document that Maud Rise (MR) differs distinctly from surrounding deep-sea basins investigated during previou...

New species of desmosomatid isopods from Admiralty Bay, King George Island Two new species of desmosomatid isopods, Eugerdella margaretae sp. n. and Eugerdella celata sp. n. are described from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetlands. Information is added to the original description of Eugerdella falklandica (Nordenstam, 1933) based on re...

Macrostylis cerritus sp. nov. (Macrostylidae) is described from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, at a depth of 2149 m. The new species differs from other species of Macrostylis due to the incisor with 4 cusps; the strongly hook-shaped ischium of pereopod 3; pereopod 4 being greatly reduced and juvenile in appearance; the operculum bearing a ventral spi...

The distribution and diversity of isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda; families Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897 and Nannoniscidae Hansen, 1916) was examined in Icelandic waters where a diversity of water masses (temperature range −0.9 to 12°C) occurs and the topography is characterized by the large and shallow Greenland–Iceland–Faeroe (GIF) Ridge extending acros...

Recent benthic sampling on the Southern Ocean deep-sea has revealed a remarkable biodiversity there, particularly in isopod crustaceans. Most of the species have been assigned to previously undescribed species (e.g. ~80% in Isopoda). Yet, this high rate of novelty provides the basis for continuative studies on deep Southern Ocean ecology and system...

Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov. is the first record of the genus Prochelator Hessler, 1970 from Southern Hemisphere waters, and the first record of the family Desmosomatidae from New Zealand. The new species can be distinguished from all other species of the genus by the following characters: body elongate, without spine-like ventral elongations on per...

Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov. is the first record of the genus Prochelator Hessler, 1970 from Southern Hemisphere waters, and the first record of the family Desmosomatidae from New Zealand. The new species can be distinguished from all other species of the genus by the following characters: body elongate, without spine-like ventral elongations on per...

Despite the fact that oceans cover over 70% of the earth’s surface, only about one third of all currently known species have been described from marine ecosystems (Reaka-Kudla 1997, Groombridge & Jenkins 2000, Grassle 2001, Boltovskoy et al. 2005). We believe that this represents an underestimation of the real biodiversity in the oceans (Bouchet 20...

FIGURE 2: Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov., paratype female, antennula (A), antenna (B), mouthparts (C – F): left mandible (C), maxillula (D), maxilla (inner and outer lobe) (E), maxilliped (F), P 1 (G)

FIGURE 4: Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov., paratype female, pereopods (A – B): P 6 (A), P 7 (B), pleopods (C – H): operculum (C), exopod of Pl 3 (D), endopod of Pl 3 (E), Pl 4 (F), Pl 5 (G), uropod (H).

FIGURE 1: Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov., holotype female, habitus dorsal (A, pereonites 5 – 7 and pleotelson not precise in dorsal view, pleotelson contorted to the left side of specimen), lateral (B).

FIGURE 5: Prochelator tupuhi sp. nov., allotype male, habitus dorsal (A), lateral (B), pleotelson ventral (C).

Two new species of the genus Pseudomesus Hansen, 1916 (Isopoda, Asellota) are described from the Southern hemi- sphere: Pseudomesus pitombo sp. nov. and Pseudomesus satanus sp. nov. Specimens of the new species were collected during DIVA-1 (DIVersity of the abyssal Atlantic Ocean) in the deep Angola Basin (P. pitombo) and a cruise to the Aus- trali...

Three expeditions were performed in the framework of ANDEEP (ANtarctic benthic DEEP-sea biodiversity, colonisation history and recent community patterns) in order to understand the Southern Ocean (SO) biodiversity of the Isopoda and to investigate faunal connections with other deep-sea areas in the world oceans. We sampled mainly in the Atlantic se...

From a total of 104 species and 1741 individuals of Isopoda, the material from DIVA-1 (DIVersity of the Atlantic benthos) contained 364 specimens belonging to Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897. They are represented by 10 genera and 27 species. Most species (93%) are new to science. Four species are described in this study (Eugerdella theodori sp. nov., Des...

Shallow marine benthic communities around Antarctica show high levels of endemism, gigantism, slow growth, longevity and late maturity, as well as adaptive radiations that have generated considerable biodiversity in some taxa. The deeper parts of the Southern Ocean exhibit some unique environmental features, including a very deep continental shelf...

Shallow marine benthic communities around Antarctica show high levels of endemism, gigantism, slow growth, longevity and late maturity, as well as adaptive radiations that have generated considerable biodiversity in some taxa1. The deeper parts of the Southern Ocean exhibit some unique environmental features, including a very deep continental shelf...

Brix, S. 2006. A new genus and new species of Desmosomatidae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota) from the deep sea of south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63(2): 175–205. A new genus and species, Chelantermedia composita sp. nov., and fi ve new species of Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897 (Paradesmosoma australis sp. nov., Oecidiobranchus nowrae...

We examined deep-sea epibenthic sledge isopod data from the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) (depth range=742–5,191m). Samples were taken during the expeditions EASIZ II (ANT XV-3) in 1998 and ANDEEP I and II (ANT XIX3/4) in 2002. A total of 471 isopod species were recorded from 28 sites. The species richness of the epibenthic sledge samp...

During the expedition DIVersity of the abyssal Atlantic benthos (DIVA-1) with RV “Meteor” in July 2000, samples were taken at seven stations by means of an epibenthic sledge north of the Walvis Ridge in the Angola Basin off Namibia in 5125–5415m depth. Two hundred and forty one species of Peracarida are identified from the material so far. Dominant...

A new isopod of the genus Prochelator (Desmosomatidae) is described from the abyssal plain of the South East Atlantic Ocean. This is the first record of Prochelator in the Angola Basin. The new species differs from all other species particularly in antennular setation, the shape of pereonite four and operculum, and the presence of very small poster...

Disparella maiuscula sp. nov. from the Southern Ocean is the second record of this genus from the region besides Disparella longimana (VANHOFFEN, 1914). The new species can be distinguished from all other species of Disparella HESSLER, 1970 by the length of the cephalic spines and the longer uropods. Further differences are the setation of the firs...

Samples were taken during the expeditions ANDEEP I & II (ANT XIX/3-4) (ANtarctic benthic DEEP-sea biodiversity, colonisation history and recent community patterns) with RV Polarstern for the analysis of the Southern Ocean (SO) deep-sea isopod biodiversity in the Drake Passage, off Elephant Island, along the South Shetland Islands, in the northweste...