Distributions of physonect siphonulae in the Gulf of Maine and their potential as important sources of acoustic scattering

Abstract

The distributions of siphonulae stages of physonect siphonophores were mapped in Wilkinson, Jordan, and Georges basins of the Gulf of Maine using a video plankton recorder. Siphonulae are often overlooked in net samples and our optical survey appears to be the first in situ investigation of these organisms. Siphonulae were distributed at mid-depths in narrow horizontal layers, suggesting potential control of their buoyancy. The siphonulae possessed gas-filled pneumatophores with diameters of 0.1–0.4 mm. Pneumatophore diameters appeared to be similar over their entire sampled depth range, suggesting that siphonulae may be capable of regulating the pressure of gas within the pneumatophore to maintain a constant volume. The dimensions of the siphonulae pneumatophores placed them near the acoustic resonance region for scattering at 43 kHz when near the surface and 120 kHz when at depth. Theoretical estimates of the acoustical target strengths of gas bubbles of sizes corresponding to the sizes of our measured pneumatophores produced relatively strong backscatter. Layers of siphonulae corresponded to regions of high acoustical backscatter at 120, 200, and 420 kHz.