Recent deep-sea ostracods of the sub-polar North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Presented here is an illustrated checklist of benthic marine Ostracoda (Crustacea) recorded from Recent surface sediments of the sub-polar North Atlantic Ocean (SPNA). It presents 142 species (and species groups) belonging to 62 genera from 41 sampling sites collected from the water depths of 144–2749 m.We provide census data with scanning electron microscope images of representative specimens of most species, as well as geographical and bathymetrical distribution maps of selected species and genera. Samples from the Nordic seas (i.e., Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea), as well as North Atlantic proper waters (i.e., Irminger Sea, Iceland Sea) are included. The bathymetry covers shelf to continental rise surface sediments from the Irminger Basin, the Iceland Basin, the Iceland Plateau, the Denmark Strait, the Faeroe-Shetland Channel, the Iceland-Faeroe Ridge, the Reykjanes Ridge, and the Faeroe Plateau. The data presented here is an important taxonomic and biogeographical baseline of the SPNA benthic ostracod fauna.