Document of dataset 4729

Dataset record

Type

Dataset

title in English

Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic and cold temperate echinoid database

Description in English

This database is devoted to all echinoid species inhabiting ocean areas south of 35S latitude (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Echinoids are well represented in the Antarctic benthic communities in terms of frequency, abundance and species richness. They are frequently collected both at shallow depths over the continental shelf and in deeper waters of the continental slope and ocean basins. With 82 species ever described that represent about 10% of echinoid species worldwide, the Southern Ocean is particularly rich in echinoid species. The Antarctic echinoid fauna is characterised by a relative high morphological diversity and high rate of endemism (66% of species - David et al. 2005b). It should be noticed that Antarctic echinoid diversity is represented by a few orders (7) among which the two orders Spatangoida and Cidaroida include 64.6% of Antarctic species. As a comparison, South Australian and New Zealand areas comprise 113 echinoid species, 62 genera and 12 orders, while southern South America only 36 species, 23 genera and 8 orders, and the Southern Ocean 82 species, 30 genera and 7 orders. Identifications and taxonomic accuracies were based on Mortensen, T. (1928, 1935, 1943, 1950, 1951) and David et al. (2005b).

The sampling area ranges from 35°S to 71°S latitude and from 180° W to 180°E longitude. The 35°S limit is coincident with the position of the Subtropical Convergence (Tchernia, 1980; Knox, 1983), which is considered to determine the limit between tropical and cold temperate marine species. The latter species were considered in the database, as they are likely to interact with Antarctic species in the future according to scenarii of forthcoming global climate change or to have interacted with them in the past.

Abstract in English

This database includes spatial data of Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic and cold temperate echinoid distribution (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) collected during many oceanographic campaigns led in the Southern Hemisphere from 1872 to 2010. The dataset lists occurrence data of echinoid distribution south of 35°S latitude, together with information on taxonomy (from species to genus level), sampling sources (cruise ID, sampling dates, ship names) and sampling sites (geographic coordinates and depth). Echinoid occurrence data were compiled from the Antarctic Echinoid Database (David et al., 2005a), which integrates records from oceanographic cruises led in the Southern Ocean until 2003. This database has been upgraded to take into account data from oceanographic cruises led after 2003. The dataset now reaches a total of 6160 occurrence data that have been checked for systematics reliability and consistency. It constitutes today the most complete database on Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic echinoids.

License

https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html

bibliographicCitation

The data underpinning analyses of the paper are deposited at GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, http://ipt.biodiversity.aq/resource.do?r=antarctic_subantarctic_and_cold_temperate_echinoid_database

Version

2.2