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Diversity, distribution, and zoogeography of benthic polychaetes in the Gulf of Mexico

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Abstract

The polychaete diversity of the Gulf of Mexico was examined using a comprehensive species database. The Gulf of Mexico was divided into four geographic regions and six depth classes; β-diversity between the 24 polygons was calculated with the Sørensen similarity index and analyzed using a cluster analysis and an ordination based on non-metric multidimensional scaling. Both analyses revealed a strong influence of depth on the polychaete assemblages. The polychaete fauna in the southeastern sector was the most distinctive among the four sectors. Each of the 835 polychaete species and subspecies was assigned to a class in the categories “mobility,” “feeding strategy,” and “feeding appendage” and the compositions of the categories throughout different depths were examined. The categories introduced by Fauchald and Jumars (Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 17:193–284, 1979) were amended and the suggested changes discussed. Each species was assigned to a biogeographical class based on their worldwide distributions. Ten percent of the polychaete species were endemic to the Gulf of Mexico. More than 40 % of the species were exclusively found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, about one-third of the polychaetes had a wide distribution, and 15 % of all species were restricted to both coasts of the American continent. Below 200 m more than 30 % of the species were endemic. Thorough taxonomic research will be pivotal in fostering our understanding of the Gulf of Mexico polychaete fauna.

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Acknowledgments

Drs. John W. “Wes” Tunnell, Frank Pezold, Kim Withers (all Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi), and Anja Schulze (Texas A&M University at Galveston) improved the quality of the manuscript through meticulous reviews. Dr. Fabio Moretzsohn (Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) is thanked for his insightful explanations on details of the BioGoMx database and the “Bulletin 89.” The College of Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi is thanked for supporting M.G.R. through teaching assistantships from fall 2008 to spring 2011 and through summer research scholarships in the years 2010–2013. Dr. Paul Montagna (Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi) is thanked for his support of M.G.R. through a research assistantship between fall 2011 and fall 2013.

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  1. Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412-5869, USA

    Michael G. Reuscher

  2. Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5800, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412-5800, USA

    Michael G. Reuscher & Thomas C. Shirley

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  1. Michael G. Reuscher
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Correspondence to Michael G. Reuscher.

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Table S1

Geographical and bathymetrical records of Gulf of Mexico polychaetes, along with data on their ecological guilds and distribution. NW northwestern sector, NE northeastern sector, SW southwestern sector, SE southeastern sector; D1–6 depth classes 1–6 as defined in “Materials and methods”; M mobility, including the categories M mobile, D discretely mobile, S sessile; F feeding strategy, including SS subsurface deposit feeder, SD surface deposit feeder, DS deposit feeder with facultative suspension feeding, SU suspension feeder, CV carnivore, OV omnivore, SY host of symbionts; A feeding appendage, including UP unarmed pharynx, PA palps, PP unarmed pharynx and palps, AP armed pharynx, R radula like pharynx, TE tentacles, FI filtering structure, LI lips, LT lips and tentacles, PU pumping device, NP not present; D distribution class, including EN endemic, NW West Atlantic, north of the Gulf of Mexico, SW West Atlantic, south of the Gulf of Mexico, WA West Atlantic, north and south of the Gulf of Mexico, AT Pan-Atlantic, AM Pan-American, HA holarctic, WD widely distributed. (PDF 2032 kb)

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Reuscher, M.G., Shirley, T.C. Diversity, distribution, and zoogeography of benthic polychaetes in the Gulf of Mexico. Mar Biodiv 44, 519–532 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-014-0222-7

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