Soft bottom sublittoral amphipod fauna of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctic

The present analysis is based on 140 quantitative samples collected from depths of 20 to 500 m in the central basin of Admiralty Bay and its inner shallow area, Ezcurra Inlet. One hundred and twenty species were identified, of which 47 species were new for Admiralty Bay. Mean density of crustaceans decreased with depth. Highest species richness was observed at depths of 50 - 100 m. Historical data and present investigations revealed distinct differences in the amphipod assemblages at different depths. In the subtidal zone, Gondogeneia antarctica was the dominant species; in the shallow sublittoral (down to ca 50 m) Prostebbingia gracilis and Hippomedon kergueleni played an important role. Below 50 m, the importance of phoxocephalid species increased.