On the presence of the deep-sea blind lobster Stereomastis suhmi (Decapoda: Polychelidae) in Southwestern Atlantic waters, and its circum-Antarctic distribution

NAHUEL EMILIANO FARIAS; EMILIANO H. OCAMPO; TOMAS A. LUPPI

NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

RSNZ PUBLISHING

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2015 vol. 42 p. 119 - 125

0301-4223

We report the presence of the deep sea blind lobster Stereomastis suhmi in Southwestern Atlantic. Species identification was based on morphological traits and confirmed with genetic barcoding extending the range of S. suhmi in America, previously limited to the Pacific coasts off Chile, to the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, Argentina. A review of all available records shows that the overall distribution of the species is well correlated with the presence of Antarctic Intermediate Waters (AAIW), thus suggesting the species habitat is restricted to cold and relative low salinity - oxygen rich waters.