On the biodiversity of shalow-water Asellota (Isopoda) from Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz province, Argentina

DOTI, B.L.; ROCCATAGLIATA, D.; CHIESA, I.L.

Coquimbo, Chile

Congreso; The Crustacean Society Mid-Year Meeting; 2007

Universidad Católica del Norte y Universidad Andres Bello, Chile

Unlike other isopods which have been frequently reported from Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, such as Sphaeromatidae, Serolidae and Idoteidae, the Asellota fauna remains almost unknown. The commensal Iais pubescens and four unidentified species belonging to the genera Joeropsis, Munna and Iathrippa have been recorded from this province so far. In order to improve our knowledge on this neglected fauna 12 benthic samples taken in and off the mouth of the Deseado River estuary were analyzed. Samples were collected with both an epibenthic sledge and a van Veen grab, from 2 to 65 m depth, in 2001, 2006 and 2007. Of the 28 species of Asellota identified, 27 are new records from Puerto Deseado. The Paramunnidae showed the highest diversity (15 species), followed by the Janiridae (6 spp.), Joeropsidae (3 spp.), Santiidae (2 spp.), and finally the Munnidae and Acanthaspidiidae with a single species each. Of the 28 species herein studied, 9 were also recorded from the Beagle Channel, two from the Magellan Strait, and 15 from both areas (Beagle Channel and Magellan Strait). Our results suggest that this fauna extends mostly unchanged along the Atlantic coast at least as far north as Puerto Deseado. This research was partially supported by the ANPCyT (PICT 02-11180) and the Argentine Scientific Council (CONICET).