Sea anemones (Cnidaria: Actiniaria, Corallimorpharia) of the deep northeastern Pacific Ocean: a baseline survey. W.E. Eash-Loucks University of Kansas – Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute

Why Study Deep Sea Anemones? Very little is known about the fauna and their distribution Much is known about shallow water anemones Growing oxygen minimum zone off the coast of Oregon

Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZs) ~150 worldwide Low oxygen – Hypoxia – Anoxia Below photic zone Areas where little mixing occurs Can be natural or manmade

The OMZ off the Coast of Oregon Caused by upwelling – High nutrients – Low oxygen Strongest in summer Growing mcbi.org Chan et al., 2007

Effects of OMZ on Marine Life Increased mortality Cnidarians have high tolerance to low O 2 Sea anemones are likely to be the last group effected Vaquer-Sunyer and Duarte, 2008 Grantham et al., 2004

Establishing a Baseline Southern California to British Columbia 60 – 4,100 m 1960s – 1970s Approximately 25 species 13 studied closely – Large – Abundant

Methods for Species Identification External Anatomy – Body form and color – Tentacle number and arrangement Internal Anatomy Histology Cnidae etc.usf.edu

Previously Described Species Metridium farcimen Paractinostola faeculenta Anthosactis nomados Actinauge verrillii Paraphelliactis pabista

Previously Described Species Corallimorphus denhartogi Monactis vestita Bathyphellia australis Liponema brevicornis

New/Unidentified Species Bolocera sp. Actinoscyphia n. sp. Sicyonis n. sp. Member of Family Sagartiidae

Summary OMZ in northeastern Pacific Ocean poses a threat to marine life Established baseline of anemone fauna can be used to make conclusions about how anemones are effected by the growing OMZ Identified 13 of approximately 25 species of deep sea anemones

Acknowledgments Funding – Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Travel Fund – Biodiversity Institute, Panorama Society Small Grant Specimen Loans – Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Daphne Fautin