Abstract
The benthic deep-water siphonophore Rhodalia miranda was collected for the first time in 1876 by H.M.S. ‘Challenger’ off the Rio de la Plata estuary beneath the Subtropical Convergence at about 1000 m depth. Rhodalia was reported again about 100 years later from certain distant localities in the subantarctic region of the south-west Atlantic. Hydrographic and topographic features that may be involved in creating this peculiar distribution pattern are discussed together with a likely mode of dispersal of benthic coelenterates. The disjunct distribution of Rhodalia and other benthos of the upper Argentine Slope suggests the subsurface oceanographic régime to be quite different from what we know of the surface layers.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cairns, S. D., 1982. Antarctic and Subantarctic Scleractinia. Antarct. Res. Ser. Washington 34: 1–74.
Cairns, S. D., 1983. Antarctic and Subantarctic Stylasterina (Coelenterata: Hydrozoa). Antarct. Res. Ser. Washington 38: 61–164.
Carlgren, O., 1903. Actiniarien. Résult. Voy. S.Y. Belgica (Zool.): 3–11.
Georgi, D. T., 1979. Modal properties of Antarctic intermediate water in the south east Pacific and the south Atlantic. J. phys. Oceanogr. 9: 456–468.
Gordon, A. L., 1966. Potential temperature, oxygen and circulation of bottom water in the Southern Ocean. Deep-Sea Res. 13: 1125–1138.
Gordon, A. L. & R. D. Goldberg, 1970. Circumpolar characteristics of Antarctic waters. In V. C. Bushnell (ed.), Circumpolar characteristics of Antarctic waters. Am. Geogr. Sec., N.Y., 1–5. (Antarct. Map Folio Ser. 13).
Gordon, A. L. & C. L. Greengrove, 1986. Geostrophic circulation of the Brazil-Falkland confluence. Deep-Sea Res. 33: 573–585.
Gordon, A. L., D. T. Georgi & H. W. Taylor, 1977. Antarctic polar front zone in the western Scotia Sea — summer 1975. J. phys. Oceanogr. 7: 309–328.
Haeckel, E., 1888. Report of the Siphonophorae collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Rep. scient. Results Voy. Challenger (Zool.) 28: 1–380.
Hofmann, E. E., 1985. The large-scale horizontal structure of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current from FGGE drifters. J. geophys. Res. 90: 7087–7097.
Hubold, G., 1980a. Hydrography and plankton off southern Brazil and Rio de la Plata, August–November 1977. Atlântica 4: 1–21.
Hubold, G., 1980b. Second part on hydrography and plankton off southern Brazil and Rio de la Plata. Atlântica 4: 23–42.
Klähn, J., 1911. Über die Meeresströmungen zwischen Kap Horn und La Plata-Mündung. Annln Hydrogr., Berlin 39: 647–665.
Lonardi, A. & M. Ewing, 1971. Sediment transport and distribution in the Argentine Basin. 4. Bathymetry of the continental margin, Argentine basin and other related provinces, canyons and sources of sediments. In L. H. Ahrens, F. Press, S. K. Runcorn & H. C. Urey (eds), Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. Pergamon Press, N.Y., 8: 79–121.
Mackie, G. O., P. R. Pugh & J. E. Purcell, 1987. Siphonophore biology. Adv. mar. Biol. 24: 97–263.
Mantyla, A. W. & J. L. Reid, 1983. Abyssal characteristics of the world ocean waters. Deep-Sea Res. 30: 805–833.
Murray, J., 1895. A summary of the scientific results obtained at the sounding, dredging, and trawling stations of H.M.S. Challenger. Rep. scient. Results Voy. Challenger, Summary, 2: i-xix, 797–1608.
Piola, A. R. & D. T. Georgi, 1982. Circumpolar properties of Antarctic Intermediate Water and Subantarctic Mode Water. Deep-Sea Res. 29: 687–711.
Pugh, P. R., 1983. Benthic siphonophores: a review of the family Rhodaliidae (Siphonophora, Physonectae). Phil. Trans. r. Soc., Lond. (Ser. B) 301: 165–300.
Richmond, R. H., 1987. Energetics, competency, and longdistance dispersal of planula larvae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis. Mar. Biol. 93: 527–533.
Riemann-Zürneck, K., 1976. A new type of larval development in the Actiniaria: giant larvae. Morphological and ecological aspects of larval development in Actinostola spetsbergensis. In G. O. Mackie (ed.), Coelenterate Ecology and Behavior. Plenum Press, N.Y.: 355–364.
Riemann-Zurneck, K., 1986. Zur Biogeographie des Südwestatlantik mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Seeanemonen (Coelenterata: Actiniaria). Helgoländer wiss. Meeresunters. 40: 91–149
Zenk, W., 1981. Detection of overflow events in the Shag Rock Passage, Scotia Ridge. Science, N.Y. 213: 1113–1114.
Zyryanov, V. N. & D. N. Severov, 1979. Water circulation in the Falkland-Patagonia region and its seasonal variation. Oceanology 19: 518–522.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Riemann-Zürneck, K. The benthic deep-water siphonophore Rhodalia miranda and other coelenterates in the south-west Atlantic: ecological and oceanographical implications. Hydrobiologia 216, 481–487 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026502
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026502