AMPHIPOD CRUSTACEANS AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF ZOOBENTHOS OF THE SHALLOW ANTARCTIC SUBLITTORAL

Benthic quantitative samples were taken in 1988 in the soft bottom sublittoral of Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetlands) using a Tvarminne-type bottom sampler and SCUBA-diving technique at 7 successive stations situated at depths from 4 to 30 m. Dominant animal groups in terms of abundance were Amphipoda, Polychaeta and Bivalvia, whereas in terms of biomass Echinoidea were also dominant. Amphipod crustaceans clearly dominated the zoobenthos at depths from 10 to 25 m (the numerical share surpassing 60%) with maximal abundance of abt. 17000 ind m-2; in terms of biomass at specific depths amphipods occupied the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place with maximal biomass of abt. 100 g m-2 where the maximal total biomass of zoobenthos reached 260 g m-2 (10 m). Amphipoda were the most diversified group with some 35 taxa belonging to 14 families. Most species belonged to Eusiridae s.l. and Lysianassidae s.l. Dominant forms were Pontogeneiella brevicornis, Prostebbingia gracilis, Schraderia gracilis, Hippomedon kergueleni, Orchomenella cf. ultima, Cardenio paurodactylus and Paraphoxus rotundifrons.