This dataset is a document describing the Pelagic Tunicates of the Southern Ocean. It lists all the known Southern Ocean species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification. The document is available for download as a pdf from the provided URL.

This database provides the most comprehensive systematic list of mega-epibenthic assemblages in the Australian Economic Exclusive Zone (AEEZ) of Heard Island and McDonalds Islands (HIMI) at water depths between 168 and 970 m. Data were collected to better understand the types and distribution of benthic invertebrates, their vulnerability to bottom fishing, and the effectiveness of the HIMI Marine Protected Area (MPA) for representing and protecting the regions benthic biodiversity. A total 504 taxa from 14 phyla were collected from 129 stations throughout HIMI. Two methods, beam trawl (for non-complex flat terrains) and epibenthic sled (for more complex, rough terrains), were used to sample the megabenthos. Both the trawl and sled were fitted with a 1 cm-2 mesh cod-end with a net opening (height x width) of 2.7 x 1.2 m for the beam trawl and 1.2 x 0.6 m for the epibenthic sled. Samples were sorted into broad taxonomic groups onboard the sampling vessel then frozen for later analysis. In the laboratory, samples were sieved over a 1 cm mesh and all dead material removed. Megabenthos were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level by using the available literature and assistance of taxonomic specialists. All non-colonial taxa were counted and then weighed. Colonial taxa that could not be counted as individuals, e.g. demosponges and bryozoans, were separated to the lowest taxonomic level and a whole weight recorded per sample. Taxonomic expertise was provided by Dick Williams (Osteichthyes and Chondrichthyes) of the Australian Antarctic Division; Daphne Fautin and Andrea Crowther (Actinaria) of the University of Kansas; Cardin Wallace (Actinaria) from Queensland Museum; Elizabeth Turner (Bivalvia and Gastropoda) and Genefor Walker-Smith (Invertebrates) from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery; Phillip Bock (Bryozoa), Mark Norman (Cephalopoda), Gary Poore (Crustacea), Joanne Taylor (Decapoda), Mark O'Loughlin (Holothuriodea), Jan Watson (Hydrozoa), Tim O'Hara (Ophiuroidea and Asteroidae), Robin Wilson (Polychaeta) and David Staples (Pycnogonida) of Museum Victoria; Igor Smirnov (Ophuroidea) of the University of Russia; and Andrew Hosie (Cirripedia) of the Western Australian Museum. A reference collection of the taxa is lodged at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania. On 2022-11-02 a minor data update was made to add scanned copies of old worksheets.

This dataset provides a guide to the Euphausiacea of the Southern Ocean, in particular Euphausia superba Dana (Antarctic krill). It lists all the known species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification. The document is available for download as a pdf from the URL given below.

This dataset is a document describing the Pelagic Polychaetes of the Southern Ocean. It lists all the known species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification. The document is available for download as a pdf from the provided URL.

This dataset is a document describing the Decapoda of the Southern Ocean. It lists all the known species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification. The document is available for download as a pdf from the provided URL.

This dataset is a document describing the Metazoan Zooplankton of the Southern Ocean. It lists all the known species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification. The document is available for download as a pdf from the provided URL.

This dataset contains scanned copies of the RMT and bottom trawl logs from Voyage 6 1990-91 (AAMBER2) of the Aurora Australis. This was primarily a marine science voyage. Surveys of krill, other zooplankton and pelagic fish were taken in Prydz Bay, Antarctica between January and February 1991. 177 midwater trawls were successfully completed at 59 stations. Midwater fish were sampled using an International Young Gadoid Pelagic Trawl (IYGPT). At each station, hauls were taken at depths of 20-30m, approximately halfway down the water column, and 20-30m above the bottom. At six stations, the lowest sample was duplicated using a light fitted to the net. Where samples were made off the shelf, standard depths of 20-30m, 400m, and 800m were fished. All hauls were of 30 minutes fishing time. Bottom trawls were made using a 35m headline length otter trawl fitted with 40cm diameter bobbin gear. A 2" mesh cod end liner was used to retain small fish. On both nets, a Simrad trawl surveillance sonar was used.

This dataset contains the data from Voyage 7.2 1989-90 of the Aurora Australis. The observations were taken from around Heard Island between May and June 1990. The objective of the zooplankton program was to determine the composition, distribution and abundance of zooplankton with the Heard Island-Kerguelen area, thus providing information of food availability to planktivorous fish. Surveys of krill and other zooplankton were made to obtain species identity and abundance data, length and age. Euphausia valentini and Themisto gaudichaudi were found to be the dominant species in the region. Other major species included the euphausiid Thysanoessa, the copepod Rhincalanus gigas and chaetognaths of the genus Sagitta. This dataset is a subset of the full cruise.

1st Experiment 24/11/16 ************************************************************************************************ See 2016_11_24_Miseq_Sheet 1. Sanger Sequencing Plate #4 - 25mg of Tissue was extracted by AGRF. DNA was diluted to 5ng/ul. Samples were sanger sequenced with 16SAR (Palumbi) primer. If they failed, I used COI3 cocktail (Ivanova). FASTA sequences from Plate 4 are in the folder named Sanger Sequence FASTA Plate #4. Naming - Plate position, primer, sample ID. ie reater than A1-16S-AR_1952. 2. DNA and Tissue Pools of Plate 4 We wanted to explore the possibility of using a metabarcoding approach. For metabarcoding we re-examined specimens already identified from sanger sequences. We mixed DNA from many samples (n=16 or n=96) and did a single amplification (i.e. up to 96 DNA extractions processed in a single-tube marker amplification). We also took it a step further and tried blending a set amount of tissue from many fish specimens (n=16 or n=96) and did a single DNA extraction on the tissue mixes (i.e. a single DNA extraction and single tube amplification for up to 96 samples). See 2016_11_24_Miseq_Sheet for DNA and Tissue Pool mixes. 3. Miseq Run 16 samples were ran on a 250bp pe read. Each sample was amplified with 3 primer sets - COI (please note one dual labelled set was used), 12s and 16s (Primers listed on 2016_11_24_Miseq_Sheet). They were diluted 1:10 and illumina sequencing adaptors were added (please note I used same I7 and I5 per sample, so they had to be sorted on amplicon). 2016_11_24_fastq_files has the data from miseq. and 2016_11_24_merged_fastq_files has the merged files. For some unknown reason 16s tissue produced no data. 2nd Experiment 04/07/17 ************************************************************************************************* 1. DNA Extractions Plate #1, 2 and 3 - 25mg of Tisse was extracted by AGRF. DNA was diluted to 5ng/ul. We also used Plate #4 from experiment above. See Plate Layout for sample allocation. 2. Tissue and DNA Pools DNA pools were from Plate 1, 2, 3 and 4. Tissue Mixes were from Plate 2 and 4 only. We wanted to explore the possibility of using a metabarcoding approach. We mixed DNA from many samples (n=16 or n=96) and did a single amplification (i.e. up to 96 DNA extractions processed in a single-tube marker amplification). We also took it a step further and tried blending a set amount of tissue from many fish specimens (n=16 or n=96) and did a single DNA extraction on the tissue mixes (i.e. a single DNA extraction and single tube amplification for up to 96 samples). See plate layout for DNA and Tissue Pool mixes. 3. Miseq Run 577 samples were sequenced in a 250bp pe read. See 2017_07_04_Miseq Sheet. Plate 1, 2 3 and 4 were all sequenced with Leray Primers.(Please note I accidentally amplified the first half of plate one with one pair of dual labelled COI primers, index on miseq sheet). I also made a plate of tissue and DNA pools (see plate layout for DNA and Tissue Pool mixes) and amplified those with 4 primers (primer sequences on miseq sheet) COI (individual dual labelled primers, 1st round index are on miseq sheet) 12s Fish 16s Chordate NADH The last 4 samples with 12s were to add to database as there are no 12S sequences for those species on genbank. See PCR recipes for annealing temp and cycling etc I accidentally put the marker under sample name so the original sample ID was lost and miseq gave it a new name (name from miseq output) and then another new name from merged file. Finally I gave them a unique sample ID. See name file if you need more information. 2017_07_04 has the data from miseq. and 2017_07_04_merged_fastq_files has the merged files. Samples were clustered using zero radius OTU's. 4.Results See Results database. The spreadsheet has all of the possible name combinations from the run. It also contains the Haul ID and date, time, lat, long etc. There is a morph taxa ID which refers to what the observer has identified the fish and then there is Seq_Taxa_ID which is the sequencing result. There is also a list of primers that were used to identify the fish. 0 indicated that the primer wasnt used, 1 indicates it was. The second tab has all of the info for the samples that failed. *************************************************************************************************

This dataset is a document describing the pelagic Nemerteans of the Southern Ocean. It lists the 11 known pelagic Southern Ocean species and with illustrated diagrams provides a guide to their taxonomic identification and distribution. The document is available for download as a pdf from the provided URL.