NOTES ON THE FAUNA ABOVE MUD BOTTOMS IN DEEP WATER IN THE GULF OF MAINE

Abstract

Findings from 22 trawl-hauls, at 20 stations on mud bottoms in the western and northern parts of the Gulf of Maine, in depths between 120 and 228 meters, August, 1936, are:1. The faunal community of the water just above these deep mud bottoms is so monotonous that the catch consisted, in every case, almost wholly of five species of fish (Sebastes marinus, Merluccius bilinearis, Urophycis tenuis, Hippoglossoides platessoides, Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) and of the shrimp, Pandalus borealis, in varying combinations of relative abundance. The only exception was at one station where a larger catch was made of crabs (Geryon) than of shrimp.2. The only other fishes taken were odd examples of the 19 species listed on page 309. The total number of species to be expected in such situations (except as accidental strays) is probably not more than 35.3. As the nets were arranged to fish off bottom, benthonic invertebrates were not sampled.4. The most significant faunal contrast, from the regional standpoint, is that ...