Trapping of Necrophagous Crustaceans on the Upper Continental Slope Off South Carolina, U.s.a.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Carrion (dead oyster) traps were deployed by submersible at depths of 194-212 m on sandy and rocky ridge areas off South Carolina in August 1982 and September 1983. Concurrent benthic sampling by submersible indicated that the sand nondecapod crustacean fauna in both areas consisted primarily of ampeliscid amphipods, the amphipod Unciola irrorata, the isopods Apanthuretta magnifica and Gnathia sp., and tanaids. The trap-drawn necrophagous assemblage of species was similar for all traps in both areas, with the dominant members being the leptostracan Nebalia, undescribed species; the amphipods Tmetonyx cicada, Schraderia mardeni, and Valettiopsis, undescribed species; and the isopod Conilera cylindracea. Similar to necrophages collected by traps in higher latitudes and the deep sea, lysianassid amphipods made up most of the trap fauna (a total of 55.9% of all specimens in this study) and most of the necrophagous species. However, dominance by lysianassids is much lower than that observed in cold-water trapping. Although it may not be true of all nondeep-sea habitats at subboreal or arctic latitudes, when compared with trapping studies in the abyss, this study suggests that taxa other than lysianassids become more important in the consumption of carrion on the upper slope off South Carolina.