Cienc. Tecnol. Mar, 29 (1): 91-102, 2006
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF ECHINODERMS FROM THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN, CHILE*
ERIKA MUTSCHKE 1 CARLOS RÍOS 1, 2
1 Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas. E-mail: erika.mutschke@umag.cl 2 Dirección de Programas Antárticos, Universidad de Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas.
Recepción: 13 de mayo de 2005 - Versión corregida aceptada: 21 de marzo de 2006.
ABSTRACT
Echinoderms are amongst the most diverse marine taxa along the Chilean coast. In the current study the distribution and relative abundance patterns of Echinoderm species are presented from samples taken along the Strait of Magellan. The semi-quantitative sampling was undertaken during the CIMAR 3 Fiordos Campaign (Proyecto CONA-C3F 97-14), in October 1997 on the Chilean navy vessel, AGOR “Vidal Gormaz”. From the analysis of spatial distribution of 20 asteroid species, three faunistic subunits of species distribution were determined within the Strait of Magellan. These were; a) Atlantic influenced zone (from Atlantic Ocean to near Paso Ancho), b) transitional zone (from Paso Ancho to Snug Bay), and c) Pacific influenced zone (Tortuoso Channel to the Pacific Ocean).
Key words: Subantarctic, benthos, echinoderms, asteroids, distribution.