Epibenthic Megafauna of the Disko Fan Conservation Area in the Davis Strait (Eastern Arctic) Identified from In Situ Benthic Image Transects E. Baker, L. Beazley, A. McMillan, J. Rowsell, and E. Kenchington Ocean and Ecosystem Sciences Division Maritimes Region Fisheries and Oceans Canada Bedford Institute of Oceanography PO Box 1006 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Canada B2Y 4A2 2018 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3272 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Technical reports contain scientific and technical information that contributes to existing knowledge but which is not normally appropriate for primary literature. Technical reports are directed primarily toward a worldwide audience and have an international distribution. No restriction is placed on subject matter and the series reflects the broad interests and policies of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, namely, fisheries and aquatic sciences. 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Les demandes de rapports seront satisfaites par l'établissement auteur dont le nom figure sur la couverture et la page du titre. Les numéros 1 à 456 de cette série ont été publiés à titre de Rapports techniques de l'Office des recherches sur les pêcheries du Canada. Les numéros 457 à 714 sont parus à titre de Rapports techniques de la Direction générale de la recherche et du développement, Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère de l'Environnement. Les numéros 715 à 924 ont été publiés à titre de Rapports techniques du Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère des Pêches et de l'Environnement. Le nom actuel de la série a été établi lors de la parution du numéro 925. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3272 2018 Epibenthic Megafauna of the Disko Fan Conservation Area in the Davis Strait (Eastern Arctic) Identified from In Situ Benthic Image Transects by E. Baker, L. Beazley, A. McMillan, J. Rowsell, and E. Kenchington Ocean and Ecosystem Sciences Division Maritimes Region Fisheries and Oceans Canada Bedford Institute of Oceanography P.O. Box 1006 Dartmouth, N.S. Canada B2Y 4A2 1Freshwater Institute, Central and Arctic Region Fisheries and Oceans Canada 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N6 ii © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2018. Cat. No. Fs97-6/3272E-PDF ISBN 978-0-660-27625-0 ISSN 1488-5379 Correct citation for this publication: Baker, E., Beazley, L., McMillan, A., Rowsell, J. and Kenchington, E. 2018. Epibenthic Megafauna of the Disko Fan Conservation Area in the Davis Strait (Eastern Arctic) Identified from In Situ Benthic Image Transects. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3272: vi + 388 p. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................... v RÉSUMÉ ........................................................................................................................................ vi INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................... 3 Image Acquisition ....................................................................................................................... 3 Image Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 6 Image Analysis............................................................................................................................ 7 Foraminifera Analysis ................................................................................................................. 9 Analysis Protocol for Blurred Grid Cells.................................................................................. 10 Taxonomic References.............................................................................................................. 11 RESULTS ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Observed Epibenthic Megafauna .............................................................................................. 13 Phylum Annelida .................................................................................................................. 14 Phylum Arthropoda ............................................................................................................... 19 Phylum Brachiopoda ............................................................................................................. 35 Phylum Bryozoa.................................................................................................................... 38 Phylum Chordata .................................................................................................................. 41 Phylum Cnidaria ................................................................................................................... 56 Phylum Echinodermata ....................................................................................................... 107 Phylum Mollusca ................................................................................................................ 129 Phylum Nemertea................................................................................................................ 144 Phylum Porifera .................................................................................................................. 146 Unidentified Taxa ............................................................................................................... 228 Anthropogenic Structures ................................................................................................... 329 Biogenic Structures ............................................................................................................. 331 Limitations and Recommendations......................................................................................... 336 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... 339 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 339 APPENDIX A .............................................................................................................................. 341 APPENDIX B .............................................................................................................................. 349 iv v ABSTRACT Baker, E., Beazley, L., McMillan, A., Rowsell, J. and Kenchington, E. 2018. Epibenthic Megafauna of the Disko Fan Conservation Area in the Davis Strait (Eastern Arctic) Identified from In Situ Benthic Image Transects. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3272: vi + 388 p. In 2012 and 2013, Fisheries and Oceans Canada conducted benthic imagery surveys in the Davis Strait and Baffin Basin in two areas then closed to bottom fishing, the Hatton Basin Voluntary Closure (now the Hatton Basin Conservation Area) and the Narwhal Closure (now partially in the Disko Fan Conservation Area). The photo transects were established as long-term biodiversity monitoring sites to monitor the impact of human activity, including climate change, on the region’s benthic marine biota in accordance with the protocols of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program established by the Council of Arctic Flora and Fauna. This report summarises the epibenthic megafauna found in seven image transects from the Disko Fan Conservation Area. A total of 480 taxa were found, 280 of which