Biodiversity and distribution of the deep-sea fauna in the Sea of Japan and in the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench area with focus on Isopoda as a model organism Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften im Fachbereich Biologie der Fakultät für Mathematik, Informatik und Naturwissenschaften der Universität Hamburg vorgelegt von Nikolaus Oskar Elsner aus Frankfurt am Main Hamburg 2014 “The ocean is a desert with its life underground And a perfect disguise above” America, (1972). A Horse with No Name Table of contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 11 Zusammenfassung................................................................................................................................. 13 Ɋɟɡɸɦɟ.................................................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 1: Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 19 The Ocean and the deep sea .......................................................................................................... 19 The Pacific Ocean ......................................................................................................................... 19 Sea of Japan................................................................................................................................... 21 Kuril-Kamchatka Trench area ....................................................................................................... 22 Isopoda .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Deep-sea biodiversity, distribution and biogeography.................................................................. 25 Aims of the Study.......................................................................................................................... 26 References (Introduction).............................................................................................................. 27 Chapter 2: Epifauna of the Sea of Japan collected via a new epibenthic sledge equipped with camera and environmental sensor systems ........................................................................................................ 37 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 37 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 38 Material and methods .................................................................................................................... 39 Technical description of C-EBS.................................................................................................... 43 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 47 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 55 Acknowledgment........................................................................................................................... 59 References ..................................................................................................................................... 60 Chapter 3: Abyssal macrofauna of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench area (Northwest Pacific) collected by means of a camera-epibenthic sledge.................................................................................................... 69 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 69 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 70 Material and methods .................................................................................................................... 72 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 76 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 86 Acknowledgment........................................................................................................................... 91 References ..................................................................................................................................... 92 i Chapter 4: Diversity and distribution of peracarid crustaceans (Malacostraca) from the continental slope and the deep-sea basin of the Sea of Japan ................................................................................ 101 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 101 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 102 Material and methods .................................................................................................................. 104 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 106 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 121 Acknowledgment......................................................................................................................... 127 References ................................................................................................................................... 127 Chapter 5: Borderland: isopod biodiversity in the deepest basin of the Sea of Japan......................... 135 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 135 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 136 Material and methods .................................................................................................................. 137 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 142 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 149 Acknowledgement....................................................................................................................... 151 References ................................................................................................................................... 152 Chapter 6: Deep down: Isopod biodiversity of the Kuril-Kamchatka abyssal area including a comparison with data of previous expeditions of the RV Vityaz ........................................................ 159 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 159 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 160 Material and methods .................................................................................................................. 162 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 165 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 174 Acknowledgement....................................................................................................................... 177 References ................................................................................................................................... 178 Chapter 7: Alone in the dark: Distribution, population structure and reproductive mode of the dominant isopod Eurycope spinifrons Gurjanova, 1933 (Isopoda: Asellota: Munnopsidae) from bathyal and abyssal depths of the Sea of Japan................................................................................... 187 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 187 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 188 Material and methods .................................................................................................................. 190 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 193 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................