GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT RESEARCH PROGRAM RESEARCH REPORT SERIES Great Australian Bight Benthic Biodiversity Characterisation Final Report GABRP Project 3.1 Williams A, Tanner J.E, Althaus F, Sorokin S, MacIntosh H, Green M, Brodie P and Loo M GABRP Research Report Series Number 19 October 2017 DISCLAIMER The partners of the Great Australian Bight Research Program advises that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific research. The reader is advised that no reliance or actions should be made on the information provided in this report without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice. To the extent permitted by law, the partners of the Great Australian Bight Research Program (including its employees and consultants) excludes all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. The GABRP Research Report Series is an Administrative Report Series which has not been reviewed outside the Great Australian Bight Research Program and is not considered peer-reviewed literature. Material presented may later be published in formal peer-reviewed scientific literature. COPYRIGHT ©2017 THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE CITED AS: Williams, A., Tanner, J.E., Althaus, F., Sorokin, S.J., MacIntosh, H., Green, M., Brodie, P. and Loo, M. (2017). Great Australian Bight Benthic Biodiversity Characterisation. Final Report GABRP Project 3.1. Great Australian Bight Research Program, GABRP Research Report Series Number 19, 361pp. CONTACT Dr Alan Williams CSIRO e: [email protected] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION www.misa.net.au/GAB GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT RESEARCH PROGRAM The Great Australian Bight Research Program is a collaboration between PB , CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide, and Flinders University. The Program aims to provide a whole- of-system understanding of the environmental, economic and social values of the region; providing an information source for all to use. DISCLAIMER The partners of the Great Australian Bight Research Program advises that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific research. The reader is advised that no reliance or actions should be made on the information provided in this report without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice. To the extent permitted by law, the partners of the Great Australian Bight Research Program (including its employees and consultants) excludes all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. The GABRP Research Report Series is an Administrative Report Series which has not been reviewed outside the Great Australian Bight Research Program and is not considered peer‐reviewed literature. Material presented may later be published in formal peer‐reviewed scientific literature. COPYRIGHT ©2017 THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE CITED AS: Williams, A., Tanner, J.E., Althaus, F., Sorokin, S., MacIntosh, H., Green, M., Brodie, P., Loo, M. (2017). Great Australian Bight Benthic Biodiversity Characterisation (Benthic Theme, Project 3.1), Great Australian Bight Research Program, August 2017, 356pp. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Alan Williams CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere t: +61 (0) 3 6232 5449 e: [email protected] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Dr Ben Baghurst Research Director Great Australian Bight Research Program e: [email protected] www.misa.net.au/GAB GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT RESEARCH PROGRAM The Great Australian Bight Research Program is a collaboration between BP, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide, and Flinders University. The Program aims to provide a whole‐of‐system understanding of the environmental, economic and social values of the region; providing an information source for all to use. CONTENTS CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................ i LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................................xiv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........................................................................................................................xvi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 1 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 4 2 Field surveys .................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Survey 1 – RV Southern Surveyor ........................................................................................... 5 2.2 Survey 2 – Fugro vessel Southern Supporter .......................................................................... 5 2.3 Survey 3 – RV Investigator (GABRP) ........................................................................................ 5 2.4 Survey 4 – RV Investigator (GABDMP) .................................................................................... 5 2.5 Permits .................................................................................................................................... 6 3 Physical environmental data for the central GAB ........................................................................... 8 4 Collation of historical data for Australian temperate deep‐sea epibenthos ................................ 15 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 15 4.1.1 Background ................................................................................................................... 15 4.1.2 Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Methods ................................................................................................................................ 15 4.2.1 Collation of Museum holdings ...................................................................................... 15 4.2.2 Historical survey catch data .......................................................................................... 16 4.2.3 Taxa of interest ............................................................................................................. 17 4.3 Results ................................................................................................................................... 19 4.3.1 South Australian Museum Data .................................................................................... 19 4.3.2 Data from other Australian museums .......................................................................... 20 i 4.3.3 Historical survey catch data .......................................................................................... 22 4.3.4 New taxonomic work on potentially informative taxa ................................................. 23 4.4 Discussion .............................................................................................................................. 25 4.4.1 Utility of the data .......................................................................................................... 25 5 Invertebrate diversity in the deep Great Australian Bight (300‐4500 m) ..................................... 27 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 27 5.2 Biological sampling ................................................................................................................ 27 5.3 Invertebrate diversity............................................................................................................ 29 5.3.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................... 29 5.3.2 Porifera (Sponges) ......................................................................................................... 31 5.3.3 Siphonophorae .............................................................................................................. 32 5.3.4 Octocorallia (Octocorals) .............................................................................................. 33 5.3.5 Actinaria (Sea Anemones) ............................................................................................. 34 5.3.6 Annelida