Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 48(2): 387-392

Research Note

First records of emerging benthic invertebrates at a sublittoral soft-bottom habitat in northern Chile

Aldo S. Pacheco¹, Gonzalo E. Goméz² & José M. Riascos¹

¹Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Climate Change Ecology Group, CENSOR Laboratory, Universidad de Antofagasta, Av. Jaime Guzmán 02800, P.O. Box 170, Antofagasta, Chile

²CENSOR Laboratory, Universidad de Antofagasta, Av. Jaime Guzmán 02800, Antofagasta, Chile

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Some benthic invertebrates perform vertical diel migrations by swimming up from the seabed to the water column, i.e., they emerge. Although such migrations may have important implications for benthic-pelagic coupling, there is no information reporting this type of ecological processes in sublittoral soft-bottom sediments in the Humboldt Current system. Herein, we present the results of a short-term experiment using traps designed to collect emerging invertebrates in a sublittoral site in northern Chile. Seventeen taxa principally composed by peracarids, copepods and ostracods were identified. This report constitutes the first description of an emerging benthic assemblage in the Humboldt Current ecosystem.

Key words:  Diel vertical migrations, benthic-pelagic coupling, macrofauna