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Email the author (Login required) Thecosomate pteropods of the southeastern Pacific off Caldera, Chile (Mollusca, Opistobranchiata: Euthecostomata and Pseudothecostomata)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol43-issue1-fulltext-7
Abstract
The thecosomate pteropods collected in an oceanograpic transect between Caldera, Chile (~27°S) to neighbouring of Easter Island and Salas y Gómez Island, southeastern Pacific were analyzed. A total of 2021 specimens belonging to 18 species were identified, being Clio pyramidata and Styliola subula the most dominant species along the transect and the most frequent ones, represented in 18 of the 23 stations analysed are reported. The most abundant species were S. subula (35%), C. pyramidata (28%) and Cavolinia inflexa (13%). The following species are new records for the southeastern Pacific: Cavolinia labiata, Cavolinia uncinata, Cavolinia gibosa, Cuvierina columnella, Clio cuspidata, Clio chaptalii, Diacria trispinosa, D. quadridentata, D. major, Cymbulia sp. and Peracle reticulata. The classification can recognize three sets of stations, characterized by its species abundance, species richness and diversity, including a neritic assemblage (71-79ºW), an oceanic assemblage (82-105ºW) and a set of thalasoepipelagic stations associated with the oceanic islands.
