Effects of latitudinal changes in the oxygen minimum zone of the northeast Pacific on the distribution of bathyal benthic decapod crustaceans

Distribution, biology, and ecology of the deep‐water squat lobsterGalacantha diomedeae(Crustacea: Decapoda: Galatheoidea: Munidopsidae) in the Mexican Pacific

“…The combination of factors such as continuous reproduction, early maturity of females (CW range), and reduced larval stages is expected to lead to high reproductive success, and may contribute to the abundance of G. diomedeae in the lower slope community in some areas of the eastern Pacific (Papiol et al, 2017 (Wenner, 1979), and together with G. diomedeae, this species dominated the lower slope off the northern Baja California Peninsula (Papiol et al, 2017).…”

“…In the eastern Pacific, Galacantha diomedeae is distributed between 768 and 3,790 m (Baba et al, 2008;Guzmán & Sellanes, 2015;Macpherson, 2007), and it can attain high densities and be one of the most abundant decapod crustaceans at lower slope depths (Papiol, Hendrickx, & Serrano, 2017). Likely owing to their deep distribution and the difficulty of sampling at the depths where they occur, knowledge of the biology or ecology of the genus Galacantha is limited (Baba, Fujita, Wehrtmann, & Scholtz, 2011;Kilgour & Shirley, 2014;Wenner, 1982).…”

“…In the OMZ core, DO can reach values close to 0 ml/L, and very few decapod crustacean species are present (Hunter, Oguri, Kitazato, Ansari, & Witte, 2011;Mullins, Thompson, McDougall, & Vercoutere, 1985;Murty et al, 2009;Wishner, Levin, Gowing, & Mullineaux, 1990). Deeper, the further oxygen increase is accompanied by a regular decrease in faunal densities, likely owing to a decrease in food availability (Papiol et al, 2017). Deeper, the further oxygen increase is accompanied by a regular decrease in faunal densities, likely owing to a decrease in food availability (Papiol et al, 2017).…”

“…Bathymetric patterns in sex ratio of Galacantha diomedeae collected in the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 5 Relative growth of males (A) and females (B) of Galacantha diomedeae from the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 6 Monthly proportions of males, females, and ovigerous females of Galacantha diomedeae collected in the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 7 Relationship between size (carapace width, CW) of ovigerous females of Galacantha diomedeae and egg numbers in the Mexican Pacific deep-water squat lobsters in the Gulf of California(Hendrickx & Serrano, 2014) and appears to also be very common off the Baja California Peninsula, where it can dominate lower slope decapod crustacean assemblages(Papiol et al, 2017). Yet, it appears less frequently off the southwestern coast of Mexico.…”

“…Bathymetric patterns in sex ratio of Galacantha diomedeae collected in the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 5 Relative growth of males (A) and females (B) of Galacantha diomedeae from the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 6 Monthly proportions of males, females, and ovigerous females of Galacantha diomedeae collected in the Mexican Pacific F I G U R E 7 Relationship between size (carapace width, CW) of ovigerous females of Galacantha diomedeae and egg numbers in the Mexican Pacific deep-water squat lobsters in the Gulf of California(Hendrickx & Serrano, 2014) and appears to also be very common off the Baja California Peninsula, where it can dominate lower slope decapod crustacean assemblages(Papiol et al, 2017). Oxygen and salinity differences associated with the presence of different water masses in the southern and northern portions of the Mexican Pacific coasts and in the Gulf of California are a likely cause of the differences in geographic distribution of G. diomedeaePapiol et al, 2017). Oxygen and salinity differences associated with the presence of different water masses in the southern and northern portions of the Mexican Pacific coasts and in the Gulf of California are a likely cause of the differences in geographic distribution of G. diomedeaePapiol et al, 2017).…”