Pelagic anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) of The Gully Marine Protected Area

Abstract

A listing of the ceratioid anglerfishes occurring in and around The Gully, a submarine canyon and Marine Protected Area ('MPA') off the coast of Nova Scotia that has been reserved to protect its biodiversity, is provided. The compilation was based on 138 specimens, including members of at least 24 species, collected during four midwater-trawl surveys at meso-and bathypelagic depths, supplemented by previous records from the surrounding region. The Gully specimens included seven new records for Canadian waters, two representing major extensions of reported ranges for Bufoceratias wedli and Gigantactis herwigi. In all, more than 40 species, a quarter of the global total of ceratioids, have either been confirmed as occurring in the MPA or can be anticipated as being present occasionally. However, most of the species are effectively planktonic and are carried through the MPA by along-slope and up-canyon currents, without receiving effective protection while in the Area. As iconic examples of the deep-sea fauna, they nevertheless remain important to the MPA's publicoutreach functions.