Summary

These specimens were collected during the 2017 'Sampling the Abyss' voyage from a depth of ~2900 m off Newcastle. Each 'specimen' actually comprises two animals - a zoanthid anemone (Epizoanthidae) and a hermit crab (Parapagurus) - living together. Several species of hermit crab are often associated with zoanthid anemones. While typical intertidal hermit crabs 'move house' to a new shell as they grow, the animals here grow together, with the anemone providing protection for the crab, while getting a 'free ride' on its hunt for food.

Specimen Details

  • Taxon Name

    Epizoanthidae

  • Author and date of publication

    Delage & Hérouard, 1901

  • Preferred Common name

    Zoanthid

  • Number Of Specimens

    17

  • Specimen Nature

    Nature: Whole, Form: wet, Fixative treatment: ethanol 95%, Medium: ethanol 70%

  • Expedition Name

    IN2017_V03 - Sampling the Abyss

  • Collected By

    O'Hara et. al IN2017 V03 abyss Marine Invertebrates Team

  • Collection Event Code

    IN2017 V03 067

  • Sampling Method

    Beam Trawl - CSIRO Four Metre

  • Date Visited From

    31/05/2017 6:04 AM

  • Date Visited To

    31/05/2017 7:33 AM

  • Depth To (m)

    2902

  • Depth From (m)

    2704

  • Category

    Natural Sciences

  • Scientific Group

    Invertebrate Zoology

  • Discipline

    Invertebrates

  • Collecting Areas

    Invertebrates

  • Type of Item

    Specimen

Taxonomy

Geospatial Information

  • Site Code

    IN2017 V03 067

  • Country

    Australia

  • State

    New South Wales

  • Precise Location

    off Newcastle

  • Latitude

    -32.985

  • Longitude

    152.952

  • Geodetic Datum

    WGS84

  • Georeference Protocol

    data provided with specimen(s)

  • Georeference By

    Dr Alan Williams - CSIRO