Benthic image library

Marine ecologists study the diversity and distribution of large benthic marine species in the Casey region. They hope to understand the natural variability of coastal Antarctic marine communities and how they might relate to changing environmental conditions such as

  • light
  • sea ice
  • water quality
  • sedimentation

Without this understanding of how and where the marine life lives naturally, any impacts of human activities on these marine communities cannot be clearly identified. To follow is a selection of photographs of some of the more common large benthic marine species encountered in the Casey region.

Gellius

Gellius sp.
(pale orange cup sponge)

bc06a

Perknaster antarcticus
(common orange starfish)

bc15a

Sterechinus sp.
(common sea urchin, with sponge hat)

bc20b

Potamilla antarctica
(long stalk fan worm)

bc22a

Lineus corrugatus
(large nemertean worm)

bc24a

Isotaelia antarctica
(common pink anemone)

bc26a

Neobuccinum eatoni
(common gastropod snail)

bc27b

Cucumaria georgiana
(little pink sea cucumber)

bc34a

(golf ball ascidian)

bc37a

Isodictya antarctica
(orange finger sponge)

bc44a

Ophiosparte gigas
(large brittle star)

bc45b

Ekmocucumis grandis
(large brown sea cucumber)
This page was last modified on June 29, 2011.