Abstract
An analysis of the horizontal and the vertical zonation of the Antarctic Isopoda, combined with knowledge of the geological history of Antarctica and isopod phylogeny, revealed that the isopod family Serolidae and subfamily Arcturinae are likely to have evolved from ancestors that inhabited a cold-temperate Gondwanian province. Antarctic species of other families, such as the Munnopsidae, Nannoniscidae, Desmosomatidae and Ischnomesidae, are likely to have evolved from deep-sea ancestors. It is deduced that emigration of South Patagonian species into the Southern Ocean, although possible, probably did not occur very often. Evolutionary phenomena such as continental-drift vicariance, radiation of species on the continental shelf of Antarctica, and active migration, including submergence and emergence mechanisms are discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Literature cited
Anderson, N. C. (1984). Genera and subfamilies of the family Nototheniidae (Pisces, Perciformes) from the Antarctic and Subantarctic. Steenstrupia 10 (10): 1–34
Andriashev, A. P. (1965). A general review of the Antarctic fish fauna. Monographiae biol. 15: 491–550
Andriashev, A. P. (1987). A general review of the Antarctic bottom fish fauna. In: Kullander, S. O., Fernholm, B. (ed.) Proc. 5th Congr. Eur. Ichthyol., Stockholm 1985, p. 357–372
Arnaud, P. M. (1977). Adaptations within the Antarctic marine benthic ecosystem. In: Llano, G. (ed.) Proc. 3rd S.C.A.R. Symp. Antarct. Biol. Gulf Publ. Co., Houston, Texas, p. 135–157
Azam, F., Beers, J. R., Campbell, L., Carucci, A. F., Holm-Hansen, O., Reid, F. M. H., Karl, D. M. (1979). Occurrence and metabolic activity of organisms under the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, at Station J9. Science, N.Y. 203: 451–453
Belyaev, G. M. (1974). On the age of the deep-sea fauna of the ocean and the ultra-abyssal fauna of trenches. Bull. Mosk. Ispital. Prirordi. Otd. Biolog. 79: 94–112 (in Russian)
Birkenmajer, K. (1985). Onset of the Tertiary continental glaciation in the Antarctic Peninsula sector (West Antarctica). Acta geol. pol. 35 (1/2): 1–32
Brandt, A. (1988). Antarctic Serolidae and Cirolanidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) new genera, new species, and redescriptions. Roeltz Scientific Books, Königstein, p. 1–143
Brandt, A. (1990a). Antarctic valviferans (Crustacea, Isopoda, Valvifera) new genera, new species, and redescriptions. Brill, Leiden, p. 1–176
Brandt, A. (1990b). The deep sea genus Echinozone Sars, 1897 and its occurrence on the continental shelf of Antartica (Ilyarachnidae, Munnopsidae, Isopoda, Crustacea). Antarctic Sci. 2(3): 215–219
Brandt, A. (1991a). Zur Besiedlungsgeschichte des antarktischen Schelfes am Beispiel der Isopoda (Crustacea, Malacostraca). Ber. Polarforsch. (Bremerhaven) 98: 1–240
Brandt, A. (1991b). Revision of the Acanthaspididae Menzies, 1962 (Asellota, Isopoda, Crustacea). J. Linn. Soc. 102: 203–252
Brandt, A. (1992a). New Asellota from the Antarctic deep-sea (Crustacea, Isopoda, Asellota), with descriptions of two new genera. Zool. Scr. (in press)
Brandt, A. (1992b). Revision of the genus Coperonus (Isopoda: Munnopsidae: Lipomerinae) J. Linn. Soc. (in press)
Brandt, A. (1992c). The occurrence of the asellote isopod genera Haplomesus, Ischnomesus (Ischnomesidae) and Haploniscus (Haploniscidae) in Antarctica, with two redescriptions and description of Ischnomesus curtispinis n. sp. Mitt. zool. Mus. Berl. (in press)
Brandt, A., Wägele, J. W. (1988). Antarcturus bovinus n. sp., a new Weddell Sea isopod of the family Arcturidae (Isopoda, Valvifera). Polar Biol. 8: 411–419
Brandt, A., Wägele, J. W. (1990). Redescription of Pseudidothea scutata (Stephensen, 1947) (Crustacea, Isopoda; Valvifera) and adaptations to a microphageous nutrition. Crustaceana 58 (1): 97–105
Broch, H. (1961). Benthonic problems in Antarctic and Subantarctic waters. Scient. Results Norw. Antarct. Exped. 3 (38): 1–32
Bruchhausen, P. M., Raymond, J. A., Jacobs, S. S., De Vries, A. L., Thorndike, E. M., De Witt, H. H. (1979). Fish, crustaceans, and the sea floor under the Ross Ice Shelf. Science, N. Y. 203: 449–501
Bruun, A. F. (1956). The abyssal fauna: its ecology, distribution and origin. Nature, Lond. 177: 1105–1108
Bruun, A. F. (1957). Deep-sea fauna and abyssal depths. Geol. Soc. Am. Mem. 67: 641–672
Clarke, A. J. (1983). Life in cold water: the physiological ecology of polar marine ectotherms. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. A. Rev. 21: 341–453
Deacon, G. E. R. (1964). The Southern Ocean. In: Priestly, R., Adie, R. J., Robin, G. de Q. (eds). Antarctic research. p. 292–307
Dell, R. K. (1968). Benthic faunas of the Antarctic. In: Symposium on Antarctic oceanography, Santiago, Chile. Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, p. 110–118
Dell, R. K. (1972). Antarctic benthos. Adv. mar. Biol. 10: 1–216
Denton, G. H., Armstrong, R. L., Stuiver, M. (1970). Late Cenozoic glaciation in Antarctica: the record in the McMurdo Sound region. Antarctic J. U.S. 5: 15–21
De Vries, A. L. (1969). Freezing resistance in fishes of the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctic J. U.S. 4: 104–105
De Vries, A. L. (1970). Freezing resistance in Antarctic fishes. In: Laws, R. M. (ed.) Antarctic ecology, Vol. 1. Academic Press, London, p. 320–328
Dietz, R. S., Holden, J. C. (1970). Reconstruction of Pangaea: breakup and dispersion of continents, Permian to present. J. geophys. Res. 75: 4939–4956
Dietz, R. S., Sproll, W. P. (1970). Fit between Africa and Antarctica. Science, N.Y. 167 (3925): 1612–1614
Eastman, J. T., Grande, L. (1989). Evolution of the Antarctic fish fauna with emphasis on the recent notothenioids. In: Crame, J. A. (ed.) Origin and evolution of the biosphere, Vol. 47. Geological Society Special Publication, London, p. 241–252
Feldmann, R. M., Tshudy, D. M. (1989). Evolutionary pattern in macrurous decapod crustaceans from Cretaceous to early Cenezoic rocks of the James Ross Island region, Antarctica. In: Crame, J. A. (ed.) Origin and evolution of the biosphere, Vol. 47. Geological Society Special Publications, London, p. 183–195
Feldmann, R. M., Zinsmeister, W. J. (1984a). First occurrence of fossil decapod crustaceans (Callianassidae) from the McMurdo Sound region, Antarctica. J. Paleont. 58 (4): 1041–1045
Feldmann, R. M., Zinsmeister, W. J. (1984b). New fossil crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) from the La Meseta Formation (Eocene) of Antarctica: paleogeographic and biogeographic implications. J. Paleont. 58 (4): 1046–1061
Gallardo, V. A. (1987). The sublittoral macrofaunal benthos of the Antarctic shelf. Environment Int. 13: 71–81
Gutt, J. (1988). Zur Verbreitung und Ökologie der Seegurken (Holothuroidea, Echinodermata) im Weddellmeer (Antarktis). Ber. Polarforsch. (Bremerhaven) 41: 1–87
Gutt, J. (1990a). New Antarctic holothurians (Echinodermata) — I. Five new species with four new genera of the order Dendrochirotia. Zoologica Scripta 19 (1): 101–117
Gutt, J. (1990b). New Antarctic holothurians (Echinodermata) — II. Four new species of the orders Aspidochirotida, Elasipodida and Apodida. Zool. Scr. 19 (1): 119–127
Hartmann, G. (1986). Biogeographie und Plattentektonik. Gondwana und die rezente Verteilung der Organismen. Naturwissenschaften 8: 471–480
Hartmann, G. (1988). Gibt es biologische Argumente zur Entstehung der Süderdteile? Die Geowissenschaften 6 (9): 270–275
Hartmann, G. (1990). Antarktische benthische Ostracoden VI. Auswertung der Reise der “Polarstern” ANT VI-2 (1. Teil, Meiofauna and Zehnerserien) sowie Versuch einer vorläufigen Auswertung aller bisher vorliegenden Daten. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst. 87: 191–245
Hellmer, H. H., Bersch, M. (1985). The Southern Ocean. Ber. Polarforsch. (Bremerhaven) 26: 1–115
Hessler, R. R., Sanders, H. L. (1967). Faunal diversity in the deep sea. Deep-Sea Res. 14: 65–78
Hessler, R. R., Thistle, D. (1975). On the place of origin of deep-sea isopods. Mar. Biol. 32: 155–165
Hessler, R. R., Wilson, G. D. F. (1983). The origin and biogeography of malacostracan crustaceans in the deep sea. In: Sims, R. W., Price, J. H., Whalley, P. E. S. (eds.) Evolution, time and space: the emergence of the biosphere. Academic Press, London, p. 227–254
Hessler, R. R., Wilson, G. D. F., Thistle, D. (1979). The deep-sea isopods: a biogeographic and phylogenetic overview. Sarsia 64: 67–75
Iwami, T. (1985). Osteology and relationships of the family Channichthyidae. Mem. natn. Inst. polar Res., Tokyo (E) 36: 1–69
Knox, G. A. (1977). The Antarctic polychaete fauna: its characteristics, distribution patterns and evolution. In: Llano, G. A. (ed.) Proc. 3rd S.C.A.R. Symp. Antarct. Biol. Gulf. Publ. Co., Houston, Texas, p. 1111–1126
Knox, G. A., Lowry, J. K. (1977). A comparison between the benthos of the Southern Ocean and the North Polar Ocean with special reference to the Amphipoda and Polychaeta. In: Dunbar, M. J. (ed.) Polar oceans. Antarct. Inst. North America, Calgary, Canada, p. 423–462
Koltun, V. M. (1969). Porifera. Am. Geogr. Soc. Antarctic Map Folio Series, Vol. 11. Am. Geogr. Soc., Washington, D.C., p. 13–14
Koltun, V. M. (1970). Sponges of the Arctic and Antarctic: a faunistic review. Symp. zool. Soc. Lond. 25: 285–297
Kussakin, O. G. (1967). Isopoda and Tanaidacea from the coastal zones of the Antarctic and Subantarctic. In: Biological results of the Soviet Antarctic expedition (1955–1958). Issled. Fauny Moreî 4 (12): 220–380
Kussakin, O. G. (1973). Peculiarities of the geographical and vertical distribution of marine isopods and the problem of deep sea fauna origin. Mar. Biol. 23: 19–34
Kussakin, O. G. (1988). On the problem of the so called secondary deep sea fauna of the World Ocean. Biol. Morya, Vladivostok 4: 16–19 [In Russian with Russian and English summary]
Lipps, J. M., Ronan, T. E., De Laca, T. E. (1979). Life below the Ross Ice Shelf. Science, N.Y. 203: 447–449
Littlepage, J. L., Pearse, J. S. (1962). Biological and oceanic observations under an Antarctic ice shelf. Science, N.Y. 137: 679–681
Menzies, R. J., George, R. Y., Rowe, G. T. (1973). Abyssal environment and ecology of the world oceans. Wiley Interscience, New York, p. 1–488
Menzies, R. J., Imbrie, J. (1958). On the antiquity of the deep-sea bottom fauna. Oikos 9 (II): 193–210
Sanders, H. L., Hessler, R. R. (1969). Ecology of the deep-sea benthos. Science, N. Y. 163: 1419–1424
Sanders, H. L., Hessler, R. R., Hampson, G. R. (1965). An introduction to the study of deep-sea benthic faunal assemblages along the Gay-Head Bermuda Transect. Deep-Sea Res. 12: 845–867
Schram, F. R. (1982). The fossil record and evolution of Crustacea. In: Abele, L. G. (ed.) The biology of crustacea. 1. Systematics, the fossil record and biogeography. p. 93–147
Schultz, G. A. (1979). Aspects of the distribution of isopod crustaceans in the Antarctic and Southern Seas. Bull. biol. Soc. Wash. 3: 60–66
Shackleton, N. J., Kennett, J. P. (1975). Paleotemperature history of the Cenozoic and the initiation of the Antarctic glaciation: oxygen and carbon isotope analyses in DSDP Sites 277, 279 and 281. Initial Rep. Deep Sea Drill Proj. 29: 743–756
Sicinski, J. (1986). Application of the dendrite analysis in the discussion on the biogeography of the Antarctic. Pol. polar Res. (Warsaw) 7 (3): 305–317
Sieg, J. (1986). Distribution of the Tanaidacea: synopsis of the known data and suggestions on possible distribution patterns. In: Gore, R. H., Heck, K. L. (eds.) Crustacean biogeography. Balkema, Rotterdam, p. 165–194
Sieg, J. (1988). Das phylogenetische System der Tanaidacea und die Frage nach Alter und Herkunft der Crustaceenfauna des antarktischen Festlandsockels. Z. Zool. Syst. EvolForsch. 26: 363–379
Stockton, W. L. (1982). Scavenging amphipods from under the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Deep-Sea Res. 29 (1): 819–835
Tarling, D. H. (1978). The geological geophysical framework of ice-ages. In: Gribbin, J. (ed.) Climatic change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 3–24
Thistle, D., Hessler, R. R. (1976). Origin of a deep-sea family, the Ilyarachnidae (Crustacea, Isopoda). Syst. Zool. 25 (2): 110–116
Thistle, D., Hessler, R. R. (1977). A revision of Betamorpha (Isopoda, Asellota) in the world ocean with three new species. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 60: 275–295
Umminger, B. L. (1977). Mechanisms of cold adaptation in polar marine animals. In: Llano, G. (ed.) Proc. 3rd S.C.A.R. Symp. Antarct. Biol. Gulf. Publ. Co., Houston, Texas, p. 397–409
Wägele, J. W. (1989). Evolution and phylogenetisches System der Isopoda. Stand der Forschung und neue Erkenntnisse. E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele und Obermiller), Stuttgart, p. 1–262
Watling, L., Thurston, M. H. (1989). Antarctica as an evolutionary incubator: evidence from the cladistic biogeography of the Amphipod family Iphimediidae. In: Crame, J. A. (ed.) Origins and evolution of the Antarctic Biota. Geologica Society Special Publication No. 47, The Geographical Society, London, p. 297–313
White, M. (1977). Ecological adaptations by Antarctic poikilotherms to the polar marine environment. In: Llano, G. (ed.) Proc. 3rd S.C.A.R. Symp. Antarct. Biol. Gulf. Publ. Co., Houston, Texas, p. 197–208
White, M. (1984). Marine benthos. In: Laws, R. G. (ed.) Antarctic ecology, Vol. 2. Academic Press, London, p. 421–461
Wilson, G. D. F. (1987). The road to the Janiroidea: comparative morphology and evolution of the asellote isopoda crustaceans. Z. zool. Syst. EvolForsch. 25 (4): 257–280
Wilson, G. D. F., Hessler, R. R. (1987). Speciation in the deep sea. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 18: 185–207
Wolff, T. (1962). The systematics and biology of bathyal and abyssal isopod Asellota. Galathea Rep. 6: 1–320
Woodring, W. P. (1966). The Panama land bridge as a sea barrier. Proc. Am. phil. Soc. 110: 425–433
Zenkevitch, L. A., Birstein, J. A. (1960). On the problem of the antiquity of the deep-sea fauna. Deep-Sea Res. 7: 10–23
Zinsmeister, W. J. (1976). Biogeographic significance of the Late Mesozoic and Early Tertiary molluscan faunas of Seymour Island (Antarctic Peninsula) to the final breakup of Gondwanaland. In: Gray, J., Boucot, A. J. (eds.) Historical biogeography, plate tectonics and the changing environment. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, p. 349–355
Zinsmeister, W. J. (1984). Late Eocene bivalves (Mollusca) from the La Meseta formation collected during the 1974–1975 Joint Argentine-American Expedition to Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. J. Paleont. 58 (6): 1497–1527
Zinsmeister, W. J., Feldmann, R. M. (1984). Cenozoic high latitude heterochroneity of southern hemisphere marine faunas. Science, N.Y. 224: 281–283
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brandt, A. Origin of Antarctic Isopoda (Crustacea, Malacostraca). Marine Biology 113, 415–423 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349167
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349167