Decapod Crustacea of the Calanus Expeditions in Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, 1951

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Squires, H. J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1962
• Subjects: General Medicine; Baffin Island; Frobisher Bay; Ungava Bay; Potter Island; Victoria Bay; Baffin
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f62-045; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f62-045

About 600 specimens of decapods comprising 11 species were collected by trawl and dredge on the Calanus Shelf and by plankton net at Potter Island by the Calanus expeditions in 1951.Stations at the shallower parts of the shelf yielded the greater number of specimens of decapods, those on the outer slope of the shelf fewer decapods but more echinoderms, and a station deeper and shoreward from the shelf in Victoria Bay no decapods at all.Specimens were mostly of the family Hippolytidae, and were dominated in numbers by Lebbeus groenlandicus. Their size distribution was similar to those from Ungava Bay but maturity was apparently later and at a somewhat larger size. Most species appeared to spawn annually as shown by percentage of mature individuals carrying eggs or ready to spawn in autumn.The decapod fauna on the Calanus Shelf was similar to that of the shallow water areas of Ungava Bay, but lacked species which might show any influence of Atlantic water incursions.Stomach contents evinced feeding on benthos on the shelf, almost all having some fine sand and phytobenthos. A greenish ostracod, large Elphidium-like foraminiferans visible to the unaided eye, and polychaete setae occurred in stomachs quite frequently.