Ecology and gametogenic biology of the genus Umbellula (Pennatulacea) in the North Atlantic Ocean

• Published in: Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie
• Main Authors: Tyler, P. A., Bronsdon, S. K., Young, C. M., Rice, A. L.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1995
• Subjects: Sea pens; Deep-sea animals > Ecology; Gametogenesis; Pennatulacea; Porcupine Seabight; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.19950800207; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=3342316

Four putative species of the seapen genus Umbellula, U. lindahli, U. thomsonii, U. durissima and U. monocephalus, are found at bathyal and abyssal depths in the Porcupine Seabight and Abyssal Plain in the NE Atlantic Ocean and at bathyal depths off the Bahamas. The most common species, U. lindahli, has a cosmopolitan distribution in the world ocean. In situ observations, from bathyal depths in the Bahamas, of the posture of U. lindahli show that the polyps are spread out to maximize particle capture from the water column. In addition, the individuals of U. lindahli from the Bahamas suggest that the tentacles are cropped by a predator, but there is no evidence of predation in the NE Atlantic specimens. Reproduction in U. lindahli is typical of that previously observed in pennatulids. This manuscript is an author version with the final publication available at http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ and may be cited as: Tyler, P. A., Bronsdon, S. K., Young, C. M., & Rice, A. L. (1995). Ecology and gametogenic biology of the genus Umbellula (Pennatulacea) in the North Atlantic Ocean. Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie, 80(2), 187-199. doi:10.1002/iroh.19950800207 Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1083.