Arafura Sea Biological Survey Report on RV Southern Surveyor Expedition 05/2005, 28 April - 28 May 2005

Brief description

In the first benthic biological survey of the Arafura Sea, a 2-person team collected 107 samples from 56 stations on Southern Surveyor voyage 05 of May 2005. This program was conducted opportunistically in conjunction with a Geoscience Australia geological survey of selected regions in the Arafura Sea. This survey only covers approximately 5% of the total Arafura Sea, but it provides a valuable shallow to deep transect across the region in depths ranging from 69 to 234 metres. At least 245 macroscopic species, including a diverse variety of invertebrates (e.g., sponges, corals, sea anemones, tunicates, worms, crustaceans, brittle stars, feather stars) and 6 small fish species, were photographed and documented with preliminary identifications. Further details of the voyage are at https://www.marine.csiro.au/data/trawler/surveydetails.cfm?survey=SS200505. The eight biological data reports can be downloaded at https://www.marine.csiro.au/data/trawler/download.cfm?fileid=5458