In the deep Gulf of Cadiz, over 30 mud volcanoes lie between 200 m and 4000 m depth. In spite of lava, these volcanoes expel mud pushed up from deep sediments by methane gas. The exploration of the deep Gulf of Cadiz during the UNESCO/IOC Training-Through-Research programme and the European Union project HERMES allowed the discovery of several new species, including a new shrimp and a new hydroid.
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Vulcanocalliax arutyunovi gen. nov., sp. nov. A new ghost shrimp (family Callianissidae) has been discovered in sediments from the outer rim of the crater of the Captain Arutyunov mud volcano. Unusual morphological features of the new species also led to the creation of a new subfamiy, the Vulcanocalliacinae. Among other characters, the new species is remarkable for its large size compared to other Callianassids (over 5 cm in lenght) as well as the large size and low number of embryos. Photo credit: Courtesy of Marina R. Cunha (Universidad de Aveiro, Portugal)
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Tubiclavoides striatum gen. nov., sp. nov. This new genus and new species of hydroid has been found to be common in the Gulf of Cadiz. Colonies were observed fixed on carbonate chimneys, coral debris, a polychaete tube, a sponge or another hydrozoan species. The widespread and frequent occurence of this new species suggests that it is an important and regular faunal element of the deep-sea fauna of the North-East Atlantic. Photo credit: Courtesy of Carlos J. Moura (Universidad de Aveiro, Portugal) |
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Known distribution of Tubiclavoides striatum in the Gulf of Cadiz, between south Spain and north Morocco.
