ABSTRACT: During the 35th JARE (Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition) Cruise, we collected large lysianassoid amphipods Eurythenes gryllus alive from 3186 m depth off Lützow-Holm Bay using a baited trap and measured the respiration rates and swimming speeds of amphipods on board (-0.5 to -1.0°C). The oxygen consumption rate (OC; µM ind.^-1 h^-1) was significantly correlated with the wet body weight (BW; g) for log₁₀ transformed data; logOC = 0.190 + 0.647·logBW (p < 0.05). The swimming speed (SS; cm s^-1), which was determined from video camera recordings made on amphipods placed in a plastic container, also showed a linear relationship with body weight for log₁₀ transformed data; logSS = 0.412 + 0.515·logBW (p < 0.005). Using the regression of the swimming speed, the population density of E. gryllus was estimated based on a modification of an existing model of the area where the amphipods were attracted to the bait.

KEY WORDS: Ammonia-N excretion rate · Antarctic deep waters · Eurythenes gryllus · Lysianassoid amphipods · Respiration rate · Swimming speed

Published in MEPS Vol. 163 (1998) on March 12
ISSN: 0171-8630. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1998