Meeting Abstract

P1.42  Saturday, Jan. 4 15:30  Associations between hyperiid amphipods and gelatinous zooplankton KEIL, K.E.*; OSBORN, K.J.; Oklahoma State University; Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution katie.keil@okstate.edu

Hyperiid amphipods are pelagic crustaceans that associate with gelatinous zooplankton for food, protection, transportation, and provide a substrate for laying eggs. To further define the specificity of hyperiid and gelata associations, we combined lab work and analysis of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s (MBARI) remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video archives. We sorted through gelatinous specimens in the Smithsonian’s Invertebrate Zoology collection to locate and identify hyperiids associated with salps, ctenophores, pyrosomes, and siphonophores. At MBARI, we reviewed a target dataset of ROV footage to view these associations in situ. We discovered 22 new hyperiid/gelata symbioses, identified the depth range of 6 hyperiid groups, and described specific behaviors (i.e. method of attachment) that help us understand the nature of these relationships. Ultimately, this information will be used to better understand how hyperiid morphology relates to these associations.