Benthodytes gosarsi Gebruk, 2008

Madeira, Patrícia, Kroh, Andreas, Cordeiro, Ricardo, De, António M., Martins, Frias & Ávila, Sérgio P., 2019, The Echinoderm Fauna of the Azores (NE Atlantic Ocean), Zootaxa 4639 (1), pp. 1-231 : 142

Benthodytes gosarsi Gebruk, 2008

Reports for the Azores:

Benthodytes gosarsi $ Gebruk, 2008: 49–52 , figs. 1A, 2–3; Rogacheva et al. 2013: 598–599, fig. 17E; Gebruk et al. 2014: 160.

Type locality: Mid Atlantic Ridge , Azores (42°55’N, 30°20’W) .

See: Gebruk (2008); Rogacheva et al. (2012: 217, figs. J–L; 2013: 598–599, fig. 17E).

Occurrence: North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic Ridge from Iceland south to the Azores ( Gebruk 2008, Rogacheva et al. 2013).

Depth: 2,238–3,680 m ( Rogacheva et al. 2013); AZO : 2,954–2,968 m ( Gebruk 2008).

Habitat: occasional swimmer (benthopelagic), on soft substrates ( Gebruk 2008, Rogacheva et al. 2012).

Remarks: Gebruk (2008) described Benthodytes gosarsi , based on specimens collected by G.O. Sars (MAR– ECO expedition) in the northern-most waters of the Azorean EEZ. More recently, Rogacheva et al. (2012) observed in vivo animals belonging to this species swimming above the sea-floor in the area of the Charles-Gibbs Fracture Zone, north of the Azores. These authors inferred that B. gosarsi is deposit-feeder that rarely swims and does so usually as a response to local disturbances or to travel to a different location on the sea floor.