Benthic Biota of Northern Australia: Specimen Data from 2012 Survey

A biological data acquisition program collected 261 voucher specimens of benthic marine life during a transit between Darwin and Cairns from 15-24 October 2012. The survey, conducted by the R.V. Southern Surveyor, used an ROV and benthic sled to focus on sessile invertebrates like sponges and octocorals for biodiversity and biodiscovery research. Specimens were collected from two mapped areas, including a bank and a terrace/hole feature within the proposed Wessel Islands CMR.

Use Cases

• Analyze species abundance and biomass distribution based on reported specimen counts and weights for sponges and cnidarians.
• Model benthic community structure in different seabed features (bank, terrace, deep hole) based on described habitat characteristics.
• Support natural products research by identifying specimens sent for screening against cancer and HIV.
• Study the ecological role of sessile invertebrates as habitat providers in previously mapped areas.

Strengths

• Specimen collection is quantified with 261 voucher specimens and specific biomass totals (e.g., ~139 kg of sponges).
• Survey methodology is explicitly described, involving an ROV and benthic sled across two distinct geographic areas.
• Clear research aims are stated for biodiversity and biodiscovery, with a defined subset of specimens allocated for active compound screening.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The primary data files are in PDF, HTML, and DOCX formats, which may require extraction to structured formats for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Data collected via ROV and benthic sled during a ship transit.

Time Range

15-24 October 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 19:59:57.710358; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Northern Australia, specifically the marine area between Darwin and Cairns, including a bank and terrace/hole feature within the proposed Wessel Islands CMR.