SS2012t07: Benthic Specimens from Northern Australia Marine Survey

The SS2012t07 survey collected 261 voucher specimens of benthic marine life during a transit between Darwin and Cairns from 15-24 October 2012. The program, undertaken by the R.V. Southern Surveyor, used an ROV and benthic sled to gather 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, with 49 samples designated for the Australian Biological Laboratory and larger samples sent to the NCI for screening against cancer and HIV.

Use Cases

• Analyze species abundance and biomass distribution based on reported counts and weights for sponges, cnidarians, and hard corals.
• Study benthic community structure in different seabed features (bank, terrace, deep hole) based on habitat descriptions.
• Identify potential sources of marine natural products for pharmaceutical screening based on the collection of specimens for biodiscovery.
• Map the distribution of sessile invertebrate communities in northern Australian waters based on the geospatial survey areas.

Strengths

• Includes 261 voucher specimens with specific biomass totals (e.g., ~139 kg of sponges).
• Survey effort is temporally bounded (15-24 October 2012) and spatially defined (two areas within the proposed Wessel Islands CMR).
• Specimens have a defined downstream use, with 49 samples for biodiversity research and others for pharmaceutical screening.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific 2012 survey voyage.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Collected using an ROV and benthic sled during the R.V. Southern Surveyor transit.

Time Range

15-24 October 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 09:25:04.873637; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Marine areas between Darwin and Cairns, Northern Australia, specifically a bank (Area I) and terrace/hole feature (Area II).