Benthic Biota of Northern Australia: Specimens from 2012 Marine Survey

261 voucher specimens of benthic marine life were collected during a 2012 transit survey between Darwin and Cairns. The program, undertaken by the R.V. Southern Surveyor, used an ROV and benthic sled to sample sponges, octocorals, and hard corals for biodiversity and natural products research. Sponges were the most abundant group, comprising approximately 139 kg of biomass and 93 voucher specimens.

Use Cases

• Analyze benthic community composition based on specimen counts and biomass across different seabed features
• Identify potential sources of marine natural products based on the collection of sponges and cnidarians for drug screening
• Study the distribution of sessile invertebrates like hard corals relative to seabed topography mentioned in the description

Strengths

• 261 voucher specimens collected during the survey
• Biomass data provided for major taxonomic groups (e.g., ~139 kg of sponges)
• Samples designated for specific research pipelines (e.g., screening at NCI for active compounds)

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Collected via ROV and benthic sled during a transit survey by the R.V. Southern Surveyor.

Time Range

15-24 October 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 07:40:26.816080; freshness should be verified

Geography

Northern Australia, specifically the transit route between Darwin and Cairns, including areas mapped by Geoscience Australia survey GA-276.