Polychaetes of Northern Australia: Species Identifications from 2009-2012 Surveys

Northern Australian marine surveys from 2009 to 2012 collected polychaete specimens. The dataset contains taxonomic identifications to species or operational taxonomic units, performed by experts Chris Glasby and Charlotte Watson. Specimens are curated at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, with research supported by the National Environmental Science Program.

Use Cases

• Analyzing polychaete species composition and diversity based on survey collection events described.
• Mapping the distribution of identified polychaete taxa across northern Australian survey sites.
• Validating taxonomic classifications and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on expert identifications.
• Studying temporal changes in benthic communities using data from four distinct survey cruises between 2009 and 2012.

Strengths

• Expert taxonomic identifications were performed by named specialists Chris Glasby and Charlotte Watson.
• Data covers four distinct survey cruises conducted over a multi-year period from August 2009 to October 2012.
• Specimens are physically archived at a recognized institution, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).
• Detailed methodological reports (GA Records) are referenced for survey and specimen acquisition details.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, published via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Specimens collected via Smith McIntyre grab or boxcore, elutriated over a 500um sieve, sorted at Geoscience Australia, and identified taxonomically.

Time Range

Surveys conducted between 27 August 2009 and 6 October 2012.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 02:19:22.616602; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Northern Australia, based on surveys from the RV Solander.