Northern Australian Polychaete Species Identifications from Four Surveys

Polychaetes of Northern Australia contains taxonomic identifications of segmented worms collected during four RV Solander surveys in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Specimens were collected via sediment grabs, sorted at Geoscience Australia, and identified by taxonomists Chris Glasby and Charlotte Watson. The dataset is published with permission from Geoscience Australia.

Use Cases

• Analyze species composition and richness across different survey cruises (e.g., SOL4934, SOL5117).
• Map the distribution of polychaete Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) within northern Australian waters.
• Study temporal changes in benthic communities by comparing data from the 2009, 2010, and 2012 surveys.

Strengths

• Data originates from four dedicated marine surveys conducted over a three-year period.
• Identifications were performed by expert taxonomists using established names and OTUs.

Limitations

• The exact number of specimen records (rows) and measured features (columns) is unknown.
• Data is limited to four specific survey periods and locations in northern Australia.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on work by Geoscience Australia and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

Collection Method

Sediment collected with Smith McIntyre grab or boxcore, elutriated, sorted, and specimens identified taxonomically.

Time Range

Surveys conducted between August 2009 and October 2012.

Freshness

null

Geography

Northern Australian waters, specific to the RV Solander survey tracks.