Highlights of the Mollusca section
2006
Huinay Fjords Expedition
Apart from the virtually unexplored deep sea, there are even vast coastal areas which had not been properly visited by marine biologists. We (Dr. Roland Melzer, Arthropoda Varia and Dr. Michael Schrödl, Mollusca) were lucky enough to represent the GeoBioCenterLMU Munich as participants of the first international SCUBA diving expedition to the pristine southern Patagonian fjords of Chile. Riding fierce storms on the Chilean coast guard vessel "Yepayek" we discovered an unknown underwater paradise. Hidden in icy waters there were meadows of feather-like gorgonians, vertical rockwalls covered with colourful sea anemones, spectacular Gorgon's Heads, mighty king crabs, and plenty of undescribed species such as sponges, soft corals and nudibranchs. Some less inclined areas exposed to steady currents were dominated by associations of red hydrocorals, forming a species rich sea floor community that was entirely new to science. Dozens of international taxonomists are currently revising the over 1000 samples taken from southern Chilean fjords which resemble tropical reefs rather than cold water habitats due to their colourful variety of life. Such information will be badly needed to justify the establishment of marine parks which may protect at least significant parts of this unique environment from destructive exploitation.
Gorgon's Head (Gorgonocephalus chilensis) on red hydrocorals (Errina antarctica). Foto: M. Schrödl
Tiny sea slug Flabellina falklandica crawling on a deep water bivalve (Acesta patagonica) which rises up to diving depths on Patagonian fjord walls only. Foto: M. Schrödl
Tritonia odhneri (Nudibranchia) lives and preys upon whip-like gorgonians (Octocorallia) in southern fjords.
Just an accident or another sign for global climate change? Team photograph in front of the melting Bernardo glacier which splits off the giant Southern Patagonian Ice Shield. A couple of hours before our arrival, huge blocks of ice were thrown on those meadows where the rare Huemuls (southern Andean goats) used to graze. The torrential stream of glacier water covering the entire kilometre wide valley lowered its level by about another meter over night. Foto: Huinay Fiordos Expedition 2006.
