南海深海浮游介形类的分类学、多样性和动物地理学研究

Marine planktonic Ostracoda (ostracods) are a class of small crustaceans with wide distribution. The vast majority of planktonic ostracods are consisted predominantly of halocyprids, and a few belong to Family Cypridinidae. They are characterized by high biodiversity and abundance in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones around the tropical and subtropical waters. Pelagic ostracods feed on a variety of detritus and are also important prey for deep-living fishes. Despite their significant function in the vertical carbon flux, they are still overlooked taxonomically and ecologically in the studies of zooplankton in the oceanic waters. This lack of attention is partially a result from their small body size, difficult identification and deep-living habitat. Based on both collections from the deep waters in the South China Sea and inspection of the historical specimens as well as a large number of taxonomic literatures on ostracods, with the classic taxonomy and modern molecular methods, the objectives of this proposal are, 1) to find and describe the unknown species on Family Halocyprididae in the deep waters of South China Sea, and examine the validation of known species reported from the South China Sea or China Seas, 2) to present a key to species of halocyprids and revise the current taxonomical systematics in China, and 3) to reveal the distribution of species diversity and zoogeography of deep-living ostracods. The above results will resolve the following scientific questions such as taxonomy, biodiversity and zoogeography of planktonic ostracods in the South China Sea. Moreover, our results will provide more materials for family Halocyprididae, and also provide a scientific basis for the study of biological resources and ecological processes in the deep waters of the South China Sea.

海洋浮游介形类(ostracods)是一类分布较广的小型甲壳动物，在热带和亚热带海域以海腺萤科种类数量居多；海腺萤可分布至海洋各水层，喜栖息于海洋中层和深层；大多数海腺萤是碎屑摄食者，本身又是中深层鱼类的饵料，在海洋碳循环中起重要作用。基于海腺萤种类个体小、鉴定难和多中深层分布等原因，其分类学和生态学研究至今仍未被充分重视。因此，本项目在掌握了大量介形类馆藏标本和分类学文献的基础上，拟重点在南海深水区进行不同水层的标本采集，对海腺萤科进行系统全面的分类学研究：1)发现和描述深海海腺萤科的新物种，厘定已报道物种的正确性；2)编制检索表和修订国内现采用的分类系统；3)阐释南海浮游介形类的多样性分布格局和地理分布规律。以上研究可解答南海深海浮游介形类的分类地位、生物多样性和动物地理学方面的科学问题。研究结果将为海腺萤科动物志的编写充实资料，也为南海深海生物资源和生态过程等方面的研究提供科学依据。

本项目通过对馆藏标本的整理和参加6航次的南海浮游动物的调查，针对对南海浮游介形类的生物多样性、动物地理学和生态学等方面进行了深入研究，主要获得以下研究结果：（1）发现和描述了南海深水浮游介形类海腺萤科深浮萤属3新种，并对之前报道的南海海腺萤科物种进行了修正；（2）概述了海腺萤科分类的发展，比较分析了世界不同海域以及中国不同海域浮游海腺萤科的物种多样性和地理分布特征，编制了南海海腺萤科种类的检索表；（3）阐述了南海浮游介形类的种数、丰度、生物量的水平和垂直分布特征，揭示季风、沿岸上升流和不同水团混合是影响南海浮游介形类水平和垂直分布格局的重要因素。以上的研究结果为我国海腺萤科动物志的编写充实了资料，也为南海深海生物资源和生态过程等方面的研究提供重要依据。