Macrobenthic infauna of deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps in the northern Gulf of Mexico, 2012-2013

These data represent several benthic cores collected during ECOGIG cruises during 2012 and 2013. Sediment cores were collected near several natural hydrocarbon seeps with both an ROV push corer and multicoring device. The purpose of these samples is to examine benthic communities associated with natural hydrocarbon seepage in the deep sea as well as compare these communities to areas associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil blowout. Samples were collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico, mostly south of Louisiana, and at depths ranging from 150 to 2600 meters. Sample processing and species identification occurred from 2014 – 2016. Macrofauna (>300 um) were identified to the lowest taxonomic unit.