Report of deep-sea Crustaceans (Aristeidae, Epialtidae, Galatheidae, Geryonidae, Gyphocrangonidae, Munidopsidae, Nematocarcinidae, Paguridae, Parapaguridae, Scalpellidae) in the southern Colombian Caribbean.

Data on occurrence and distribution of deep-water organisms in Colombian territory are currently scarce. However, it is a research niche that is taking more and more prominence due to the potential of natural resources found in the deep. From 2015 to 2017 Anadarko Colombia Company (ACC) conducted hydrocarbon exploration in the southern Colombian Caribbean, assessing bottom biodiversity between 375 to 2500 meters deep. This exploratory expedition proved advantageous for the documentation of the fauna that inhabits deep-water ecosystems, using camera assessment techniques such as ROV surveys and towed cameras. The data presented here correspond to the crustaceans encountered by ACC, which were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible.