Annotated record of the detailed examination of Mn deposits and associated fauna from the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ), Pacific Ocean

A series of R/V Prospector, Deep Sea Ventures Inc. cruises to survey ferromanganese nodule deposits at depths of 4000-5200 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of the north-eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean resulted in the acquisition of over 70,000 seafloor images. Real-time television, coupled with 35-mm remote controlled still photography, revealed a conspicuous epibenthic invertebrate megafauna of more than 70 species. Approximately 38 species are echinoderms. Porifera and Cnidaria are each represented by approximately 12 species. Several molluscs and arthropods, a bryozoan, a hemichordate, and an ascidian urochordate constitute the remainder.

由勘探号研究船（R/V Prospector）与深海风险投资公司（Deep Sea Ventures Inc.）开展的、针对东北赤道太平洋克拉里昂-克利珀顿断裂带（Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone）4000至5200米水深海域铁锰结核矿床（ferromanganese nodule deposits）的一系列科考航次，共获取了超过7万张海底图像。本次调查依托实时电视摄像与35毫米遥控静态摄影技术，记录到70余种特征鲜明的底栖无脊椎动物大型群落（epibenthic invertebrate megafauna）：其中约38种隶属于棘皮动物（echinoderms），多孔动物门（Porifera）与刺胞动物门（Cnidaria）各有约12个物种类群，剩余类群则涵盖若干软体动物门（molluscs）、节肢动物门（arthropods）物种，以及1种苔藓动物（bryozoan）、1种半索动物（hemichordate）与1种尾索被囊动物（ascidian urochordate）。