NEFSC 2014 Deepwater Biodiversity (PC1404, EK60). The primary objective is to collect
fish, cephalopod, and crustacean specimens from the bottom and midwaters at maximum
depths possible with available trawl wire. These collections will be used for tissue
samples, photographs of freshly collected specimens and systematic characters, and
voucher specimens in museum collections at the National Museum of Natural History,
Peabody Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Delaware Museum of Natural
History. These collections and observations contribute to ongoing research on biodiversity
of deepwater nekton and other megafauna in the western North Atlantic. Additionally,
the cruise will provide educational experience in deep-sea biology to students several
institutions. |