The CALSUB cruise on the bathyal slopes off New Caledonia
Roux, M. (1994). The CALSUB cruise on the bathyal slopes off New Caledonia, in: Crosnier, A. Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM 12. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Série A, Zoologie, 161: pp. 9-47
In: Crosnier, A. (Ed.) (1994). Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM 12. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Série A, Zoologie, 161. Editions du Muséum: Paris. ISBN 2-85653-212-8. 569 pp., more
In: Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Série A, Zoologie. Editions du Muséum: Paris. ISSN 0078-9747, more
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| Keywords |
Documents > Expedition reports
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract |
The CALSUB cruise took place in 1989 off the coast of New Caledonia. The diving saucer Cyana enabled the exploration of the bathyal environment from the edge of the coral platform down to a depth of 3000 m. In this paper an account is given of how the study was carried out, along with the material gathered during the course of the study which may be consulted (in particular the photographs and the videos). The various sectors explored, and the principal observations made are discussed. Apart from the wide diversity of ecological niches observed, what makes this sector of the Pacific Ocean original, is the existence of bathyal benthic communities rich in "living fossils", giving us an idea of the fauna which populated the Tethys Ocean during the Mesozoic. The use of the Cyana diving saucer allowed direct observation of the nature of the sea beds and the associated fauna, in particular of rocky slabs, and environments affected by deep currents, where fields of hydraulic bioclastic dunes develop along fault scarps covered with dense populations dominated by Echinoderms. We were able to establish the bathymetrical distribution of the bathyal populations. |
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