Biodiversity of intertidal invertebrates of Taraba Sound (Magellan Region, Chile)

Study Extent

The study was carried out during a January campaign between the 18th and 19th of 2013 (austral summer) on four beaches located on the eastern side of the interior of Taraba Sound, and a beach located on the west side of the Sound, north of the Magellan Region, southern region of Chile.

Sampling

The intertidal benthic macrofauna were collected manually directly from the shoreline along transects perpendicular to the coastline on each beach (T1-T4).

Method steps

1. In each transect samples were taken at specific sampling points determined by the beach profile between high and low tide level (supra-meso-infralittoral, N1-N3). In each sampling level, three random samples (R1-R3) were collected using a 0.25 m2 quadrat (50 x50 cm) for each level of each beach. The benthic macrofauna collected were separated and fixed with 5% formalin and preserved in 95% ethanol buffered with sodium borate at saturation on board the vessel.

For the taxonomic identification of invertebrates, the most up-to-date literature available was used.

1. Annelida
   common name: Segmented worms rank: phylum
2. Arthropoda
   common name: Arthropods rank: phylum
3. Chordata
   common name: Chordates rank: phylum
4. Echinodermata
   common name: Echinoderms rank: phylum
5. Mollusca
   common name: Mollusks rank: phylum
6. Nemertea
   common name: Ribbon worms rank: phylum
7. Porifera
   common name: Sponges rank: phylum

The study area correspond to Taraba Sound in the Última Esperanza Province, Magellan Region. This sound spans approximately 31 kilometers in length, is bordered on the east side by the Benson Peninsula and on the west side by the Sarmiento Mountain Range.