Copepoda from Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents and Cold Seeps

波士顿大学的阿瑟·g·休姆斯博士建议继续他对在几个海洋的深海热液喷口系统中发现的桡足类（甲壳类的共同代表）的分类和分布的研究。自从十年前通过潜水器发现这些不寻常的生态系统以来，休姆斯博士一直在积极地描述它们的代表，他已经发现了几十个新物种，并获得了早些时候的一个奖项。在深海中这些生物丰富的孤立斑块上存在着迄今为止未知的物种，这提出了关于进化和生物地理学的重要问题。它们是以前广泛分布的物种逐渐减少并被孤立的幸存者，还是它们是很久以前分化出来的专门的长期居民，还是它们是最近进化出来的短期居民，依赖于这些短暂的食物来源？它们是分散在遥远的喷口，还是偶尔偶然地到达那里？拟议的分类工作将为未来探索这些有争议的主题的研究项目奠定基础，并将对生物学家的广泛受众产生影响。

Dr. Arthur G. Humes of Boston University proposes continuation of his study of the taxonomy and distribution of copepods (a common representative of the Crustacea) found in deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems in several oceans. Dr. Humes has been actively describing representatives of these unusual ecosystems since their discovery through the use of submersibles ten years ago, and he has discovered dozens of new species under the auspices of an earlier award. The existence of heretofore unknown species on these isolated patches of biological richness in the deep sea raises important questions about evolution and biogeography. Are they the survivors of previously widespread species that dwindled and became isolated, or are they specialized and long-lived inhabitants that diverged long ago, or are they recently evolved and short-lived residents on these ephemeral food-sources? Can they disperse among the distant vents, or do they arrive there infrequently and accidentally? The proposed taxonomic work will form the foundation for future research projects that explore these controversial subjects, and will have impact on a wide audience of biologists.