Brachiopods of the northern North Atlantic and Arctic, with a focus on Norwegian fauna

Abstract

Ten species of Brachiopoda have been found living around Norway, including the Arctic Svalbard and Jan Mayen, while 26 are recorded here for the region extending from the Arctic Ocean in the North to the northernmost North Atlantic and Celtic Sea in the South. This paper provides an identification key and short descriptions for all species, including the new species Xenobrochus islandicus n. sp. from southwest of Iceland and the new East Atlantic species Dallina lusitanica n. sp. The distributions of all species have been reviewed and were generally found to follow the oceanic temperature, salinity and depth gradients of the region. Also organic enrichment had some influence on distribution. Some species have shown a possible ongoing northward shift of their biogeographic boundaries over the last two centuries, including the Arctic to subarctic species Hemithiris psittacea.

Keywords

• Brachiopoda
• identification key
• biogeography
• distribution
• new species