Sagartiidae (Cnidaria: Actiniaria) from hydrothermal vents and methane seeps in the Bering Sea

Two species of sea anemones of the genus Sagartiogeton are reported from the reducing environments of the Bering Sea (NW Pacific). One species, Sagartiogeton californicus, is abundant on the Koryak slope in the methane seep sites as well as in the background, and it is also found in hydrothermal vents on the submarine Piip Volcano; another species, Sagartiogeton rufus sp. nov., forms crowded settlements in hydrothermal vent areas on the Northern summit of the submarine Piip Volcano. Taxonomy of Sagartiogeton and related genera is discussed. Genus Antipodactis is synonymized with Sagartiogeton and the family Antipodactidae with Sagartiidae. Genus Artemidactis is suggested to be a senior synonym of Sagartiogeton but formally they are not synonymized. Results of stable isotope analysis showed the absence of site-specific differences between Sagartiogeton californicus from background and methane seep communities and non-chemosynthetic origin of food sources for both Sagartiogeton-species. Zoobank Article LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F3C631A-1CAB-4F89-9947-03776AA56096.

Automated summary

Two species of sea anemones, Sagartiogeton californicus and Sagartiogeton rufus sp. nov., were found in the reducing environments of the Bering Sea. The former is abundant in both methane seep sites and the background, as well as in hydrothermal vents on the Piip Volcano, while the latter forms crowded settlements in hydrothermal vent areas on the Northern summit of the same volcano. The taxonomy of Sagartiogeton and related genera was discussed.