Is there a relationship between abyssal scleractinian corals and the global oceanic conveyor belt?

Abstract

The investigation data on Scleractinia of the abyssal zone have been generalized. Based on an analysis of maps of the distribution pattern of these corals, it can be concluded that there is a close correlation between the spread of their species and the position of the ocean currents that form the global oceanic conveyor belt. The maps were compiled from published and our own data collected on expeditions of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. We analyzed data on 106 stations. The location of the global oceanic conveyor belt was shown in the maps. The distribution pattern of abyssal coral species confirms our assumption that there are two possible ways of origin of abyssal fauna. We suppose that the genera Fungiacyathus and Leptopenus are ancient and have evolved in deep oceanic layers, while the species D. parvulus obviously originated from shallow-water ancestors and then migrated deep into the abyssal zone as a result of the transition to neotenic development.