Abstract:

This dataset contains the inventory of Gulf oceanic fauna data including species, weight, and measurements obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur, DP08 (PS23-04, cruise DOI https://doi.org/10.7284/909796), in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2022-07-25 to 2022-08-08. The gear type used was a 10-m2 Multiple Opening Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS). The MOCNESS was fitted with 6 nets which were opened according to the following depth scheme: net 0 from the surface to 1500m, net 1 from 1500-1200m, net 2 from 1200-1000m, net 3 from 1000-600m, net 4 from 600-200m, and net 5 from 200m to the surface. Two trawls were conducted at each station sampled to capture diel vertical migration information; one during daylight hours between 9am-2:30pm CDT, and the other at 9pm-2:30am CDT. A table of the taxonomic hierarchy used in the nekton database is included with references to those scientific names recently updated which are not yet reflected by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). The MOCNESS sensor data and CTD data collected during cruise DP08 are available in GRIIDC datasets NO.x959.000:0006 (https://doi.org/10.7266/2JR97MGC) and NO.x959.000:0008 (https://doi.org/10.7266/81EA5Q5G), respectively. This dataset is a result of research funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's RESTORE Science Program (ROR - Research Organization Registry (ROR) Search https://ror.org/0042xzm63) under award #NA19NOS4510193 to Nova Southeastern University.

Suggested Citation:

Sutton, Tracey, Jon Moore, April Cook, Tamara Frank, Heather Judkins, Heather Bracken-Grissom, Michael Vecchione, and Matthew Johnston. 2025. Inventory of Gulf oceanic fauna data including species, weight, and measurements obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur, Cruise DP08, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2022-07-25 to 2022-08-08. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/JPJGYZPX

Purpose:

Inventory of biological and environmental data to capture diel vertical migration information.

Data Parameters and Units:

Trawl Field Data Table: EntryNum (Automatic number uniquely identifies each record); TrawlNo (Unique identifier for each trawl deployment); TrawlNo_NetNo (Unique identifier for use in queries); Cruise_Name (Name of the Vessel); Cruise_No (Cruise Number); Gear (Sample Method; MOC10 = 10 meter MOCNESS Net; TT = Tucker Trawl; NN = Neuston Net; BN = Bongo Net; DIP = Dipnet at the surface); StationID (NRDA Station ID); SolarCycle (Day/Night sampling time (D = day (exclusive of twilights) and N = night (exclusive of twilights))); NetNo (Net Number (Bongo: L-left, R-Right; Neuston: 1; 1m2 MOCNESS: 0-7)); SampleID (NRDA Unique Identifier for each Sample); SampleDate (Sample Date (DDMMMYY) when trawl was deployed); StartLat (Start Latitude in Dec degrees); StartLon (Start Longitude in Dec degrees); EndLat (End Latitude in Dec degrees); EndLon (End Longitude in Dec degrees); TowStartTime_CDT (Tow/Transect Start Time in local time (central daylight time)); TowEndTime_CDT (Tow/Transect End Time in local time (central daylight time)); ElapsedTime (Time elapsed between tow start and end times - Hours:Minutes (__ __:__ __)); MOC10FileName (MOC10 File Name (.PRO)); MinDepth (Minimum depth of net sampling m); MaxDepth (Maximum depth of net sampling m); DepthRange (Depth Range (min sampling depth – maximum sampling depth) m); DepthCode (1:1500-1200m, 2:1200-1000m, 3:1000-600m, 4:600-200m, 5: 200-0m, 1a:1500-1000m, 1b:1300-1200m, 3a:1000-0m, 3b:800-600m, 3c:900-800m, 3d:1000-800m, 4a: 600-400m, 4b:400-200m, 4c:600-0m, 4d:500-0m, 5a:200-100m, 5b:100-0 m); DepthBin (Represents the depth bin used for analysis when binning samples; 1: 1500-1200m, 2:1200-1000m, 3:1000-600m, 4:600-200m, 5: 200-0m); MaxWaterDepth (Maximun Water Column Depth (m)); MaxDeployDepth (Maximum Depth of net during that Deployment); DepthUnits (Depth Units (m)); Volume (Volume Filtered by the net calculated by the MOCNESS software); VolUnits (Volume Filtered Units); Quant_or_Meat (Meat: Incorrect or missing flow data or the net ripped, Non-Standard: Net fished depth ranges other than strict depth bins 1-5, Quantitative: Net fished correct depth strata and has valid flow data, X: Net did not open, no sample collected); NetMeshSize (Net Mesh Size); NetMeshSizeUnits (Net Mesh Size Units (mm or um)); SampPres (Sample preservation); Comments (Sample Notes); All5NetsQuant (True if nets 1-5 are all quantitative; this column is only used for analysis purposes). Nekton Database Table: EntryNumber (Automatic number to uniquely identify entries); SampleID (Unique Identifier for each Sample); TaxonomicRank (Taxon level in a taxonomic hierarchy); Lowest_Taxonomic_Identification (Taxonomic identification to the level of 100% confidence); Taxon_Comments (Comments related to the identification of the animal); Counts (Count of individuals in the taxonomic group in the sample); WetWeight_kg (Wet weight (kg) recorded at sea by motion-compensating scale with a 1.0 g resolution (blank values did not register a weight)); PostFormWeight (Weight (g) recorded after being preserved in 10% formalin); PostEthWeight (Weight (g) recorded after being preserved in 70% ethanol); PostIsoWeight (Weight (g) recorded after being preserved in 50% isopropyl); LifeHistory_Stage (Life stage of nekton if known (Larvae;Post-larvae;Transforming Juvenile;Juvenile;Adult)); Sex (Gender); Genetics_YN (Tissue sample or whole animal sampled for genetic barcoding and/or population genetics/connectivity studies); SIA_YN (Whole animal frozen -20 for Dr. David Wells/Travis Richards Stable Isotope studies (TAMUG)); PAH_YN (Whole animal or dissected animal frozen -20 for Dr. Isabel Romero for PAH studies (USF CMS)); CSIA_YN (Tissue sample or whole animal preserved in liquid nitrogen (TAMUG)); Photo_YN (Photographed by Dante Fenolio at sea); Disposition (Lab or container tracking the sample; Default value=“Bucket” which means it was placed into the sample jar collected in the field and resides at NSU; “DPXXXX” if placed into a separate jar; TAMUG/WSU/FRANK/USFSP/USF designates the lab to which the sample was sent)); Comments (Sample comments); LengthUnits (unit of measure for length); ST_Length_1 through ST_Length_25 (Length of organism; Squid - mantle length; fish - standard length on most fish, total length for eels; Shrimp - Carapace length). Taxon List Table: LowestTaxonomicIDStandard (The lowest taxonomic identification made); TaxonomicRank (Taxon level in a taxonomic hierarchy); FunctionalGroup (Groupings according to similar acoustic signatures); Species; Genus; Tribe; Subfamily; Family; Superfamily; Subsection; Section; Infraorder; Suborder; Order; Superorder; Infraclass; Subclass; Class; Superclass; Subphylum; Phylum; Kingdom; Reference. Blank values means that there was no recorded weight.

Methods:

MOCNESS tows

Individual Files: