Cumaceans as Indicators of Atlantic Waters over the Continental Slope of the Arctic Ocean

The material on cumacean fauna of the continental slope of the Arctic Ocean (more than 80 samples) was collected during expeditions with the ships Persei in 1925, 1928, and 1936; Sadko in 1936; and Polarstern in 1990, 1993, and 1995. Examination of the samples (150–900 m depth) revealed 19 species of Cumacea in this region. Three Arcto-Atlantic bathyal species (Hemilamprops uniplicatus, Diastylis echinata, Campylaspis globosa) are markers of the places over the continental slope where Atlantic intermediate waters penetrate into the Arctic Ocean and reach to the bottom. These species are widespread in the North Atlantic (100 to 2882 m depth); on the continental slope of the Arctic Ocean, they occur in a narrow depth range (200 to 900 m) in areas where positive temperatures from 0.09 to 1.78°C and high salinity of 34.75 to 34.87 prevail. The locations of these species is delineated on maps as an interrupted belt extending from northeastern Greenland to the East Siberian Sea and further north up to 79°30 N and 148° E, which corresponds to the route of penetration of Atlantic intermediate waters into the Arctic Ocean.