@article{Rosenfeld_Aldea_Ojeda_Marambio_Hüne_Troncoso_Mansilla_2017, title={Molluscan assemblages associated with <em>Gigartina</em> beds in the Strait of Magellan and the South Shetland Islands (Antarctica): a comparison of composition and abundance}, volume={36}, url={https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2640}, abstractNote={<p>In this paper we evaluated the composition and abundance of molluscs associated with beds of the red algae <em>Gigartina</em>, located in the South Shetland Islands (Antarctic Peninsula) and the Strait of Magellan (southern Chile). During the summer season of 2013, samples were obtained by scuba diving using a 0.25 m2 quadrat, arranged randomly within the bed. We extracted a total of 15 quadrats per sampling site. For Antarctic Peninsula beds the most abundant species were the bivalve <em>Lissarca miliaris</em> (233 individuals) and the gastropod <em>Laevilacunaria</em> <em>antarctica</em> (94 individuals), while for Strait of Magellan beds the most abundant species was the polyplacophoran <em>Callochiton puniceus</em> (36 individuals). Comparative analysis between the two molluscan assemblages showed significant differences in the faunal composition between the Antarctic Peninsula and Strait of Magellan (<em>f</em> = 64.474; <em>p</em> = 0.0001). Therefore, molluscs reported in both areas are characteristic of their respective biogeographic area. Finally, <em>Gigartina</em> species play an important role in the formation of patterns of abundance and diversity of the communities associated with them.</p&gt;}, journal={Polar Research}, author={Rosenfeld Sebastián and Aldea Cristian and Ojeda Jaime and Marambio Johanna and Hüne Mathias and Troncoso Jesús S. and Mansilla Andrés}, year={2017}, month={Jul.} }