The copepod fauna south-west of the British Isles includes a number of species which have their centre of distribution in the subtropical or tropical Atlantic. Among these, some species appear to be faunistically linked with the Iberian continental slope or slope waters even farther south along the NE Atlantic margin. It seems that these species reach their north-eastern range by means of poleward-flowing currents. For example, Calanoides carinatus has deep-living resting stages and ascends to surface waters only during its reproductive period, which is short at northern latitudes. Its main dwelling layers along the west Iberian continental slope cover the poleward-flowing undercurrent and the Mediterranean outflow water underneath. Part of the poleward... |