* Corresponding author. Present address: Universita K t Hamburg, Institut fu K r Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaft, Zeiseweg 9, D-22765 Hamburg, Germany. Tel.: #49-42838-6686; fax: #49-42838- 6696. E-mail address: bchristiansen@uni-hamburg.de (B. Christiansen). Deep-Sea Research II 47 (2000) 3027}3038 Observations on deep-sea benthopelagic nekton at two stations in the northern Arabian Sea: links to organic matter supply? Bernd Christiansen*, Bettina Martin GEOMAR, Wischhofstra}e 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany Universita ( t Hamburg, Institut fu ( r Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaft, Zeiseweg 9, D-22765 Hamburg, Germany Received 27 April 1999; received in revised form 10 October 1999; accepted 1 November 1999 Abstract Benthopelagic nekton were sampled by trawl and baited trap arrays at two abyssal stations (WAST and CAST) in the northern Arabian Sea. The natantian decapod Plesiopenaeus armatus and "shes comprised most of the nekton caught by the trawls, whereas the amphipod Eurythenes gryllus dominated in the trap samples. At station WAST, Plesiopenaeus armatus made up 80% of the benthopelagic nekton in terms of biomass, "shes contributing 20%. This relationship was reversed at station CAST. The "shes caught belonged to 13 species in "ve families. Ophidiidae dominated in terms of abundance, followed by Synodontidae and Ipnopidae. Zoarcidae and Alepocephalidae were scarce, and no Macrouridae were caught. Synodontidae dominated in terms of biomass. Most "sh were rather small, rarely exceeding a length of 40 cm. The amphipod Eurythenes gryllus was largely restricted to the traps lying directly at the bottom. A total of only "ve specimens were captured in pelagic traps from 8 to 500 m above bottom. The predominance of ophidiids and ipnopids, the small mean "sh size, and the high standing stocks of natantian decapods suggest that the structure of the Arabian Sea benthopelagic nekton resembles that at abyssal depths in the tropical Atlantic and may be typical for the deep-sea at low latitudes.  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 0967-0645/00/$ - see front matter  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 6 7 - 0 6 4 5 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 0 5 7 - 6