Preliminary results of the density and distribution of krill larvae in the Mar de la Flota (Bransfield Strait) including Gerlache Strait and South Shetland surroundings during summer 2017–2020

We present here a summary of the euphausiid larvae collected during the summer seasons in waters off the West Antarctic Peninsula: Gerlache Strait and surroundings of South Shetland Islands in 2017-2018; Mar de la Flota (Bransfield Strait) and Elephant Island surroundings during 2019 and 2020. Euphausia superba larvae showed a very low abundance in 2017. In general terms the stations situated at the southern entrance of the Gerlache Strait presented higher densities. In 2018 E. superba was present in half of the stations sampled. The abundance of Thysanoessa macrura remained stable in both years, with higher numbers in 2018. During 2019 in Mar de la Flota (Bransfield Strait) area E. superba abundance was very high, while during 2020 all euphausiid larvae had very low densities, as the whole area was full of salps.