Abstract
Optics-based surveys for large unicellular zooplankton were carried out in five different oceanic areas. New identification criteria, in which “radiolarian-like plankton” are categorized into nine different groups, are proposed for future optics-based surveys. The autonomous visual plankton recorder (A-VPR) captured 65 images of radiolarians (three orders: Acantharia, Spumellaria and Collodaria) and 117 phaeodarians (four taxa: Aulacanthidae, Phaeosphaerida, Tuscaroridae and Coelodendridae). Colonies were observed for one radiolarian order (Collodaria) and three phaeodarian taxa (Phaeosphaerida, Tuscaroridae and Coelodendridae). The rest of the radiolarian orders (Taxopodia and Nassellaria) and the other phaeodarian taxa were not detected because of their small cell size (< ca. 400 µm).
