Antarctic shallow-wateranddeep-seaechinodermsareknowntohaveseasonalgametogeniccycles
linked toseasonalpulsesofphytodetritusproducedinsurfacewaters.Wesuggestthatphytodetritus
reaching theAntarcticcontinentalshelfmaypersistforlongertimescalesthaninshallowordeep
watersasaresultofthelowtemperatures,lowflowvelocities,andtherelativelyshortdescent.Ifthis
food sourceremainsavailableforextendedperiodsthroughouttheyear,Antarcticcontinentalshelf
megabenthosmaynotentrainseasonalgametogenicperiodicity