Cruise report HHUMTKT25

R/V Helmer Hanssen is a multipurpose research vessel owned by UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The cruise ‘HHUMTKT25’ was organized and executed by The Arctic University Museum of Norway (units ‘UM’ and ‘UMAK’ at UiT). The six participating projects in this cruise were (1) Scalidophora of Norway, (2) Microfauna and macrofauna in Northern Norway, (3) Reconstruction of past ecosystems using sedimentary ancient DNA, (4) ArKoBi studying the population connectivity of Arctica islandica in Northern Norway, (5) DragonNest studying population genetics and distribution patterns of Kinorhyncha in the Arctic region and (6) NUDIST studying biogeography and taxonomy of nudibranchs in northern Norway and the Arctic. Projects (1) ‘Scalidophora of Norway’ and (5) DragonNest aimed at sampling scalidophoran fauna in Northern Norway, primarily the phylum Kinorhyncha, using a box corer. Projects (2), (4) and (6) relied on a triangular dredge to obtain specimens, and project (3) utilized a gravity corer to capture a 5-m long sediment core. The cruise leader was Andreas Altenburger (UiT).