Benthic isopods from the abyss of the Guinea, Angola and Cape basins (equatorial and south-east Atlantic) collected during the DIVA 1-2 expeditions (2000, 2005) using an epibenthic sledge

Isopoda from this data set were collected during the DIVA (Latitudinal Gradients of Deep-Sea BioDIVersity in the Atlantic) 1-2 expeditions (Me 48/1 -DIVA 1; Me 63/2 - DIVA 2) on board RV Meteor, taking place in July 2000 (DIVA 1), and between February and March 2005 (DIVA 2). Samples were taken by means of an epibenthic sledge (EBS). A total of 15 EBS samples were taken in three abyssal basins of the equatorial and South-eastern Atlantic at depths between 5,047 and 5,657 m, Guinea basin in the equatorial Atlantic, as well as the Angola and Cape basins in the SE Atlantic. Macroecological patterns of diversity and abundance in the deep sea have been derived to a large extent from macrofaunal data from the North Atlantic, while data from the Southern Hemisphere abyss are sparse. This leads to a somewhat distorted view of biodiversity patterns along latitudinal gradients.