The composition of suprabenthic Peracarida from a depth between 1 and 1.33 m above the seafloor was investigated. In order to study the abundance and diversity quantitatively, the samples were taken by means of the supranet of an epibenthic sledge off Kapp Norvegia and off the South Shetland Islands. The samples were taken during ANT XVII-3 with RV Polarstern in April and May 2000. These samples of EASIZ III received during the Antarctic autumn are compared with those of EASIZ II taken during the summer. While the autumn samples show far less abundance of all peracarid taxa, the diversity is about twice as high as during summer. In total 115 species of peracarid crustaceans were sampled at six stations yielding 1336 individuals standardized to 1000 m3 hauls. Amphipoda clearly dominated in abundance and diversity.
