Dataset: Rock macrofaunal community from samples collected at methane seeps off Southern California with the HOV Alvin from July 16-28, 2023 during R/V Atlantis cruise AT50-12

Rock samples were collected with HOV Alvin using the manipulator. Rocks were placed into individual compartments in a biobox on the Alvin basket. Before preserving, rock samples were kept cold and animals were handpicked to sample tissue for stable isotope analyses (see related datasets for isotopic data). Rocks were then washed in cold, filtered seawater through a 300 mm mesh, separating the sample into two fractions (a fine fraction with the meiofauna, and a coarser fraction with the macrofauna), both were preserved in 95% ethanol.