Zooplankton Studies in Visakhapatnam Harbour and Nearshore Waters, East Coast of India

Abstract

Distribution of zooplankton biomass in the waters studied showed remarkable variations. The faunal composition was very diverse and the number of species present was more especially during late pre- and post-monsoon seasons with conspicuous decrease during the peak of southwest monsoon season. Copepoda, Decapoda, Chaetognatha and fish eggs and larvae constituted the bulk in the collections. Copepods were the dominant component in all the samples except during postmonsoon when chaetognaths were dominant.