Ecology of Intertidal Meiofauna of the Kakinada Bay (Gautami-Godavari Estuarine System), East Coast of India

Abstract

The survey of intertidal meiofauna in the Kakinada Bay yielded 13 groups and 22 species of harpacticoid copepods (18 genera and 8 families). The meiofauna ranged between 30.2 and 5924 no. (10 cm2)-1 with relatively high densities in a mangrove biotope. The distribution of meiofauna is discussed in relation to the prevailing environmental parameters. Spatially high diversity in harpacticoid copepods was recorded in silt-free fine sand sediments, while seasonally the diversity was low during flood period. Two harpacticoid copepod communities, namely, (1) a mangrove, detritic, clayey-silt copepod assemblage characterized by Pseudostenhelia secunda and Stenhelia (Delavalia) longifurca and (2) a coastal silt-free fine sand copepod assemblage characterized by Amphiascoides sp. and Hastigerella sp. have been identified