Leaf epifauna of the seagrassThalassia testudinum

✍ Scribed by J. B. Lewis; C. E. Hollingworth

• Book ID: 104755941
• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 767 KB
• Volume: 71
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00396991

✦ Synopsis

The abundance, composition and trophic relationships of metazoan leaf epifauna of the marine angiosperm Tha- lassia testudinum K6nig were studied in Barbados, West Indies. Approximately 90 species from 11 phyla consisted chiefly of nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, crustacean nauplii, ostracods, and turbellarians. Epiflora-and detritus-feeders dominated the epifauna. Increasing leaf epiphytism was accompanied by faunal changes, most notably increased nematode, harpacticoid and polychaete density. Faunal composition was very similar to that of the temperate seagrass analogue Zostera marina.