DISTRIBUTIONAND NUMERICAL ABUNDANCE OF THE COPEPOD COMMUNITYALONG THE COASTAL WATERS OF QATAR (ARABIAN GULF)

DISTRIBUTIONAND NUMERICAL ABUNDANCE OF THE

COPEPOD COMMUNITYALONG THE COASTAL WATERS

OF QATAR (ARABIAN GULF)

By
NEHAD, M. NOUR EI-DIN* AND GHOBASHY, A.F.A.
*Oceanography Department, Faculty ofScience, Alexandria University,
Moharem Bey, Alexandria, Egypt.
Key words: Copepoda, distribution, abundance, Qatar, Arabian Gulf
ABSTRACT
The copepod distribution and abundance were studiedalong the .
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) ofQatar during October, December
1994 and April 1995. The copepod population (including their
copepodite stages) was numerically dominating the zooplankton
community contributing about 76% of the total community with an
average of1896 Ind./m3
. Higher standing stocks were associated with
low salinity high chlorophyll f!. bearing waters. High peak of the
copepod population was observed during December 1994 (av. 3,522
Ind./m3
). No significant major differences in copepod abundance
appeared between October 1994 (av. 1,115 Ind./m3
) andApril 1995
(av. 1,050 Ind./m3
). Fifty-one species belongs to 24 genera of
copepods were identified The most abundant copepod genera were
Oithona spp. (15.6%), Paracalanus spp. (14.5%), Euterpina
acutifrons (13.8%) and Oncaea spp. (10.7%). The same genera were
recorded in all seasons reflecting their capability of tolerating
temperature «20°C – >30°C) changes.