BIOMETRICS METHOD FOR BIOMASS DETERMINATION OF THE DOMINANT COPEPODS IN THE NERITIC ZONE OFALEXANDRIA (EGYPT)

BIOMETRICS METHOD FOR BIOMASS DETERMINATION OF THE

DOMINANT COPEPODS IN THE NERITIC ZONE

OFALEXANDRIA (EGYPT)

By
M. M. HUSSEIN* A..ND N. E. M. ABDEL-AZIZ
*Nationallnstitute ofOceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt.
Key Words: Biometrics, Biomass, Zooplankton, Egypt, Mediterranean.
ABSTRACT
The principal objectives of this investigation i~.lo apply volumes and
weights of some dominant zooplankton copepod~·· along.. th~e Alexandria
waters to determine their biomass in relation to the prevailing hydrographic
conditions. Zooplankton samples were collectedfrom January to December,
1991 from seven sectors (ving along Alexandria waters. Five dominant
copepods species were selected for biomass assessment. The species are,
Duhona nana, Paracalanus parvus, Euterpina acutifrons, Clausocalanus
arcuicornis and Acartia clausi. Volumes and weights ofall adult copepod
species were calculated according to the formula proposed by Chojnacki et
al. (1980). Ten regression equations describing the dependence ofweight on
the total length ofmale andfemale ofdifferent species were obtained.