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vol-25DISTRIBUTIONAND 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.
