A REPORT ON SOME PELECYPODA DREDGED OFF THE NATAL AND MOÇAMBIQUE COASTS

SUMMARY

Dredge and grab samples of the benthic fauna off Natal and Moçambique were obtained for the University of Cape Town ecological survey during the International Indian Ocean Expedition. 52 Species of Pelecypoda are reported as a result of this and some previous sampling off the Natal coast. Three new species of Pelecypoda are described in Boshoff (1968). From a brief analysis of the distribution records of only the reported species around southern Africa, it appears that the Natal benthic Pelecypod fauna is fairly distinct from that of the South African south coast. The Natal fauna contains a higher proportion of endemic species and a lower proportion of tropical species than the Moçambique fauna. None of the Moçambique Pelecypoda and only 7% of the Natal Pelecypoda extend to the West Coast of South Africa.