Species composition and distribution patterns of the family Corycaeidae Dana, 1852 (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) in the middle Adriatic Sea

Abstract

In 1999 copepods of the family Corycaeidae were studied in channel and offshore waters of the middle Adriatic Sea. Among 12 identified taxa, Ditrichocorycaeus minimus indicus was recorded for the first time and related to the ingression of the Levantine water into the Adriatic Sea. Analysis of the corycaeid vertical distribution identified the group inhabiting the upper epipelagic zone, the second group preferring below 50 m depths and the third group occupying the whole water column. Temperature was identified as the main abiotic control of this distribution pattern. Species from the second group occurred at the shallower channel waters at the time of winter isothermia. Based on the size distribution of adult corycaeids recorded in the area, the necessity of <200 µm mesh for adequate sampling of small corycaeids is stated.

Keywords:

• Abundance
• Adriatic Sea
• copepods
• corycaeids
• vertical distribution

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Professor F. Kršinić (IOF Split) for help and support during the study. Thanks are also due to colleagues Dr. B. Grbec, M. Sc., F. Matić and N. Bubić from the Laboratory of Physics for help with the temperature and salinity data representation, and crew and technicians on the R/V ‘Bios’ for their assistance during the cruises. The comments of the referees and the editors greatly improved the original manuscript. The study was supported by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, as a part of the research program ‘Role of plankton communities in the energy and matter flow in the Adriatic Sea’ (001-0013077-0845).

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark