Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Observations on the ecology of nematodes inhabiting littoral sands of the Hugli Estuary

Volume 29 Issue 1&2

Baby Sineia and Amalesh Choudhury

Abstract

Abundance and species composition of benthic nematodes inhabiting soil substratum composed of silt and medium to fine sand at two stations in the Hugh Estuarine Complex were studied seasonally from February, 1985 to June, 1986. Average population densities (no./400 gm of soil) ranged from 25 to 525 and displayed seasonal changes in their species composition with epigrowth feeders reaching maximum densities in premonsoon and post-monsoon and deposit feeding and predatory/omnivorous species during monsoon. A dependence of a large number of predatory forms having long setae to the medium to fine sands of lower littoral zones have been encountered during premonsoon period.

Date : 31-12-1987