Biogeography of pelagic calanoid copepods in the Western Indian Ocean

Abstract

Published information from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and new data from the South West Indian Ocean Ridge, are consolidated and combined to generate an updated biogeography of calanoid copepods. The WIO was divided into 75 5° grid squares, and a similarity matrix between grids was generated on the basis of presence:absence data for more than 172 species. Distinct assemblages are identified that correspond to the 1) coastal waters of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and northern Mozambique, 2) coastal and offshore waters of southern Mozambique and NE South Africa, 3) coastal and offshore waters of South Africa, 4) waters of the central WIO. The patterns observed are in agreement with surface circulation patterns in the region, and the influence of gyres and eddies on the distribution of some taxa is hypothesised. The coarse and qualitative nature of the data prevents us from identifying transitional faunas, as well as those associated with mesoscale features.