Distribution of newly recorded benthic polychaetes in Timsah Lake, Suez Canal, Egypt

Abstract

Benthic polychaetes were sampled from Timsah Lake during seasons from Summer, 2010 to Spring, 2011. Sediments samples were also collected by three methods according to both the depth and the type of substrate. Plug sampler (0.023 m 2 ), quadrate (1 m 2 )were used to collect the samples from intertidal areas and Van Veen grab (0.0288 m 2 at 8 m depths) was the sampler at the subtidal areas, from four stations (Etab, El-Sheraa, Bridge and El-Taawon) in the Lake. The crop formed 32 polychaete species, 19 Errant forms and the others are sedentary. Intertidally, 10 species were procured. Subtidally, nine species were recorded and 13 species were common in the two areas. Thirteen species were newly recorded, five of them are sedentary and the others are Errant. Distribution of detected polychaetes throws light on its new geographical sites. The benthic poly- chaetes recorded are more dense in shallow water and hard substrates.