Diversity and Distribution of Polychaetes Associated with Macroalgae along the Alexandria Coast, Egypt

Abstract

The relationship between benthic macroalgae and associated polychaetes was studied monthly from October 2014 to October 2015 along the Alexandria coast, Egypt. A total of 56 polychaete species were found among 28 macroalgal species, which belonging to green, brown and red algae. The red algae hosted pronouncedly higher number of polychaete species than the brown and green algae, particularly during winter and spring, while green algae were associated with higher number of polychaete species in January, April, August and October 2015. In contrast, the average count of polychaete individuals associated with the green algae was higher in winter and autumn than that recorded with the red algae, while low with both red and green algae in spring and summer, and very poor within the brown algae. The present study revealed that the structure of algal species my affect the diversity and abundance of the associated polychaetes and the diversity of these worms varied among the hosting algal species.