Meiobenthos of Bays of Furugelm Island and Sivuchya Bight (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan)

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative composition of the meiobenthos was studied in two bays of Furugelm Island (Severnaya and Zapadnaya bays) and in Sivuchya Bight (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan). The meiobenthos of the investigated bays was comprised of 13 taxonomic groups (order, class). Harpacticoids (32–38%) prevailed in bottom sediments of the bays of Furugelm Island; the share of nematodes was 27–30%. Thirty-five species of nematodes were identified. The dominant species of nematodes were Axonolaimus seticaudatus, Enoploides rimiformis, Enoplolaimus medius, Neochromadora oshoroana, Monoposthia costata, and Mesotheristus paracircumscriptus. The major trophic groups in the two bays were “scrapers” and “predators.” The meiofauna of Sivuchya Bight was dominated by nematodes (68%). Thirty-nine nematode species were found here, 14 of them were also recorded for the bays of Furugelm Island. A. seticaudatus, M. paracircumscriptus, and Panduripharynx unidentatum were the dominant species. Nonselective detrivores predominated among the trophic groups. In all the bays investigated, the population density of the meiobenthos correlated to the sediment type.