OSTRACODS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN (THE GULF OF ANTALYA ) AND THE AEGEAN SEA (AYVALIK AND KUŞADASI) AND THEIR BIOGEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTIONS

Abstract

The aim of this study is taxonomic investigation and environmental distribution of ostracoda association from the deep sediments of the Mediterranean (The Gulf of Antalya) and Aegean Sea (Alibey and Maden islands/ Ayvalik and Kusadasi) and identification of species surviving up to present. Twenty genera and 26 species are determined by examining the ostracoda contents of the 197 samples from the deep sediments from 5 to 30 m depth in the Antalya Bay (Mediterranean). 24 genera and 34 species in 84 samples belonging to 4 cores around Alibey and Maden islands to the north of Ayvalik in Aegean Sea have been determined. Also, 23 genera and 29 species from the 45 samples at the depth of 8,5-22.3 m around Kusadasi have been determined. According to carapace morphology and depth of water, shallow marine group genera are belonging to subfamilies Trachyleberidae and Hemicytheridae which have well-developed hinge, branching marginal-pore canals, clear eye-spots and more ornamentation, are relatively abundant specimens. The ostracoda association defined in this study is correlated with previous studies in Mediterranean, Aegean islands, Adriatic Sea, Algeria, Aegean and Marmara Sea of Turkey. The well-known ostracoda species such as Aurila convexa, Jugosocythereis prava, Carinocythereis antiquata, Carinocythereis carinata, Costa batei, Semicytherura inversa, Loxoconcha rhomboidea, Sahnia fasciata, Cushmanidea elongata from Atlantic and Mediterranean and Neonesidea formosa, Triebelina raripila, Cytherella (Cytherelloidea) beckmanni, Cytherelloidea sordida, Aurila arborescens, Carinocythereis rhombica, Hiltermannicythere rubra, Hiltermannicythere turbida, Cytheretta adriatica, Cytheretta judaea, Callistocythere intricatoides, Urocythereis crenulosa, Acanthocythereis hystrix, Paracytheridea depressa, Xestoleberis communis, Xestoleberis dispar and Pontocypris acuminata from in Mediterranean are wide-spread.