Harpacticoida (Copepoda) in the plankton of Ushuaia and Golondrina Bays, Beagle Channel, Argentina

BIANCALANA, F.; VEIT-KÖHLER, G.; FRICKE, A.; BERASATEGUI, A.A.

Regional Studies in Marine Science

Elsevier

Año: 2020 vol. 33

2352-4855

Harpacticoid copepods form a diverse and abundant group of the meiofauna in marine benthic habitats.Moreover, harpacticoids are frequently found in planktonic samples particularly in shallow and algaecoveredcoastal waters. Despite their high abundance, little is known about their taxonomy andimportance as a component of the food web in the Southern bays of Argentina. Mesozooplankton samplesand environmental data were obtained seasonally from Ushuaia and Golondrina Bays (August 2004to June 2005) and analyzed for the composition and abundance of harpacticoid copepods. Remarkableseasonal changes in the harpacticoid communities were observed. In Ushuaia Bay, nitrogenatednutrients, chlorophyll a, salinity, and temperature were the prevailing environmental parameters thatinfluenced the harpacticoid community, giving rise to different harpacticoid assemblages. The resultshighlight the importance of the community of Harpacticoida in both bays and provide backgrounddata for further studies on zooplankton communities and monitoring programs in marine systems.