Macrofauna béntica asociada con <i>Thalassia testudinum</i> en Babía de Mochima, Sucre, Venezuela

Abstract

Diversity and abundance of benthic macro fauna associated to Thalassia testudi11u m were studied at Ensenada de Reyes, Mochima Bay, in the northeastem coast of Venezuela. Samples were taken monthly in six stations, three at 1 m in depth and three at 6 m, between December 1992 and February 1994, using a quadrat of 0.25 m2 for collecting plants and sediment; each sample was washed with seawater through a 1 mm sieve. The speeimens were fixed in 6% formaldehyde. A total of 1 722 organisms (6 888 ind . m2) and 127 species of macroinvertebrates were collected. Mollusks dominated with 53 species, followed by polychaetes (40), erus­taceans (18) and echinoderms (8). Remaining groups were represented by 1-2 species. The highest abundance was in October (214 specimens), and the lowest in December 1993 (79 specimens). Specific richness was between 47 species in October and 18 in May 1993. Mean species diversity was 2.79-1.36 bits/ind. There were differences (ANOVA p