Benthic fauna of southwest and southeast coasts of India

Abstract

Benthos, sediments characteristics and organic matter content were studied along southwest and southeast coasts of India. Number of groups/species varied with the stations and also with the depths. Population density was very low in southeast coast compared to southwest coast. Polychaetes formed the dominant groups. 36 species of polychaetes were recorded along southwest coast, whereas 19 species were recorded from southeast coast. Molluscs were more common along southeast coast. Five types of substratum viz. clayey silt, clayey sand, silty clay, sandy silt and sandy were noticed from different stations along southwest coast. But sand percentage dominated along southeast coast. The pooled mean organic matter percentage varied from 0.08 to 4.08 in southwest coast and 0.25 to 2.18 in southeast coast. Organic matter was high in silty clay substratum (3.15%) whereas in sandy substratum this varied between 0.07 and 1.38 percent.