Ecology of Pleuromamma indica Wolfenden (Copepoda - Calanoida) in the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Pleuromamma indica was the only species among the 7 species of the genus, recorded in the area, to be present in 2 restricted areas, one near the mouth of the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea and the other in the Bay of Bengal. High productivity, strong oxygen minimum above 500m depth and a wide range of salinity varying from 32 x 10-3 in Bay of Bengal to more than 37 x 10 -3 in the northern Arabian Sea were characteristics of the study area. P. indica showed a positive correlation with salinity and phosphate and a negative relationship with dissolved oxygen. The species was significantly positively correlated (P degrees 0.001) with salinity and phosphate. Size differences and distribution of the species are discussed.