Distribution of Meiobenthos and Macrobenthos at the mouth of some Rivers of the East Coast of India

Abstract

Distribution of meio- and macrobenthos of muddy bottom deposits at the mouth of Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi and Hooghly rivers was studied from replicate sampling Total meiofauna ranged from 226 animals/4.5 cm super(2) to 967 animals/4.5 cm super(2) in the top 10 cm layer of the bottom deposits Macrofaunal density varied from 90/m super(2) to 4785/m super(2) Nematodes, harpacticoids and polychaetes were the important faunal taxa Meiobenthic population was contagiously distributed