Zooplankton along the Tamil Nadu Coast

Abstract

Zooplankton abundance along two sectors at Cape Comorin and Tuticorin of Tamil Nadu Coast, southeast coast of India was studied. High biomass contributed by Ostracods, Salps, Chaetognaths etc., were observed along Tuticorin transect. In the Cape Comorin area copepods and decapods were dominant. The dense swarm of the ostracod Cypridina dentata (34556/100 m3) off Tuticorin was a noteworthy feature. The fluctuations in numerical abundance and percentage composition of all the major planktonic groups are illustrated and discussed