Variación espacio-temporal de la meiofauna submareal en una playa arenosa nororiental de Venezuela / Spatio-temporal variation of subtidal meiofauna in a sandy beach from Northeastern Venezuela

Meiofauna organisms that play an important role in the trophic ecology of soft bottom benthos, have short life cycles and they respond quickly to disturbance and pollution. The present study shows the spatio-temporal variation of subtidal meiofauna (metazoans passing a 500μm sieve but retained on meshes of 40-63μm) in four shallow subtidal stations. Samples were taken in the sandy beach of San Luis, in the Northeastern coast of Venezuela, from October 2005 until September 2006. For this, three replicate sediment core samples (4.91cm²), were collected monthly to a depth of 10cm into the sediment, and preserved in 6% formalin stained with rose Bengal. Specimens of 14 meiofaunal groups (Foraminifera excluded) were collected, being the nematodes, ostracods and harpacticoid copepods the most abundant. Monthly density was comprised between 64 and 503ind./10cm², and mean density of stations between 173 and 449ind./10cm². There is a trend of low densities from October to February (end of the rainy season until the middle of the dry season). The San Luis beach control of the meiofaunal community is shared by climatic conditions and by the biology of the species found. The meiofauna mean density in San Luis beach (263ind./10cm²) was low when compared to other studies in tropical areas.

La meiofauna incluye metazoos y foraminíferos bénticos que pasan a través de un tamiz de 500mm y son retenidos en malla de 40-63μm. Se estudió la variación espacial y temporal de la meiofauna en cuatro estaciones submareales a 1m de profundidad, de una playa arenosa situada en la costa nororiental de Venezuela. Mensualmente, durante un año, en cada estación, con un nucleador de 2.5cm de diámetro interno, se tomaron tres réplicas de sedimento hasta 10cm de profundidad y se pasaron a través de un tamiz de 0.063mm de abertura de malla. Se identificaron 14 grupos meiofaunales, excluidos los foraminíferos, siendo los nemátodos, ostrácodos y copépodos harpacticoides los más abundantes. La densidad mensual estuvo comprendida entre 64 y 503ind./10cm², y la densidad media en las estaciones entre 173 y 449ind./10cm². La densidad de la meiofauna en la playa San Luis es baja en comparación con otros estudios realizados en zonas tropicales. En esta playa el control de las comunidades meiofaunísticas es compartido por las condiciones climáticas y la biología de las especies.

Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Caribbean coast of Venezuela.

Venezuela possesses a great variety of coastal environments allowing for a high diversity of marine species. However, systematic studies on marine invertebrates are scarce, especially on polychaetes. The family Syllidae is poorly known, and only 14 genera and 42 species have been reported from this country. A total of 13 genera and 26 species the Syllidae were identified from benthic samples collected on different substrata of the northeastern coast of Venezuela. Of these, seven genera and 16 species constitute new records for Venezuela: Odontosyllis guillermoi, Syllides floridanus, Salvatoria clavata, Salvatoria limbata, Sphaerosyllis longicauda, Parapionosyllis longicirrata, Trypanosyllis parvidentata, Trypanosyllis vittigera, Opisthosyllis sp., Syllis amica, Syllis armillaris, Syllis gracilis, Syllis pseudoarmillaris, Syllis vittata, Parasphaerosyllis indica and Myrianida convoluta.

Poliquetos (Annelida: Polychaeta) epibiontes de Spondylus americanus (Bivalvia: Spondylidae) en el Parque Nacional Mochima, Venezuela / Polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta) epibiont on Spondylus americanus (Bivalvia: Spondylidae) from Mochima National Park, Venezuela

The polychaetes epibiontic on the mollusk Spondylus americanus Hermann, 1781 were extracted from mollusks hand-collected at a depth of 10-30 m in Mochima National Park, Venezuela (10 degrees 21'00[quot ] N-63 degrees 23'36[quot ] W), using scuba diving gear. Forty-three polychaete species were identified on the 32 bivalve specimens analyzed. The Serpulidae included 17 especies, Eunicidae six and Terebellidae four species. The most abundant species were Hydroides dirampha Mõrch, 1863, Pileolaria militaris Claparède, 1868 (Serpulidae), and Notaulax nudicollis Kroyer, 1856 (Sabellidae). Their geographic affinitie were: 51.3% Atlantic, 28.2% widely distributed, 17.9% Amphiamericans, and 2.6% have a disjunct distribution.

Se recolectaron poliquetos epibiontes de ostiones (Spondylus americanus Hermann, 1781) recolectados entre 10 y 30 m de profundidad en el Parque Nacional Mochima, Venezuela, empleando equipo de buceo autónomo. Se analizaron 32 ostiones, identificándose 43 especies de poliquetos; 51.3% del Atlántico, 28.2% cosmopolitas, 17.9% anfiamericanas y 2.6% “disyuntas”.

[Polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta) epibiont on Spondylus americanus (Bivalvia: Spondylidae) from Mochima National Park, Venezuela]. / Poliquetos (Annelida: Polychaeta) epibiontes de Spondylus americanus (Bivalvia: Spondylidae) en el Parque Nacional Mochima, Venezuela.

The polychaetes epibiontic on the mollusk Spondylus americanus Hermann, 1781 were extracted from mollusks hand-collected at a depth of 10-30 m in Mochima National Park, Venezuela (10 degrees 21'00" N-63 degrees 23'36" W), using scuba diving gear. Forty-three polychaete species were identified on the 32 bivalve specimens analyzed. The Serpulidae included 17 especies, Eunicidae six and Terebellidae four species. The most abundant species were Hydroides dirampha Mörch, 1863, Pileolaria militaris Claparède, 1868 (Serpulidae), and Notaulax nudicollis Krøyer, 1856 (Sabellidae). Their geographic affinitie were: 51.3% Atlantic, 28.2% widely distributed, 17.9% Amphiamericans, and 2.6% have a disjunct distribution.

Polychaeta (Annelida) associated with Thalassia testudinum in the northeastern coastal waters of Venezuela.

Seasonal variations of polychaetes in a Thalassia testudinum bed were studied from June 2000 to April 2001 in Chacopata, northeastern Venezuela. Eight replicate samples were taken monthly with a 15 cm diameter core and the sediment was passed through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve. A total of 1,013 specimens, belonging to 35 species, was collected. The monthly density ranged from 387 ind/m2 (September) to 1,735 ind/m2 in May (x = 989+/-449 ind/m2). Species richness was lowest in August and September (8) and highest (25) in April (x = 18.00+/-5.29). The shoot density of Thalassia showed an average of 284+/-77.60 shoots/m2, with extreme values in February (164) and May (422). Species diversity ranged from 1.25 in August and 3.33 bits/ind in December (x = 2.47+/-0.64). Significant positive correlations were detected among the number of Thalassia shoots, polychaete abundance and species richness, as well as among species richness, polychaete abundance and species diversity. Species number and average density were found within the intervals of mean values reported in similar studies. The higher number of species and organisms obtained in March-April and June-July can be attributed to the recruitment correlated with the regional up-welling.

[Mollusks community associated to Thalassia testudinum (Bank et Köning 1805), in Mochima Bay, Venezuela]. / Comunidad de moluscos asociados a praderas de Thalassia testudinum (Bank et Köning 1805), en la Bahia de Mochima, Venezuela.

To study the community of mollusks associated to Thalassia testudinum, monthly samplings were made between January and December 2002 in four localities of the Bay of Mochima. A PVC corer, of 14.8 cm of diameter, was used for sampling; eight monthly replicates were taken in each locality. Each core was sifted in a sieve of 1mm of mesh opening, the mollusks were fixed in 8% formaldehide solution in sea water. 473 mollusks were analyzed and 40 species, belonging to 29 families, were identified. Mangle Quemao displayed the greater abundance, whereas Varadero the minor. Shannon-Weaver diversity average ranged between 2.02+/-0.43 bits.ind(-1) (Mangle Quemao) and 1.42+/-0.95 bits.ind(-1) (Toporo). ANOVA analysis showed significant differences in abundances of mollusks among localities.

Comunidad de moluscos asociados a praderas de thalassia testudinum (bank et kõning 1805) en la bahia de Mochima Venezuela / Mollusks community associated to thalassia testudinum (bank et kõning 1805) in Mochima bay Venezuela

Con el objeto de estudiar la comunidad de moluscos asociados a praderas Thalassia testudinum, se realizaron muestreos mensuales, entre enero y diciembre de 2002, en cuatro localidades de la Bahia de Mochima. Para la colecta de los moluscos se empleó un nucleador de PVC de 14,8 cm de diámetro. Se tomaron ocho réplicas en cada localidad, éstas fueron tamizadas en un tamiz de 1mm de apertura de malla, los moluscos retenidos fueron fijados en una solución de formalina al 8 por ciento en agua de mar. Se analizaron 473 moluscos identificándose 40 especies pertenecientes a 29 familias. La localidad de Mangle Quemao presentó la mayor abundancia, mientras que la menor . La diversidad de Shannon-Weaver varió entre 2,02 ± 0,43 bits.ind-¹ (Mangle Quemao) y 1,42 ± 0,95 bits.ind-¹ (Toporo). El análisis de variancia demostró que existen diferencias significativas de la abundancia de moluscos entre las localidades de estudios

Poliquetos epibiontes de pinctada imbricata rõding 1798 bivalvia: pteriidae en el golfo de Cariaco Venezuela / Epifaunal polychaetes on pinctada imbricata rõding 1798 bivalvia: pteriidae from the gulf of Cariaco Venezuela

Numerosos poliquetos fueron colectados como epibiontes en las valvas del bivalvo Pinctada imbricata (Bivalvia: pteriidae) en el Golfo de Cariaco, Venezuela. Se identificaron 26 especies, siendo la familia Serpulidae Johnston la mejor representada con 9 especies, seguida por Eunicidae con 6 especies.