Meiofaunal abundance inhabiting sandy sediments in a shallow-water bay at central Peru

Abstract

Aramayo V. 2018. Meiofaunal abundance inhabiting sandy sediments in a shallow-water bay at central Peru. Bol Inst
Mar Peru. 33(1): 98-107.- Although we have some information about the muddy-bottoms meiofauna in Peru, we
still do not know the main patterns of this community in local sandy bottoms. A description and subsequent
analysis of this surface-inhabiting community are presented for Miraflores Bay and the spatially-close area of
Carpayo. By using a HAPS corer, replicated, independent samples of sediment were collected. The taxonomic
analysis showed 15 taxa, with a high richness at deepest stations. Deepest sites tend to be populated by high
numbers of free-living nematodes, and also a good number of polychaete species (both larval and juvenile
stages, especially Magelona phyllisae). Copepods of the taxonomic orders Harpacticoid and Poecilostomatoida
were also identified. The total densities (0-5 cm) ranged between 25 ± 18 and 438 ± 234 Ind/10 cm2
. Nematode
families such as Monhysteridae (167 ± 123 Ind/10 cm2
), Chromadoridae (110 ± 95 Ind/10 cm2
), and Desmodoridae
(70 ± 34 Ind/10 cm2
) were numerically dominant. The cluster analysis shows a clear association of stations
dominated by nematodes. Most of the benthic organisms were inhabiting the surface layer of the sediment (0-1
cm), but only the nematodes exhibited a more homogeneous vertical penetration. A relatively similar pattern
was observed in molluscs (bivalves and gastropods) inhabiting sub-surface centimeters (4-5 cm). The relevance
of these early advances in the meiofaunal community structure of these habitats and their potential usefulness
to understanding in situ recruitment signs of benthic species is discussed.