Table Of ContentMEIOBENTHOS OF THE SHELF WATERS OF
WEST COAST OF INDIA WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO FREE - LIVING MARINE
NEMATODES
THESIS SUBMITTED TO
COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
I~ PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
I~
MARINE BIOLOGY
UNDER THE FAClJL TY OF MARINE SCIENCES
BY
SAJAN SEBASTIAN
DEPARTMENT OF MARI1\E BIOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
C:OCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
KOCHI - 682016, INDIA
SEPTEMBER l003
· .. ero my ever roving Parents
CERTIFICA TE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled MEIOBENTHOS OF THE
SHELF WATERS OF WEST COAST OF INDIA WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO FREE-LIVING MARINE NEMATODES 1S an
authentic record of the research work carried out by Mr. Sajan Sebastian,
under my supervision and guidance in the Department of Marine Biology,
Microbiology and Biochemistry, Cochin University of Science and
Technology, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology of Cochin University of Science
and Technology, and no part thereof has been presented for the award of any
other degree, diploma or associateship in any University.
:~~
~Yf:5 .
~~n~~ _
Dr. R. Damodaran
24.09.2003. Professor (Retd.)
Faculty of Marine Sciences,
Cochin University of
Science And Technolog)'.
Kochi-682016.
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the thesis cntitIcd MEIOBENTHOS OF TilE
SHELF WATERS OF WEST COAST OF INDIA WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO FREE-LIVING MARINE NEMATODES is an authentic
work carricd out by me under the supervision and guidance of Dr. R. Damodaran,
(Retd.) Professor. School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and
Technology, for the Ph.D. degree in Marine Biology of the Cochin University of
Science and Technology and no part thereof has been presented for the award of
any other degree. diploma or associatcship in any University.
Kochi
2~.09.2003
Abbreviations used
0/0 Percentage
(lC
Degree Celsius
i.c. That is
el al. And others
cape Cape Comorin
tnn Thiruvananthapuram
klm Kollam
khnl Kollam, 30.6m depth
klm2 Kollam, 50m depth
kch Cochin
vad Vadanappally
kzh Kozhikode
Kzhl Kozhikode, 31m depth
Kzhl Kozhikode, 50m depth
knr Kannur
Knrl Kannur, 51.2m depth
Knr2 Kannur, 67m depth
Mngr Mangalore
CUPI' Coondapore
Btkl Bhatkal
Btkll Bhatkal, 54.4m depth
Btkl2 Bhatkal, 68m depth
Rtngl' R..tlUlgiri
Dhhl Dahhol
dbhll Oabhol, 95.7m depth
dbhl2 Dabhol, 94.3m depth
ofmbl Off Mumbai, 96m depth
ofmb2 Off Mumbai, 89m depth
ahubl Along Mumbai, 95m depth
ahub2 Along Mumbai, 91m depth
~lll1lb3 Along Mumb'li, 85.3m depth
~lllllb'" Along Mumbai, 79m depth
prbn POl'bandar
dwrk Dwarka
hlt. Latitude
long. Longitudl'
N NOI'th
E East
FOR\' Fishl'l'}' and Occanognlphic l{cscarch
Vcssd
SC'tIHA Sdf Cont<tined Underwater Breathing
App<lnltus
Ihs Pound
ICES International Conference on
Environmental Science
Sp. Species
Spp. More than one species
Fig. Figure
S Sand
SiS Silty sand
SSi Sandy silt
Si Silt
CSi Clayey silt
SiC Silty Clay
SSiC Sand silt clay
No. Number
St. Station
DO Dissolved oxygen
OC Organic Carbon
OM Organic matter
DOM Dissolved organic matter
c.b.d Corresponding body diameter
c.d. Corresponding diameter
h.d. Head diameter
a.b.d Anal body diameter
JJ Micron
Mg MilIi gram
2
Cm Centimeter square
JJm Micro meter
rn Meter
mm Millimeter
g Gram
kg Kilogram
wt. Weight
rnl MiIli litre
L Litre
rnls Meter per second
Sq.crn Square ccntirnctcr
SW South west
NW North west
SD Standard deviation
Cl 95% Confidence interval
CV Coefficient of variation
Loc cit. In the place cited
:leXjJreJJ my J'rofound seme of.Jratitude tc my JUJ'erviJin.J .Juide. :J>,.cf :Dr. & :Dome-doran.
firmer :Dean, F'aclllty of :::«Urine ";5cience.s. for flis con-stant encour~7ement, .scTl'J1ldou.r .scrutiny oftr.;"
mamHcriJ't one! e!eci.Jive JU.J.JeJtie-n.J e!urin.J tlie entire tenrae cf tlie work witli cut wliicfl it wet.de! flow
been a J£t/'arate tale. :lremain indebtee! flim for introducin.J me to tlie '!uest of marine nematode.s.
:l take the "J'J'ortunity to eX)'reJs my honed thanks to :J>,.oj. {:Dr} ~& ::;(l;non, 1f~n.
:Director, "G-j::X;C'GO~ and the former :Director, ~chool of ~rine ~ciences for his wholeflearted
.fI'J'J'ort e!uri1l.J the term ofmy research.
j'tlion£.:J>,.oj. {:Dr} 'G. ~ t&,dhakriJhnan, 7feacf. :D£t/'t of ~rine J3io/O.Jy, :JXcrcbio/".1Y
and J5iocflemiJtry ane! :Dr. ~.:£::U ~alif;; :Dr. .l5abu fPliili,p. :Dr. ~oromma. J?l. Pane!
:Dr. &Jamma fPliily,. members oft he faculty for tlieir invaluable lie(p fiom time to time. Jlie .suJ'J'ort
from tfle ae!miniJtrative Jtaf[a ltliou.J1i tlie tenure of my work' J aCknowle{jee!a nd: lthonk them alf
:1.Jratefidly oCknowleJ:je $. po, !&,veendranathan. :Director, "G. :-AlT,. &'£,.. :DO:D.
"Gocli/'n- I';. for tfle t.'Jlcoruo.7emeJlt and ,,/se ,'jivin:; off the amenitie,r for .,'any,fiJ!(I :frJl'c tlianf :Dr,
~flnjeeva". ;,U;., :.:fl'ae!lieJwaran anda ll tlie other .Ytoffcf"G, ;::({'I.. &E.for their cCCj,eraticn.
:Dr, ~arafaJe'\,~. ~ . .s enier .scienti."t. <;f(!J()-~r;, /(oclii. ane! :J>,.cf ;?[ 1'J &'mrUl.
:Dt;jJartment of Zoe-/o.Jy, ::?lndhra Univer.Jity are mentionee! witli tlionk-J' for tlieir critical find
.fU.J'JJortive .J</..J.JeJtionJ alf throu.Jh tile work. j'.nncerely thankt hem,
:l wo,de! like to tliank :Dr. ../ayaJree OWOae!I!Yor. :Jl.uociate J'rofeMor. HJlieriu T;of/~e,
tfSanan.Jac!. for lier early in'fPiration andc reative JU.J.Jestions.
~incere tlionkJ are owee! to :Dr. &cliarc!. :-Al ~rwic£ :Dr. ::il'elanie. "G ;J[uJten, emeritUJ
.scienti.Jt.J. tPlymcutli ~rine Iaboratory. u.~. ;Their invaluable imJ'licationJ Iie(pee! me It fot in
nematode ta;)toncmy. j'tliltnk :Jil:.s. ~c ~mol. co-coordlnator, {/Sj'f/(G. for lier lie(p in the J'reJent
.rtwij, j~/ro tflanI. :Dr . .l3ruce "G. "Goulff or his in.JeniouJ JU.J.JeJtionJ ane!r eferences lie hadJ ent to me.
:/wwfc!H"-e to thank :Dr. $ ~ofomon. the 7feacf. "Gft:M::&a~. ~ayonI.ufam one! Dr. ~
~c.sommlt Par;jhe.Je. fPrinci,pal ~cienti.Jt (Xmato/O.JY) "Gft:M'for .J'rovidl1l.J the focih:ty of
drowin.J tllbe fir my re,search.
Jha,,"~s are a/se Jr..e tc :Dr. :7ljmol ~flan, "G~ in ::a:rine J5i{':I".7Y {[ne! :Dr, c;5ultlion ,7{;li
fir their help.
Dr. $yda.s. J.y~ waJ in tlie miC£st ifm e tlirou!J1i cut tlie temlTe ift lie 'ftUdj a·s a co-wcrfer and
friend ofa ll time.f. :/tliank-litm fir aff tlie liefyJ anda dvice offeredt o me.
:/am indebted to tlie Jta.f:{o fclE.:Jl'Jecticn. ;?[:/j~, ~w De/rn. for tlie lielp tlieyp roviae to
me in ~E.::.qJtuclieJ ifn ematoaeJ.
:f tlian/{ tlie ma·steN if ro~ ~a!Jar ~ampada, $. Perma and $. :Jb:liutlian. cliief
cfficer, $. :fSgvi/{umar, ~econd officer, ;y;;{,.. ~etliumatfli'avan for tlieir help durin!J the crui.se.r.
~ervice prcvided by D'OD .staff. ::.;(l. ~ada.sivan and $ :&.~an, t:iJliin!J e7l'a.steN andj i.sliin!J
lianC£s. ~. ~uni!. $. t&,atinavef. ::.;fl.. {/S,.a/{a.sh and::.;fl.. Japan ~umar are thanij'ulfy
ad-ne wledjed.
~ .senicN. :?trlm.;/f. U J3inoy ~ebQ.5tian. ~liibu.;/f. ~ir, ~e.ravan. ~. Dr. ~nclini
;-:J;.{;llcn. anJfriemD !.&,njeet. ~F"enu. :Padmafumar. :?lnif 1f~ri. ~ajeevan. 25int!i4. ~cja. fiffcw
rNearclier.J in ~rine .15io/~'jy Df!.partment are alwlly.f encc-uTriJin!J ",e andj'tliank tliem all
.1' tlianf Df!l'"rtment cf 'Ocean Develc;l'ment. ?i;ovt. if j;'Jia. for JJrevidl"!J me tlie financllll
.1'('.J'J,crt d;,ri~'j tlieJ,ericdi fre.,earcli'.
r:inalfy :/ wi.fli te e;J(.prNJ my leve and affectionJ to my beloved t:ather, ::J!l'otlier. my brotlier
Jjijll. $lby andC IlT Icvin!J Liyamo/f or tlieir /{ind rmdeutandln!J, endurance, prayeN and. sacrifice.$.
SI. No Contents
Part I
1. Introduction................................................................ 1
2. Review of literature ...................................................... 8
3. Materials and methods ................................................ .
3.1. Study Area ............................................................ 23
3.2. Methodology......................................................... 26
3.3. Statistical analysis.... ................... ........................ ... 31
4. Hydrography ...............................................................
4.1. Introduction................. ........................................ 36
4.2. Results........ .......................................................... 38
4.2.1. Temperature...................................................... 38
4.2.1.1. Depth-wise variation.......................... .............. 38
4.2.1.2. Latitudinal variation.. ....................... .................. 38
4.2.2. Salinity............................................................. 39
4.2.2.1. Depth-wise variation. ................ ..... .............. ...... 39
4.2.2.2. Latitudinal variation................. ..................... ..... 40
4.2.3. Dissolved oxygen.. ........................................... 40
4.2.3.1. Depth-wise variation........................................ 40
4.2.3.2. Latitudinal variation.. ........... .......... ........ ......... 41
5. Sediment characteristics ............................................ ..
5.1. Introduction.... ................... ..... ............................... 42
5.2. Results....... .......................................................... 46
5.2.1. Texture................. ............................................ 46
5.2.1.1. Depth-wise variation.......................................... 46
5.2.1.2. Latitudinal variation........ ...... ........ .................... 47
5.2.2. Organic matter............................................ ....... 48
5.2.2.1. Depth-wise variation..... .................................... 48
5.2.2.2. Latitudinal variation.......................................... 48
6. Meiobenthos ...............................................................
6.1.1ntroduction .......................................................... 50
6.2. Faunal Composition ............................................. 51
6.3.1. Foraminifera...................................................... 51
6.2.2. Polychaeta and Oligochaeta................................. 52
6.2.3. Copepoda.... ...... .... ........... ...... .................. ........ 52
6.2.4. Kinorhycha.......................................................... 53
6.2.5. Halacarida. ...... ............ ......... ............. ........ ...... 53
6.2.6. Ostracoda.......... ...... ... .................. ............ ........ 53
6.3. Biomass and numerical abundance................ .......... 54
6.3.1. Depth-wise variation............................................ 55
6.3.2. Latitudinal variation................ ............................. 56
6.4. Ecology of Meiobenthos................ .......................... 61
6.4.1. Draftsman plot................................................... 61
6.4.2. BIO-ENV procedure............. ........ ........................ 63
6.5. Discussion......................................................... 63
Trophic relationships........................................... 68
Part 11
7. Systematics and taxonomy of free- living nematodes
7.1. Introduction ....................................................... . 71
7.2. 1.Systematics of free-living nematodes................... 72
7.2.2. Taxonomy of free-living nematodes.... ................. 80
7.3. Community structure ............................................ 174
7.3.1. Species richness................................................ 174
