Study of taxonomy and ecology of Planktonic Copepods of Poecilostomatida in Bahrakan waters (Northwestern Persian Gulf)

The present investigation is based on separation and identification of Planktonic Poecilostomatoida in Bahrakan waters during July, August, October of 2010 and December, February, April of 2011. In the present study the order Poecilostomatida was represented by 3 species, Corycaeus andrewsi and Sapphirina nigromaculata and Saphirella-like copepodid. Abundance of each species was estimated in sampling months. The highest density of Poecilostomatoid copepods were recorded in August and October 2010. C. andrewsiwith relative frequency of 73% was the dominant species among Poecilostomatoida and the highest abundance was observed in October 2010. Saphirella-like copepodid was observed in all sampling months. Maximum abundance of this species was in August and October 2010 and this report is the first report of this species in the Persian Gulf. There was a significant positive correlation coefficient between density of C. andrewsi and salinity (P<0.05) but there was no significant correlation was observed between the other species and water parameters.