Copepoda from the Littoral Region of the Estuary of The

COPEPODA FROM THE LITTORAL REGION OF THE ESTUARY OF THE

J. B. J. WELLS Department of Zoology, Exeter University, Great Britain 1)

During the period 1959-1960 a survey was made of the microfauna of the sand and mud banks of the estuary of the River Exe. Regular monthly sampling at several locations within the area gave information on the inter-tidal distribution of the fauna and it is hoped to publish this elsewhere in detail. The survey was undertaken with especial reference to the Copepoda and this paper gives an account of the species found. Fig. 1 shows the location of the 22 stations at which sampling took place. These can be grouped as follows with regard to the substrate:

MARINE STATIONS ExMBC (clean sand, grade varying from Wentworth Grade Medium on the upper shore to Granule on the lower shore). ExOP (clean sand, Medium Grade throughout).

ESTUARINE STATIONS Stations II, XIV and XV (a): clean sand. Stations I, X, XII, XIII and XVI (a): muddy sand. Stations III, IV, V, VII, IX (b), XI, XV (b) and XVI (b): mud. Stations VIII and IX (a): gravel. In addition samples of marine algae were taken at Station XVII and of the flora (Spartina town.rendii Groves and Obione portulacoide.r Moq. Tand. ) of a mud flat which was partially covered at high tide (Station XVI (c)). 96 species of harpacticoid and cyclopoid copepods were found of which 22 have not previously been recorded in Great Britain (marked * in the following list).

HARPACTICOIDA Canuellidae

Canuella f urcigera Sars, 1903 Stations II; IX (b); X; XI; XII; XIII, common. Only British record from Southampton Water (Barnett, 1959).

1) Present address: Department of Zoology, Birkbeck College, University of London. 11

Ectinosomidae

Ectino.romd (Ectino.roma) melanicep.r Boeck, 1864 Station ExMBC, the dominant species in the Granule of the lower shore. Sporadic examination demonstrated that the majority of the specimens were - var. tubes°culata Roe, 1958 possessing a tubercle on the exopodite of P.5.

Fig. 1. Map of the estuary of the River Exe showing the positions of the sampling stations.

E. (E.) tenuipe.r T. & A. Scott, 1894 Station XVII, not common but occurred regularly. None occurred in the sand but Wells (1961) has recorded it from sand in the Isles of Scilly. E. ( Halectino.roma ) curticorne Boeck, 1872 Stations I; III; IV; V; IX (b); X; XI; XV (b); XVI (a); XVI (b); XVII, very common. E. (H.) gothiceps Giesbrecht, 1881 Stations IV; XII, occasionaloccurrence only. E. (H.) tenerum Sars, 1920 Station ExOP, occasional occurrence only. Only British record from the Isles of Scilly (Wells, 1961). P.reudobradya minor (T. & A. Scott, 1894) Stations X; XII, rare.