Meiofauna of the Edava-Nadayara Paravur backwater system south west coast of India

Abstract

The occurrence and relative abundance of the meiofauna of the Edava-Nadayara and Paravur backwaters of Kerala, India have been described and the effect of pollution caused by the retting of coconut husks on the fauna has been discussed in the context of a prevailing sulphide rich biome. The meiofauna of the sulphide biome was composed of nematodes like Desmodora sp., Sabatiera intermissa and Dorylaimus sp., oligochaetes of the genera Enchytraeus and Pontodrilus ; Polychaetes like Pisione gopalai, P. complexa, Sabella sp. and Nereis sp., harpacticoid copepods like Arenosetella indica and Paramesochra wilsoni and amphipods such as Orchestia platensis and Parorchestia notabilis which could withstand hydrogen sulphide. The meiofauna in the Paravur backwater has been represented by 28 species of organisms whereas that of the Edava-Nadayara backwaters was represented by only twelve species indicating the effect of sulphide pollution