TITLE:
Distribution and Taxonomy of Shallow Marine Ostracods from the Western Coast of the Red Sea, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Ebtesam A. Yousef
KEYWORDS:
Marine Ostracods, Taxonomy, Distribution, Ecology, Red Sea
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Marine Science,
Vol.8 No.1,
January
22,
2018
ABSTRACT:
A total 5849 individuals of ostracods constituting twenty species were collected
from five shallow marine sites along the area from El-Quseir to Marsa
Alam on the West Coast of the Red Sea. The twenty ostracod species belonging
to sixteen genera and ten different families. The three genera; Loxoconcha, Neonesidea and Xestoleberis have high species diversity. Furthermore, the
species Loxoconcha ghardaqensis, Xestoleberis rotunda, Paranesidea fracticorallicola, Tanella gracilis and Neonesidea schulzi were the best recognized in
the collecting region. Otherwise, the distribution of the collected ostracod
species in relation to environmental variables and plants were discussed in
detail here. Based on this, it is concluded that, vegetation type appears to be
the most important factor controlling the distribution of ostracod species in
the investigated area. Also, other factors such as, water temperature, salinity,
dissolved oxygen, pH and electrical conductivity play an important role.
Scanning electron microscope images of valves are delivered of the recorded
taxa. These fauna displays close affinities to those of the Red Sea and the Indo-
Pacific region.