Biodiversity, feeding and reproduction of copepods of Chennai coast-India

Summary form only given. Diversity studies of copepods of 2 stations (Muttukadu and Ennore) of Chennai coast (13/spl deg/06N and 80/spl deg/18E) from Mar. 2002-Feb. 2003 recorded 33 species. Of which 14 species belong to calanoids, 13 species belong to cyclopoids and 6 species belong to harpacticoids. Among calanoids Pseudodiaptomus sp., Centropages sp. and Eucalanus sp. were more dominant at Muttukadu. Acrocalanus sp., Paracalanus sp. and Centropages sp. were dominant at Ennore. Poecilostomatoids genera such as Corycaeus sp. and Onacea sp. occurred more commonly at Muttukadu while Oithonids dominated at Ennore. Higher diversity of harpacticoids was recorded at Muttukadu than Ennore. The common genera are Euterpina, Microsetella and Macrosetella. In general, higher female ratio was observed in all copepods. However, highly biased male ration was observed in Pseudodiaptomus aurivilli. Copepods were statistically analyzed and their food and feeding habits and reproductive ecology are discussed.