Species composition and distribution of marine nematode community in the North Taiwan Strait

Marine free-living nematodes were investigated at 13 sampling stations divided into three transects in the northern Taiwan Strait in February 1998.One hundred species of marine nematodes belonging to 91 Genera 28 Families 3 Orders were identified and were first recorded in the northern Taiwan Strait.The dominant species were Vasostoma sp.,Sabatieria sp.1,Linhystera sp.1,Spilophorella sp.,Daptonema sp.,Halalaimus sp.and Dorylaimopsis variabilis.Their mean densities were all over 4 950 ind./m².According to mean density at transects,marine nematode density decreased from coastal Weitou to off Minjiang Estuary,which was similar to polychaete distribution in the northern Taiwan Strait.The selective deposit feeder (1A) was the dominant food type of marine nematodes in the northern Taiwan Strait,but non-selective deposit feeders (1B) and epigrowth feeders (2A) occupied high proportion,indicating diverse feeding types of marine nematodes in the northern Taiwan Strait.Some environmental factors such as currents are discussed.