Reef-building Ficopomatus enigmaticus and associated Polychaetes on artificial concrete blocks along Mediterranean seaside, Egypt

F. Salama Et Al., Ahmed

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2021.204363

Reef-building Ficopomatus enigmaticus and associated Polychaetes on artificial concrete blocks along Mediterranean seaside, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Ahmed F. Salama et al.

10.21608/ejabf.2021.204363

Abstract

This work aimed to study the seasonal and spatial variations in the structure and abundance of the Polychaetes populations associated with the reef-building Ficopomatus enigmaticus on artificial concrete blocks(ACBs) which were constructed along the Mediterranean seaside to solve the crucial impacts of climate changes and sea level-rise. The specimens were seasonally collected from the ACBs during the period extending from spring 2016 to winter 2017. During this study, two Polychaetes species were associated with Ficopomatus enigmaticus viz Alitta succinea and Perinereis cultrifera. Ficopomatus enigmaticus was the eudominant species recording a percentage of 72.5 of all the collected Polychaetes, while Alitta succinea was subrecedent forming 1.0 %. Additionally, Perinereis cultrifera dominated by 26.4%. Six October sites showed the highest average density of the studied species all year-round. Alternatively, the lowest average densities were detected in different sites and seasons as follows: in NIOF in spring and autumn; in Baltim in summer, and in Beer Masoud in winter.

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