Amphipods (Amphipoda: Gammaridea, Caprellidea) of the sublittoral of Koryak coast (Bering Sea)

Abstract

In 2005 in sublittoral zone of Koryak coast 79 species of amphipods belonged to 43 genera, 20 families and two suborders are revealed. The main part of the fauna was endemics of Pacific boreal area. The biomass varied from the several 100-th shares of gram to 15.6 g/m2. The maximum biomass of amphipods at population density 230 ind./m2 was registered at Cape Hajtyrka. The average biomass was 2.0 ± 0.6 g/m2 or 0.4% from the total biomass of a benthos. In places of amphipods accumulations their part in the total biomass of a benthos could reach 56.9%. Quantity indicators of amphipods on a shelf of Koryak coast above, than in Anadyr Bay. In different places of the investigated water area dominating species was different (Atylus bruggeni, Pontogeneia rostrata, Anisogammarus pugettensis, Caprella paulina). Rigid soil are extended on main parts of water area of narrow geosynclinal shelf of Koryak coast, mobile filter feeder, building small houses-tubes in thickness of a soil (Byblis erythrops, Ampelisca macrocephala and some other) had here no such wide development as in of Anadyr Bay. The shelf of Koryak coast distinguishes from the other areas of the Far East seas by small species wealth of amphipods at the stations – basically no more than five species.