Spatial distribution patterns and community structure of thecoastal nematodes from Chetumal Bay, Mexico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25268/bimc.invemar.2026.55.2.1388Keywords:
Caribbean, estuarine, sediments, coastal zone, Dissolved oxygenAbstract
The distribution and composition of nematodes were studied in Chetumal Bay. Six sites of Chetumal Bay were selected in April 2019, where duplicate sediment samples were collected. The nematodes were identified at the lowest level possible and classified into four trophic groups and their life strategy. Subsequently, the index of trophic diversity (ITD) and Maturity Index (MI) were determined. Additionally, temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen were measured in the water column, while in the sediment grain size and chlorophyll a were determined. The nematode community was represented by seven Orders, 18 Families, 42 genera, and 56 species. The families Desmodoridae and Xyalidae were the most diverse in terms of genera with nine and seven genera, respectively. Anoplostoma sp. was the most abundant species, while Stylotheristus sp. was the most distributed, present in all sites. The species composition changes significantly between sites, and the community was mainly influenced by dissolved oxygen and grain size. The nematode diversity was low in sites close in sites near the city of Chetumal, while the highest values are near the Caribbean Sea. Similarly, according to the ITD and MI, sites near the city showed poor-moderate environmental conditions, while those near the Caribbean Sea showed good-high conditions.
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