Vamvakas, C. (1971). Contribution to the study of soft substrata benthic biocoenoses of Greek Seas. Area W. Saronikos Gulf. Hellenic Oceanology and Limnology. 10: 129-272.
415594
Vamvakas, C.
1971
Contribution to the study of soft substrata benthic biocoenoses of Greek Seas. Area W. Saronikos Gulf.
A study of marine soft bottom benthic biocoenoses is undertaken in the Western Bay of Saronicos, near Athens, Greece. The material from 14 stations has been collected and examined according to J.PICARD’s method (1965). The results can be summarized as follows: 1) Three biocoenoses have been so far found: the biocoenosis of the coastal detritic bottoms ( DC) ; the biocoenosis of the terrigenous coastal mud (VTC); the biocoenosis of the deep mud (VP). 2) In spite of the relative scarcity of organisms in the investigated area, 693 specimens were determined, belonging to 280 species. Among them, 12 are new for science (n.sp.), 29 are recorded for the first time for the greek fauna and flora, 1 is new for the whole Mediterranean and 1 new or the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Finally, 1 species was unatributable to any known animal group. 3) The identified biocoenoses are examined in detail and a list of the species recorded is given with ecological and taxonomic remarks. The biocoenoses VTC and VP do not have their characteristic aspect, because of the very high percentage of species, without definite ecological appartenance and a very low percentage of characteristic species. It seems that most of the species show a wide tolerance towards the sediment. 4) Some of the species characteristic for the VP biocoenosis encountered in less than usual depths, whereas characteristic species of the VTC biocoenosis are also presented among those of the VP. Therefore, both biocoenoses have lost their individuality and they are mixed. 5) DC biocoenosis seems to be in a transitional status towards the coralligenous (C) biocoenosis. Similar transitions were also observed at some other points of the investigated area.
