Meiobenthos
For meiobenthos include invertebrate creatures of the benthic meiofauna in and around the bottom of the seas and inland waters with a body length of between about 0.063 mm and 1 mm. Smaller organisms belong to microbenthos , larger ones to macrobenthos .
Introduced into the scientific literature by MF Mare in 1942, "Meiobenthos" is simply a descriptive, not a systematic-taxonomic term that defines a group of organisms solely on the basis of their size.
No special demands are made on the ecological conditions, so the meiobenthic organisms are found in different habitats ( biotopes ). Sandy bottom is settled, here in particular the sand gap system , as well as the muddy water floor and solid substrate of all deep regions between the Litoral and Hadal . Meiobenthos can also be found on larger sessile animals and plants.
Important taxonomic groups of meiobenthos are:
- Shellfish (Ostracoda)
- Water fleas (Cladocera)
- Copepods (Copepoda)
- Tardigrade (Tardigrada)
- Roundworms (Nematoda)
- Little bristle (Oligochaeta)
- Polychaete (Polychaeta)
- Rotifers (Rotatoria)
literature
- Mare, MF (1942): A study of a marine benthic community with special reference to the micro-organisms . Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 25: 517-554.