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A PRELIMINARY VIEW ON THE FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGE OF SOFT-BOTTOM
CRUSTACEANS ALONG THE NEARSHORES OF THE TURKISH BLACK SEA


E. Mutlu, M. Unsual and F. Bingel
Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University,
Erdemly, Icel, Turkey

Abstract
Beginning in August 1988 and ending in January 1989, single samples
of the soft-bottom benthos were collected with a Van Veen grab 
(0.175 mp) from 20 stations along the Anatolian coasts of the Black
Sea. A total of 40 crustacean taxa was distinguished. The quality and
quantity of the fauna tend to decrease with increasing depth after 
50-60 m due to significant reduction in O2 level and to muddy basin.
The most important crustacean members were Cythereis antiquata,
Xestoleberis cornelii, Iphinoe elisae, Microdeutopus gryllotalpa and
Ampelisca diadema in the shallower waters and common amphipod species,
Ampelisca diadema in the deeper zones where the mud fraction was
predominant. The coastal pure sandy bottom was characterized by means
of a few psammophilic representatives such as Diogenes varians and
Synchelidium maculatum. Centromedon sp. Was a newly reported first 
member of this genus in the Black Sea.