4.9
Distribution of Copepoda in the Indian Ocean
L. R. KASTURIRANGAN, M. SARASWATHY, and T. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN
The present paper deals with the distribution of the group Copepoda in the Indian
Ocean. This group includes mostly species of planktonic habits, besides demersal species
which are excluded from this account. The group is treated as a whole, without reference
to the constituent species or families. The paper is based on numerical data derived from
the zooplankton samples collected during the International Indian Ocean Expedition
(IIOE) and processed at the Indian Ocean Biological Centre (HANSEN, 1966; IOBC, 1969).
Fig. 1. Distribution of Copepoda (total) in the Indian Ocean form 1548 standard samples. (After
IOBC, 1970a)
Fig. 1 to 3 are reproduced, with some simplification, from the original maps which
were published in the IIOE Plankton Atlas, Volume II, fascicle 1 (IOBC, 1970 a). These
maps must be regarded as visual aids, giving only a general picture of the geographical
pattern of the distribution of numerical abundance. Areas of high copepod populations
correspond in general with areas of high zooplankton standing stock. In Fig. 1 the total
distribution of copepods is given. The areas of highest population density (27000 and
above) are mostly close to the land masses. The areas of high density which occur in
mid-ocean are smaller and fewer. In general, they are greater in extent in the northern
Distribution of Copepoda in the Indian Ocean
L. R. KASTURIRANGAN, M. SARASWATHY, and T. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN
The present paper deals with the distribution of the group Copepoda in the Indian
Ocean. This group includes mostly species of planktonic habits, besides demersal species
which are excluded from this account. The group is treated as a whole, without reference
to the constituent species or families. The paper is based on numerical data derived from
the zooplankton samples collected during the International Indian Ocean Expedition
(IIOE) and processed at the Indian Ocean Biological Centre (HANSEN, 1966; IOBC, 1969).
Fig. 1. Distribution of Copepoda (total) in the Indian Ocean form 1548 standard samples. (After
IOBC, 1970a)
Fig. 1 to 3 are reproduced, with some simplification, from the original maps which
were published in the IIOE Plankton Atlas, Volume II, fascicle 1 (IOBC, 1970 a). These
maps must be regarded as visual aids, giving only a general picture of the geographical
pattern of the distribution of numerical abundance. Areas of high copepod populations
correspond in general with areas of high zooplankton standing stock. In Fig. 1 the total
distribution of copepods is given. The areas of highest population density (27000 and
above) are mostly close to the land masses. The areas of high density which occur in
mid-ocean are smaller and fewer. In general, they are greater in extent in the northern