The aim of this paper is to bring to light the knowledge of marine diversity of invertebrates in Gabes gulf. The spatial distribution of the megabenthic fauna community in Gabes gulf (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea), together with the bottom type and vegetation cover, were studied. The abundance of the megabenthic fauna was represented by eight groups: Echinodermata (38%), Crustacea (21%), Tunicata (19%), Mollusca (13%), Porifera (4%), Cnidaria (3%), Bryozoa, and Annelida (2%). It was spatially more concentrated in the coast area of the gulf than in the offshore waters. This area, especially, in Southern Kerkennah, North-est of Gabes and North-east of Djerba appeared to be in a good ecological condition  hosting a variety of species like the paguridsPaguristes eremita and Pagurus cuanensis, the brachyura Medorippe lanata, Inachus doresttensis, the Gastropoda Hexaplex trunculus, Bolinus brandaris, Aporrhais pespelecani, andErosaria turdus, the Bivalvia Fulvia fragilis, the Echinoidea Psammechinus microtuberculatus, Holothuria polii,Ophiothrix fragilis and Antedon mediterranea, and the AscidiaceaAplidium cf. conicum, Didemnum spp, and Microcosmus exasperatus.The species’ compositions of the megabentic fauna community showed clearly that the spatial analysis represented the differences between the community of these two regions (inshore waters and offshore waters). These differences were closely related to peculiar characters of the fauna and biotopes (depth, bottom type and vegetation cover community). The results of the present study should be considered as a necessary starting point for a further analysis of priceless benthic fauna contribution to the marine environment and its organisms.

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Spatial distribution and ecology of the larvae of three tuna species (Thunnus thynnus, Auxis rochei and Euthynnus alletteratus) were studied during an ichthyoplankton survey carried out in the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia) in June and July 2009. A total of 80 stations, distributed on a regular sampling grid, were sampled. The main objectives of this survey were to provide information on tuna larvae distribution in the Gulf of Gabes in relation to the environmental parameters. Regarding small tunas, larvae of A. rochei (bullet tuna) showed the more widespread distribution, being found at both inshore and offshore stations. E. alletteratus (Atlantic black skipjack) larvae were mainly found at the inshore stations covering the wide continental shelf of this region. On the other hand, larvae of the large migratory tuna T. Thynnus (Atlantic bluefin tuna), were mainly recorded at offshore stations, suggesting that spawning possibly takes place mainly near the shelf break. Regarding the biological and physical parameters examined, our results indicate that tuna larvae were mainly collected in oligotrophic and mixed waters resulting from the confluence of surface water of recent Atlantic origin and resident surface Mediterranean waters, as shown by their preference for lower chlorophyll a concentrations (from 1.4 to 2.5 mg m -3 ) and moderate salinity values (between 37.35 and 37.75). Significantly, tuna larvae seemed to avoid the more eutrophic and saltier waters of the gulf situated very close to the coast and around Kerkennah and Djerba islands.

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Resumen.-Se describen algunos parámetros biológicos de la bacoreta Euthynnus alletteratus en el Golfo de Gabes (sur de Túnez), tales como la proporción de sexos, el Índice Gonado-Somático (IGS), el Índice Hepato-Somático (IHS), la longitud de primera madurez sexual, y la relación longitud-peso. Se analizó un total de 397 specímenes (244 hembras y 153 machos) entre los 36,7 y 97,8 cm de longitud, con un promedio 52,29 ± 5,87 cm. Las muestras se recolectaron mensualmente, entre enero de 2008 y diciembre de 2009. El 61% de los ejemplares fueron hembras. El periodo de desove se extiende de junio a septiembre, calculado a partir de los altos valores de IGS. Las relaciones longitud-peso revelaron que la bacoreta presenta una alometría negativa. La longitud promedio de primera madurez de las muestras tomadas en el Golfo de Gabes fue de 44,8 cm de longitud de horquilla para las hembras y 42,8 cm para los machos.