Spatial distribution and abundance of the megabenthic fauna community in Gabes gulf (Tunisia, eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

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.

Polychaete fauna from the intertidal zone of the Kneiss Islands (central Mediterranean Sea)

“…Gulf of Gabès) remain relatively poorly studied compared with those on the northern coast, and our knowledge is based on rather scarce and fragmented data (El Lakhrach et al, 2012;Mosbahi et al, 2015Mosbahi et al, , 2016. In fact, the inventory, ecology and patterns of polychaete distribution remain largely unknown in this southern area.…”

The characterisation and summer distribution of ultraphytoplankton in the Gulf of Gabès (Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia) by using flow cytometry

“…Unfortunately, this biodiversity along with the marine environment have been severely altered due to a 40-year discharge of phosphogypsum and other pollutants (Rekik et al, 2012). Urbanisation continues to increase along the Gulf coast and this pressure combined with overfishing and industrial pollution threatens the entire ecosystem leading to decreased fish catches and altering the major socioeconomic resources of Tunisia (El Lakrach et al, 2012).…”

Seasonal and diel changes in the structure of a crustacean decapod assemblage associated to a shallow Cymodocea nodosa meadow in northern Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea). An overview of the Mediterranean decapod taxocoenoses.

“…Regarding decapod studies in Tunisia we must highlight the comprehensive work contributed by Forest & Guinot (1956), who reported 60 species, mainly in the Gulf of Tunis, and from the Gulf of Gabes the report by El Lakhrach, et al (2012) with 42 species.…”