Megabenthos biodiversity of the northwest coast of Paraguana Peninsula (Venezuela)

Study Extent

Golfo de Venezuela

Sampling

To carry out the analysis of the benthic community present, sediment samples were collected using a “Box Core” type dredge (area 0.19 m2) at each of the stations selected according to the proposed sampling design. From the sediment sample extracted with the "Box Core", two cylinders of 0.0038 m2 area were taken, whose content was poured into a duly labeled plastic bag and preserved with 10% formalin. Three replicates were taken for each station (samples from two independent hauls) and all samples were transferred to the Bentos Marino laboratory of the Simón Bolívar University.

Method steps

1. To carry out the analysis of the benthic community present, sediment samples were collected using a “Box Core” type dredge (area 0.19 m2) at each of the stations selected according to the proposed sampling design. From the sediment sample extracted with the "Box Core", two cylinders of 0.0038 m2 area were taken, whose content was poured into a duly labeled plastic bag and preserved with 10% formalin. Three replicates were taken for each station (samples from two independent hauls) and all samples were transferred to the Bentos Marino laboratory of the Simón Bolívar University.

Around 800 occurrences of benthic invertebrates were registered, belonging to 11 large taxonomic groups (Bryozoans, Cnidarians, Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Molluscs, Nemertines, Fishes, Polychaetes, Porifera, Sipunculids and Tunicates).

1. Polichaeta
   rank: order
2. Echinidermata
   rank: phylum
3. Gastropoda
   rank: class
4. Bivalvia
   rank: class
5. Crustacea
   rank: subphylum
6. Cnidaria
   rank: phylum
7. Porifera
   rank: phylum
8. Sipuncula
   rank: phylum
9. Tunicata
   rank: subphylum
10. Nemertea
    rank: phylum

The geographic coverage of the specimens records encloses few gas extraction wells in which an environmental monitoring program was taking place