Macro zoobenthic populations of the Caroni Swamp, Trinidad and Tobago

Study Extent

There were eleven Inland stations in the Caroni Swamp and one near-shore station. The locations are as follows Decimal Degrees Stations Longitude Latitude 1 -61.497594 10.624835 2 -61.4701 10.62231 3 -61.446552 10.616513 4 -61.42545 10.605643 5 -61.482564 10.607718 6 -61.467162 10.605251 7 -61.446613 10.604553 8 -61.45154 10.586337 9 -61.446398 10.587209 10 -61.446463 10.574351 11 -61.447736 10.5615 Nearshore Stations 12 -61.500134 10.599729

Sampling

Twelve sampling stations were selected throughout the Caroni Swamp. Six replicate benthic grabs were taken at each station during the dry season (March 2015) and wet season (August 2015), using a Van Veen 0.025 m2 grab.

Method steps

1. The six replicate grabs per site were determined by doing pre-sampling and constructing a species composition curve. The grab samples were filtered in a 0.5 mm sieve bucket, and stained with a 5 % formalin and Rose Bengal dye mixture. Samples were brought to the laboratory for sorting and identification. Macroinvertebrates were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level.

N/A

1. Mollusca
   rank: phylum
2. Cardiida
   rank: order
3. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
4. Heteronemertea
   rank: order
5. Tellinidae
   rank: family
6. Cumacea
   rank: order
7. Acoetidae
   rank: family
8. Lineidae
   rank: family
9. Amphipoda
   rank: order
10. Pilargidae
    rank: family
11. Maldanidae
    rank: family
12. Capitellidae
    rank: family
13. Decapoda
    rank: order
14. Mysida
    rank: order
15. Ampeliscidae
    rank: family
16. Callichiridae
    rank: family
17. Hesionidae
    rank: family
18. Nemertea
    rank: phylum
19. Pilidiophora
    rank: class
20. Sternaspidae
    rank: family
21. Animalia
    rank: kingdom
22. Phyllodocida
    rank: order
23. Ampharetidae
    rank: family
24. Mysidae
    rank: family
25. Clitellata
    rank: class
26. Eunicidae
    rank: family
27. Sabellidae
    rank: family
28. Venerida
    rank: order
29. Tanaidacea
    rank: order
30. Annelida
    rank: phylum
31. Polychaeta
    rank: class
32. Nematoda
    rank: phylum
33. Eunicida
    rank: order
34. Gammaridae
    rank: family
35. Amphilochidae
    rank: family
36. Aoridae
    rank: family
37. Melitidae
    rank: family
38. Veneridae
    rank: family
39. Bivalvia
    rank: class
40. Onuphidae
    rank: family
41. Phyllodocidae
    rank: family
42. Lumbrineridae
    rank: family
43. Terebellidae
    rank: family
44. Spionidae
    rank: family
45. Sabellida
    rank: order
46. Dorvilleidae
    rank: family
47. Orbiniidae
    rank: family
48. Leptocheliidae
    rank: family
49. Upogebiidae
    rank: family
50. Glyceridae
    rank: family
51. Cirolanidae
    rank: family
52. Malacostraca
    rank: class
53. Paraonidae
    rank: family
54. Nereididae
    rank: family
55. Isopoda
    rank: order

Samples were collected in the Caroni Swamp, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. The Caroni Swamp is a wetland with occupies about 21.7 km of the Gulf of Paria coastline, it extends from Chandernagore River in the south to Beetham and Churchill Roosevelt Highways in the north.