Taxonomy and ecology of some gammaridean species (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Tarifa Island, southern Spain

On Tarifa Island (Strait of Gibraltar) several amphipod species were studied from intertidal algae: Ampithoe ferox, Apherusa mediterranea, Hyale spinidactyla, Hyale cf. youngi and Jassa cadetta. The allometric growth of gnathopod 2 in male is demonstrated for A. ferox. Jassa cadetta had been recorded previously only from the northern Adriatic Sea, while Hyale spinidactyla and Hyale cf. youngi had been only known from the Atlantic Ocean. Along the intertidal area, A. mediterranea and J. cadetta were dominant in the low levels located near the infralittoral area, while A. ferox, Hyale spinidactyla and Hyale cf. youngi were distributed in intermediate and upper levels, closer to the supralittoral zone. All the species showed the maximum peaks of abundance from April to October, coinciding with the maximum seawater temperatures.