BENTHIC FAUNA AROUND MAURITIUS ISLAND, SOUTHWEST INDIAN-OCEAN

Distribution of benthic fauna in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Mauritius was studied during September-October 1987. Mean faunal density (macro+meio) and dry weight biomass was 10848 no. m-2 and 228.8 mg.m-2, respectively. The macrofauna was dominated by polychaetes (52%), bivalves (13.7%) and isopods (12.3%). Among other groups ophiuroids, amphipods and tanaidaceans were important. Meiofauna was dominated by nematodes (53.6%) and harpacticoids (15.9%) and occurred at all the depths. Over 60% of the fauna was concentrated in the top 4 cm depth of the sediment. Benthic biomass showed a general decline with an increase of water depth, and correlated positively with the chl-a of the surface water. The macro : meiofaunal biomass ratio indicated dominance of meiofauna in the deeper waters.