Zoogeography and parallel level-bottom communities of the meiobenthic harpacticoida (Crustacea, Copepoda) of Bermuda

Abstract

Twenty nine harpacticoid copepods are new to Bermuda and significant changes are noted in the distribution records of several species. Six temporary groups are organized to separate the copepods on their apparent zoogeographical ranges: (1) cosmopolitan, (2) warm temperate-tropical, (3) North Atlantic, (4) North Atlantic-Mediterranean, (5) Endemic to Bermuda and (6) uncertain. These six artificial groups do not necessarily correspond to the standard zoogeographical provinces. Endemism of the Bermudian harpacticoids is similar to the rates reported and predicted for other fauna on North Atlantic Islands. Low endemic rates probably reflect changing environmental conditions during the late Pleistocene. Three distinct harpacticoid isocommunities are reported. The associations are similar to harpacticoid assemblages found in similar sediment types in different parts of the world. All three associations are in agreement with Thorson's (1957) concept of the parallel level-bottom community.