Biodiversity of macro-benthic invertebrates in the Eastern Egyptian Mediterranean coast

The present research paper aims to study the biodiversity of macro-benthic invertebrates caught by bottom trawl nets along the eastern 180 km of the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. A total of 21 hauls were collected seasonally from July 2017 to May 2018. A total of 10765 individuals representing 118 taxa were collected during the study, affiliated with eight phyla. The maximum diversity (70 taxa) was recorded in spring; meanwhile, the highest abundance (3856 individuals) was registered in winter. Mollusca was the most diverse phylum with 46 species, while Arthropoda was the most dominant, constituting 87.89% of the total amount of benthos. The stomatopod Erugosquilla massavensis was the most prevalent species (about 41.8% of total benthos). Of the 118 recorded taxa, 11 species were regarded as new records in the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea. The maximum diversity index value (H'=2.81) was estimated for haul 10 (autumn); meanwhile, a minimum value of (0.26) was estimated for haul 15 (winter). Excluding the 10 taxa identified at the genus level, there were 71 indigenous species (66%). In contrast, alien, or non-indigenous species (NIS) contributed a relatively high number (37 species), constituting 34% of the total number of identified species. Additionally, 24.2% were of Indo-Pacific and Indian origin. So, planned comprehensive national monitoring programs for biodiversity and NIS in the study area are recommended for recording any new alien species.

Automated summary

This research paper investigates the biodiversity of macro-benthic invertebrates collected along the eastern coast of Egypt. The study found a total of 118 taxa, with Mollusca being the most diverse and Arthropoda being the most dominant phylum. The most prevalent species was the stomatopod Erugosquilla massavensis. Eleven species were newly recorded in the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea. It is recommended to establish national monitoring programs to record any new alien species in the study area.