Community structure of harpacticoid copepods in intertidal and shallow-water habitats of Cat Ba archipelago (Vietnam, South China Sea)

Harpacticoid copepod communities in Ha Long Bay's intertidal and shallow-water habitats exhibit region-specific diversity patterns, with the highest abundance and species richness found in washed sands and silty sands with detritus, while muddy sediments show the lowest diversity. The study identified dominant species such as Amphiascoides sp., Stenhelia latioperculata, and Tisbe sp.1 in sublittoral zones, and described distinct assemblages in littoral rock pools. Comparative analysis revealed that harpacticoid diversity is consistent across tropical muddy bottoms but varies significantly in other biotopes, with no significant influence observed from mangrove forests. This research highlights the ecological importance of sediment type in shaping copepod community structure in the Cat Ba Archipelago.

Chertoprud, E. S., Gheerardyn, H., & Gómez, S. (2012). Community structure of harpacticoid copepods in intertidal and shallow-water habitats of Cat Ba archipelago (Vietnam, South China Sea). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 93(1), 95–105. https://doi.org/10.1017/s002531541200104x