Variability of coastal suprabenthic assemblages from sandy beaches of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela.

The suprabenthos or hyperbenthos is the macrofaunal assemblage of small-sized organisms that interact for some time in the benthic boundary layer. Information about the taxonomic composition and role of suprabenthic species, especially in littoral zones, is scarce and scattered. This work attempts to contribute alleviate this problem.

Regional diversity of amphipoda in the Caribbean Sea.

The order Amphipoda is one of the most diverse within Peracarids, and comprises 6950 described marine species. Amphipod research in the Caribbean Sea began in the late 1800s, but has increased significantly since 1980. In this study, we analized the amphipod biodiversity (Caprellidea, Gammaridea, Hyperiidea, and Ingolfiellidea) of the Caribbean Sea.

[Distribution, population parameters, and diet of Astropecten marginatus (Asteroidea: Astropectinidae) in the Venezuelan Atlantic coast].

Astropecten marginatus is a sea star widely distributed in Northern and Eastern South America, found on sandy and muddy bottoms, in shallow and deep waters. To describe some of its ecological characteristics, we calculated it spatial-temporal distribution, population parameters (based on size and weight) and diet in the Orinoco Delta ecoregion (Venezuela). The ecoregion was divided in three sections: Golfo de Paria, Boca de Serpiente and Plataforma Deltana.

[Lipids in the amphipod Talorchestia margaritae (Amphipoda: Talitridae) and its relationship with the ecology of the species].

T. margaritae, an endemic species inhabiting Venezuelan coasts, plays an important ecological role in plant and animal decomposition. To understand this issue in some animal groups, especially small ones, lipid composition analysis has been an interesting tool to describe their trophic relationships and food preferences.

[Checklist and references of the Amphipod Crustaceans (Gammaridea) from tropical western Atlantic].

The published records of Amphipoda Gammaridea of the tropical western Atlantic region were reviewed and compiled in a checklist. A total of 478 species is recorded (52 families, 199 genera). This adds 20 families and 253 species to the last published list.