Abstract & Overview
This study compares the feeding guild composition of macrobenthic (infaunal) polychaetes from two different transects (Cheyyur and Singarayakonda) situated in the continental shelf region of southeast coast of India. The polychaetes collected from these transects were identified using standard manuals [Fauvel P. 1953. The fauna of India including Pakistan, Ceylon, Burma and Malaya: Annelida, Polychaeta. Allahabad: The Indian Press Ltd; 507 p.; Day JH. 1967. A monograph of the polychaeta of southern Africa. London: British Museum (Natural History Museum) Publication; 878 p.]. The total number of species recorded from the study area was 75 belonging to 54 genera and 29 families. These species were categorized into various feeding types following Fauchald and Jumars [Fauchald K, Jumars PA. 1979. The diet of worms: a study of polychaete feeding guilds. Oceanography and Marine Biology: Annual Review 17: 193–284] and confirmed after examination of mouthparts. Among these, 34 species (45.3%) were found to be surface deposit feeders, 25 species (33.3%) carnivores, 8 species (10.7%) subsurface deposit feeders, 5 species (6.7%) filter feeders and 3 species (4%) were omnivores. A total of 1330 polychaetes were collected, with 65% representing surface deposit feeders, 31% carnivores, 3% filter feeders and less than 1% were subsurface deposit feeders and omnivores. The sediment was sandy in Cheyyur and silty overall in Singarayakonda. Although the surface deposit feeders were dominant [72.97% with higher Margalef richness (d) value of 2.27 ± 1.56 and Simpson richness (1 − λ′) value of 0.72 ± 0.36] in Cheyyur, carnivores were dominant (48.36% with higher richness values of d – 1.52 ± 0.82 and 1 − λ′ – 0.80 ± 0.11) in Singarayakonda transect. The distance-based linear model showed the influence of median particle diameter (explained 24.7% of total variability), depth (19.1%) and total organic carbon (16.2%) on the distribution of feeding guild composition of polychaetes, indicating that the co-variables strongly differentiate the feeding guild composition of polychaetes in the two transects.