On some marine interstitial gastrotrichs from the beach sands of Waltair coast

Abstract

The paper reports for the first time the occurrence of thirteen species of interstitial Gastrotrichs in the beach sands of the Waltair Coast which were previously reported from European waters. Eight of the species representing seven genera belong to the order Macrodasyoidea and the remaining five representing three genera come under the Chaetonotidea. The distribution of these forms is described with reference to the tidal levels, the grain size of the sand, the temperature and salinity ranges of the environment.