Jiwani Makran kıyısı (Belucistan, Kuzey Umman Denizi) Boyunca Derisidikenli (Echinoderm) Faunasının Varlığı ve Bolluğu Üzerine İlk Kapsamlı Çalışma

Abstract

Derisidikenliler (Echinodermler), intertidal (gelgit) bölgeden derin deniz bölgesi dahil her deniz derinliğinde, okyanus tabanında bulunabilen başlıca omurgasız deniz canlısı gruplarından biridir. Echinodermata filumu beş sınıftan (Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea ve Crinoidea) oluşmaktadır; bu filumun üyeleri temel bir yapıyı paylaşsa da sınıfların biyolojik özellikleri büyük ölçüde farklılık gösterir. Bu çalışmada; Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea ve Crinoidea sınıflarını içeren derisidikenli örnekleri, Belucistan'ın Makran kıyısındaki (Jiwani) daha önce keşfedilmemiş iki saha olan Gariyan ve Bandari plajlarından toplanmıştır. Aralık 2021 ile Aralık 2022 tarihleri arasında yürütülen bu araştırma kapsamında toplam 170 derisidikenli örneği toplanmıştır. İncelemeler sonucunda beş farklı sınıfı temsil eden toplam 21 derisidikenli türü tanımlanmıştır: Holothuroidea (8 tür), Asteroidea (7 tür), Ophiuroidea (3 tür), Crinoidea (2 tür) ve Echinoidea (1 tür). Bu çalışma, söz konusu taksonların Makran kıyısı boyunca belgelenmiş varlığını ve bolluğunu önemli ölçüde genişleterek; bölgedeki gelecekteki biyolojik çeşitlilik araştırmaları ve koruma çabaları için temel bir ekolojik veri tabanı oluşturmaktadır.

Keywords

• Denizel biyolojik çeşitlilik
• bentik omurgasızlar
• taksonomik çeşitlilik
• Kuzey Hint Okyanusu
• ekolojik temel veriler

Project Number

This study received no external funding.

First Comprehensive Study on Occurrence and Abundance of Echinoderm Fauna along the Jiwani Makran Coast, Balochistan (Northern Arabian Sea)

Abstract

Echinoderms are one of the major marine invertebrates that can be found on the ocean bottom at each sea profundity from the intertidal zone to the deep zone. There are 5 classes in the phylum Echinodermata (Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea and Crinoidea) even though members of the phylum share a fundamental structure, the biological characteristics of the classes vary greatly. Echinoderm samples comprising Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea and Crinoidea were collected from two unexplored sites Gariyan and Bandari beach along the Jiwani, Makran coast Balochistan. A total of 170 echinoderm specimens were collected during the present study from December 2021 to December 2022. In total, 21 echinoderm species were identified, representing five distinct classes: Holothuroidea (8 species), Asteroidea (7 species), Ophiuroidea (3 species), Crinoidea (2 species) and Echinoidea (1 species). This study significantly expands the documented occurrence and abundance of these taxa along the Makran coast, providing an essential ecological baseline for future biodiversity research and conservation efforts in the region.

Keywords

• Marine biodiversity
• benthic invertebrates
• taxonomic diversity
• Northern Indian Ocean
• ecological baseline

Supporting Institution

This study received no external funding.

Project Number

This study received no external funding.

Ethical Statement

This study does not include any human participants or vertebrate animal subjects. The specimens collected consist solely of marine invertebrates (Echinoderms). Therefore, ethical committee approval and informed consent were not required for this research according to current institutional and national guidelines.

Thanks

The authors would like to acknowledge the Marine Reference collection and Resource Centre, University of Karachi, for provided facilities for sample collection and laboratory conveniences for specimens’ identification.

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