Marine gelatinous zooplankton of the Egyptian waters: a review

Document Type : Technical Papers

Authors

Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Egypt

Abstract

Gelatinous plankton is formed by representatives of cnidarians (true jellyfish), ctenophores (comb jellies) and tunicates (salps). Gelatinous groups are a conspicuous, but relatively little studied component of marine ecosystems; in recent years its importance in pelagic food webs has gained increased awareness. They are essential components of the marine food web, relaying primary production from microbial algae to fish and seabirds. Gelatinous zooplankton may cause substantial mortality of fish eggs and larvae. This may play an important role in decreasing fishing stock of commercial fisheries, and they are an important variable in fisheries science and that it cannot be overlooked. The objective of this paper is to review a current knowledge on gelatinous zooplankton in the Egyptian waters of Mediterranean and Red Seas.

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