Ecological features of polychaeta (Annelida) species associated with cystoseira facies in the Sinop peninsula

In order to determine seasonal trends of Polychaeta fauna associated with Cystoseira (C. barbata and C. crinita) facies along the Sinop Peninsula (Black Sea), a total of 9 stations were selected and sampled with scuba diving between October 2013 and July 2014, seasonally. The results of qualitative and quantitative analysis of samples, 37 species and 11378 individuals belong to 17 families were identified. Capitella teleta Blake, Grassle, Eckelbarger, 2009 and Sabellaria alcocki Gravier, 1906 are new records for the Black Sea fauana, Pterocirrus macroceros (Grube, 1860) and Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1802 are new to the Turkish Black Sea fauna. The most dominant and frequent species were Salvotoria clavata (Claparéde, 1863), Platynereis dumerillii (Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1833) and Polyopthamus pictus (Dujardin, 1839). The maximum number of species (26 species) was observed in October 2013, the highest mean number of individuals (27441.7 individuals/m2) was counted in May 2014. Salinity values were measured between ‰18.14 (October 2013)-‰18.52 (January 2014); the temperature values 9.7˚C (January 2014)-23.47˚C (July 2014); dissolved oxygen values 7.35mg/L (July 2014)-10.47 mg/L (January 2014) and pH values 6.52 (January 2014)-7.06 (July 2014) in the study area.