Mollusken-Gemeinschaften der Bahía de Nenguange (Karibik, Kolumbien).

Mollusc communities of the Bahía de Nenguange (Caribbean Sea, Colombia). (English)

The Bahía de Nenguange is one of the largest bays (5 km) east of Santa Marta. The shore of the U-shaped bay is made up of steep slate rocks, interrupted by sandy beaches. The waters within the bay are rather shallow but get deeper to the north; in the western part, which is 10-12 m deep, a platform is situated. The western shore is subject to strong exposure of waves; the eastern half is calmer. On the eastern beach a small stand of mangroves is located. Altogether, 491 species of molluscs were found, belonging to 100 families and 259 genera. 12 molluscan assemblages have been documented: 4 distributed in the intertidal, and 8 in the sublittoral zone. The distribution of the sublittoral coenoses depends on the distribution of the substrates. Numerous microgastropods occur in coarse-grained sediments. Highest diversity was observed on fine and mixed sands. Variations documented in the diversity of the Thalassia-coenosis and of the fine sand-mixed sand coenoses are due to changes in numbers of species, whereas the diversity on ooze is due likewise to modifications in the number of species and to evenness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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