Identification and biogeographical distribution of nine new Ostracoda species from the Makran (Oman) Sea

Abstract

An identification study of ostracoda fauna was performed on 12 bottom sediment samples collected from the Makran (Oman) Sea at depths from 30 to 130 m using Van Veen Grab with 0.1 m^2 area. At each station three sub-samples were collected using handy corer (6.15 cm2 area). A total of 80 species were identified and their biogeographic distributions has been discussed. Nine species are described as new in the study area. In relation to faunas from other Indo-Pacific regions, the ostracoda fauna in the study area was moderately diverse and the majority of the species were represented. The fauna shows close affinities to those of the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific region. Only one “cosmopolitan” species (Falsocythere terryi) is common to the Makran (Oman) region and the Mediterranean. All new specimens figured are deposited at the Micropalaoontological section of Senckenberg Museum (Frankfurt am Main) under catalogue numbers SMF Xe 22250-22556. The present study is a part of winter cruise 2006 results which has been held in Makran Sea and Persian Gulf (ROPME Sea Area) region. New species identified are following: Neonesidea paiki sp. Costa afriorientalis sp., Bosella hormuzensis sp., Quasibradleya pseudoandamanae sp., Microcythere crescentiformis sp., Paradoxostoma butticulum sp., P. curvirostrum sp., P. procerum sp., P. ensiformis sp.