SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF ZOOPLANKTON IN ZUFRUN CREEK (İSKENDERUN/TÜRKIYE)

A total of 50 zooplankton species were identified in the study, comprising 32 rotifers, 11 copepods, and 7 cladocerans.Of the 10 families within Rotifera, Lecanidae was identified as possessing the greatest species diversity, with 7 species.According to the frequency index, 12 species were classed as constant, 19 species as common, 14 species as occasional, and 5 species as uncommon.Among the intense species observed at all sample dates, Lepadella patella and Trichocerca taurocephala were determined to have the greatest frequency (100%).In Cladocera, Chydorus sphaericus, Coronatella rectangula, Oxyurella tenuicaudis, and Pleuroxus aduncus documented in 8 samplings had the highest frequency (53%) seen in the same periods within Cladocera.On the other side, Epactophanes richardi exhibited the largest dispersion (93% frequency) among copepods (found in 14 samplings).Kostea wockei, which has an Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Palearctic distribution and has not been documented from our country before, is a new record for Turkish inland waters.