Species Composition and Distribution of ZOOPLANKTON SPECIES in selected parts of the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria

Ajani G.E.

Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research

3, Wilmot Point, Bar beach, Victoria Island, Lagos.

ABSTRACT

Species composition, spatial distribution, abundance and diversity of zooplankton in some selected parts of the Lagos lagoon were investigated for seven months (March – September 2010), twelve stations on the lagoon were selected for this study.  A total of twenty zooplankton species with seventeen genera forms were recorded for the study. Three phyla were identified; the phylum Crustacea, followed by Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and Rotifera (rotifers). Copepoda was the most abundant with three suborder forms which are calanoida, cyclopoida and harpaticoda. However, selected stations such as Queen’s drive, Park view, Moba, Ofin, Ibese, Ikorodu port and Majidun showed significant variation (p < 0.05) in occurrence of copepods between sampling stations, while stations such as Ikate, Itedo, Oreta, Ofin and Nichem textile ) showed no significant (p > 0.05) variation in occurrence of copepods between stations. Changes in zooplankton species in terms of occurrence and abundance at certain sampling stations of higher proximity to municipal and industrial effluent is indicative of anthropogenic perturbations.

Key Words: Zooplankton, anthropogenic, lagoon, municipal, industrial, spatial distribution