Ostracoda as environmental indicators: a case study from the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT

The Recent marine Ostracoda from the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean were studied by analyzing three sediment samples, two of them were collected from the shallow marine environment in Aden city, and the third sample was collected from the deep marine environment in the Indian Ocean. In this study, 38 species belonging to 29 genera were recorded. The aim of the current paper is to identify the recent marine Ostracoda in this region and to review the application uses of this animal in the environmental and palaeoenvironmental studies. The distribution of Ostracoda assemblages obviously shows the difference in the environmental conditions which are related to water depth. The application of statistical data on Ostracoda, such as speciation and individuality, closed and open valves and smooth or ornamented forms, were made to interpret the environmental conditions such as salinity, substrate and rate of sedimentation. The present study also reveals that there are different environmental conditions in particular coasts in Aden