Distribution and role of the genus Oithona (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) in the South China Sea

SummaryThe relationships between the small cyclopoid copepod Oithona and hydrological factors, phytoplankton and ichthyoplankton were evaluated using the data obtained in the central South China Sea (SCS) in summer 2014. The genus abundance ranged from 6.00 ind. m−3 to 93.75 ind. m−3 with high abundance band occurring in the branch of SCS Monsoon Jet. The lower temperature and higher salinity in the surface water of the band than other zones indicated that deep water intrusion was a positive factor for aggregation of the genus. The community structure of the genus was dominated by Oithona plumifera and Oithona similis made up 97% of the genus abundance associated with Oithona tenuis. The result of db-RDA analysis showed that the community structure of the genus was affected by temperature, Chl a, larval fishes and fish spawns, and temperature was the most important limiting factor. The result of GAMs analysis showed that abundance of O. tenuis, and copepodites were affected by Chl a, larval fishes and fish spawns; abundance of O. similis was affected by Chl a and fish spawns; and abundance of O. plumifera was affected by Chl a and larval fishes. Therefore, we suggest that the branch of SCS Monsoon Jet and deep water intrusion favor aggregation of plankton in the central SCS in summer. We confirm that the temperature is the limiting factor to the reproduction of the genus Oithona in tropic seas and the genus Oithona is a food-web linker between primary production and larval fishes in the central SCS.