Seasonal fluctuation and vertical distribution of Paraphysomonas(Chrysophyceae) off the coast near Syowa Station, East Ongul Island, Antarctica: -(Preliminary report)

Four species of Paraphysomonas collected from the fast- ice covered area Syowa Station, East Ongul Island ($69^{\circ}00'S,\;39^{\circ}35'$) ,Antarctica occurred in the seawater throughout the year and occasionally in the sea ice. P.. antarctica is distributed to a water depth of 35m at 51.3 during the period from August 1983 to January 1984 and also down to 600m St. 5 in September 1983 at cell concentrations of 300-350 cells/ml. The Paraphysomonas spp. were dominant during the period from July to November 1983 in the area studied. The mode of the occurrence and vertical distribution of Paraphysomonas apparently coresponds to those of the bacteria and orgarnic debris-like matter in the seawater. The main components of the plankton population in the area studied, under ice-covered conditions, are Paraphysomonas, Choanoflagellates and bacteria. This work clarified that Paraphysomonas is one o f the most important bacterivores in the microbial loop of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.