Spatio-temporal Distribution of the Genus Acartia (Copepoda: Calanoida) in the Southwestern Waters of Korea

The spatio-temporal distribution of four coexisting acartiid species in two subgenera Acartiura (Acartia hongi and A. omorii) and Odontacartia (A. erythraea and A. pacifica) was examined at seven stations in the southwestern waters of Korea, between January to December 1998. A. hongi occurred dominantly in the northern regions from winter to spring while A. omorii predominated in the southern regions in spring and early summer when the more saline (> 33.0 psu) and high chlorophyll-$\alpha$ concentration water mass appeared. With the increase of temperature (> $20^{\circ}C$), however, both species disappeared and then replaced with A. erythraea and A. pacifica. A. erythraea (rare species), appeared in the middle regions where the high chlorophyll-$\alpha$ concentration ($3{\mu}g\; I^{-1}$) in the summer, while A. pacifica was abundant in all regions through summer and fall. It is suggested that the seasonal succession of the genus Acartia was subgenus-specifically affected by environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and chlorophyll-$\alpha$ concentration.