Tintinnida (Ciliophora) as bio-indicator for certain pollutants at al-max area, Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Tintinnids community was studied seasonally at Al-Max area during the period from spring 2014 to winter 2015. This study was aimed to throw light on the occurrence of tintinnid species that considered as bio-indicators for certain environmental factors. Fifty three species of tintinnids belong to 21 genera were recorded. From them eight species viz. Eutintinnus pingius, Proplectella angistior, Favella ehrenbergii, Ascampbelliiella sp, Helicostomella subulata, Tintinnopsis nudicauda, Favella panamensis and Tintinnopsis campanula are considered as bio-indicators for dissolved oxygen, salinity and pH. While Favella panamensis, Favella ehrenbergii and Tintinnopsis campanula showed that for nitrites and Favella panamensis, Favella ehrenbergii and Tintinnopsis campanula for nitrates. However, Tintinnopsis nudicauda is positively correlated for temperature and the other seven species are negatively correlated with temperature. Furthermore, Tintinnopsis radix, Tintinnopsis campanula, Tintinnopsis nudicauda and Favella adriatica are considered as euryhaline species.