OSTRACOD FAUNA ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLITTORAL KELP FOREST VEGETATION AT WINDANG-ISLAND, NEW-SOUTH-WALES, AUSTRALIA

Sublittoral kelp forests, such as those occupying the wave-dominated s hallow marine rocky substrata around Windang Island, New South Wales, provide an important habitat for ostracods, This is reflected in the d iverse biocoenotic assemblage (69 species, including one new genus and three new species) and populations of juveniles recorded from this ar ea, The thanatocoenotic assemblage contributes a further 37 ostracod s pecies. The total assemblage is more diverse than, and has only 17 spe cies in common with, the previously documented intertidal biocoenotic assemblages around Windang Island. The distribution of the more abunda nt ostracod species reflects the energy levels within the environment, with a greater proportion of smooth-shelled forms occurring in the hi gher-energy zones at shallow depths. Most of the thanatocoenose popula tion represents species moved up from the deeper shelf or into the reg ion from the adjacent tidal channel into Lake Illawarra, rather than s pecies from the intertidal region around Windang Island.