SEASONAL-VARIATION IN ASSEMBLAGES OF MOBILE EPIFAUNA INHABITING 3 SUBTIDAL BROWN SEAWEEDS IN NORTHEASTERN NEW-ZEALAND

Seasonal variation in densities of mobile epifauna associated with thr ee species of subtidal brown seaweeds (Phaeophyta) was investigated ov er 2-3 years in northeastern New Zealand. There was strong seasonal va riation in the total number of individuals per plant wet weight for ep ifauna inhabiting two fucalean seaweeds of the genus Calpophyllum, wit h epifaunal densities roughly tracking solar irradiance. In contrast, epifaunal densities on the laminarian Ecklonia radiata peaked during a utumn/winter in the first two years of sampling, and during spring in the third, showing no predictable seasonal pattern of abundance. Few i ndividual epifaunal taxa showed clear seasonal abundance patterns, eve n on the Carpophyllum spp. The composition of the epifaunal assemblage on each seaweed species was fairly constant over time.