Density Composition and Feeding Guild of the Dominant Polychaetous Community in Shallow Muddy Bottom in Tomioka Bay, Amakusa, Japan

Polychaetous community survey in Tomioka Bay was carried out 5 times seasonally from May 1991 to March 1992 by quantitative grab sampling (0.05m2) at 11 stations. Based on the granulometric composition and environmental factors, a homogeneous soft bottom was found in St.5-10. The species of the polychaete were classified into three feeding groups using the Fauchald and Jumars' feeding guild system. According to polychaetous community composition data, deposit feeders predominate in sandy silt area where the silt-clay content is $60-69.3\%.$ These deposit feeders were subdivided into surface deposit feeders and subsurface deposit feeders by their living position and mode. Also, suspension feeding group comes as the third dominant group. Seasonal changes of each feeding group were described in terms of numerical density and biomass. Feeding layer and types of dominant species (Lumbrineris longifolia: surface deposit feeder; Praxillella pacifica: subsurface deposit feeder; Chone duneri; suspension filter feeder, etc.) were examined in the intact sediment core samples. Also, longterm density change among the three dominant species during 10 years was disussed.