8-11 



does reach lov; levels during July, August and September, but not to the 

 degree and duration observed at Station 5 (Section 3.0). Stations 8 and 

 11, particularly along the edges of the shipping channel, consist largely 

 of black/grey marine mud (NAI, 1972) which is cohesive enough to allow 

 several types of organisms to burrow into it for shelter. Lobsters, 

 mantis shrimp and sand shrimp, all of which are burrowers , were found in 

 high abundances in these areas (Table 8-3) . The benthic infauna, con- 

 sisting primarily of polychaetes, oligochaetes and molluscs, was occa- 

 sionally abundant in this area (NAI, 1978a) and the sediments contained 

 much detritus. As a result, predatory species such as Asterias forbesi, 

 Lunatia heros , Polinices duplicata, Neopanope sayi, Pagurus longicarpus , 

 and to a lesser degree. Cancer irroratus , have an ample food supply and 

 are common to the area. 



In the outer harbor area, fluctuations in salinity, tempera- 

 ture and dissolved oxygen are reduced due to increased Long Island Sound 

 influence and decreased freshwater influence from the three main tribu- 

 taries to New Haven Harbor. As a result, certain species which were 

 absent or collected in low abundances in the inner harbor were collected 

 in high abundances in the outer harbor. Principal species in this 

 category were Cancer irroratus , Pagurus pollicaris and Libinia emar- 

 ginata. Lobsters, mantis shrimp and sand shrimp were taken in lesser 

 abundances in the outer harbor — possibly as a result of differences in 

 the sediment composition. Since lobsters readily establish shelter in 

 rocky habitats that are not conducive to trawling, it is deemed probable 

 that their abundance in the outer harbor amongst the rocky outcrops and 

 harbor breakwaters was greater than indicated by outer harbor trawl 

 data; the abundance of lobster traps in the vicinity of the breakwaters 

 and adjacent hard-bottom areas supports this conclusion (NAI, 1977) . 



Many epibenthic invertebrates in New Haven Harbor undergo 

 seasonal changes in abundance apparently related to changes in water 

 temperature and possibly dissolved oxygen. In general, abundance was 

 highest during periods of moderate water temperatures - i.e., late 

 spring to early summer and fall; it was lowest during periods of extreme 



