MACROINVERTEBRATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLACK SPONGE Sarcotragus foetidus SCHMIDT, 1862 (PORIFERA: DEMOSPONGIAE) IN ISKENDERUN BAY, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALIEN SPECIES

The macroinvertebrate fauna associated with the sponge Sarcotragus foetidus Schmidt, 1862 was determined in the present study.The study was carried out at five different stations (1-2m) choseen in Iskenderun Bay in July 8-15, 2016 and samples were obtained in three different stations.As a result of the present study, a total of 424 specimens belonging to 38 species of seven systematic grups were identified.Among the species determined, Synalpheus gambaroloides (Nardo, 1847) was the most dominant species representative with dominance value of 32.31%, followed by Brachidontes pharaonis (P.Fischer, 1870) with of 11.32% and other species with a value of 56.37%.Ostrea sp. is firstly reported in association with the sponge species.Two alien species [Alpheus rapacida de Man, 1908 and B. pharaonis] were detected and B. pharaonis was one of the continuous species with the highest frequency value.