The Mysidacea of Galveston Island.

Mysidacea were collected from the West Bay near-shore area and the seaside beach of Galveston Island at monthly intervals from February, 1971 through January, 1972. Samples were made with a 5-foot beam trawl with netting of 50 openings per cm2 and with a No. 1 mesh plankton net with a removable bucket tied over the cod. About 60,000 specimens were collected and identified. Because the determinations were difficult, the key taxonomic characters were described for each mysid species. The relative abundance of each of the seven species was given in order of descending abundance. Mysidopsis almyra Bowman was the most abundant species collected throughout the study, and was found in salinities ranging from 1.3 to 40.0 ppt. Mysidopsis bahia Molenock was collected in fairly large abundances in salinities ranging from 18.4 to 37.8 ppt. Metamysidopsis swifti Bacescu was taken mainly in the surf zone of the seaside beach in salinities ranging from 26.1 to 35.1 ppt. Mysidopsis bigelowi Tattersall was taken in salinities ranging from 19.4 to 29.7 ppt. A few specimens of Brasilomysis castroi Bacescu were collected in salinities ranging from 28.1 to 33.5 ppt. Four specimens of Promysis atlantica Tattersall were collected in salinities ranging from 24.3 to 33.5 ppt. This is the first report of this species from Texas waters. One specimen of Bowmaniella brasillensis Bacescu was taken in a salinity of 23.1 ppt.