Mangroves and marine oligochaete diversity.

Oligochaete worms often constitute an important component of the infauna of sediments associated with marine and brackish-water mangroves. This paper reviews the present taxonomic and distributional information of this component, as well as its possible ecological functions. To date, 56 species of marine Oligochaeta have been recorded from mangroves, but probably this is merely a fraction of the actual number occurring in these habitats worldwide. Most of the taxa belong to the family Tubificidae, but several species of Enchytraeidae are known from near the back of mangroves. Taxonomic expertise should join forces with ecologists to establish the role of these worms in the mangrove ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]