Benthic macroinvertebrates of Lake Taupo

The seasonal abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates from the profundal zone and from two transects from the littoral to the profundal zone of Lake Taupo was investigated from August 1974 to July 1975. Six bays of Lake Taupo were sampled in late winter of 1975 and 1976. The profundal fauna comprised Potamopyrgus antipodarum (32.5%), oligochaete worms (26.4%), Chironomus zealandicus (23.1%), other chironomids (0.4%), Pisidium sp. (16.9%), turbellarians (0.6%), and nematodes (0.1%). Differences in percentage species composition between the profundal zone and the transects were due to depth preferences of some species, although the nature of the sediment appeared to influence the distribution of others. The annual mean standing crop of macroinvertebrates in the profundal zone was less than that of the bays.