海産メイオベントス（小型底生動物）の採集および抽出方法

抄録

Meiobenthos is a term usually referring to microscopic benthic organisms which pass through a 1 mm mesh sieve and are retained on a 32–63 μm one. Meiobenthos occurs in any aquatic environment, shows high species diversity as well as high biomass, and often plays an important role in ecological and evolutionary studies. However, the species diversity of these animals in Japanese waters has been insufficiently investigated. Here we review several methodologies for collecting extant meiobenthos from the marine environment, including the method for sampling sediments in various environments, extracting meiobenthos from the sediment samples, and some tips for sorting, fixation, and observation of them.