Temporal and spatial distribution patterns of benthos at all latitudes are determined by environmental variables like the availability of food, sediment types and associated physicochemical conditions. Ecological and distribution studies on meiofauna have been carried out in India for more than five decades; however, information on their diversity, biology, and interrelationships are meager. The present review attempts to emphasize the need for studies based on uniform and standardized sampling techniques and taxonomy to understand the patterns of species diversity of meiobenthos and the effect of environmental variables on their distribution and species diversity.

The diversity of marine habitats peaks in the tropics which includes unique biotopes such as mangroves and coral reefs. Tropical intertidal communities, on the average, are subjected to greater environmental stress than temperate organisms being subjected to desiccation, low dissolved oxygen level, higher temperature, chemical defenses of plants, and monsoons. Considering the fact that a large part of India enjoys a tropical climate, and lies in the Indo-west pacific region—the principal zoogeographic area of high diversity—it would certainly be interesting to know more about the meiofaunal diversity and distribution of this region.

Meiobenthos of Coastal Marine Environments of India: A Review, diversity, environmental, species, studies, certainly, chemical, communities, defenses, attempts, Ecological, emphasize, availability, habitats, Indowest, interrelationships, latitudes, intertidal, meager, meiofauna, monsoons, meiofaunal, meiobenthos, oxygen, organisms