In zooplankton surveys, many smaller
taxa or species considered less important are often
overlooked. One such example is the actinotrocha
larvae of phoronid worms that are rarely quantifed
in zooplankton samples yet may play important roles
in marine food webs. To gain a better understanding
of phoronid ecology in coastal waters, we retrospectively analysed 145 plankton samples collected from
two coastal sites in Ireland (Lough Hyne and Bantry
Bay). Samples were collected using plankton nets
from depths of 20 and 40 m. Phoronids were present
in 37.7% and 38.2% of samples, with mean abundances of 0.3±0.5 ind. m−3 and 1.2±2.8 ind. m−3,
respectively, and were identifed as Phoronis muelleri
and Phoronis hippocrepia. Phoronids were present consistently each year from April to October at Lough
Hyne and from February to October at Bantry Bay.
Comparisons with other taxa in Lough Hyne show
that abundances are similar to those of fsh larvae
(1.1±1.8 ind. m−3) and echinoderm larvae (2.3±4.4
ind. m−3). Examination of these samples from Irish
waters suggests that phoronids are more abundant in
temperate waters than previously reported.