Ecological characteristics of mollusks in the Utlyukskij Liman

Phylum Mollusca is represented in the Utlyukskij liman by 63 species, of which 43 belong to class Gastropoda and 20 species to class Bivalvia. Main groups of mollusks within the Utlyukskij Liman are irregularly distributed, and each part has a some slightly peculiarities. Data obtained show a weak correlation between the composition of mollusk communities and the type of the bottom. It was noted the presence of sufficiently stable "core" of malacofauna of entire estuary; while the composition of mollusk communities in certain areas reflects the specifics of the local hydrological conditions. Both quantitative and qualitative characters of mollusk communities are extremely inconstant in the the Utlyukskij Liman within the same area and even within the same sampling station. The structure and the proportion of mollusk groups is changing in a very short time.
Key words: Mollusca; fauna; distribution; ecology; Utlyukskij Liman; the Sea of Azov.