Ostracods collected at 14 fixed stations from the Miho Bay to Lake Shinji on the Japan Sea coast of south west Japan were studied in relation to geography, bottom sediment and water quality data.
Ostracode assemblages in the study area were mainly divided into 4 biofacies. The distribution of their biofacies seems to be related to 4 environmental factors, which are salinity, bottom sediments, water depth and distance from the coast. Especially, salinity is closely related with the specific distribution of ostracodes, and the specific component of the ostracode assemblage is strongly influenced by the seasonal differentiation of water.