ABSTRACT. POPULATION STRUCTURE OF THE SEAWEED DWELLERHYALE MEDIA (DANA) (AMPII IPODA, GAMMARIDEA , HVALlDA E) FROM CAIOBÁ , MATlNIIOS, PARANÁ, BRAZIL.A study ofcolTelation between the tota l body length and the som ites length was c31Tied out in a population of l-fyale media (Dana, 1857), in order to know whi ch somite or group of som ites has the highest correlation index w ith the total body Iength. As the sum ofthe length ofthe first to fourth pereonites showed th e highest linear correlation index (Y=0.0764+0.2736X; r=0.9723), this meristic parameter was chosen to describe the population structure ofthe spec ies. The following aspects were treated: di stributi on of the body size classes in the various phytals, population compos itioll, seasonal Ouctuatioll of population density, relative freq uency of the ov igerous females and correlation between th e body length alld the number of eggs inside the marsupium 01' the ovigerous females. The amphipods were obtained from the seasona l collections of six phyta ls from a rocky seashore of Caiobá, Paraná State: Plerosiphonia pellnala (Roth) Falkenberg, Gymnogongrus griffithsiae (Turner) Martius, Pteroc/adia capillacea (G melin) Bornet & Thured, SargasslIIlI cymosum Garth, GelidiulJI sp and Uiva fasciata Delile; they did not occurred in Padilla gyll7llo;pora (Kútsing) Vickers and POIphyra alropurpurea (O liv i) De Toni. The ai r temperature osc illated from 16°C (winter and autumn) to 23°C (s ummer), the surtàce water temperature from 17°C (winter) to 25°C (summer) and the sllrlàce water salinity , Ii'om 29.3%. (autumn) to 32.8%. (winter). The density ofl-fyale media varied fro m 0.20 ind.g-I (in Uiva) to 26.37 ind.g-I (in Plerosiphonia) ofalga-substratum weigth, and th e population was distribllted mainly in branched a lgae. Tt was detennined three s ize classes in the population, within a range li'om 0.0 I to 2.99m111 of pereonits 1-4 length. Small amphipods prefer finely branched algae like Gyll1l1ogongrus and Pterosiphollia, whereas broad-thallii or less branched a lgae suc h as SargasslIm , Pleroc!adia, Gelidium and Uiva harbour proporcionally high number of large indi viduais. The life cycle of Hyale media takes place wholly in the phytals and the species reproduces cOlltinually ali year round: males, ovigerous females and juveniles are present every season. The highest female reproductive activity occurs in winter and the juveniles are more numerous in Sllmmer. The number of eggs inside the marsupiul11 and the pereonites 1-4 length has a linear correlation (Y=-9,9682+ 12,0729X; 1 = 0.8024).