Macrofauna bêntica do Parque Estadual Marinho de Areia Vermelha, Cabedelo, Paraíba, Brasil

Abstract

Abstract:The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park (Cabedelo Municipality, Paraiba State, Brazil) was established by the State Government to preserve the local biodiversity and to regulate touristic activities in the area. More than a decade after the creation of this park, we provide the first inventory of the benthic macrofauna of this single exclusively marine conservation unit in our State. Specimens were collected between February and April of 2008. Animals were sampled through intensive searches in the diverse microhabitats available on the reefs. A total of 102 species were identified belonging to Cnidaria (13 spp.), Mollusca (57 spp.), Crustacea (15 spp.), Echinodermata (15 spp.), and Ascidiacea (2 spp.). Fourteen out of these represent new occurrences for the coast of Paraiba State: Pennaria disticha, Encope emarginata, Aplysia dactylomela, Arene brasiliana, Hipponix leptus, Olivella nivea, Mancinella deltoidea, Notocochlis isabelleana, Pilsbryspira albocincta, Pilsbryspira zebroides, Cymatium cynocephalum, Mactrellona alata, Mactrotoma fragilis, and Mulinia cleryana. Three are endangered species according to the Brazilian legislation: Millepora alcicornis (hydrozoan coral), Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus, and E. (O.) brasiliensis (sea stars). One species, the lobster Panulirus laevicauda, is considered over-exploited. Among the mollusks, Voluta ebraea and Turbinella laevigata are endemic to northeast Brazil; they are particularly vulnerable in the area of the park because of their relevance to the commerce of marine ornamental species. Our pilot study has revealed the presence of species of particular ecological and economic importance, confirming the special relevance of the studied area for conservation. It now becomes imperative that management entities delineate an efficient plan for the conservation and monitoring of this important conservation unit. Keywords: biodiversity, benthos, inventories, conservation units.

A taxonomic guide to the brittle-stars (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) from the State of Paraíba continental shelf, Northeastern Brazil

“…Individuals analyzed in this study had a number of interradial scales smaller than observed by Tommasi (1970) for specimens from southeastern Brazil (about 12 scales). This is apparently a rare species in reef environments of Paraiba, and has been reported only in two reefs of this coast (Gondim et al 2008, 2011). …”

“…Existing knowledge to the Paraíba coast is limited to occasional citations in Rathbun (1879), Lyman (1882), H.L. Clark (1915), Tommasi (1970), Thomas (1973), Albuquerque (1986), Albuquerque and Guille (1991), Young (1986), and Gondim et al (2008, 2010, 2011). …”

Checklist of the Holothuroidea (Echinodermata) from the State of Paraíba, Brazil

“…According the previous studies (see Brito 1962;Lima-Verde 1969;Gondim et al 2008Gondim et al , 2011Prata et al 2014aPrata et al , 2016b, only 11 species were recorded for the coast of the State of Paraíba. The species Thyonidium seguroensis, Ocnus braziliensis, Thyone pawsoni, T. pseudofusus and Coronatum baiensis are now added to this occurrence list.…”

Annotated checklist of Echinoderms from Maranhão and Piauí States, Northeastern Brazil

“…In Northeastern Brazil it occurs in Maranhão (Rathbun 1879), Piauí (Gondim and Mai 2010), Ceará (Lima-Verde 1969), Paraíba (Gondim et al 2011), Pernambuco (Rathbun 1879;Fernandes et al 2002;Lima andFernandes 2009), Alagoas (Prata-Oliveira et al 2010), and Bahia (Magalhães et al 2005;Manso et al 2008). Figure 2D Diagnosis: Body cylindrical, with thick wall.…”