New records of Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) from shallow waters off Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil

Abstract

Aspects of the distribution and ecology of ophiuroids from shallow waters off Maceió, State of Alagoas in north-eastern Brazil were characterized. The ophiuroid fauna comprised 16 species in nine genera and seven families, including three endemic species from Brazil, Ophiocnida loveni, Ophiactis brasiliensis and Amphiura kinbergi, and also four new records for the coastal reef system off north-eastern Brazil. On coral reefs 15 species were found and Ophiothrix angulata was the most abundant species. The sandstone reefs presented six species with dominance to Ophioderma appressa. Four of these species were associated with the fouling community on piers. Ophioderma appressa and Ophioderma cinerea were common in the intertidal zone on the reef edges and tide pools on coral reefs. The results demonstrated the presence of a large number of Ophiuroidea species in the shallow waters of Maceió, and expanded their distributions to the State of Alagoas and the reef systems of north-eastern Brazil.

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

“…In Northeastern Brazil occurs in Maranhão (present study), Ceará (Lima-Verde 1969), Paraíba (Gondimet al 2008;, Alagoas (Lima et al 2011), Sergipe (Prata-Oliveira et al 2010, and Bahia (Alves and Cerqueira 2000;Magalhães et al 2005;Manso et al 2008).…”

“…In Northeastern Brazil, found in Maranhão (Albuquerque 1986), Ceará (Lima-Verde 1969), Paraíba (Gondim et al 2008), Alagoas (Lima et al 2011), and Bahia (Magalhães et al 2005;Manso et al 2008).…”

“…In Northeastern Brazil it occurs in Maranhão, Ceará (Albuquerque and Guile 1991;Borges and Amaral 2006), Alagoas (Lima et al 2011), and Bahia (Magalhães et al 2005;Manso et al 2008). Figure 3E-F Diagnosis: Disk subpentagonal, covered by imbricating scales of different sizes.…”

“…Figure 4E (Hendler et al 1995). In Northeastern Brazil, occurs in Maranhão, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco (Albuquerque 1986), Alagoas (Albuquerque 1986;Lima et al 2011), and Bahia (Abrolhos) (Tommasi 1970b;Tommasi and Aron 1988). Figure 4G-H Diagnosis: Disk circular, covered by large imbricating scales.…”

New record of the Six-holed Keyhole Urchin, Leodia sexiesperforata (Leske, 1778) (Clypeasteroida, Mellitidae), from the Brazilian coast, with an updated distribution map

“…Recently faunistic inventories of Echinodermata in northeastern Brazil have been published for the following states: Maranhão (Gondim et al 2013), Piauí (Gondim and Giacometti 2010, Gondim et al 2013, Ceará (Martins and Queiroz 2006, Manso et al 2014), Paraíba (Gondim et al 2008, Gondim et al 2014a, Pernambuco (Fernandes et al 2002, Lima andFernandes 2009), Alagoas (Lima et al 2011, Miranda et al 2012, and Bahia (Alves and Cerqueira 2000, Magalhães et al 2005, Manso et al 2008). The few data from Sergipe state comes from an inventory by Oliveira et al 2010, who also includes materials from other states in the Northeast Region such as Paraíba, Alagoas, and Bahia.…”