Distribuição ecológica dos Brachyura (Crustacea, Decapoa) do sublitoral rochoso de ilhas continentais do litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo

• Autor(a) principal: Alves, Douglas Fernandes Rodrigues [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/11449/108447
• topic: Caranguejo - Distribuição geográfica; Nicho (Ecologia); Habitat (Ecologia); Ecologia animal; Animal ecology

The aim of this study is to evaluate the ecological distribution of brachyurans that inhabit the rocky subtidal of continental islands of the north coast of São Paulo State. Within this aim, four specific objectives were set: to evaluate the distribution of brachyurans in macroscale among sampling locations; to assess the ecological relevance of microhabitats selected a priori for crabs; to evaluate the distribution of Brachyura in microscale among microhabitats considered relevant; and to describe and compare the temporal dynamics of the communities recorded in each collection site. Samplings were carried out in two localities, Rapada Island (23º25'27''S-44º54'15''W) and Couves Islet (23º25'15''S-44º51'39''W), both in the north coast of São Paulo. The samples were collected monthly, between August/2008 and July/2010 in the rocky subtidal, by SCUBA diving. The “microhabitat” was noted for each sampled crab, as rocks (R), rock/sand interface (R/S), gravel (G), or in association with other invertebrates, (AI). Temperature and salinity were also recorded during sampling. A total of 40 species of Brachyura were found, with 32 species for Couves Islet and 34 species for Rapada Island, highlighting that in both islands M. forceps was recorded as the most abundant and frequent crab. In each site, the brachyuran community showed a distinct composition and hierarchic organization. Differences regarding composition and number of species accumulated among the four microhabitats selected a priori. For each microhabitat a distinct hierarchic composition and organization was recorded, which also differed between localities. The set of most abundant species, verified during the whole sampling period, were recorded at the four microhabitat types, however, only M. forceps was abundant and frequent for all of them. The communities established in both islands revealed similar temporal dynamics, but with remarkable ...