Distribuição e abundância da malacofauna epibentônica no Parracho de Maracajaú, RN, Brasil

The mollusks present a great taxon variety and life habits in coral reefs being good environmental indicators. It is important to know the distribution pattern of the mollusks and the processes that influence it, so that disturbances in sea ecosystems could be monitored. The present study aims to accomplish the inventory and distribution of epibenthic mollusks in the Parracho of Maracajaú. 23 sites in different habitats of the Parracho were settled: 11 in the reef habitat, 3 in the sandy bottom and 9 in the seagrass bed. Qualitative and quantitative samplings have been done through snorkeling and scuba diving. Three band transects (10m²) were sampled in each site and the data were obtained to each m² of the transect, where the species were counted and the environmental variables (rugosity and recovery of the substratum) were valued. The data were submitted to multivariate analyses in order to find possible distribution patterns that could be associated to the substratum variables. The diversity indexes were calculated for each reef sites and compared with each other. A number of 46 species were registered. The reef habit at should to be the richnest area while the sandy bottom was poorest one. In the reef habitat, the mollusks were associated to rugosity and recovering of frondose algae and zoanthids, while for the seagrass bed, the animals exhibited a richness variation associated to the muddy and sandy sediment. There were found 3 species economically explored, what requires an appropriate management for the maintenance and conservation of the area resources in a sustainable way

Diversidade de macroalgas marinhas bentônicas dos recifes de Maracajaú, área de preservação ambiental dos recifes de corais, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Despite the importance of coral reefs to humanity, these environments have been threatened throughout the world. Several factors contribute to the degradation of these ecosystems. The Maracajaú Reef Complex, in Rio Grande do Norte state is part of the Coral Reefs Environment Preservation Area in northeastern Brazil. This area has been receiving an increasing influx of tourism and the integrity of the local reefs is a matter of concern. In this study, the reef macroalgae communities were studied and compared within two areas distinguished by the presence or absence of tourism activities. Two sample sites were chosen: the first one, where diving activities are intense; and the other, where these practices do not occur. Samples were collected at both sites within a quadrate of 625 cm2 of area randomly thrown 5 times along a 10 meters transect line. Richness, Shannon-Hill diversity and Simpson dominance indices were determined based on biomass data. Similarity between sites was analyzed with Bray-Curtis similarity and distance index. Fifty-eight macroalgae species were observed, including 7 Chlorophyta, 13 Phaeophyta and 38 Rhodophyta. In the non-disturbed site, 49 species were found, while at the disturbed site, there were 42 species. Dictyotaceae and Corallinaceae were the most representative families at the non-disturbed site, and Rhodomelaceae and Dictyotaceae at the disturbed site. The non-disturbed site presented a higher biomass and the greatest richness and diversity indices. In the disturbed site the dominance index was greater and Caulerpa racemosa was the dominant species. The dendogram based on similarity index showed two major clusters, and an isolated element at the center that corresponds to a sample from the disturbed site. In the first cluster, samples from the non-impacted site were predominant and fleshy brown algae were more conspicuous. The second cluster was composed primarily of samples from the impacted site, where C. racemosa and red filamentous and erect calcareous algae associations (turf forming) were observed covering large extensions. These associations are represented by groups of algae adapted to environments where disturbances are frequent. They can grow rapidly on substrate where benthic community was removed and do not allow the establishment of other species. The results of the present study show that tourism activity is an impacting factor that has been causing shifts in macroalgae communities in the Maracajaú Reef Complex

Projeto raia de fogo: aspectos populacionais da raia de fogo (Dasyatis marianae Gomes, Rosa & Gadig, 2000) e pesca de elasmobrânquios no complexo recifal do Parracho de Maracajaú

The species Dasyatis marianae inhabits coastal areas associated with coral reefs, considered endemic to the northeast of Brazil, occurring from the State of Maranhão to the south of Bahia. Specimens of this species are commonly sighted by divers and fishermen in the area of Maracajaú reefs, a complex reef that is part of the Environmental Protection Area of Coral Reefs (EPACR), which was developed in this study about the ecology and biology of the D. marianae, in order to characterize aspects of population structure in the area of the reef complex of Parracho de Maracajaú. We analyzed 120 specimens caught by artisanal fishing site of the size, weight, sex, stage of maturity and stomach contents. Most subjects were adult males (1.7:1) and was more abundant for rays with lengths between 25 and 29cm of LD, where females reach larger sizes, a feature common to other rays. The largest specimens were captured in the area of seagrass, which is preferred for the species. The distribution of species in the area showed an ontogenetic and sexual segregation, where the youthful occur near the beach, which is a likely area for nursery and growth of the adult females prevail in the seagrass, which apparently has a high prey availability, and Adult males are more distant, a higher proportion occurring in outlying areas, suggesting a habit more exploratory than the females. The evaluation of the reproductive system indicated 3 reproductive cycles per year, one young per pregnancy, and showed that the mature males were smaller than females. The cubs of D. marianae size at birth 12 to 15cm LD. As for diet, the species was characterized as carnivorous crustacean specialist. The performance of visual censuses in different localities allowed to evaluate the density of D. marianae in different environments of the complex. The species occurs in greater numbers in seagrass, environment very important for the conservation of the species. 100 individuals of D. marianae marked in reef complex area enrolled in a recapture rate of 3%. Some behavioral aspects were evaluated, as diurnal pattern of activity, interaction with cleaning and fish Pomacanthus paru followers as Lutjanus analis and Carangoides bartholomaei. Overall, much of the information obtained should be used for management of the species