Marine invertebrates associated with rhodoliths/maërl beds from northeast Brazil (State of Paraíba)

Abstract

Marine invertebrates are a group of animals characterized by the absence of a backbone, living in the oceanic zone around the world, being remarkably common associated with rhodolith/maërl beds (non-geniculated red corallinaceous algae). A total of 59 species were identified, belonging to six phyla (Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Sipuncula, Mollusca, Arthropoda, and Echinodermata), of which 52 are considered here as new records. The annelids (Class Polychaeta) were the most representative taxa in Miramar and Seixas beaches, while molluscs were mostly found in Maceió Beach.This is the first study that include an identification guide, diagnostic features and distribution patterns worldwide and local (including new records) of the marine invertebrate fauna associated with rhodolith beds in Northeast Brazil (State of Paraíba). Sampling were performed in 2018, at low tide in the intertidal to shallow subtidal zones (1.5 and 4.0m depth), in the Miramar, Seixas and Maceió beaches. Of all the identified species, 18 are new records for the Seixas, and all identified species for Miramar and Maceió beaches are new occurrences. This work proposes to contribute to the knowledge of marine invertebrates in Northeast Brazil, providing support for future environmental studies.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• new records
• distribution
• calcareou