Repositório RCAAP

This paper reports a series of data on salinity, current, nutrient and dissolved oxygen concentration observed in the Cananeia-Iguape region. The circulation of the system is dominated by tides entering from Barra de Cananéia and Barra de Icapara. Due to differences in the ebb and flood periods in Mar de Cananéia and Mar do Cubatão, residual flows of opposite directions were observed in the bottom layers of these channels. Observations from January 1982 in Mar de Cananéia showed nutrient concentrations generally higher at high tide than at low tide. The same behaviour was not observed in July 1981, when the concentrations were lower than in January. Differences in nutrient distributions in Mar de Cananeia and Bata de Trapande-Mar do Cubatao are apparently related to local influence of mixing processes, as well as to local biological and chemical processes.

Qualitative samples of flora and fauna were collected in several points, from the supralittoral fringe down to 30 m, using mainly aqualungs. Species distribution and abundance were determined along four transects, up to 200 m long, in selected places. Samples were taken from 25 x 25 cm quadrats positioned at fixed intervals along the transects down to a variable depth, depending on algal percentage cover and their substrate. The intertidal zone was populated essentially by molluscs. The subtidal was covered predominantly by macroalgae. Montastrea cavernosa, Siderastrea stellata and Mussismillia hispida were the only animal species with a significant percentage cover within the quadrats. Dictyopteris justii, D. plagiograma, Dictyota cervicornis, D. linearis, D. mertensii, Sargassum platycarpum, Sargassum sp, and Stypopodium zonale were the plants with the highest biomass and/or percentage cover, along with Amphiroa fragilissima, Caulerpa verticillata, and crustose corallines. The scarcity of sea urchins, along with the dominance of algae known to produce chemical feeding deterrents or to have a calcareous nature, points towards a strong pressure by predators, with fishes probably playing a key role in the maintenance of the structure of this subtidal community.

Thyrsitops lepidopoides larvae were caught with Bongo nets in the upper 200 m of the ocean from the coast of southern Brazil during 1975-1978. Based on a serie of 271 specimens ranging from 2.5 to 24.0 mm body lenght, morphological and osteological development of the larvae and juveniles is described. Small larvae (2.5-12.0 mm NL) can be distinguished from all known gempylid larvae by the presence of a distinct melanophore at the base of the dorsal and anal fins. The larvae have well developed dorsal and ventral spines. It is the only gempylid with six preopercular spines and non-serrated dorsal and ventral spines during the larval stage.

As many as 3408 specimens from 16 samples were collected in São Vicente Estuary, Sao Paulo, Brazil, from June 1979 to July 1980. The occurrence, growth, length-weight relationship and condition factor of the species are analysed. This estuarine region is one of the areas where the species grows, moving from it when the maturation process begins.

During the sea-bob shrimp fishery, a large quantity of miscellaneous fishes are caught, of which the most part was discarded in the sea. In this paper, quantitative aspects of this bycatch products are analized, e.g. diversity of ichthyofauna, catch per unit effort and proportions of the sea-bob shrimp versus acompanying fish fauna. Sampling has been made from Sept. 1981 to Sept. 1983 at Santos bay, one of the most important fishing area from Brazil. A total of 5583 fishes were collected during 28 fishery operations with otter-trawl.

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The frigatebird (Fregata magnificiens) often is referred to as a kleptoparasite of the brown booby (Sula lecogaster). This paper however, shows that the relationship between these species is more complex and that kleptoparasitism can be interpreted as just a part of a whole process of mutual exploration. When these birds fly behind fishing boats, F. magnificens locates the food source first and S. lecogaster then moves in and catches fish more efficiently in such a way that the frigatebird can no longer fish and has to fly away. When the fishing period is over then the frigatebird is thought to approach the brown boobies in order to get fish from them, as described in the literature, This leads to a revision on the interpretation about the relation between these species, from that of kleptoparasitism to this of mutual exploration.

The distribution of adults and juveniles of Calanoides carinatus with co-occurring copepods along two continental shelf transects off São Sebastião-Ubatuba and Paranaguá in the SE and S Brazil respectively, during December to February and May from 1975 to 1977 were studied by analysing plankton samples from 5 stations collected along each transect from 5 m above the bottom to the surface with a 0.333 mm mesh Bongo net. C. carinatus is present over the shelf along both transects only during late spring and early summer (December to February). Its density is approximately 20% and 5% of the mean copepod density estimated for São Sebastião-Ubatuba and Paranaguá respectively. Distribution of C. carinatus coincides with both that of Engraulius anchiota larvae and the spatial distribution of the South Atlantic Central waters over the São Sebastião-Ubatuba shelf from December to February. Both C. carinatus and larvae of Sardinela brasiliensis are locally abundant from December to February but do not co-occur.

This work constitutes a first contribution to the taxonomy of dinoflagellate resting cysts in planktonic samples of this region, being studied nine species of Protoperidinium Bergh and Zybabikodinium Loeblich Jr. et Loeblich III of the family Peridiniaceae. Incubation experiments with living material and parental thecae containing resting cysts in fixed samples allowed setting up of the cyst-theca relationship in P. obtusum (Karst.) Parke et Dodge, and also that verification for P. excentricum (Pauls.) Bal., P. claudicans (Pauls.) Bal., P. oblongum (Aur.) Parke et Dodge and Z. lanticalatum Loeb. Jr. et Loeb. III. P. conicides (Pauls.) Bal., P. antcuiciticum (Schimp.) Bal. P. pentagonum (Gran) Bal. and P. compressum (Abe) Bal. cysts were ' studied offering also an analysis for thecal sulcal plates for the latter species. Geographic distribution and temperature and salinity data for samples with living cysts are given.

The distribution of Squilla brasiliensis Caiman, 1917 (Crustacea Stomatopoda) is by the first time discussed in the continental plataform in the region of Rio Grande do Sul State, in relationship with depth, temperature and salinity. Apparently the distribution of that species is more related to salinity than to depth and temperature, and specially to the water mass of Subtropical origin. The largest densities were found between 84 and 128 m depth.

The marsupial development and the life oyole of Cymothoa liannae are described and discussed. This species is parasite on fishes (Chloroscombrus chrysurus) and. was collected on continental shelf of southeast Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul. Four distinct marsupial stages are recognize. The stage of infestation and the transition from male to female are also related.

The length and weight growth parameters from Sardinella brasiliensis were estimated along the Brazilian coast between 22ºS and 28ºS (RJ-SC)3 showing two distinct patterns: first for the specimens living on the Cananèia-Paranaguá lagunar regions (25º -26ºS; III) and second from those of the coastal area; in this one was identified a northern group of individuals (22º -23ºS; I) with higher growth than those inhabiting the rest of the area (23º - 25ºS; II and 26º -28ºS; IV). The results suggest that the species is not homogeneous in the area where explotation occurs, supporting previous hypothesis. The estimated values of the growth parameters were: ;

Morphological data of horse-mackerel (Trachurus lathami) were analysed from samples obtained on the Brazilian continental shelf with the R/V "Prof. W. Besnard" during four oceanographic cruises in 1975. Results have shown that there are no distinct populations in the studied area. Analysing its distribution and abundance, it was verified that the species occurred in the whole área, tending to concentrate southward (28º - 30ºS). Comparing these results with those found in literature, hypothesis about the existence of another population in southern areas (south of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina) are discussed.

In this note an experiment on transportation of alive krill from the Antarctica to Brazil during the V Brazilian Expedition to the Antarcticas austral summer 1986-198?3 was reported. The aquarium system and the krill mortality in function of time and other events dur-lng the experiment were described. The importance of this experiment for the development of experimental studies of krill was discussed.

The fauna of Spartina alterniflora from upper and lower shore levels has been monthly studied, from August 1981 to July 1982, in the Cananeia estuarine region, southern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil (25º02'S - 47º56'W). Biological samples were obtained by quadrats from two transects parallel to the water level. The mean density for the upper transect was 3,230 ind/m² and 2,403 ind/m² for the lower transect. Isopoda was the dominant group at both belts, Polychaeta was present consistently at lower transect and Gastropoda was at upper one. Monthly fluctuations of densities of several groups was related to plant biomass.

The present paper deals with the isopods present in the stomach content of Sympterygia acuta and S. bonapartei, two species of Rajidae frequently found along Rio Grande do Sul coast. Eight species of isopods were found in the stomachs analysed, and Ancinus gaucho sp.n. showed to be an important food resource for the fishes, especially for S. bonapartei. The difference found in the diet composition of both species of skates seems to reflect a non selective feeding of the fishes on distinct benthic communities. The description of Ancinus gaucho is also furnished herein as well as a key to the known species of the genus.

Gonadosomatio index (RGS) , mean ovaries length and weight variations has been analysed in order to verify if they may be used as quantitative indicators of spawning period and gonadal development in Micropogonias funieri, population I (23º-29ºS). The analysis of the relationships between gonadosomatio index and total weight single valuesy for females in the same maturity stage, didn't show dependence, being a constant value for each stage, which makes it useful as an a indicator of gonadal development. The three indices showed cyclic Variations with modal values corresponding to the three spawning periods (autumn, winter and spring-summer).

Hydrographic conditions on the continental shelf offshore of Ubatuba have shown different water mass distributions for summer (December, 1985) and winter (July, 1986). Two physical domains were identified: inner shelf and outer shelf, both separated by a front particularly well defined during the winter, The inner shelf has a two layer vertical stratification during summer, with a strong thermocline at mid-depths. During winter this region shows almost no stratification, During summer the upper layer (depths smaller than 20 m) is filled with Coastal Water (CW), which interacts with Tropical Water (TW) offshore. South Atlantic Central Water (SACA) predominates in the lower layer during surrmer. Vertical interaction between CW and SACA is restricted to a band near the coast. During winter SACA does not penetrate towards the coast in the lower layer and, as a consequence, the inner shelf shows the presence of CW only. For winter interactions between CW and SACA are observed only across the front that separates inner and outer shelf. For this season there is also a noticeable intrusion of TW towards the coast on the upper layer of the outer shelf. A descriptive model for the wind driven seasonal circulation of the inner shelf is sugested, based on: 1) the water mass distributions observed and: 2) meteorological conditions from a coastal station located southward of Ubatuba, The outer shelf dynamics seems to suffer strong influence from the Brazil Current. Eddies or meanders with characteristics of frontal eddies, have been observed on both seasons on the outer shelf. These eddies should play an important role on the water mass exchange between the shelf and the slope, contributing for the enrichment of shelf waters by the upward motion of deeper waters through its core.

Through a monthly beach seine survey programme carried out in the coastal beach of Mar Casado (Guarujá-SP) and in the estuarine beach of Mar Pequeno (São Vicente-SP), from May, 1984 to May, 1985, it was yielded a total of 5723 individuals of 42 species of marine and estuarine fish. A list of species, seasonal occurrence and relative abundances is presented. For each area, we found only five dominant species as: in Mar Casado, Trachinotus carolinus and T. falctus (Carangidae), juveniles of Mugilidae, Harengula clupeola (Clupeidae) and Eucinostmus melanopterus (Gerreidae); in Mar Pequeno, juveniles of Mugilidae, Xenomelaniris brasilienses (Atherinidae), Opisthonema oglinum and Harengula clupeola (Clupeidae). In Mar Pequeno we found the greatest richness of species, the highest values of individuals's number, and CPUE, apparently related with water's temperature that are lower in winter and higher in summer-fall. The Shannon-Weaver Index was calculated to determine the diversity of ichthyofauna; it varies seasonally and seems not to be related with any hydrological parameters.

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