Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Bryozoan biodiversity in Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil

2012; Roscoff Biological Station; Volume: 53; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

2262-3094

Leandro M. Vieira, Cristiane Maria Rocha Farrapeira, Fernanda D. Amaral, Simone Maria de Albuquerque Lira,

Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

Among the marine invertebrate groups recorded from oceanic islands, bryozoans stand out because they can live and reproduce in suboptimal habitats, which may enhance their dispersal capabilities. This study aimed to update the checklist of bryozoans known from the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (ASPSP) and discusses their distribution. During the five expeditions conducted between 2007 and 2009, 22 species were found, of which 16 were new occurrences for the archipelago. The bryozoans were collected from different biotic (algae and invertebrates) and abiotic (rocks, rubble and wrecks) substrata. The bryozoan community in ASPSP includes: eight new and probably endemic species, five species that belong to widespread species complexes, three species known only from the Brazilian coast, two species reported from the Western Atlantic and one species recorded from oceanic islets in the Atlantic. Additionally, three species are widespread in tropical to subtropical waters. Margaretta buski can be highlighted as the most conspicuous and abundant species between 1045 m deep and acts as an “ecosystem engineer”. Resume : Diversite des Bryozoaires de l’archipel Saint Pierre et Saint Paul, Bresil. Parmi les invertebres insulaires, les Bryozoaires se distinguent parce qu’ils peuvent vivre et se reproduire dans des habitats sous-optimaux, ce qui peut ameliorer leurs capacites de dispersion. Cette etude visait a mettre a jour la liste des Bryozoaires de l’archipel de Saint Pierre et Saint Paul (ASPSP) et de discuter leur distribution. Au cours des cinq expeditions menees entre 2007 et 2009, 22 especes ont ete trouvees, dont 16 etaient nouvelles pour l’archipel. Les Bryozoaires ont ete recoltes sur differents substrats biotiques (algues et invertebres) et abiotiques (rochers, zone detritique, epaves). La communaute de Bryozoaires de ASPSP comprend notamment 8 especes nouvelles et probablement endemiques, 5 especes appartenant a des complexes d’especes largement distribues, 3 especes connues seulement sur les cotes bresiliennes, 2 especes signalees dans la partie ouest de l’Ocean Atlantique et 1 espece signalee autour d’ilots de l’Ocean Atlantique. En outre, 3 especes sont largement distribuees dans les eaux tropicales et subtropicales. Parmi ces especes, Margaretta buski est la plus visible et la plus abondante entre 10 et 45 m de profondeur et agit comme un “ingenieur des ecosystemes”.