Levantamento e caracterização dos macroinvertebrados bentônicos do naufrágio Pirapama (PE)

Abstract

Coral reefs have great biodiversity, serving as a shelter, nursery and feeding place for several species of vertebrates and invertebrates. As with natural reefs, the consolidated artificial substrate character gives these structures the ability to recruit larvae from the most diverse marine organisms. For this reason, these artificial ecosystems have been described as facilitating the arrival of exotic species to the coast. Thus, the objective was to carry out a survey and characterization of the benthic macroinvertebrate community of the centenary Naufrágio Pirapama, seeking to classify it according to its occurrence status, geographic distribution and trophic groups, as well as to compare these data with the results published ten years ago in similar research on the same shipwreck, allowing a temporal evaluation of this community. The entire structure of the wreck was observed through scuba diving, and sessile and sedentary macroinvertebrates were recorded with the aid of underwater cameras, pencils and PVC plates. All individuals were photographed and/or filmed in as much detail as possible, with all data being recorded in situ for their classification and location in the wreck. Minimal collections were performed with the aid of a hammer, chisel, Zip Lock plastic bags, nylon clamps and conditioned in 70% or 95% alcohol. In the laboratory, all fauna was identified at the lowest possible taxonomic level, with the help of microscopes, specialists and pertinent bibliography, and all species characterization was done through specific academic literature. In total, 44 taxa distributed among the phyla Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Annelida, Porifera, Arthropoda, Chordata, Mollusca and Bryozoa were identified. Compared to the 2010 survey, of the 76 taxa, 31 of them were not registered, but, on the other hand, there were 12 new ones for the shipwreck. Currently, three trophic groups were observed (Suspensivores, Detritivores and Carnivores), while for the previous check-list, in addition to these, the Herbivore and Omnivore groups were recorded. For both periods, the Filtered suspensivores showed a predominance greater than 80%. Regarding its status, the evaluated community showed a predominance of cryptogenic and native species from 2010 to the present, with only three non-invasive exotic species: the octocoral Carijoa riisei, the red lobster Panulirus argus and the barnacle Balanus trigonus. All organisms currently observed in the Pirapama wreck are commonly reported from the Brazilian coast and Pernambuco coast, making the benthic macroinvertebrate community of the studied artificial reef very similar to those observed in coastal reef environments.