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Home > GCR > Vol. 17 > Iss. 1 (2005)

 

Alternate Title

Ecology of the Rock Shrimp Sicyonia dorsalis Kingsley, 1878 (Crustacea: Sicyoniidae) in a Subtropical Region of Brazil

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The present study analyzes the abundance and distribution of the rock shrimp Sicyonia dorsalis, in relation to water temperature, salinity, depth, organic matter content, and sediment texture in Mar Virado (MV), Ubatuba (UBA) and Ubatumirim (UBM), 3 distinct bays along the northern coast of São Paulo State (23°S, 45°W), Brazil. Six transects were taken in each bay, 4 being parallel to the coastline and 2 next to the rocky shores. Monthly samples were taken over a 2-year period (1998 and 1999) with a shrimp fishing boat equipped with double-rig nets. A total of 2,498 specimens was obtained with 804 from MV, 922 from UBA, and 772 from UBM. The spatial distribution of S. dorsalis did not differ among bays. Higher abundance values were recorded in areas where silt+clay comprised more than 60% of the sediment. Abundance also followed a seasonal trend, being highest during spring when intrusions of the cold South Atlantic Coastal Waters are most common, promoting the migration of this shrimp species to more sheltered areas. In short, sediment type and water temperature appear to be the most important environmental variables analyzed which affect the spatial and seasonal distribution of S. dorsalis.

First Page

49

Last Page

56

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