The intertidal rockpool ichthyofauna has been studied for several years in temperate and
tropical regions at the Pacific Coast, however, in Brazil, the knowledge about it is still
incipient. The aim of the present study was to investigate the fish assemblages in
tidepools located in three different habitats: rocky outcrop, mangrove forest and salt
marsh, at Areuá Island, Curuçá river estuary, North Brazil. Samples were taken
quarterly from February 2009 to November 2009, during the spring tide, following a
standardized methodology. The physicochemical parameters changed along a
topographic gradient and were responsible for the spatio-temporal distribution of fish
fauna at rocky outcrop tidepools. Salinty, mean depth and substrate heterogeneity were
the parameters that more explained the variations in fish fauna distribution A clear
segregation of fish assemblages was found between the tidepools of rocky outcrop and
vegetated habitats (tideools in mangrove forest and saltmarsh). These findings suggest
that the fish fauna has preferences for some habitats influenced by environmental
variables and substrate heterogeneity. However, more researches should be
conducted taking into account inter-and intra-specific relationships.
|
