Distribuição da malacofauna em pilares dos terminais portuários de Ceará - Brasil, com ênfase no bivalve invasor Isognomon Bicolor

Abstract

Ports add artificial structures to the marine environment giving the establishments of natives epibenthics organisms and exotics species due to intense ship traffic. The present study classifies and compared the specific composition and bathimetric distribution of molluscs faune associated to the ports pillars of Pecém and Mucuripe – Ceará, Brasil, wanting to check the ocorrence of exotic species. It was also evaluated the population structure of the bivalves Isognomon bicolor invaders on both ports. The gathering of mollusc faune was possible through the autonomous diving and destructive method. The sample was made between 0-5 meters of depth, with space of 1 meter. 41 species of molluscs were gathered, being 35 natives, 5 criptogenic and 1 exotic. The highest densities were registered to Petaloconchus aff. Varians, Isognomon bicolor, Lithophaga bisulcata, Crassostrea rhizophorae and Sphenia antillensis. On both ports, there was a medium density of molluscs in the first meter. Neither of the Ports showed significant difference from communities descriptors related to the orientation of the pillar‘s faces. Considering the bathimetric of I. bicolor on Pecém Port, it was verified a predominance of these bivalves in the first meter of pillars. This organism‘s distribution might be determinate on pillars by differential larval settlement on pillars length and also the range in which I. bicolor is more physiologically adapted. Studies about these communities are of great importance to the monitoring of portuaries regions and the early diagnoses of potentially invasive species