%0 Journal Article
%T Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil
%A Martinez
%A AS.
%A Mendes
%A LF.
%A Leite
%A TS.
%J Brazilian Journal of Biology
%D 2012
%I Scientific Electronic Library Online
%R 10.1590/S1519-69842012000200009
%X the present study investigated the distribution and abundance of epibenthic molluscs and their feeding habits associated to substrate features (coverage and rugosity) in a sandstone reef system in the northeast of brazil. rugosity, low coral cover and high coverage of zoanthids and fleshy alga were the variables that influenced a low richness and high abundance of a few molluscan species in the reef habitat. the most abundant species were generalist carnivores, probably associated to a lesser offer and variability of resources in this type of reef system, when compared to the coral reefs. the results found in this study could reflect a normal characteristic of the molluscan community distribution in sandstone reefs, with low coral cover, or could indicate a degradation state of this habitat if it is compared to coral reefs, once that the significantly high coverage of fleshy alga has been recognized as a negative indicator of reef ecosystems health.
%K molluscs
%K epifauna
%K sandstone reef
%K substrate cover
%K brazil.
%U http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S1519-69842012000200009&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en