The anomuran and brachyuran communities (Crustacea: Decapoda) in sheltered and exposed rocky shores from Anchieta and Guarapari regions (Espirito Santo), Brazil

Abstract

Rocky shores are ecosystems susceptible to anthropic impact, and the absence of information in Brazil about their biota hampers characterization and conservation measures. Thus, this study analyzed the abundance, richness, diversity and dominance of anomuran and brachyuran communities in sheltered and exposed rocky shores in Anchieta and Guarapari on the coast of Espirito Santo State. It was also studied the community variation concerning the types of rocky shores during the rainy and dry seasons. The organisms were collected manually in the mediolittoral zone of the rocky shores from October 2014 to September 2015. Additionally, temperature and salinity of the water were measured and the rainfall recorded from a meteorological station. In this study, 3,156 individuals were collected, comprising 14 species. The hermit crabs Clibanarius antillensis and Calcinus tibicen were the most abundant species. The three-way ANOVA analysis revealed that there was no interaction between ecological indices and the study locations, rocky shores and seasons. The abundance of the decapod community was statistically different between locations. The richness and diversity indices were higher on the sheltered rocky shore because of the presence of rock fragments and heterogeneous sediments, they are providing higher availability of microhabitats in these areas. There was no relationship between the decapod community and environmental factors, possibly because of a small variation of these factors registered between rainy and dry seasons. It is concluded that the anomuran and brachyuran communities are probably more influenced by biological interactions and physiographic features of rocky shores than by environmental factors.