Checklist of benthic cnidaria in the sw atlantic ocean (54 S 56 S)

SCHEJTER, L.; GENZANO, G.; PÉREZ, C.D.; ACUÑA, F.; CORDEIRO, R.T.S.; SILVA, R.A.; GARESE, A.; BREMEC, C.S.

ZOOTAXA

MAGNOLIA PRESS

Año: 2020 vol. 4878 p. 201 - 239

1175-5326

In this study we provide an updated checklist of benthic Cnidaria from SW Atlantic Ocean that comprised the Marine Protected Areas Namuncurá I and II, located at Burdwood bank, and other neighbouring locations. A total of 88 taxa was recorded: 36 hydrozoans and 52 anthozoans from which 32 were octocorals, 10 scleractinian corals, 8 sea anemones and 2 zoanthids. Burdwood bank presented the highest richness considering that 87% of the recorded species inhabit this plateau or its slope. Besides some common species widely distributed in the studied sub-Areas, at least 24 species represent new distributional records while few were exclusively recorded at Burdwood bank. The inventory here provided will help to identify key habitat-forming species in a complex habitat where marine animal forests and vulnerable marine ecosystems were previously detected. It will be also a very valuable tool for the management and monitoring of the subareas under protection.