Notes on the benthic bionomy of the N-NE Brazilian shelf

This paper deals with the bionomy of the sea bottoms of the N-NE Brazilian continental shelf, between Cape Orange and the State of Sergipe, south of São. Francisco River. It is based on data collected by the Instituto Oceanográfico, Recife, Brazil, during several surveys conducted in that area. Special emphasis is placed on the characteristics of the bottom, chiefly surveyed by means of dredging, as well as on the biological populations living on the different substrata. The sector of Recife, investigated in more detail, provides a general scheme of population delimitation. The study is applicable to the rest of the N-NE Brazilian region. The great extent of the mud or muddy sand bottoms gives the Amazonian coasts a very typical aspect. The rest of the area is remarkable for the predominance of calcareous algae of the Melobesiae group. Some biogeographical considerations are presented regarding the northern and southern limits of the NE Brazilian region. Finally, it is attempted to define the bionomical significance of the bottoms studied, comparing them with similar and better knwon biotopes from the Mediterranean Sea and SW Indian Ocean.Based on recent data collected by the Instituto Oceanográfico, Recife, Brazil.