CHARACTERIZATION OF BRACHYURA AND PORCELLANIDAE FROM ILHA DAS PALMAS, SANTOS – SP, BASED ON DIGITAL IMAGES Júlia Alves Costa, Sarah Raquel Ferlin de Deus, Evandro Severino Rodrigues

Abstract

Brachyura and Anomura play an important role in the trophic chain of rocky shores. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and characterize the Brachyura and Anomura - Porcellanidae crabs of rocky shore in Palmas Island, Bay of Santos, SP- Brazil, using digital images as non-invasive method for obtaining data. From August 2014 to August 2015  campaigns were conducted monthly to obtain digital images of crabs, whereby the external morphology and macroscopic observation of the sex of individuals was performed. Were collected 303 crabs where 241 (79,5%) of them could be identified through images. The infraorder Brachyura covered five species: Eriphia gonagra, Eurypanopeus abbreviatus, Microphrys bicornutus, Pachygrapsus gracilis and Pachygrapsus transversus. From infraorder Anomura two genus and one specie were identified: Petrolisthes armatus and genus Pachycheles. It was observed significant difference between males and females (p <0.05) for Pachycheles sp. (7,4:1), Pachygrapsus transversus (2:1) e Petrolisthes armatus (23:1). Sheltered places from waves crash around the island were the places with larger populations of crabs. The study suggests that the anthropic impacts resulting from local urbanization, affected the distribution and the characterization of the crabs in the rocky shore communities.