Bivalve shells deposited on three beaches in a conservation unit on the southern coast of São Paulo Sabrina Quintas Pedreira Dias, Walter Barrella

Abstract

The coastal zone is of immense importance to the natural environment, as it protects the coast and houses a rich ecosystem. Bivalve molluscs are very abundant on the Brazilian coast. The present study aimed to identify the distribution and relative density of bivalve shells collected in the intertidal zone on the beaches of Barra do Una, Caramborê and Desertinha. Through transects, with different lengths on the three beaches, taking into account 2 m on each side, parallel to the sea line. Five families and six genera of the Bivalvia class were collected. The genus that presented the greatest expressiveness in relative abundance was the genus Tellina and the genus with the greatest equitability was the genus Mytilus with similar representations on two of the beaches studied. Differences in the specific compositions between these beaches were also observed.