Diversidade do gênero Zoanthus Cuvier, 1800 (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Zoantharia) em praias de Pernambuco e Alagoas, Brasil

Abstract

This study aims to determine the diversity and distribution of the Genus Zoanthus, Cuvier 1800 in the coast of the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, Brazil. For this, polyps were collected in the intertidal zone and subtidal up to 2 meters deep and placed in 10% formalin for morphological and histological analyzes. Were made also the cnidae analysis, through the cnidoma to taxonomy. Beside, microhabitat data were also colected .We found two species of Zoanthus to the coast of the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, increasing the distribution of the species Zoanthus solanderi to the Alagoas coast and better defining the species Zoanthus sociatus. The species Z. solanderi is found in the Caribbean and southeastern Brazil and there was a gap in its distribution of much of the country's coastline. This gap was filled to the Alagoas’s litoral, raising it’s distribuition. The species Z. sociatus has great variation, with nine different morphotypes for the northeast coast, and had a well-defined range, assisting in field identification. Works that may integrate various aspects of the biology of these organisms show very promising for taxonomy in the future.