Ecological distribution of the shrimp camarao serrinha Artemesia longinaris (Decapoda, Penaeidae) in Fortaleza bay, Ubatuba, Brazil, in relation to abiotic factors | Distribución ecológica del camarón serrinha Artemesia longinaris (Decapoda, Penaeidae) en la Ensenada de Fortaleza, Ubatuba, Brasil, en relación con factores abióticos

The spatial and temporal distribution of the shrimp Artemesia longinaris in Fortaleza Bay, northern coast of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, in relation to abiotic factors, was studied. Shrimp samples were obtained on a monthly basis from November 1988 through October 1989 at seven pre-delimited transects on board of a fishing vessel supplied with double otter trawl nets. Depth was recorded at the midpoint of each transect; water and sediment samples were taken to measure salinity, temperature, texture and organic matter content of sediment. The shrimps obtained in the trawls were sorted, identified and 100 g subsample at each transect was separated for measurements (carapace length). A total of 3,083 individuals were obtained. Shrimps were more abundant from November through February (62% of all individuals captured) and from June through August (37%). Regarding their spatial distribution, the largest number of individuals was captured in deeper areas with higher salinity (transects 1 and 7 - mouth of the Bay). No shrimps were obtained at transects 2 and 5 (sediment with very coarse sand and shallow waters). The presence of the South Atlantic Continental Waters (temperature < 20 degree C and salinity < 36 ppt) at the end of spring and during summer and the decrease of water temperature in winter seem to favour the presence of A. longinaris in the study area. The absence of the species in the inshore areas of the Bay was related to the low salinity of the habitat.

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Artemesia longinaris