POLYCHAETA (ANNELIDA) FROM THE BRAZILIAN COAST
Amaral, A. C. Z.; Morgado, E. H. & Henriques, S. A.
Universidade Estadual de Campinas, IB/Depto. de Zoologia, C.P. 6109, 3083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
The first records of polychaetes along the Brazilian coast were published by Müller, Kinberg, Hansen, Treadwell and Luederwaldt between 1858 and 1932. Local studies on Brazilian polychaete systematics, physiology, anatomy and ecology only started around 1960, mainly in the southern and southeastern coasts. A current revision reveals a total of approximately 750 species from 57 families for the Brazilian coast: Aphroditidae (9); Hesionidae (13); Histriobdellidae (1); Cossuridae (2); Polynoidae (28); Pilargidae (10); Myzostomidae (2); Sternaspidae (1); Polyodontidae (9); Syllidae (36); Orbiniidae (22); Capitellidae (17); Pholoidae (3); Nereididae (53); Paraonidae (20); Arenicolidae (2); Sigalionidae (27); Nephtyidae (13); Heterospionidae (1); Maldanidae (29); Eulepethidae (5); Glyceridae (13); Spionidae (36); Oweniidae (4); Pisionidae (1); Goniadidae (15); Magelonidae (6); Sabelariidae (10); Chrysopetalidae (5); Onuphidae (44); Trochochaetidae (1); Pectinariidae (3); Amphinomidae (15); Eunicidae (41); Poecilochaetidae (2); Ampharetidae (8); Euphrosinidae (2); Lumbrineridae (31); haetopteridae, (7); Terebellidae (28); Phyllodocidae (22); Arabellidae (10); Cirratulidae (15); Trichobranchidae (5); Alciopidae (9); Lysaretidae (4); Flabelligeridae (17); Sabellidae (25); Iospilidae (3); Iphitimidae (1); Scalibregmidae (1); Serpulidae (21); Thyphloscolecidae (4); Dorvilleidae (10); Opheliidae (21); Spirorbidae (4); Tomopteridae (6). The most cited species were: Parandalia americana (31); Diopatra cuprea (36); Eunice (Nicidion) cariboea (32); Sigambra grubii (41); Eunice rubra (30); Scolelepis squamata (35); Laeonereis acuta (40); Lysidice ninetta (31); Capitella capitata (30); Neanthes succinea (37); Lumbrineris tetraura (61); Owenia fusiformis (47); Glycera americana (36); Ninoe brasiliensis (38); Isolda pulchella (36); Glycinde multidens (44); Paraprionospio pinnata (31); Terebellides anguicomus (30). Mos of the species are either cosmopolitan or pantropical, or predominantly characteristic of the Caribbean regions, and, to some extent, of the Patagonian coast. There are also many endemic species. Arenicola brasiliensis Nonato, 1938 and Eunice sebastiani Nonato, 1965 are in the process of extinction, in São Paulo State, because of their occurrence on sandy beaches and their widespread use as fish bait. The main collections of Brazilian polychaetes are deposited at the Instituto Oceanográfico - Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Zoologia and Museu de Historia Natural - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and Centro de Estudos do Mar - Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR).