Large scale distribution of fish larvae in the continental shelf waters off North-East Brazil

The aim of this study was to describe the ichthyoplankton community in the continental shelf waters off North-East Brazil for the first time and to de termine possible relationships between community composition and the abioti c conditions, produced by the water masses of the South Equatorial Current (SEC). Bongo samples from 23 stations off the Brazilian State Pernambuco an d 13 stations off Ceara were examined. Larvae were identified up to the fam ily level. A total of 74 families was distinguished, 47 of these were found in the northern sector off Ceara, while 58 were found off Pernambuco. 31 f amilies were found off both areas, Ceara and Pernambuco. Abundances were lo wer in the North (up to 40 larvae per 50 m(3)), showing a maximum near the shelf edge and a decrease towards offshore. The dominant groups from Pernam buco and Ceara differed significantly. Carangids, monacanthids and gobiids were the main taxa off Ceara. The samples from Pernambuco consisted mainly of Scaridae, Labridae, Labrisomidae, Clupeidae and Myctophidae (offshore). Four communities were separated by cluster analysis, indicating an inshore/ offshore transit ion in taxonomic composition. The paper has shown the over whelming dominance of the oligotrophic SECW on the ichthyoplankton communit y. The mangroves of North-East Brazil do not have a significant impact on t he ichthyoplankton community of the shelf waters. Differences in biomass an d larval assemblages were evident only between inshore waters, up to 10 km distance from the coast and the shelf waters beyond.