On the Pectinidae (Mollusca:Bivalvia) in North and Northeast Brazil

Abstract

The pectinid species from North and Northeast Brazil were studied. The sampling was conducted through draggings performed by the oceanography commissions MAR-15, GEOMAR II and III and COLMAR Project, and manual collections on several beaches of those geographic regions. A total of 186 lots were examined and 13 pectinid species were identified: Argopecten noronhensis, Argopecten gibbus, Chlamys benedicti (=C. munda), Chlamys muscosus, Chlamys ornata, Chlamys sentis, Chlamys tehuelchus, Cyclopecten nanus, Cyclopecten strigillatus, Leptopecten bavayi, Lyropecten nodosus, Pectenchazaliei and Pecten ziczac. The distribution of Chlamys muscosus, Chlamys tehuelchus, Chlamys ornata, Chlamys sentis and Cyclopecten strigillatus had their limits extended to Northern Brazil, namely Pará and Amapá States. Chlamys tehuelchus and Chlamys muscosus were reported for the first time at Northeast Brazil, namely Pernambuco State. The enhancement of the number of occurrence reports for new species throughout the Brazilian coast, specially the North and Northeast, is probably due to the scarcity of studies on faunistic composition on the continental shelf, including molluscs