Contribuição para o conhecimento da fauna de Ascidiaceae, da Ilha de Boa Viagem, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro: (sistemática e notas biológicas)

Abstract

In the period from April 1978 to June 1979 monthly collects were made on the Boa Viagem Island in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro and this has allowed a study about the sistematics and some biological data as well. The studied region shows sixteen species.Among them the following stand out: the first time that such event occurs in Arnerica, larvas shown to the world for the first time and new events in Guanabara Bay. In December 1978 there was the appearance of a great quantity of refuse and, specially, the appearance of a lot of oil wich drifted covering the rocks,causing the mortality of the fauna and the flora. This accident was justified by the action of the south wind reigning at that time and by the currents of tide which brought the refuse and the oil to the region. Nevertheless, rapid recuperation was noticed, with the re-establishment of the fauna and the flora because of the action of tide currents. Therefore, some information was analyzed: abundance, temperature and some considerations about the time of maturation of the ascidians before the accident.