Primo, L. Characterization of the macro fauna associated with natural reefs off the Central Algarve

The aim of study was to characterize invertebrate epifauna of Algarve coast rocky reefs.  For that, samples scraped from three natural reefs between Albufeira and Vale do Lobo corresponding to three seasons were analyzed (2003-2004).  A total of 3179 organisms from 294 taxa were identified. Annelida and Arthropoda were the most abundant phyla but Bryozoa and Mollusca also had high relative importance. Apherusa vexatris, Elasmopus cf. vachoni, Lembos hirsutipes and Synisoma cf. mediterranea were probably new records for Iberian Peninsula. The fauna was characterized by a high importance of Sabellariidae and Turbicellepora cf. magnicostata. The sampling-site “Marina de Albufeira” possessed a characteristic community with higher species richness. “Barrocas Oeste” seemed to demonstrate a typical reef of Sabellariidae while “Pedra do Alto” accuses the presence of a hard rock community. Summer showed to be the season with lower diversity and species richness demonstrating a distinct community of Autumn and Spring. The distribution of organisms seemed to be affected by abiotic factors like depth, substrate and turbidity and biotic factors like competition, predation, symbiosis and recruitment. This type of sampling is indispensable to know less studied areas and the lack of investigation in this kind of areas in Portugal make of this study an important contribute to these habitats biodiversity knowledge.