A contribution to the acquirement of the fish fauna from the northern littoral of state of São Paulo

Abstract

A two-year program of biological sampling was carried out on the area comprised by the islands of Anchieta, Vitória and Couves on the northern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil. Most of the samples were collected by otter-trawl since the demersal fish were the main interest of the study. In spite of the small size of the nets used - only 30 feet on the mouth - the results obtained as to the number and diversity of the fish found in the area seemed to be significant enough to justify the present communication. As many as 97 species of bony and cartilaginous fish were obtained from 28 controlled catches, along the years 1978-1979. The best represented family, as could be expeoted were the Sciaenidae but Rajidae, Bothidae and Cynoglossidae were also abundant. Lophius gastrophysus and Merluccius hubbsii. occurred only in depths above 30 m, in agreement with their known distribution in the far southern coast of Brazil. A systematic list of the species and their common names, when available, is given.