1 - Instituto de Biologia da UFRJ

Munnidae, Plakarthidae, Jaeropsidae, Sphaeromathidae and
Janiridae (Figure 1).
The holdfast was the thallus region with the greater
diversity. There are a relatively small number of studies
focused on the fauna of Antarctic and Subantarctic
macroinvertebrates associated with holdfasts of various
macroalgae (Arnaud, 1974).
Discussion
Frequently, the dominant groups of the phytal fauna are
Peracarids Crustacea, especially Amphipods, Isopods,
Tanaidaceans (Mukai, 1971; Kito, 1975; Hicks, 1977; Coull
& Wells, 1983; Johnson & Scheibling, 1987; Preston &
Moore, 1988; Curvêlo & Corbisier, 2000), similar with the
faunal composition observed in the present work. Through
the taxonomic identification it has been possible from the
results obtained so far to suggest that holdfast was the region
with the greatest diversity of organisms. The latter can be
explained by the morphological aspects of the holdfast such
as textures and interstitial spaces that accumulate sediment,
debris and epiphytes, in addition to providing a greater
degree of protection from as wave exposure and predators
(Muralikrishnamurty, 1983; Preston & Moore, 1988).
The Antarctic marine environment is very peculiar, and
presents features like extremely low and stable seawater
temperature, 4 °C a –70 °C, marked differences in the
incidence of light throughout the year, small fluctuations
in salinity during the summer and a marked seasonality
in food resource input in relation to the annual cycle of
primary productivity (Gutt, 2007). In this environment,
large macroalgae (Kelps) modify physical factors such as
light or water movement and can play a fundamental role
on the distribution patterns and diversity of the marine
organisms (Reed & Foster 1984, Bulleri et al., 2002).
Acknowledgements
This work integrates the National Institute of Science and
Technology Antarctic Environmental Research (INCT-
APA) that receive scientific and financial supports of
the National Council for Research and Development
(CNPq process: n° 574018/2008-5) and Research Support
Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ
n° E-16/170.023/2008). The authors also acknowledge the
support of the Brazilian Ministries of Science, Technology
and Innovation (MCTI), of Environment (MMA) and
Inter-Ministry Commission for Sea Resources (CIRM).
The authors also acknowledge the research fellows for
Scientific Initiation (Tais Maria de Souza Campos, - CNPq
110657/2011-0) and Post-doctoral (Adriana Galindo Dalto
CAPES/FAPERJ E-26/102.016/2009).
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