Leuconidae Sars, 1878 (Crustacea: Cumacea) from the southwestern Atlantic, filling the distribution gap along the Brazilian coast.

The family Leuconidae Sars, 1878 is one of the eight widely recognized families of Cumacea and can be found in all oceans, but often in deeper waters (> 200 m). Despite its worldwide distribution, Southwestern Atlantic records were restricted to Argentina and Uruguay, indicating a gap in the knowledge of the group along the Brazilian coast. Samples were collected in the Campos, Esprito Santo and Santos Basins with box core and/or van Veen grabs between 163000 m in depth. A total of five new species and a new genus are described herein. Leucon (Alytoleucon) rhuanae sp. nov., Leucon (Crymoleucon) pseudograndidentatus sp. nov., Leucon (Macrauloleucon) watlingi sp. nov., Eudorella helenae sp. nov. and Gyneleucon tripedium gen. et sp. nov. The lack of knowledge on cumacean leuconids along the Brazilian coast is clearly a result of taxonomic impediment. The present study is an effort towards understanding and revealing the Cumacea fauna from the Brazilian margin, bringing new data on the family Leuconidae found in the continental shelf and slope of the Esprito Santo, Campos and Santos Basins, areas with high oil and gas exploration. Promoting the characterization of these areas is essential to a wide understanding of the local species richness and consequently provides tools for preservation and monitoring activities.

New species of Typhlotanaidae (Crustacea, Tanaidacea) from the Brazilian coast: genera Hamatipeda, Meromonakantha and Paratyphlotanais, with description of Targaryenella gen. nov.

Benthic samples collected along the Brazilian coast yielded the description of four new species from three genera of Typhlotanaidae: one Hamatipeda (H. prolata), one Meromonakantha (M. mauri) and two Paratyphlotanais (P. apletos and P. bessai). A new genus Targaryenella is erected to accommodate Meromonakantha anarsios and differences between Targaryenella and Meromonakantha are given. This study increases the total number of Tanaidacea species known for Brazil by 8% (50 to 54 species); the family Typhlotanaidae off the coast of Brazil is now represented by four known genera. Identification keys to the three genera are provided.

The family Caprellidae (Amphipoda: Caprelloidea: Caprellidae) from Campos Basin, Southwestern Atlantic, with a key of species occurring in Brazil.

Caprellid material of the present study was collected between 25-3000 m depth from the Campos Basin area, Southwestern Atlantic. As a result, Deutella incerta was found as a new record to the Southwestern Atlantic and two new species are described: Liropus guerragarciai sp. nov. and Mayerella sittropiae sp. nov. Besides, Paracaprella pusilla is herein redescribed as a common component of the Campos Basin amphipod community. Caprellids are a diverse and abundant group that can be found among algae and general biological substrates of the continental shelf area. As more deep sea samples are coming into light, they are turning out to be also a common component in this habitat. Including the present data, there are 25 caprellid species recorded in Brazil, being four of them restricted to the slope areas and 14 endemic to the Brazilian coast. A key to the Caprellidae species from Brazil is provided.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments and crabs (Chasmagnathus granulata, Dana, 1851) from mangroves of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

Organochlorinated compounds, seven indicator PCB congeners, DDT and its main metabolites, were determined in sediment and crab (Chasmagnathus granulata) samples collected from mangrove areas near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples were analysed according to the FAO/SIDA protocols using continuous non-polar solvent extraction and a conventional GC-ECD apparatus. The highest levels of total PCB congeners and total DDT metabolites in sediments (184.16 and 37.40 ng g(-1)d.w. respectively) and crab eggs (570.62 and 98.22 ng g(-1)d.w. respectively) were found at impacted mangroves. The higher PCB congeners than DDT metabolites levels suggesting a stronger industrial impact in this area. The results indicate that the population density of crab is negatively affected by sediment contamination that is reflected basically by the organochlorine content in the female eggs. The organochlorine concentration in eggs is more significant to evaluate or estimate an impact of these pollutants upon C. granulata population than the organochlorine concentration in sediment samples.