Os museus de história natural desempenham um papel vital na pesquisa e conservação da biodiversidade, preservando o patrimônio natural e documentando a biodiversidade histórica e atual. O Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG) é a instituição científica mais antiga da Amazônia e um de seus principais focos é a manutenção de coleções científicas de forte caráter regional. Este estudo apresenta os primeiros dados sobre equinodermos da coleção científica do MPEG, representando o primeiro inventário oficial de espécies para a região Norte do Brasil. Para a elaboração da lista, foi realizado um levantamento completo de todos os espécimes de equinodermos da coleção. A taxonomia foi revisada, e os espécimes foram identificados no nível taxonômico mais baixo possível. O levantamento registrou 281 espécimes pertencentes a cinco classes, 13 ordens, 20 famílias, 24 gêneros e 32 espécies, com 15 novos registros para a Amazônia. Os espécimes foram registrados em uma variedade de habitats, que vão desde a zona entre-marés de praias arenosas até o Grande Sistema Recifal da Amazônia. A lista taxonômica (incluindo imagens para cada espécie identificada) e as informações ecológicas fornecidas sobre os equinodermos são uma base importante para futuras pesquisas no Atlântico amazônico, representando o primeiro catálogo neste bioma, que é uma área estratégica para a conservação da biodiversidade marinha global.
Didactic collections are fundamental links between theoretical knowledge and scientific practice, being important tools in formal education and environmental education, sensitizing society to the conservation of ecosystems and the safeguarding of biodiversity. The objective of this study was to characterize the Marine Invertebrate Collection of the Federal University of Pará (CZIM-UFPA), detailing its structure and taxonomic diversity, and its use as a didactic tool in elementary, secondary and higher education. The collection consists of 256 listings, which house 1,562 individuals. Eight phyla, 61 families, 74 genera and 67 species of marine invertebrates are recorded. The phylum Mollusca is the most representative (54% of the individuals and 36 species), followed by the subphylum Crustacea (33.6% of the specimens and 23 species). The collection stands out for its representativeness of species typical of coastal environments, including sandy beaches, mangroves and rocky outcrops. The remarkable taxonomic diversity of the collection expands its use as a valuable source of data for research on regional marine biodiversity. With more than two decades of existence, CZIM has consolidated itself as an important didactic resource, offering support to the teaching of zoology and contributing to university extension projects and actions to popularize marine sciences in the Amazon.
The Brazilian Equatorial Continental Margin, encompassing Maranhão, Pará, and Amapá, hosts ecologically and economically significant marine ecosystems that remain poorly investigated. In recent years, the region has gained international attention due to proposed hydrocarbon exploration and the discovery of extensive reef systems near the Amazon River mouth, raising concerns about potential impacts on sensitive coastal and shelf environments. Here, we present the first systematic review of benthic biodiversity across the continental shelf and slope of this margin. Following PRISMA guidelines, literature searches in major scientific databases and complementary manual screening retrieved over 4,000 records, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria. These studies documented 15 phyla, 407 genera, and 498 benthic species, with Nematoda, Cnidaria, Arthropoda, and Mollusca comprising the most diverse groups. Research effort shows a strong taxonomic bias toward megabenthos and megafauna (11 studies), whereas meiofauna and microbenthos remain largely understudied. Nearly half of the selected publications appeared within the last four years, reflecting growing scientific and industrial interest. However, deep-sea habitats (> 2,000 m) and long-term monitoring initiatives are still scarce. Comparison with other Brazilian margins and tropical regions underscores substantial knowledge gaps and the need for coordinated research and conservation strategies in this Atlantic frontier.
This study presents a taxonomic survey of the zooplankton community in Parintins, located on the right bank of the Amazon River, Amazonas State, Brazil. Sampling was carried out at ten sites encompassing lentic and lotic environments during the rainy (June–July 2022) and dry (October–November 2022) seasons. Zooplankton samples were collected through horizontal subsurface tows using a 64 μm plankton net and analyzed under light microscopy. A total of 118 taxa were identified, belonging to eight main groups: rotifera, protozoa, chromista, branchiopoda, copepoda, diptera, gastrotricha, and nematoda. Taxonomic richness was higher in lentic environments (99 taxa) and during the dry season (93 taxa). Rotifera and protozoa were the most representative groups, followed by chromista and branchiopoda. Seventy-nine taxa represent first records for the lower Amazonas region, highlighting the importance of taxonomic inventories in underexplored Amazonian areas and contributing to biodiversity knowledge and environmental monitoring in the context of urbanization and hydrological variability.
Mariculture is expanding rapidly in northern Brazil, where oyster farming is a key economic activity. However, little is known about its effects on estuarine communities. This study assessed the influence of oyster farming (Crassostrea gasar) on the structure of the meiofauna community in the Curuçá Estuary (Pará, Amazon region). Sampling was conducted at two sites: an area beneath the oyster farming tables and a control area located 100 m away. Both areas had fine, well-sorted sediments, with higher organic matter content in the farming area. Twelve meiofauna groups were recorded, dominated by Nematoda and Oligochaeta. Density was lower in the cultivation area, while species richness did not differ between the sites. Gastropoda and Bivalvia were found beneath the cultivation tables, indicating enrichment. Multivariate analyses revealed differences in community structure associated with grain size and organic matter content. Overall, oyster cultivation induced moderate and limited changes, without exceeding ecological limits. The selective responses of meiofauna taxa highlight their potential as early indicators of aquaculture impacts in tropical estuaries and underscore the need for continuous environmental monitoring.
