Sandy beach surf zones are dynamic environments where physical processes interact with biological communities. Coastal hydrodynamics influence beach morphodynamics and sediment characteristics, which in turn shape benthic communities and associated trophic levels. Moreover, surf zones provide essential nursery and refuge habitats for many fish species, highlighting the importance of understanding the environmental factors driving community structure in these ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the surf-zone communities of four sandy beaches located in the Ría de Vigo (Galicia, Spain), including two beaches on the northern and two on the southern side of the Ría. We investigated beach morphodynamics, including sediment granulometry and beach profile, macrofaunal communities, and fish assemblages to evaluate differences among beaches. We observed significant differences among beaches across the biological and environmental variables studied. In addition, fish assemblage composition showed spatial segregation, with Liméns beach, located on the northern side of the Ría, forming a distinct cluster, while also being the beach with different sediment characteristics. This separation was mainly related to differences in species composition, including the absence of Pegusa lascaris and Echiichthys vipera in this beach.
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