Inventory of the marine soft bottom macrofauna of São

Analysis of macrofauna from 91 quantitative soft-bottom samples (from five surveys) obtained in the Sao Sebastiao Channel at depths ranging from 2 to 45 m yielded 431 species from a total of 38,630 individuals. The present contribution gives a list of the species found in the area and their depth distribution and sedimentary preferences (granulometric characteristics of the sites where they occurred). This is the first complete inventory of the subtidal invertebrate soft-bottom fauna of the Sao Sebastiao Channel, a peculiar marine area under crescent human impact.