FIRST INVESTIGATION OF SUBMARINE CAVES AND TUNNELS ON TRINDADE ISLAND, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL (SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC), AND THEIR SPONGE COMMUNITIES

Autores

  • Francisco Moraes Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
  • Fernando Moraes Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; e Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
  • Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Joel Braga Instituto Mar Adentro
  • Joana Sandes Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37002/rbesp.v1i14.2789

Palavras-chave:

Ilha oceânica, cavernas submarinas, Atlântico Tropical Ocidental, biodiversidade

Resumo

In this study, we investigated for the first time the possible existence of submarine caves in Trindade Island, an isolated oceanic island off Southeastern Brazil, and their sponge communities. Six sites were visited around the island, and a small cave was discovered at Goat Beach (“Praia das Cabritas”). This cave has a narrow entrance at 6 m depth, leading to a disphotic room approximately 6 m long, colonized mainly by abundant sponges of the genus Agelas. It also has a transition zone with fewer sponges, leading to narrow passages that remain unexplored. There is a semi-submerged tunnel at Big Wall Point (“Ponta do Paredão”), which has low benthic coverage and high hydrodynamics. Only small disphotic cavities were found in the other sites, but further investigations are expected to reveal other caves, currently unknown, in Trindade Island. These caves have a high potential for the discovery of new sponge species with great biological and biotechnological importance.

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2025-07-31 — Atualizado em 2025-07-31

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Moraes, F., Moraes, F., Muricy, G., Braga, J., & Sandes, J. (2025). FIRST INVESTIGATION OF SUBMARINE CAVES AND TUNNELS ON TRINDADE ISLAND, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL (SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC), AND THEIR SPONGE COMMUNITIES. Revista Brasileira De Espeleologia - RBEsp, 1(14), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.37002/rbesp.v1i14.2789

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