Abstract
In the biological reserve of the Atol das Rocas, a varied microfauna of foraminifera occur. From the 74 identified species, five are frequent in all analysed samples, and are: Archaias angulatus, Amphistegina lessonii, Gypsina vesicularis, Sorites marginalis and Heterostegina suborbicularis. The genus Triloculina has a greater diversity in the samples from the Farol Island and from the reef top. The reef more exposed areas during low tide. The Miliolids and the Rotaliids are predominant, reflecting typical normal marine to hypersaline waters. The microfauna association showed different characteristics in various reef sub-environments. From the 35 analysed samples only 27 have bryozoan fragments. The number of the species (23) is less than that of foraminifera (74), but still indicates that the Atol das Rocas reef environment is favorable for the development of these organisms. The average frequency of 9 fragments per 100g of sediment is also very low, and this can be due to the wave energy impact, in shallow waters, causing the breakage of the animal colonies. From the 23 species, the following genus predominate: Scrupocellaria, Schizoporella, Smittina and Celleporaria, being the species Onychocella americana and Reptadeonellas violacea the most common, with of 5%.
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