Submitted by Alberto Vieira (martins_vieira@ibest.com.br) on 2018-02-07T23:31:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 570345.pdf: 8027737 bytes, checksum: c9185731c28dcb7d82f01bdbb92cecbc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-07T23:31:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 570345.pdf: 8027737 bytes, checksum: c9185731c28dcb7d82f01bdbb92cecbc (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999-11-24 / CAPES / Em 1858, Carpenter criou o gênero Meioceras além de reconhecer outros três gêneros como integrantes da família Caecidae Gray, 1850. No entanto, há atualmente controvérsias quanto ao "status" genérico ou subgenérico do táxon com relação a Caecum Fleming, 1817. No presente estudo o táxon Meioceras é confirmado como gênero válido, distinto de Caecum, com base nas seguintes características diagnósticas: enrolamento helicoidal da concha juvenil e entumescimento da concha em sua terça parte anterior, ou em sua região mediana. Após o exame conquiliológico e comparação dos tipos de 19, das 20 espécies do gênero Meioceras descritas para o Atlântico Oeste... / In 1858 Carpenter stated the genus Meioceras and he also recognized more three genus as part of the family Caecidae Gray, 1850. However, now there is a controversy regarding the "status" of generic or subgeneric of the taxon in relation to Caecum Fleming, 1817. In this study the taxon Meioceras is recognized as a valid genus apart from Caecum, based on conchililogical diagnostic characters: the helicoidal young shell and the swollen appearance in the first third part or in the middle of the shell. After the exam and comparison of 19 out of 20 type species described for the genus Meioceras to the Western Atlantic...

Caecidae is a widespread family of minute gastropod snails. Although a few species have previously been found in abundance in a few localized studies in Broward County waters, little is known about their richness, diversity, abundance and distribution in different habitats throughout local waters. This project examined species assemblages both qualitatively and quantitatively in a range of benthic habitats across Broward County. Samples were collected from five different habitat types from northern and southern Broward Country, and included two of each of the following five sites: mangrove, Intracoastal Waterway, creek, reef and rubble. Caecid specimens were removed from general samples, separated by species or developmental stage and preserved in 95% ethanol. Also, as artificial substrates have become an increasingly important resource enhancement technique, this project also compared Caecidae assemblages on artificial vs. natural substrates using a large dataset previously used primarily to examine amphipod crustacean assemblages. Species recorded in Broward County include Caecum pulchellum, C. imbricatum, C. floridanum, C. textile and Meioceras nitidum. Published records exist for 14 additional species collected elsewhere in South Florida (e.g., Palm Beach County). Descriptions, distributional data and synonymies summarizing available information are given for all 19 species. Nearly 97% of the specimens, including Caecum pulchellum, Caecum floridanum and Meioceras nitidum, were found on the reef and rubble habitats; approximately 2.5% percent were found in the Intracoastal; approximately 0.5% were found in the creek, and all taxa were absent in both mangrove habitats. A repeated measures MANOVA indicated no significant differences among any of the factors (reef type, substrate or genus) over time; (RM MANOVA, F=0.112, 2.596, 0.018, 4.604), p values = 0.769, 0.248, 0.906, 0.141) suggesting that there were no preferences in substrate material among the species investigated.