Abstract

ALDEA, Cristián  and  VALDOVINOS, Claudio. ROCKYSHORE MOLLUSKS OF THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CHILE (36° - 38°S): TAXONOMY AND KEY OF IDENTIFICATION . Gayana (Concepc.) [online]. 2005, vol.69, n.2, pp. 364-396. ISSN 0717-6538.  doi: 10.4067/S0717-65382005000200014.

Studies of the biodiversity of the rockyshore areas of the center-south of Chile, so much of local character as regional, they are still limited. Due to it, they don't allow the recognition of patterns of diversity along the coast with a great spatial resolution, which is basic information to the moment to prioritize areas for the conservation of the biodiversity. In this sense, the objective of the present contribution was to study the malacofauna of the rockyshore of the center-south of Chile, in a tract of 250 km of coast, among Punta Pingueral (36° 31'S) and Cabo Tirúa (38° 25'S). The mollusks of 23 sampling sites were studied, including the islands Santa María and Mocha. In each site the rocky habitat was characterized (morfometry, rock type, slope, abundance of interstitial sand, and total area of the surface) and out exhaustive samplings of malacofauna were carried (levels superior, medium and inferior of the rockyshores). A total of 90 species of mollusks belonging to 29 families were recorded. Of the total, 61.1% were Gastropoda, 25.6% Bivalvia and 13.3% Polyplacophora. A taxonomical discussion and a key of identification of the species is presented

Keywords : Biodiversity; mollusks; taxonomy; intertidal; Chile.