DISCUSSION
The results revealed marked differences in richness,
abundance, and distribution of macrofauna along the
sampling stations. These differences appeared to be related
primarily to the salinity gradient of the system and
secondarily to the sediment parameters, such as the contents
of organic matter and fine sediments, as well as the feeding
habits of the benthos. There were no characteristic freshwater
species, and the marine-stenohaline species contingent was
prominent, showing the influence of the entry of seawater
into the system and the importance of salinity for the
distribution of organisms. The bivalves Tagelus plebeius,
Anomalocardia brasiliana, and Lucina pectinata, typically
euryhaline (Boehs et al. 2004) although widely distributed,
were more numerous at the inner, less saline stations.