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Feeding of Eriphia gonagra (Crustacea: Eriphiidae) in Two Polluted Reef Areas in Tropical Brazil with Records of Ingestion of Microplastics
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Reef crabs (Eriphia gonagra) in northeast Brazil were found to ingest plastic debris resembling discarded fishing materials at one site, though plastics represented a low proportion of total stomach volume and did not appear to cause immediate mortality. The study documents microplastic ingestion entering the benthic food web through crustaceans, raising concerns about long-term accumulation as plastic debris continues to increase in the environment.
The aim of this study was to know the impacts on the crab Eriphia gonagra in two reef areas, observing the feeding habit of the species and correlating with the level of anthropic impacts to which it is submitted. The samples were carried at Ipioca and Ponta Verde beaches, northeast Brazil. The individuals were measured and had the stomach contents analysed, the items identified to the lowest taxonomic level and calculated the frequency of occurrence and the food index. There were significant differences in feeding of the species in both areas, because in Ponta Verde the individuals ingested more algae and detritus, while in Ipioca the feeding was more diversified and contain items of animal origin. However, in the region of Ipioca was observed the ingestion of plastic similar to the inappropriate disposed fishing materials present on this site. Despite the considerable frequency plastics in the stomachs, the food index indicates that plastics have low influence in relation to the total volume of food found of the stomachs of E. gonagra. This shows that the species has been exposing with residues of anthropic activities at Ipioca, and is not a mortality factor right now, may be in the future if the amount of plastic debris increase on the environment.
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