Heterogeneity in intertidal fish fauna assemblages along the world's longest mangrove area in northern Brazil

The first comparison of the intertidal fish fauna from three estuaries within the longest contiguous mangrove area of the world, in north Brazil, revealed a significant heterogeneity in the species composition and functional and ecological guilds with an increase of Tetraodontidae and Engraulidae and a decrease of Sciaenidae and Mugilidae towards the Amazon mouth. A classification of the mangrove estuaries to identify types of estuaries and coastal sectors is urgently required to provide a tool for regional management systems in order to improve research, monitoring and conservation of this unique mangrove ecosystem. (c) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.