Phycological flora diversity in a coastal tropical ecosystem in the Northeast of Brazil

The Santa Cruz Channel is located in the Estuarine Complex of Itamaraca, between the coordinates of 7 degrees 34'00" - 7 degrees 55'16"S and 34 degrees 48'48" - 34 degrees 54'24"W, northeast of Brazil. This channel is one of the most important productive areas of the littoral zone in the Pernambuco State. Due to the important environmental conditions, its phycological flora diversity is represented by 252 species, distributed in 108 Bacillariophyta, 80 Rhodophyta, 19 Phaeophyta and 45 Chlorophyta. Some representatives of economic value are found, such as Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen in Jacquin) J. V. Lamour., Solieria filiformis (Kuetz.) P. W. Gabrielson (carrageenan producers), Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Bory) Dawson, Acleto et Foldvik. Hydropuntia caudata (J. Agardh) Gurgel & Fredericq and H. cornea (J. Agardh) M. J. Wynne (agar producers). Other species, like H. opuntia (L.) J.V. Lamour, have a high ecological role in the reef bottom.