The present work was developed from June 1985 to May 1986. Monthly sampling was performed in estuarine and coastal adjacent habitats. Samples were collected using bottom trawl, beach seine and bottom pots. Fourteen species (6,538 individuals) of decapod brachyurans were identified, being Callinectes danae the most abundant in all habitats, followed by C. sapidus and Portunus spinimanus. Bottom trawling prove to be the more efficient fishing gear, caughting fourteen species, while beach seine caught eight species and estuarine catches, using bottom pots, were constituted by five species, all of them belonging to the genus Callinectes. The number of females was higher than males for all dominant species, and generally, this number was higher mainly at bay region than at beach and estuarine habitats. The growing of total catches during spring-summer months may be correlated with warmer waters and reproduction patterns. Data on species composition, occurrence, abundance, hydrographic parameters and sampling methods are presented.
Decapoda; Coastal zone; Brackishwater environment; Catching methods; Community composition; Dominant species; Seasonal variations; Environmental factors; Callinectes danae; Callinectes sapidus; Portunus spinimanus; Brazil