The Santa Cruz Channel is located in the Estuarine Complex of Itamaracá, between the coordinates of 7°34'00' ' -7°55'16"S and 34°48'48" -34°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

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... mic 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.