Two pairs of artificial and natural reefs located about 10 km off Guarapari, south-eastern Brazil (Fig. 1) were examined. The two natural reefs, Escalvada and Rasas islands, are granitic and are located 5 km from each other. Escalvada is a single island and Rasas is composed by two small islands separated by a shallow and narrow strait. Depth at the interface between reef and unconsolidated substrate varies between 9 and 25 m depending on island side. The two artificial reefs, Bellucia and Victory, are steel-hulled freighters differing in origin and age. The 102-m Bellucia accidentally sunk in 1903 after colliding against a rock outcrop near Rasas Islands. In the collision, the ship broke in two parts that
BYL719 are now 150 m from each other. The maximum depth is 27 m and remains of the superstructure reach 20 m below the surface. The 90-m Victory was intentionally deployed in 2003 for disposal and to support tourism after being stripped of everything but paint. Its maximum depth is 35 m and the top of the funnel at the time of this study was 18 m below the surface. While the Bellucia is located less than 300 m from Rasas Islands, the Victory is about 2 km from Escalvada Island and 3 km from Rasas (Fig. 1). Note, however, that there also are many uncharted reef patches in the region with
base of, either, granite or coralline algae and bryozoans or even reef-building corals. Both artificial reefs are located on extensive sandbanks, but parts of the Bellucia remain on the smooth, low-rugosity base of the rocky reef that sealed its fate.
