Os estagios iniciais de vida dos peixes sao influenciados por diversos fatores incluindo caracteristicas oceanograficas e interacoes ecologicas como predacao e forrageio. A regiao oceanica do nordeste do Brasil constitui uma area na qual pouco se conhece sobre os estagios iniciais da vida dos peixes, sendo que o conhecimento dessa fase e de fundamental importancia para a gestao pesqueira. Dessa forma, o ictioplancton das regioes da quebra de plataforma continental (QPC) do nordeste do Brasil e da regiao do entorno de ilhas oceanicas (Ilhas) foi estudado. Na regiao da QPC, o interesse foi em investigar a influencia do gradiente plataforma continentaltalude sobre a composicao e distribuicao do ictioplancton, bem como em investigar aspectos relacionados a ecologia alimentar de larvas de mictofideos. Na regiao de Ilhas o interesse foi de investigar a ecologia alimentar das larvas de mictofideos. Foram realizadas duas campanhas oceanograficas durante julho-agosto de 2010 e 2012. Na QPC, as amostragens foram realizadas em tres transectos compostos por tres estacoes. Nas Ilhas as coletas foram realizadas em dois transectos, compostos por tres estacoes e localizados em lados opostos. Os dados abioticos foram obtidos com um ADCP e um CTD. O ictioplancton foi amostrado atraves de arrastos obliquos diurnos e noturnos atraves de rede bongo (500-μm) de 200 m ate a superficie. Na QPC, um total de 1634 larvas e 4023 ovos, representando 91 generos e 76 especies, foram coletados. Concentracoes mais elevadas de ovos foram encontrados na plataforma por causa do fluxo da subcorrente norte do Brasil. Mais larvas foram encontradas a noite devido a evitabilidade da rede durante o dia. Grupos de associacao de especies neritico, oceanico e de transicao foram determinados. Larvas de peixes neriticos, demersais e pelagicos prevaleceram sobre a plataforma continental, enquanto larvas de peixes oceanicos, esopelagicos e batipelagicos prevaleceram sobre o talude. Em relacao aos habitos alimentares, duas hipoteses foram investigadas: i) os habitos alimentares das larvas são diferentes na regiao da QPC e das Ilhas; e ii) existe variacao ontogenetica na dieta das larvas. O genero de maior representatividade foi Diaphus. As larvas variaram entre 2,3 e 16,5 mm de comprimento padrao. A incidencia alimentar foi mais elevada durante o dia e nao houve alteracao ao longo do desenvolvimento. Esse padrao e tipico de larvas de peixes e esta associado ao fato de que as larvas sao predadoras essencialmente visuais. A composicao da dieta apresentou maior quantidade de itens na QPC (36 itens). Alem disso, pode-se afirmar que as dietas sao distintas nas duas regioes, de forma que as diatomaceas constituem o item de maior importância na quebra de plataforma, ao passo que copepodes constituem o item mais importante no entorno das ilhas. Ao longo do desenvolvimento ocorre alteracao na dieta das larvas com acentuada diminuicao na importancia de diatomaceas e aumento da importancia de copepodes a partir dos 8 mm de comprimento. O volume total de presas e a largura maxima das presas aumenta ao longo do desenvolvimento ontogenetico.CNPqThe early life stages of fishes are influenced by several factors including oceanographic features and ecological interactions such as predation and foraging. Although knowledge of the early stages of fishes are of extreme importance for fisheries management, very little is known about the ichthyoplankton of the northeastern region of Brazil. Because of that, the ichthyoplankton of the continental shelf break (CSB) of northeastern Brazil and of the area around oceanic islands (Isl) was investigated. At the CSB, the interest was in investigating the influence of the continental shelf-slope gradient on the ichthyoplankton composition and distribution, as well as aspects of the feeding ecology of Myctophid larvae. At the Isl the interest was purely on the feeding ecology of the Myctophid larvae. Two oceanographic campaigns were performed during July-August 2010 and 2012. At the CSB, the samplings were performed along three transects composed by three stations, covering the continental shelf and slope areas. At Isl the samplings were performed at two transects composed by three stations and located at opposite sides of the islands. Abiotic data were obtained by an ADCP and a CTD. The ichthyoplankton was sampled through diurnal and nocturnal hauls using a 500-μm bongo net from 200 m to the surface. At the CSB, a total of 1,634 larvae and 4,023 eggs, representing 91 genera and 76 species, was collected. Higher concentrations of fish eggs were found on the continental shelf, because of the North Brazil Undercurrent flux. Higher concentrations of larvae were found at night and were associated with net avoidance during the day. Neritic, oceanic and transition groups of species association were determined. Larvae of neritic, demersal and pelagic fishes prevailed on the continental shelf, while larvae of oceanic, mesopelagic and bathypelagicfishes on the continental slope. In relation to the feeding habits, two hypotheses were investigated: i) the feeding habit of the larvae is different at the CSB and Isl; and ii) there is ontogenetic variation in the larvae diet. The genus with the greater representativeness was Diaphus. The larvae varied between 2.3 and 16.5 mm of standard length. The feeding incidence was higher during the day and there was no ontogenetic variation. This pattern is typical of fish larvae and is associated to the fact that the larvae are essentially visual predators. The composition of the diet presented higher number of items at the CSB (36 items). In addition to that, the diet is distinct at the two areas. At the CSB, the diatoms are the most important items, while copepods are the most important item at the Isl. There is ontogenetic variation in the diet of the larvae with a sharp decrease in importance of the diatoms and increase in importance of the copepods in larvae from 8 mm standard length. The total prey volume and maximum prey width increases with the ontogenetic development.