Introduction: Seaweeds can be found in all oceans, especially in shallow waters with solid substrate. They are commonly found in rocky beaches, mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and sandy beaches. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of five genera (Sargassum, Dictyota, Padina, Halimeda, and Caulerpa) of seaweeds important in the pharmaceutical industry at three points in the southern zone of Mozambique (Chongoene, Inhaca Island, and Ponta D'Ouro). Metodology: Samples were collected in the intertidal zone, where grids were allocated in transects for species analysis. Comparasion of seaweeds distribution in three stud areas were done by ANOVA test. The Tukey test was used to compare the means of variables in the three areas. A total of 31 species of interest were identified, with Chongoene presenting 16 species, Inhaca Island 15 species, and Ponta D' Ouro 11 species. These species were grouped into five genera: Sargassum, Dictyota, Padina, Halimeda, and Caulerpa. Results: The percentage of coverage determination showed differences in the distribution of these genera in the three study areas (P=0.038 <0.05), with Inhaca Island presenting a higher distribution of species/genera of interest for this research followed by the coastal area of Chongoene and finally Ponta D' Ouro. However, there are no significant differences in the distribution of species within the same study area (P=0.135> 0.05).

Keywords: Macroalgae, Distribution index, Inhaca, Chongoene, Ponta D'Ouro.