Biophysical interactions in the Cabo Frio upwelling system, southeastern Brazil

The rising of cold water from deeper levels characterizes coastal upwelling systems. This flow makes nutrients available in the euphotic layer, which enhances phytoplankton production and growth. On the Brazilian coast, upwelling is most intense in the Cabo Frio region (RJ). The basic knowledge of this system was reviewed in accordance with concepts of biophysical interactions. The high frequency and amplitude of the prevailing winds are the main factor promoting the rise of South Atlantic Central Water, but meanders and eddies in the Brazil Current as well as local topography and coast line are also important. Upwelling events are common during spring/summer seasons. Primary biomass is exported by virtue of the water circulation and is also controlled by rapid zooplankton predation. Small pelagic fish regulate plankton growth and in their turn are preyed on by predatory fish. Sardine furnishes an important regional fish stock. Shoreline irregularities define the embayment formation of the Marine Extractive Reserve of Arraial do Cabo making it an area with evident different intensities of upwelled water that harbors high species diversity. Consequently, on a small spatial scale there are environments with tropical and subtropical features, a point to be explored as a particularity of this ecosystem.

Population biology of the barbel drum Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus (Metzelaar, 1919) (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) in Caraguatatuba Bay, Southeastern Brazil

This study evaluated the population biology of Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) in a shallow non-estuarine coastal area of southeastern Brazil. Monthly samples were taken from October 2003 through October 2004, in two distinct areas at depths from 1 to 4 m. C. gracilicirrhus was generally among the most abundant fish species during the period. Its density was significantly higher in a single sampling month, May 2004, in the South area, which may be explained by its migratory behavior together with its preference for deeper areas. Such behavior may lead to bias in community estimates that use few or only seasonal samples. C. gracilicirrhus individuals ranged from 4.0 to 10.2 cm long, with a main mode from 7.5 to 9.0 cm and a significant decrease in mean size from June onward. The estimation of body growth parameters was compromised by this population feature. Similarly, the prey spectrum was difficult to determine because of the deteriorated condition of the stomach contents, although crustaceans were clearly the most important items ingested. Amphipoda was the only subgroup that could be identified more precisely, mainly by the construction of their tubes.

Systematics of interstitial encrusting bryozoans from southeastern Brazil

This paper describes 22 species of marine bryozoans found in the sand-grain-encrusting interstitial epifauna of the northeast coast of São Paulo state, Brazil: one new cyclostome, Disporella calcitrapa sp. nov., and 21 cheilostomes. Sixteen of the cheilostomes are new species, and three represent new genera. They are Ammatophora arenacea sp. nov., Discoporella gemmulifera sp. nov., Puellina caraguata sp. nov., Puellina tuba sp. nov., Rosulapelta rosetta gen. et sp. nov., Collarina spicata sp. nov., Hippothoa calcicola sp. nov., Trypostega ilhabelae sp. nov., Reptadeonella granulosa sp. nov., Drepanophora irregularis sp. nov., Allotherenia sabulosa gen. et sp. nov., Bryopesanser tilbrooki sp. nov., Psammocleidochasma tridentatum gen. et sp. nov., Celleporina abstrusa sp. nov., Hippoporella castellana sp. nov., and Hippoporella sabulonis sp. nov. Other species found in this habitat, Alderina smitti, Cymulopora uniserialis, Vibracellina laxibasis, Akatopora leucocypha, and Smittipora sawayai, have previously been described. The family Cymuloporidae fam. nov. is erected for Cymulopora and Crepis. The occurrence in this habitat of living colonies of bryozoans more characteristic of larger subtidal shell substrata indicates the potential importance of an interstitial refuge in maintaining and dispersing encrusting bryozoan populations along continental shelves where larger substrata are absent or rare.

Cold surge episodes over southeastern Brazil - a potential vorticity perspective

Most intense cold surges and associated frost events in southern and southeastern Brazil are characterized by a large amplitude trough over South America extending toward tropical latitudes and a ridge to the west of it over the Pacific Ocean. In this study, potential vorticity (PV) streamers serve to examine the flow condition leading to cold surges. Case studies suggest that several PV anomalies are related to cold surge episodes: (1) the potential vorticity unit (2-PVU) isoline upstream of South America becomes progressively more distorted prior and during the cold surge episode, indicating a flow situation which is conducive for Rossby wave breaking and hence a flow which strongly deviates from zonality; (2) the initial stage of a cold surge episode is characterized by a northward bulging of high-PV air to the east of the Andes, resulting in a PV streamer whose northern end reaches Uruguay and southeastern Brazil; the strong PV gradient on its western flank constitutes a flow configuration that induces and maintains the transport of sub-Antarctic air toward the subtropics; (3) a distinct negative PV anomaly, a blocking, originates over the eastern South Pacific, upstream of the South America sector. A composite analysis of 27 cold surges is performed for stratospheric PV streamer frequency on several isentropic surfaces. It reveals that equatorward wave breaking over South America and the western South Atlantic represents an important potential component of the dynamics of intense cold surges. The indications are most pronounced around the isentropic levels of 320 K and immediately before the day with largest temperature drops over subtropical Brazil.

Feeding habits of the shortnose guitarfish, Zapteryx brevirostris (Müller and Henle, 1841) (Elasmobranchii, Rhinobatidae) in southeastern Brazil

Foram estudados os hábitos alimentares da raia-viola-de-focinho-curto, Zapteryx brevisrostris, com base em 382 espécimes coletados no litoral norte de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. A dieta mostrou predominância de crustáceos (carídeos e anfípodes), anelídeos poliquetos e ocasionalmente pequenos peixes, sipunculídeos e cefalópodes. A dieta de machos e fêmeas mostrou-se similar, entretanto, juvenis, subadultos e adultos demonstraram diferenças na composição de presas. As frequências dos itens diferiram ao longo do ano, provavelmente influenciadas por fatores oceanográficos, embora, em geral, a espécie se alimente predominantemente de crustáceos e poliquetos.

Rickettsia amblyommii infecting Amblyomma sculptum in endemic spotted fever area from southeastern Brazil

The Rickettsia bacteria include the aetiological agents for the human spotted fever (SF) disease. In the present study, a SF group Rickettsia amblyommii related bacterium was detected in a field collected Amblyomma sculptum ( Amblyomma cajennense species complex) tick from a Brazilian SF endemic site in southeastern Brazil, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, state of Minas Gerais. Genetic analysis based on genes ompA, ompB and htrA showed that the detected strain, named R. amblyommii str. JF, is related to the species R. amblyommii.

Antimicrobial resistance of heterotrophic marine bacteria isolated from seawater and sands of recreational beaches with different organic pollution levels in southeastern Brazil: evidences of resistance dissemination

Antimicrobial resistance of marine heterotrophic bacteria to different antimicrobials agents were evaluated in seawater, dry and wet sands from three marine recreational beaches with different pollution levels. In all studied beaches, the greatest frequencies of resistance were found in relation to penicillin. on Gonzaguinha, the most polluted beach, 72.3% of all isolated strains showed simple resistance, whilst 8.33% had multiple resistance. The values found on Ilha Porchat beach, were 70.8% and 6.9% for simple and multiple resistances, respectively. on GuaraA(0), the less polluted beach, only 35.3% of isolated strains had simple resistance. Multiple resistance was not observed. While samples from Gonzaguinha and Ilha Porchat beach showed isolated strains resistant to seven and six different antimicrobial agents, respectively, samples from GuaraA(0) beach were resistant only to penicillin and erytromicin. The positive correlations obtained between the degree of seawater contamination and frequency and variability of bacterial resistance indicate that polluted marine recreational waters and sands are sources of resistant bacteria contributing thus, to the dissemination of bacterial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance and species composition of Enterococcus spp. isolated from waters and sands of marine recreational beaches in Southeastern Brazil

Density, species composition and antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of the Enterococcus genus were evaluated in seawater and sands from 2 marine recreational beaches with different levels of pollution. The 2 beaches showed predominance of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, in the water and the sand. Dry sand presented higher densities of Enterococcus sp. and higher frequency of resistant strains than wet sand and seawater. The beach with a higher degree of pollution presented higher percentages of resistant strains (66.7% and 61.5%, in sand and in water, respectively) and resistance to a larger number of antimicrobials compared with the less polluted beach, Ilha Porchat (35.7% and 31.25% of resistant strains in sand and water, respectively). in water samples, the highest frequencies of resistance were obtained against streptomycin (38.5%) and erythromycin (25%), whilst in sand, the highest frequencies were observed in relation to erythromycin and tetracycline (38.1% and 14.3%, respectively). These results show that water and sands from beaches with high indexes of faecal contamination of human origin may be potential sources of contamination by pathogens and contribute to the dissemination of bacterial resistance. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First report of Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in southeastern Brazil.

2016

Size at maturity and length-weight relationships of the blurred lantern shark Etmopterus bigelowi (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) caught off southeastern Brazil

The blurred lantern shark Etmopterus bigelowi, a deep-water squaloid shark, is globally widespread in temperate and tropical waters, but there is little available information about its biology owing to its relative rarity of capture and taxonomic confusion with its sibling species Etmopterus pusillus. Specimens used in this study were collected from July to December 2004 as by-catch in the commercial deepwater trawl fishery targeting red shrimp Aristaeomorpha foliacea in the southwestern Atlantic. We examined 55 specimens (22 males and 33 females) ranging in total length (TL) from 31.5 to 73 cm and in total weight from 103 to 1600 g. Length-weight relationships were explored for each sex and significant differences were found in the slope coefficients of the male and female regressions. The size at maturity for each sex was evaluated fitting a logistic regression. Females matured at larger sizes than males, with estimated sizes at first maturity of 56.0 cm TL for females and 45.1 cm TL for males. The present study provides important preliminary information about E. bigelowi that can be incorporated in risk assessment and stock assessment models, essential for efficient management practices aimed at avoiding overexploitation of these vulnerable deep-sea sharks.

Diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in Santa Inês and Morada Nova sheep in southeastern Brazil

2016

Growth and reproductive dynamics of the South American red shrimp, Pleoticus muelleri (Crustacea: Solenoceridae), from the southeastern coast of Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reproduction and recruitment of the South American red shrimp, Pleoticus muelleri (Crustacea : Solenoceridae), from the Southeastern coast of Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)