Composição e abundância da ictiofauna de duas lagunas costeiras da América do Sul Austral: lagoa do Peixe (31ºS; 51ºW), Brasil e laguna Mar Chiquita (37ºS; 57ºW), Argentina

This article describes and compares the shallow water fish-fauna from two coastal lagoons (Peixe Lagoon, in Brazil, and Mar Chiquita Lagoon, in Argentina). Peixe Lagoon was sampled between 2000 and 2001 using a 9 m beach seine net (12 mm bar mesh in the wings and 5 mm in the centre 3 m section) totalizing 125 samples, which yielded 33,848 individuals and 32 species. Mar Chiquita Lagoon was sampled from 1995 to 1998 using a 21) m beach seine net (12 mm bar mesh) totalizing 232 samples resulting in 31,097 individuals of 28 species. A total of 47 species were observed in both lagoons and 13 were shared. The "marine-estuarine-related" species were similar and dominate the fish assemblages in both lagoons. The remaining species were similar to the species collected along the southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina estuaries. The number of species observed in Peixe Lagoon (S = 32) was higher than in Mar Chiquita Lagoon (S = 28) and is probably associated with a strong latitudinal gradient of species richness increasing from north to south. Considering that the Peixe Lagoon and Mar Chiquita Lagoon are isolated by the large estuaries of Patos Lagoon and Prata River, the composition of the species with low abundance and occasional occurrence were different for each local studied. These results expand the knowledge for the fauna of both sites and help conservation and management from both lagoons.

The fish zonation of the Itanha,m river basin in the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil

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

The cetacean offal connection: Feces and vomits of spinner dolphins as a food source for reef fishes

At Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southwest Atlantic, reef fishes associated with spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) were recorded when the cetaceans congregated in a shallow inlet. In the reef waters the dolphins engaged in several behaviors such as resting, aerial displays and other social interactions, as well as eliminative behaviors such as defecating and vomiting. Twelve fish species in seven families were recorded feeding on dolphin offal. The black durgon (Melichthys niger) was the most ubiquitous waste-eater, and its group size was positively and significantly correlated with dolphin group size. The durgons recognized the postures a dolphin adopts prior to defecating or vomiting, and began to converge to an individual shortly before it actually voided. Offal was quickly fed upon, and the fishes concentrated in the area occupied by the dolphins until the latter left the shallows. Since all the recorded offal-feeding species feed on plankton or drifting algae, feeding on cetacean droppings may be regarded as a switch from foraging on drifting organisms to foraging on drifting offal, a predictable food source in the inlet. Further instances of this cetacean-fish association are predicted to occur at sites where these mammals congregate over reefs with clear water and plankton-eating fishes.

Emerging infectious diseases in cetaceans worldwide and the possible role of environmental stressors

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

CONDITION of Hoplias aff. malabaricus (BLOCH, 1794) IN TWO COASTAL STREAMS of ITANHAEM RIVER BASIN, BRAZIL

The main purpose of this research was to measure the condition of the fish species Hoplias aff. malabaricus collected in Aguapeu River (black waters) and Branco River (white waters), which belong to Itanhaem River basin, a coastal watershed in São Paulo state, Brazil. Individuals of Hoplias aff. malabaricus were sampled by using gill nets, monthly from March 2001 to February 2002. The Condition Factor was obtained through the length-weight relationship, assuming that the higher the mass for a given length, the better the condition of the fish. The Condition Factor was compared among fishes from both rivers, resulting that Branco River individuals have significantly lower condition. Limnological aspects were studied from May 2001 to November 2002 and some show significant differences between Aguapeu River and Branco River. These were salinity, do and total organic N, which the higher values being observed in Branco River propably due to estuarine waters influence. However, the lower condition of the Branco River fishes should also be an effect of a disturbance due to the sand mining in this river, since this activity cause important alterations to the environment, affecting the whole biota, included aquatic macrophytes, invertebrates and fishes.

Um novo método para quantificar mercúrio orgânico (Hg orgânico) empregando a espectrometria de fluorescência atômica do vapor frio

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

Co-stressors chilling and high light increase photooxidative stress in diuron-treated red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii but with lower involvement of H2O2

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

Fluvial transport of lead, zinc and copper contents in polluted mining regions

Ore mines installed in the lower-middle portion of Ribeira de Iguape River (São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil), together with the Panelas Plant are responsible for the contamination of the Iguape-Cananeia-Paranagua lagoon-estuarine complex. The lower-middle portion of Grande Creek Basin, located in the district of Adrianopolis (Parana State, southern Brazil) is under environmental impact because of mining activities. The mines of Perau, at Perau Creek, Canoas at Canoas Creek, and Barrinha at Barrinha Creek and Laranjal Creek have been paralyzed. The transport of lead in fluvial sediments is mainly associated with organic matter, carbonates, the residual fraction, and adsorbables, whereas the transport of zinc is associated with the organic and residual fraction, oxides and hydroxides of iron and manganese, carbonate, and adsorbables. The transport of copper is associated with the residual fraction and oxides and hydroxides of iron and manganese, organic matter, carbonate, and adsorbables.

A new genus of dipnoiformes from the Cretaceous of Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Tectonics and paleogeography of the Marajó Basin, northern Brazil

A área da Bacia do Marajó apresenta feições geológicas e geomorfológicas devidas principamente à distensão Mesozóica e à neotectônica pós-miocênica. O evento de distensão, com fases do Cretáceo Inferior e Superior, originou quatro sub-bacias que contituem a Bacia do Marajó, com uma espessa seqüência clástica continental mostrando influência marinha. Falhas normais NW e NNW e direcionais NE e ENE controlaram a geometria da bacia. A distensão, relacionada com a abertura do Atlântico Equatorial, propagou-se continente adentro ao longo de zonas de fraqueza crustal dos cinturões orogênicos pré-cambrianos Tumucumaque, Amapá e Araguaia. O evento neotectônico é um regime transcorrente que desenvolveu bacias transtensivas preenchidas por sedimentos marinhos rasos (Formação Pirabas) e seqüências transicionais (Grupo Barreiras) do Terciário Superior, seguidos por depósitos fluviais e seqüências transicionais do Quaternário, derivadas dos rios Amazoans e Tocantins e do estuário do Marajó. A paisagem atual tem morfologia tipicamente estuarina. A morfologia costeira apresenta escarpas em seqüências transicionais do Terciário Superior, enquanto no interior dominam elevações sustentadas por crosta laterítica do Pleistoceno Médio, aparadas por superfície erosiva a 70 m. No leste da Ilha do Marajó são reconhecidas várias gerações de paleocanais com seqüências estuarinas associadas, enquanto no lado oeste predomina uma planície flúvio-marinha.

Feeding associations between Guiana dolphins, Sotalia guianensis (Van Bénèden, 1864) and seabirds in the Lagamar estuary, Brazil

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

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) displaying beach hunting behavior in the Cananéia Estuary, Brazil: social context and conservation issues

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

Variabilidade espacial e sazonal da concentração de elementos-traço em sedimentos do sistema estuarino de Santos-Cubatão (SP)

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

Mapping oil spill environmental sensitivity in cardoso island state park and surroundings areas, São Paulo, Brazil

This study presents an environmental oil spill sensitivity map of Cardoso Island State Park, located in São Paulo state, Brazil, including some of its surrounding areas. This map was designed following the procedures determined by the Brazilian Federal Environment Organ (Ministry of the Environment), which separates coastal habitats in different littoral sensitivity indexes (LSI) to oil spills. We have also analysed some seasonal variations in morphologic and textural parameters at the local marine beaches that could affect their sensitivity, having found that they are more sensitive during summer due to a wider foreshore zone during these periods. Local most sensitive habitats are estuarine mangroves (LSI 10) and estuarine mud banks (LSI 9). Marine beaches were ranked LSI 3, and littoral rocky shores were subdivided in exposed flat rocky shores (LSI 1), boulder rocky shores (LSI 6) and sheltered rocky shores (LSI 8). Due to the elevated sensitivity of an estuarine system in the area, we considered necessary the installation of an Environmental Emergency Centre and the design of an emergency plan for the region in case of an accident resulting in oil spills within its vicinities. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taxonomic status of the genus Sotalia: Species level ranking for tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) and costero (Sotalia guianensis) dolphins

Dolphins of the genus Sotalia are found along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of Central and South America and in the Amazon River and most of its tributaries. At present, the taxonomy of these dolphins remains unresolved. Although five species were described in the late 1800s, only one species is recognized currently (Sotalia fluviatilis) with two ecotypes or subspecies, the coastal subspecies (Sotalia fluviatilis guianensis) and the riverine subspecies (Sotalia fluviatilis fluviatilis). Recent morphometric analyses, as well as mitochondrial DNA analysis, suggested recognition of each subspecies as separate species. Here we review the history of the classification of this genus and present new genetic evidence from ten nuclear and three mitochondrial genes supporting the elevation of each subspecies to the species level under the Genealogical/Lineage Concordance Species Concept and the criterion of irreversible divergence. We also review additional evidence for this taxonomic revision from previously published and unpublished genetic, morphological, and ecological studies. We propose the common name costero for the coastal species, Sotalia guianensis (Van Beneden 1864), and accept the previously proposed tucuxi dolphin, Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853), for the riverine species.