Hijacking, hitchhiking and burglary behaviors of pelagic octopuses

Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference: Recent Advances in Cephalopod Science, November 6-14, 2015, Hakodate, Japan.

Accumulation, responses and genotoxicity of trace elements in octopus vulgaris

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Bioquímica pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Acute neuromuscular manifestations in a patient associated with ingesting octopus (Octopus sp.)

The authors report neuromuscular manifestations in a 45-year-old woman after consuming octopus meat (Octopus sp.). The patient presented malaise, paresthesias in perioral and extremity areas, intense muscular weakness and arterial hypotension, followed by severe itch and disseminated cutaneous rash. Gastrointestinal manifestations and fever were not observed, reducing the probability of alimentary poisoning. The presence of muscular and neurological symptoms suggests neurotoxin action, which could have been ingested by the victim from the octopus salivary glands or from an accumulation of toxins in the meat, or by an unknown mechanism. There is little known about toxins of the Octopus genus and this communication is important alert to the possibility of poisoning in humans that eat octopus and its differentiation from alimentary poisonings arising from incorrect conservation of seafood.

Caracterização do nicho alimentar do polvo octopus insularis (cephalopoda: octopodidae): da população ao indivíduo

Octopus insularis, target species in this study, is the dominant benthic octopus of the North and Northeast Brazil. Studies on behavior and ecology of the species have been conducted primarily on oceanic islands, with little information on the continental populations. In this study, two regions of the coast of RN, Rio do Fogo and Pirangi, were chosen for the characterization of the niche by O. insularis populations. The dietary niche, habitat and distribution of O. insularis of oceanic islands and the mainland, were compared. In addition, individual characteristics of feeding behavior in a population at Atol das Rocas was studied, taking into account the size of individuals, the proximity of the dens and characteristics of their "personality". The diet of the Rio do Fogo population was composed mainly of bivalve molluscs (82%), unlike Pirangi population that has a diet consisting mainly of crustaceans Decapoda (68%), similar to that described for the populations of the islands. Consequently, the feeding niches of the island populations were more similar, with greater overlap, but the niche breadth of the continent was larger. The habitats of occurrence on the coast includes reefs, rocks, gravel and an environment called Restinga, a plateau composed of biogenic gravel, sand, sponges and algae, showed a high density of animals. Similarly to that found in the islands, O. insularis in the continent, had a clumped distribution, and a bathymetric segregation between small and large individuals. The differences in diet composition among populations were explained by differences in habitat and coverage of the substrate, which may be directly influencing the diversity and prey availability in these environments. The individual analyzes of the population at Atol das Rocas, showed no relationship between the degree of individual specialization and the different personalities, or the distance between dens. The results suggest that the foraging strategy with greater availability of prey in the environment has an influence on diet octopuses over preferences or personalities

Distribuição espacial, formação de grupos, uso do hábitat e ecologia comportamental de jovens de tubarão limão, negaprion brevirostris (poey 1868), no arquipélago de fernando de noronha

Lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, are common in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, but detailed information about the species in this site is lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution, grouping behavior, habitat use and behavioral ecology of juvenile lemon sharks in the archipelago, and their interaction with some environmental and ecological factors. During 2006 and 2007, the presence and spatial distribution of juvenile sharks were quantified through scuba diving and snorkeling at several sites of the archipelago. In 2008 the habitat use of juvenile sharks was quantified through visual census while snorkeling along 300 x 8 m strip transects. During these transects the grouping behavior of lemon sharks was quantified by ad libitum. Results indicate that Fernando de Noronha Archipelago is used as a nursery area for lemon sharks, and the parturition occurs from November to April. Juveniles preferred using shallower areas available by the tide variation and formed groups only in the presence of adult conspecifics. This preference for shallower habitats and the group behavior probably are anti-predatory tactics used by juvenile lemon sharks, in response to the low availability of shelter and high predation risk of the studied areas. Quantifications of prey availability and predation risk of juveniles showed that, in general, lemon sharks are trading-off food by security and investing in sites with higher possibility of energetic return. Behavioral observations enabled to record juvenile carangid fishes following juvenile lemon sharks, remora host-parasite and juvenile sharks foraging on schools of herrings and octopuses. We also recorded the behavior of juvenile sharks following conspecifics of similar size, circling with two or three individuals and smaller individuals giving way to larger juveniles. When adults are present, juvenile lemon sharks are more social than solitary, indicating that predation is one of the factors that contribute to social behaviors of the species. Results also suggest that when grouped the juveniles have a hierarchical organization according to body size. Furthermore, observation of large adult females with several fresh mating bites and scars in the same habitats used by juvenile lemon sharks, indicates that Fernando de Noronha Archipelago is used as nursery and mating grounds by this species

Acute neuromuscular manifestations in a patient associated with ingesting octopus (Octopus sp.)

Os autores relatam um quadro manifestado por sintomas neurológicos e musculares em uma mulher de 45 anos, que surgiu após o consumo da carne de polvo comum (Octopus sp.). A paciente apresentou intenso mal estar, parestesias em extremidades e área perioral, fraqueza muscular intensa e hipotensão arterial, seguidos de prurido importante e uma erupção eritêmato-descamativa disseminada tardia. Não foram observadas manifestações gastrintestinais ou febre, o que reduziu a probabilidade de uma intoxicação alimentar por conservação inadequada do molusco. A presença de sintomas neuro-musculares é sugestiva de ação de neurotoxinas, comprovadamente existentes em muitos gêneros de polvos e que podem ter sido ingeridas através do consumo das glândulas salivares ou acúmulo das toxinas na carne, por algum mecanismo ainda desconhecido. As toxinas dos polvos do gênero Octopus são pouco estudadas e julgamos esta comunicação importante por alertar para a possibilidade do envenenamento nos seres humanos que consomem carne de polvos e ainda sua diferenciação das intoxicações alimentares que ocorrem por conservação inadequada do animal.

Infiltrated plaques resulting from an injury caused by the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris): a case report

Several species of octopus are considered venomous due to toxins present in the glands connected to their "beak", which may be associated with hunt and kill of prey. Herein, we report an accident involving a common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) that injured an instructor during a practical biology lesson and provoked an inflamed infiltrated plaque on the hand of the victim. The lesion was present for about three weeks and was treated with cold compresses and anti-inflammatory drugs. It was healed ten days after leaving a hyperchromic macule at the bite site. The probable cause of the severe inflammation was the digestive enzymes of the glands and not the neurotoxins of the venom.

Slipper lobster (Crustacea, Decapoda, Scyllaridae) fisheries off the southeastern coast of Brazil: I. Exploitation patterns between 23 degrees 00 ` and 29 degrees 65 ` S

In southeastern Brazil, slipper lobsters (Scyllarides deceptor and S. brasiliensis) are caught by fleets trawling for pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and F. paulensis) and pots-and-traps fishing for octopuses (Octopus vulgaris). Eight hundred fifty-six landings of shrimp trawlers and 28 of the octopus fleet were monitored in the Santos region from May 2006 to April 2007. Additional analysis was performed using a database covering the period from 1999 onwards. This study seeks to identify the recent patterns of exploitation of these lobsters with the goal of improving the way towards fishery sustainability. Scyllarides deceptor was the dominant lobster species with 1032 specimens collected, while only three specimens of S. brasiliensis were identified. The area known as the `Farol do Boi` (23 degrees 01`S, 45 degrees 00`W to 25 degrees 00`S, 45 degrees 40`W at 60-135 m deep) showed the highest Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE). A General Linearized Model (GLM) was used to investigate the factors influencing variations in CPUE in trawl fleets and led to the conclusion that year, month and depth were the most important factors. We detected a significant decrease in the relative abundance of lobsters in the fishing zone despite relatively low fishing effort. Recommendations to protect the lobster resources include taking special precautions in the natural refuge area of the `Farol do Boi`, as an exclusion zone for trawl fleets, and controlling the use of traps longlines to catch octopuses. Concerns about depensatory processes due to the over-exploitation of lobster populations around the world are raised. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of different commercial Artemia sp. Enrichements in Octopus Vulgaris, paralarval rearing at initial planctonic phase: effects on growth, survival and fatty acid composition of the paralarvae

[EN] Octopus "paralarvae", are planktonic, swim actively and have high metabolic rates, requiring large quantities of live prey of adequate motility and nutritional quality ( Iglesias et al., 2000; Navarro and Villanueva, 2000, 2003). During the planktonic phase, they undergo strong morphological changes, after which the octopuses start settling to the bottom. The potential of Octopus vulgaris as candiadate for diversification of marine aquacultures are mainly due to its high food conversion rate and fast growth.( Iglesias et al 2006). Despite the research effort taken until now, paralarval rearing of O. vulgaris still suffers high mortalities which limited the industrial culture of this species. The main problems in the paralarval rearing stages are the high mortality rates and poor growth. These are attributed to the lack of standardized culture techniques and nutritional deficiencies in the diet of paralarvae, especially in n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA). The objective if this experience was to test different commercial live prey enrichment to improve nutritional quality of the artemia.

Engorde de pulpo común Octopus vulgaris en jaulas en la comunidad Canaria [Material gráfico] [Recurso electrónico] : efecto de la dieta y la densidad inicial

Octopus vulgaris on-growing in floating cages is a promising activity implemented in Spain at industrial level, with productions of 16-32 tons/year from 1998. Nevertheless, some aspects of the culture system need to be evaluated to warrantee its profitability. In the present work absolute growth rate (AGR, g/day) and mortality (%) under two initial rearing densities, 10 and 17 kg/m3, were compared under two feeding regimes over 15 weeks. One diet was composed by bogue, supplied as ?discarded? species from local fish farms. The other diet was based on a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab Portunus pelagicus. Half of the reared octopuses were PIT-tagged and two sampling points were established along the experimental period. Regardless of dietary treatment, up to the 11th week, growth was 19 and 13 g./day for the low and high rearing density. On the other hand, up to the 11th week mortality was higher in the control diet fed group (30%), reaching 74-84% by the end of the experiment regardless of rearing density and dietary treatment, which could suggest some nutritional imbalance of the tested diets.

Pre-engorde de pulpo común Octopus vulgaris con 3 dietas basadas en descartes de acuicultura en la comunidad Canaria

On-growing of Octopus vulgaris fed different feeds has shown promising results. Nevertheless, since the minimum legal size for octopus fisheries in spain i sin most of experimental ongrowing of this species an average weight over 750-1000kg was utilized with g (and little research has been conducted in order to evaluate the effect of these diets on smaller individuals. The present work evaluates the effect of 3 diets based on bogue, obtained as ?discarded? species from local fish farms, on ingestion and growth of O. vulgaris weighing 400 g. The 1st diet was composed by discarded bogue, the 2nd diet by a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab Portunus pelagicus and the 3rd diet was presented as a moist diet based on discarded bogue. A triplicate of four octopuses per treatments, male:female 1:1, were kept in circular 400 l tanks and fed each diet for 4 weeks. Absolute growth rate (AGR, g./day), standard feeding rate (SFR, %/day) and feed efficiency (FE) were calculated. The addition of crab to the diet increased SFR which underlines different feeding habits when compared with 0.8-1 kg octopuses. Lower growth and higher FE was recorded with the moist diet, probably due to high disintegration of this kind of feed.

Evaluación de 2 sistemas de cultivo en pulpos macho Octopus vulgaris: efecto de la talla inicial y de la dieta

[EN]Octopus vulgaris on-growing in floating cages has shown promising results. Nevertheless, some aspects of the culture system need to be evaluated to warrantee its profitability. In the present work individual and group rearing, in PVC net compartments and floating cages respectively, are compared under two dietary treatments. One diet is composed by bogue, supplied as ?discarded? species from local fish farms, and the other is based on a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab Portunus pelagicus. Besides, the effect of initial size is also evaluated. All octopuses were PIT-tagged and the experiment lasted 2 months. Absolute growth rate (AGR, g./day) and mortality (%) were calculated. Control diet generated higher growth rates and lower mortality which suggests different crab requirements at higher rearing temperatures. High mortality recorded in individual rearing could be related with high initial rearing density and temperatures.

Evaluación de 2 sistemas de cultivo en pulpo común Octopus vulgaris en jaulas en la comunidad Canaria

Octopus vulgaris on-growing in floating cages is a promising activity implemented in Spain at industrial level, with productions of 16-32 tons/year from 1998. Nevertheless, some aspects of the culture system need to be evaluated to warrantee its profitability. In the present study two rearing systems and two dietary treatments were evaluated. Individual and group rearing, in PVC net compartments and floating cages respectively, were compared under two dietary treatments. One diet was composed by bogue, supplied as ?discarded? species from local fish farms, and the other was based on a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab Portunus pelagicus. All octopuses were PIT-tagged and the experiment lasted two months. Animals were sampled once throughout the experimental period and absolute growth rate (AGR, g./day) and mortality (%) were calculated. AGR of group rearing was above 30 g./day, however individual rearing showed 100% survival so biomass increment was higher. On the other hand, males grew more than females regardless of dietary treatment.

Utilización de cangrejo y harinas en un pienso para pulpo común Octopus vulgaris

The present work evaluates whether the addition of 2 species of crab (Portunus pelagicus and Grapsus grapsus) as attractants (10%) in experimental moist diet based in discarded bogue (Boops boops) may increase ingestion and growth in O. vulgaris. Besides, another diet based on flour, made from discarded bogue and G. grapsus, was tested. Finally, a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab P. pelagicus was provided as a control diet. Four male octopuses, kept The present work evaluates whether the addition of 2 species of crab (Portunus pelagicus and Grapsus grapsus) as attractants (10%) in experimental moist diet based in discarded bogue (Boops boops) may increase ingestion and growth in O. vulgaris. Besides, another diet based on flour, made from discarded bogue and G. grapsus, was tested. Finally, a 40-60% discarded bogue-crab P. pelagicus was provided as a control diet. Four male octopuses, kept in PVC net cages in the same tank, were fed each diet for 8 weeks and several parameters were calculated: absolute growth rate (AGR, g./day), standard feeding rate (SFR, %/day) and feed efficiency (FE). The addition of crab to the diet under the conditions described did not improve ingestion, growth or feed efficiency in this species, while the flour based diet generated negative growth.

Crecimiento individual de Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) alimentado con pienso húmedo experimental y boga (Boops boops, L. 1758)

[EN]The present work pretends to be the first step towards the development of a commercial diet for Octopus vulgaris. A one month experiment evaluated growth on two treatments, a wet experimental diet and a control (bogue), obtaining a daily growth rate of 1,6 and 16 g/day respectively. Octopuses were tagged and a better growth tendency was found in middle size animals in each experimental tank