Coral reef fish association with macroalgal beds on a tropical reef system in North-eastern Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. T. C. Chaves ◽  
P. H. C. Pereira ◽  
J. L. L. Feitosa

Macroalgal beds are recognised for their role as nursery and feeding grounds for several marine species. This study was conducted in the Tamandaré reef complex within the limits of the Costa dos Corais Marine Protected Area (MPA), North-eastern Brazil. The macroalgal bed studied is subjected to several disturbances, especially from tourism. The reef fish were assessed with free dives during the day and night using visual censuses within transects (20 × 2 m) and random swims. The percentage algal cover was estimated using quadrats (40 cm2). The behavioural traits of the fish also provided an understanding of their habitat use. In total, 68 fish species were recorded. The most abundant species were representatives of the families Labridae, Pomacentridae, Acanthuridae and Haemulidae. Sargassum polyceratium, Dictyopteris delicatula and Canistrocarpus cervicornis were the most abundant macroalgae. Because the most abundant fish trophic guild included primarily mobile invertebrate feeders (41.8%) and carnivores (28.4%), it is suggested that the high-canopy macroalgae harbour epiphytic invertebrates, which these fish use for food. Thereby, the study area would act as important nursery and feeding grounds. Tourism activity (e.g. laying chairs, trampling and anchoring) may disrupt fish behaviour and life- history traits and result in damage that would require mitigation through environmental awareness and law enforcement in the most affected areas.

2017 ◽  
Vol 98 (7) ◽  
pp. 1619-1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Dias Pimenta ◽  
Bruno Garcia Andrade ◽  
Ricardo Silva Absalão

A taxonomic revision of the Nystiellidae from Brazil, including samples from the Rio Grande Rise, South Atlantic, was performed based on shell morphology. Five genera and 17 species were recognized. For the richest genus,Eccliseogyra, the three species previously recorded from Brazil were revised:E. brasiliensisandE. maracatu, previously known only from their respective type series, were re-examined. Newly available material ofE. maracatuexpanded the known geographic range of this species to off south-east Brazil.Eccliseogyra nitidais now recorded from north-eastern to south-eastern Brazil, as well as from the Rio Grande Rise. Three species ofEccliseogyraare newly recorded from the South Atlantic:E. monnioti, previously known from the north-eastern Atlantic, occurs off eastern Brazil and on the Rio Grande Rise; its protoconch is described for the first time, confirming its family allocation.Eccliseogyra pyrrhiasoccurs off eastern Brazil and on the Rio Grande Rise, andE. folinioff eastern Brazil. The genusIphitusis newly recorded from the South Atlantic.Iphitus robertsiwas found off northern Brazil, although the shells show some differences from the type material, with less-pronounced spiral keels. Additional new finds showed thatIphitus cancellatusranges from eastern Brazil to the Rio Grande Rise, and Iphitusnotiossp. nov. is restricted to the Rio Grande Rise.Narrimania, previously recorded from Brazil based on dubious records, is confirmed, including the only two living species described for the genus:N. azelotes, previously only known from the type locality in Florida, andN. concinna, previously known from the Mediterranean. A third species,Narrimania raquelaesp. nov. is described from eastern Brazil, diagnosed by its numerous and thinner cancellate sculpture. To the three species ofOpaliopsispreviously known from Brazil, a fourth species,O. arnaldoisp. nov., is added from eastern Brazil, and diagnosed by its very thin spiral sculpture, absence of a varix, and thinner microscopic parallel axial striae.Papuliscala nordestina, originally described from north-east Brazil, is recorded off eastern Brazil and synonymized withP. elongata, a species previously known only from the North Atlantic.


2013 ◽  
Vol 475 ◽  
pp. 233-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Bijoux ◽  
L Dagorn ◽  
G Berke ◽  
PD Cowley ◽  
M Soria ◽  
...  

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oswaldo Paulo Forattini ◽  
Iná Kakitani ◽  
Eduardo Massad ◽  
Almério de Castro Gomes

Populations of Anopheles (Kerteszia) were sampled fortnightly over a one-year period (August 1991 to July 1992) at Ribeira Valley, S. Paulo State, Brazil. Indoor and outdoor collections were made on human bait at evening crepuscular period. The Polovodova technique for age grading was applied to 3,501 females of Anopheles cruzii and to 416 females of An. bellator. That sample represented 34.4% of the total number of mosquitoes collected. The most abundant species found was An. cruzii. However, An. bellator showed an endophagy that was almost three times greater than that of An. cruzii. The overall parous rate was 25.4% and uniparity was practically dominant one. A proportion of 26.9% of An. cruzii and 12.0% of An. bellator were found to be uniparous. Only three outdoor females of the former species (0.1%) showed biparity. Parity of An. cruzii was higher in females caught outdoors than in those caught indoors. Nevertheless, 497 nulliparous females examined (417 cruzii and 80 bellator) had ovaries that had advanced to Christophers and Mer stages III to V. These results imply that these females had already practised hematophagy. Relating these results to those from the parous females, a high statistical significance was found, leading to the conclusion that gonothophic discordance is a common pattern among these anophelines. Further, these results obtained with human bait catches strongly suggest that nearly 38.0% of these host-seeking females had already taken at least one previous blood-meal. So it is possible that enough time could thus be available for the plasmodian development in the vectors.


Author(s):  
Miguel Henriques ◽  
Vitor C. Almada

Underwater behavioural observations were conducted to evaluate the relative importance of cleaning behaviour in three species of common north-eastern Atlantic wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae). At the study site, the only cleaner was Centrolabrus exoletus. A total of 12 species was cleaned, with the wrasse, Symphodus melops and Labrus bergylta being the species most frequently cleaned. Neither S. melops nor Ctenolabrus rupestris, known to be cleaners in other sites or in captivity, could be observed cleaning other fishes. Centrolabrus exoletus was found to be a facultative cleaner fish with cleaning acts representing only 7% of the observed feeding acts. In focal observations of host fishes, the incidence of cleaning acts reached a level (11 h-1 per host) similar to that reported for tropical reef fishes and probably reflects the high numbers of cleaners available. Some factors that may affect the origin of the cleaning interactions are discussed.


2001 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. da BATISTA ◽  
N. N. FABRÉ

The displacement pattern of the serra, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, in North-eastern Brazil was analyzed from landing data recorded from the fleet fishing serra. Serra fishery has two seasons: from September to February (demersal species plus serra), and from March to August (almost only large amounts of serra). S. brasiliensis relative abundance increases similarly along the coast from March, but decreases first on the West coast from June. Records indicate that serra is near the coast at least until September/October in Eastern grounds. From October to March (strongest spawning season) there is no record of shoals on the coast. We concluded that the Maranhão coast is just a part of the migration circuit of S. brasiliensis that may exceed 300 nautical miles.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document