Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elena Desidera, Egidio Trainito, Augusto Navone, Remi Blandin, Luana Magnani, Pieraugusto Panzalis, Carlotta Mazzoldi, Paolo Guidetti
Summary: This study assessed the abundance, residency and site fidelity of the dusky grouper in two protected sites within the Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area in Italy over the summers of 2017-2018, using underwater visual census and photo-identification techniques. The involvement of volunteer recreational divers expanded the scope and spatio-temporal resolution of the study. Findings showed significant variations in grouper densities across different sampling dates, years, and sites, while volunteer divers helped detect inter-site movements and supported previous research on reproduction-related behaviors.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Felio Lozano-Quijada, Jose Miguel Gonzalez-Correa, Just Tomas Bayle-Sempere
Summary: This study observed the reproductive behavior of dusky grouper at Tabarca Island Marine Protected Area (TIMPA) in the Mediterranean Sea, revealing the influences of environmental factors such as temperature and visibility on their reproductive activity, as well as the positive correlation between reproductive activity and the presence of large-sized individuals in their social structure.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Jose Ramos-Sosa, Natalia Garcia-Alvarez, Andres Sanchez-Henao, Daniel Padilla, Freddy Silva Sergent, Ana Gago-Martinez, Jorge Diogene, Maria Jose Caballero, Antonio Fernandez, Fernando Real
Summary: This study aims to assess the distribution of CTXs in fish, considering different muscle samples, the liver, and gonads. The results show that the caudal muscle next to the tail is a reliable part for use in determining the toxicity of fish flesh for safe consumption. Additionally, the analysis of the liver and gonads could provide further information on doubtful samples and be used for CTX monitoring in areas with an unknown prevalence of ciguatera.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giovanni De Benedetto, Francesca Arfuso, Maria Catena Ferrara, Emanuele Brianti, Gabriella Gaglio
Summary: The dusky grouper, one of the most expensive species in the central Mediterranean Sea, was studied for its parasite fauna distribution. Differences in parasite infection between warm and cold months were found to be related to the diet of the grouper but none of the parasites found posed a threat to humans.
Article
Fisheries
Paulo Henrique R. Aride, Maria Fernanda S. Gomes, Darlan G. Azevedo, Gilson R. Sangali, Ana Claudia F. Silva, Henrique D. Lavander, Andre B. Souza, Marcelo F. Polese, Douglas C. Mattos, Lucas A. Bassul, Leonardo D. Cardoso, Adriano T. Oliveira, Caterina Faggio
Summary: In this study, different photoperiods were tested on dusky grouper to evaluate growth and survival. The fish exposed to continuous light showed the best performance with significantly higher weight and specific growth rate compared to those exposed to continuous darkness. Modifying the photoperiod could be a key factor in improving aquaculture protocols and increasing production efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aline Silva Gomes, Larissa Souza Passos, Paulo Henrique Rocha Aride, Barbara Chiste, Levy Carvalho Gomes, Johara Boldrini-Franca
Summary: Through gene expression analysis, biomarkers of environmental exposure to iron ore in dusky grouper have been identified, with the upregulation of one specific enzyme validated.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mario V. Condini, Christopher R. Malinowski, David J. Hoeinghaus, Brittany L. Harried, Aaron P. Roberts, Brianne K. Soulen, Kathleen J. Roark, Alexis J. Khursigara, Luciano G. Fischer, Bianca Possamai, Mauricio Hostim-Silva, Alexandre M. Garcia
Summary: In this study, we investigated the spatial patterns of muscle tissue mercury contamination, the relationship between muscle mercury concentrations and total length, the relationship between muscle mercury and stable isotopes, as well as mercury concentrations in muscle, liver, and ovary tissues of the Dusky Grouper off the coast of Brazil. Out of 134 fish sampled, 21.8% exceeded the safe limit for human consumption. Mercury concentrations increased towards lower latitudes, while delta C-13 and delta N-15 decreased towards lower latitudes. There were significant differences in mercury concentration among the three tissues. The results provide useful information about the potential adverse effects on the health of this vulnerable species and serve as a guide for human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Evan Tuohy, Michelle Scharer-Umpierre, Louis Penrod, Richard Appeldoorn
Summary: Understanding the space use patterns of the endangered Nassau grouper is crucial for ecological research and conservation efforts. In this study, acoustic telemetry was used to track the movements and space use dynamics of the grouper outside of the reproductive period. The results highlighted the importance of a specific marine protected area as critical habitat for the grouper.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Carolina de Sales-Ribeiro, Miguel A. Rivero, Antonio Fernandez, Natalia Garcia-Alvarez, Jorge Francisco Gonzalez, Oscar Quesada-Canales, Maria Jose Caballero
Summary: This study found that Trypanorhyncha is a common parasite infecting adult dusky groupers in the Canary Islands, causing cysts and nodules in the abdominal cavity and fibrosis in the peritoneum, stomach, and intestine. While the fish immune system appears to eliminate the parasites, extensive fibrosis may negatively impact fish health when adjacent organs are compressed and their functions impaired.
Article
Fisheries
J. A. Rodrigues-Filho, B. C. Araujo, P. H. Mello, C. E. O. Garcia, V. F. D. Silva, W. Li, B. Levavi-Sivan, R. G. Moreira
Summary: The reproductive activity of captive dusky groupers was evaluated using non-lethal tools. The plasma profile of gonadal steroids and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was measured, and the effects of human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) implants on vitellogenesis were investigated. Results showed that captivity had a negative impact on vitellogenesis in E. marginatus.
Article
Ecology
E. Payne, O. Spiegel, D. L. Sinn, S. T. Leu, M. G. Gardner, S. S. Godfrey, C. Wohlfeil, A. Sih
Summary: Home ranges, the regions where animals interact with their environment, are influenced by various factors. This study used GPS tracking data of sleepy lizards to investigate home range size and fidelity, and found consistent differences among individuals. Individual traits, social conditions, and environmental characteristics all played a role in determining home range size and fidelity.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jussara Oliveira Vaini, Rodrigo Rodrigues Domingues, Bruno Lopes da Silva Ferrette, Eric M. Hallerman, Kenneth Gabriel Mota, Joao Pedro Barreiros, Alexandre Wagner Silva Hilsdorf
Summary: The dusky grouper is experiencing a demographic decline due to factors such as late maturity, protogynous hermaphroditism, and overfishing. There is high genetic differentiation among populations in different regions, and the effective population size is low. Conservation efforts at local and regional levels will be crucial for maintaining the genetic integrity of dusky grouper populations.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Fanrong Xiao, Rongping Bu, Liu Lin, Jichao Wang, Haitao Shi
Summary: The study found that adult big-headed turtles showed high fidelity to their home site and strong homing ability, with a high return rate after displacement. In contrast, juvenile turtles showed a lower return rate. Further research is needed to understand the reason behind this difference in behavior.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Simona Picardi, Briana Abrahms, Emily Gelzer, Thomas. A. A. Morrison, Tana Verzuh, Jerod. A. A. Merkle
Summary: Site fidelity, which refers to the tendency of individuals to return to previously visited locations, is influenced by various mechanisms such as memory, habitat selection, or chance. However, existing definitions often group different mechanisms under the same label of 'site fidelity', assuming memory as the main driver. In this study, we propose an operational definition of site fidelity that deviates from a null expectation derived from a memory-free movement model. We demonstrate through agent-based simulations that movement characteristics and landscape characteristics play important roles in generating return patterns, even in the absence of memory. We also provide a framework for establishing system-specific null expectations for site fidelity, allowing for hypothesis testing across different systems and scales.
Article
Ecology
Thomas A. Morrison, Jerod A. Merkle, J. Grant C. Hopcraft, Ellen O. Aikens, Jeffrey L. Beck, Randall B. Boone, Alyson B. Courtemanch, Samantha P. Dwinnell, W. Sue Fairbanks, Brad Griffith, Arthur D. Middleton, Kevin L. Monteith, Brendan Oates, Louise Riotte-Lambert, Hall Sawyer, Kurt T. Smith, Jared A. Stabach, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Matthew J. Kauffman
Summary: Site fidelity, the tendency for animals to return to previously visited locations, is influenced by environmental factors and varies among species. Environmental predictability and success in resource tracking play a role in shaping site fidelity, which can strengthen with age and experience. Differences between species in memory and attraction to sites contribute to variations in site fidelity expression.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Camrin D. Braun, Martin C. Arostegui, Simon R. Thorrold, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Peter Gaube, Jorge Fontes, Pedro Afonso
Summary: Many large marine predators are capable of diving from surface waters to depths below 200 m. This ability has independently evolved in various marine mammals, reptiles, birds, teleost fishes, and elasmobranchs. There are several plausible hypotheses for deep-diving behavior, but testing them requires new methods to quantify animal behavior and biophysical oceanographic processes at coherent spatiotemporal scales. Knowledge gaps include understanding ecological connections between surface waters and mesopelagic habitats, as well as the value of ecosystem services provided by the biomass in the ocean twilight zone. Given the increasing pressure on twilight zone fisheries, it is crucial to understand the importance of the deep pelagic ocean for large marine predators.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Diya Das, Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Irusta, Telmo Morato, Laurence Fauconnet, Diana Catarino, Pedro Afonso, Claudia Viegas, Luis Rodrigues, Gui Menezes, Alexandra Rosa, Mario Rui Rilho Pinho, Helder Marques da Silva, Eva Giacomello
Summary: Elasmobranchs inhabiting depths beyond 200 m are at high risk of overexploitation, but little information is available for management strategies in the deep sea. This study used over 20 years of data to model the spatial distribution of 15 species of deep-sea elasmobranchs in the Azores Archipelago, and proposed using depth, area, and gear-based tactics to reduce unwanted catches.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nuno Castro, James T. Carlton, Ana C. Costa, Carolina S. Marques, Chad L. Hewitt, Eva Cacabelos, Evandro Lopes, Francesca Gizzi, Ignacio Gestoso, Joao G. Monteiro, Jose L. Costa, Manuela Parente, Patricio Ramalhosa, Paul Fofonoff, Paula Chainho, Ricardo Haroun, Ricardo S. Santos, Rogelio Herrera, Tiago Marques, Gregory M. Ruiz, Joao Canning-Clode
Summary: This study aimed to understand the scale and richness of marine biological invasions in Macaronesia. By conducting a comprehensive non-native species inventory and statistical modeling, the researchers identified diversity patterns and native distribution origins. The results showed variations in non-native species richness among different archipelagos in Macaronesia, which were influenced by anthropogenic activities, demographic, and geographical variables.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Paulo Torres, David Milla i Figueras, Hugo Diogo, Pedro Afonso
Summary: The Azores has a long history of artisanal multispecies fishery exploiting marine resources. Coastal subsistence fishery is economically and culturally important, but lacks independent monitoring. A precautionary management approach is recommended due to unknown current population status of coastal species and signs of overexploitation.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geology
Zhongwei Zhao, Neil C. Mitchell, Rui Quartau, Sandra Moreira, Liliana Rusu, Carlos S. Melo, Sergio P. Avila, Diya Das, Pedro Afonso, Joaquim Pombo, Joao Duarte, Aurora Rodrigues
Summary: Based on different measurements, sediment deposition is speculated to occur around Santa Maria Island during extreme conditions, even though there are contradictory evidence. The actual deposition patterns are more complex than predicted, despite the model forecasting sediment mobilization areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jean-Noel Druon, Steven Campana, Frederic Vandeperre, Fabio H. V. Hazin, Heather Bowlby, Rui Coelho, Nuno Queiroz, Fabrizio Serena, Francisco Abascal, Dimitrios Damalas, Michael Musyl, Jon Lopez, Barbara Block, Pedro Afonso, Heidi Dewar, Philippe S. Sabarros, Brittany Finucci, Antonella Zanzi, Pascal Bach, Inna Senina, Fulvio Garibaldi, David W. Sims, Joan Navarro, Pablo Cermeno, Agostino Leone, Guzman Diez, Maria Teresa Carreon Zapiain, Michele Deflorio, Evgeny V. Romanov, Armelle Jung, Matthieu Lapinski, Malcolm P. Francis, Humberto Hazin, Paulo Travassos
Summary: This study presents the first global-scale analysis of blue shark habitat preferences based on a large dataset of observations and environmental data. The results reveal that the blue shark's habitat requirements vary across different size and sex classes, and are influenced by factors such as productivity and temperature. Understanding the habitat needs of sensitive stages in the blue shark population is essential for effective management and conservation of this species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Seth F. Cones, Ding Zhang, K. Alex Shorter, Kakani Katija, David A. Mann, Frants H. Jensen, Jorge Fontes, Pedro Afonso, T. Aran Mooney
Summary: This study investigated the vertical migratory behaviors of five veined squid off the Azores Islands. It found that the squids exhibited different movement patterns and speeds during ascent and descent periods, with mantle-first swimming being more common during upward movements. The findings highlight the behavioral flexibility of squids, which may be related to energy conservation, prey capture, and predator avoidance.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pedro Afonso, Miguel Gandra, Goncalo Graca, Bruno Macena, Frederic Vandeperre, Jorge Fontes
Summary: This study used acoustic and satellite telemetry to investigate the population of juvenile smooth hammerhead sharks in the Azores archipelago and confirmed the existence of nurseries in this area. The sharks showed a preference for using coastal nurseries during the day and venturing further offshore at night, possibly to feed. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the ecological behaviors and implementing conservation measures for the smooth hammerhead shark.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joao Neiva, Ricardo Bermejo, Alba Medrano, Pol Capdevila, David Milla-Figueras, Pedro Afonso, Enric Ballesteros, Brahim Sabour, Donatella Serio, Eduardo Nobrega, Joao Soares, Jose Valdazo, Fernando Tuya, Martina Mulas, Alvaro Israel, Sofia S. Sadogurska, Michael D. Guiry, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study provides new insights into the systematics, species delimitation, and biogeography of Cystoseira s.l. in the North-east Atlantic. By using molecular markers, the researchers identified 27 molecular operational taxonomic units, including previously unknown cryptic diversity, and proposed redefinitions, reinstatements, and recognitions of certain taxa.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Laurence Fauconnet, Diana Catarino, Diya Das, Eva Giacomello, Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Irusta, Pedro Afonso, Telmo Morato
Summary: This article reviews the impact of hook-and-line fisheries on deep-water shark bycatch in the Azores and discusses measures to reduce such bycatch. Challenges to avoiding bycatch include the diversity and lack of data on deep-water shark species. However, depth-based, area-based, and gear-based measures show potential for mitigating bycatch effects.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Jose Nuno Gomes-Pereira, Christopher K. Pham, Joana Miodonski, Marco A. R. Santos, Gisela Dionisio, Diana Catarino, Marianne Nyegaard, Etsuro Sawai, Gilberto P. Carreira, Pedro Afonso
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. Fontes, B. Macena, S. Solleliet-Ferreira, F. Buyle, R. Magalhaes, T. Bartolomeu, N. Liebsch, C. Meyer, P. Afonso
Summary: The development of non-invasive towed tags provides an effective alternative for acquiring high-resolution behavior and environmental data of elasmobranchs. Validation through animal-borne video shows consistent swimming behavior captured by towed accelerometers, indicating great potential for application.
ANIMAL BIOTELEMETRY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jorge Fontes, Gloria Castellano-Gonzalez, Bruno C. L. Macena, Pedro Afonso
Summary: For the first time, we investigated the hitchhiker-host fidelity of deep-diving whale sharks and Chilean devil rays. We found that the common remora and pilot fish, two ubiquitous oceanic hitchhikers, can follow their hosts to bathypelagic depths with extreme environmental conditions. We documented a deep dive of a whale shark hosting remoras and pilot fish, with the common remora observed at the deepest section of the dive at 1460 m and the pilot fish recorded at 900 m during the ascent phase.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bruno M. Saraiva, Bruno C. L. Macena, Silvio Solleliet-Ferreira, Pedro Afonso, Jorge Fontes
Summary: As regional endotherms, lamnid sharks may adopt different swimming strategies to manage their energy budget. This study equipped shortfin mako sharks with high-resolution multi-sensor tags to measure their swimming kinematics and found that they favored specific tail-beat frequencies and displayed yo-yo-like diving patterns. Contrary to expectations, gliding was almost absent and speed bursts were observed during the day but ceased after dusk.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jorge Fontes, Joeva Dachelet, Ricardo Serrao Santos, Bruno C. L. Macena, Pedro Afonso
Summary: In this article, new and unique records of marine fish with pigmentation abnormalities are presented, including a case of an albino-melanistic fish, a leucistic great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), leucistic Almaco jacks (Seriola rivoliana), and a melanistic giant manta (Mobula birostris) in the north Atlantic. The authors speculate that these pigmentary abnormalities may be linked to significant population declines and isolation of remote populations.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)