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Copyright of Biota Neotropica (Edicao em Iingles) is the property of Biota Neotropica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Body deformities are often linked to environmental disturbances when the proportion of affected individuals exceeds 10% of the population. Thus, amphibians can help improving both ecosystems and human welfare. We studied a potential cause of deformities in an introduced population of toads on a Brazilian island where the prevalence exceeds 50%. We inspected individual toads for external and internal morphological anomalies and tested for links between anthropogenic habitat disturbance and the frequency of deformities. We then compared deformity data from the Fernando de Noronha Islands with data from other invasive toad populations in the USA, the Bermudas and Brazil, recording novel deformities and summarizing historical trends of its prevalence over the past decade. We furthermore investigated partial and total blindness, and found strong evidence that eyes are lost during the post-metamorphic stage (adulthood) rather than being an innate deformity. High concentrations of environmental pollutants in more urbanized areas on Fernando de Noronha have likely led to increased anomalies in toads sampled from highly disturbed habitats. We discuss other potential causes that may be acting synergistically to drive one of the highest rates of deformities observed in vertebrate populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biota Neotropica (Edicao em Iingles) is the property of Biota Neotropica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Elasmobranchs can bioaccumulate and biomagnify pollutants. However, few studies are directed to the effects of pollutants on the health of these animals, and in most cases, are limited to the analysis of biochemical markers. Thus, the incidence of genomic damage among shark species inhabiting a protected ocean island in the South Atlantic was investigated in association with the analysis of pollutants in seawater sample. High levels of genomic damage were identified, especially in Negaprion brevirostris and Galeocerdo cuvier , in addition to interspecific variations that may be related to characteristics such as animal size, metabolism and habits. High concentrations of Surfactants were observed in seawater sample, in addition to low concentrations of Cadmium, Lead, Copper, Chromium, Zinc, Manganese, and Mercury. The results evidenced the potential of shark species as a bioindicator of environmental quality and allowed assessing the anthropic impact on the archipelago, which currently drives its economy through tourism. [Display omitted] • Sharks with high levels of genomic damage were detected in the study area. • Variations were observed in the frequencies of genomic damage among shark species. • A relationship between total length and genomic damage frequency was observed. • Pollutants such as surfactants and metals were observed in seawater sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the most catastrophic oil spill event on the Brazilian coast (2019/2020), a new incident of unknown causes sent, in August of 2021, approximately 1.3 tons of plastics and oil to the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (Brazil). The material was restricted to the area known as the windward coast, which receives the influence of the South Equatorial Current. On 18 August 2021, our research team collected samples from different oiled shoreline sites (Caieiras and Sueste beaches) to provide the chemical fingerprint of the spilled oil and to compare that with previous oil spill events and exploited oils. We combined δ13C data from whole oil, saturated and aromatic fractions with the chromatographic signature revealing the first fingerprint of the spilled oil. The biomarker signature in association with the isotopic composition of the oils (~−26.5 ‰) undoubtedly excludes the correlation with the most extensive oil spill registered in Brazil (2019/2020). Fingerprints from the spilled oil in Fernando de Noronha suggest a potential correlation with source rocks deposited in a lacustrine setting (e.g., the east coast of Brazil and the west coast of Africa). Regardless, the chromatographic signature coupled with the isotopic data excludes a direct correlation with any specific Brazilian or African oil. In the case of a new oil spill event, the reported fingerprint will be critical to verify whether the oil is coming from the same source or a different source. [Display omitted] • Fingerprint of the oil spilled in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha (2021) • Lightly weathered oil from a lacustrine source rock • Genetically not correlated to the oil from the huge Brazilian oil spill event (2019) • Data did not allow a direct correlation with any specific Brazilian or other oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After two years of the most extensive (2890 km of coastline affected) oil spill on the Brazilian coast (2019), a new event of unknown origin brought about 1.3 tons of plastics and oil to the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago; formed by 21 oceanic islands with high endemism, productivity and unique ecosystems such as rich seagrass and rhodolith beds and the only insular mangrove ecosystem in the South Atlantic. The no-take marine protected area of the Fernando de Noronha National Park has been affected by marine debris from Africa and weathered oil that brings ecological risks to biodiversity and ecosystems services in the only pristine seagrass beds and mangrove in Brazil. In this note, we describe this novel event and argue that the maritime surveillance system of the Brazilian coast remains non-operational, making it challenging to find the responsible parties for such a recent accident (2021) and the extensive event beginning in 2019. This new event shows that past mistakes have not been learned and that the Brazilian federal government continues to have a low capacity in detecting environmental accidents in its Exclusive Economic Zone and potential polluters. Moreover, this new event in unique insular marine environments shows how vulnerable the South Atlantic coastline and islands are to the growing impacts of increasing plastics in the ocean basin and accidents involving the fossil fuel production chain, shipwrecks, and shipping lines, especially when extreme climate events are expected due to global environmental change. • A large amount of debris (~ 1.3 tons) and weathered oil reaches Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (South Atlantic). • Rising threats to the unique mangrove of the South Atlantic islands and pristine seagrass and rhodolith beds. • This new event shows that Brazilian authorities are not prepared for a rapid response to marine disasters. • This event in unique marine protected areas shows how vulnerable the South Atlantic islands are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]