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The recently described Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae is endemic to the Brazilian Province, including oceanic islands. Although it is expected to have life-history traits similar to the southern stingray H. americanus, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present the first observations of courtship behaviour (n = 4), copulation (n = 3) and an induced parturition of H. berthalutzae at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, an insular Marine Protected Area from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The mating event records included (1) 'chasing/close following', (2) 'biting/precopulatory biting', (3) 'insertion/copulation' and (4) 'separation'. These results are especially relevant considering that records of reproductive behaviour in the wild are rare for elasmobranchs in general. Mating events occurred in different months, suggesting that the reproductive cycle of H. berthalutzae in this insular system is asynchronous, as observed for other stingray species in regions with favourable environmental conditions and abundant food throughout the year. The opportunistic documentation of the induced parturition allowed for direct nonlethal observation of the two pups at or near full term in late May. Although preliminary, these observations should be considered in future management plans as they provide relevant data about the life-history traits and mating behaviour of this endemic and threatened species., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Here we report on new data on the occurrence and distribution of rare deep-sea fishes (Teleostei) collected from off north-eastern Brazil, including seamounts and oceanic islands of the Fernando de Noronha Ridge (Rocas Atoll and Fernando de Noronha Archipelago). Collections were made by the French RV Antea during the ABRACOS (Acoustics along the BRAzilian COaSt) expeditions between 29 September and 21 October 2015, and 9 April and 10 May 2017. Occurrences of Photostylus pycnopterus (Alepocephalidae), Gigantura chuni (Giganturidae), Ahliesaurus berryi (Notosudidae), Benthalbella infans, Rosenblattichthys hubbsi, Scopelarchoides danae (Scopelarchidae), Scopelengys tristis (Neoscopelidae), Zu cristatus (Trachipteridae), Stylephorus chordatus (Stylephoridae) and Pseudoscopelus cordilluminatus (Chiasmodontidae) are reported for the first time or confirmed in the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone. Photostylus pycnopterus and G. chuni are also recorded for the first time in the western South Atlantic, whereas records of P. cordilluminatus are the first in the western Atlantic. Other records of rare species of those families are also reported and discussed., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Anchoviella cayennensis (Puyo, 1945) is a relatively small-sized, coastal and estuarine western Atlantic species of anchovy distributed from Suriname to southeastern Brazil. The species is morphologically similar to Anchoviella perfasciata (Poey, 1860) from the Central and western North Atlantic, and it has been suggested in the literature that both are actually synonyms. The recently described Anchoviella sanfranciscana (Barbosa et al., 2017) was reported as endemic to the estuary of the São Francisco River, northeastern Brazil. Most characters proposed as diagnostic for A. sanfranciscana in the description are, however, similar to the ones reported for A. cayennensis and A. perfasciata. To determine the complex taxonomic scenario involving the three species, 24 morphometric and 13 meristic characters of 171 specimens tentatively identified as A. perfasciata (including the holotype) and A. cayennensis from the Central and South Atlantic in addition to the holotype and 19 paratypes of A. sanfranciscana (total: 191 specimens) were analysed. The PCAs of morphometric characters indicate the existence of two groups, which are recognized as A. perfasciata and A. cayennensis, with A. sanfranciscana proposed as a junior synonym of the later. Further evidence from gill arch dentition also indicates that A. perfasciata and A. cayennensis are distinct valid species. A redescription of A. cayennensis is presented, with a neotype proposed for the species. Confirmation of the identity of specimens attributed to A. cayennensis indicates that its southern limit of distribution is in the Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil. An updated taxonomic key for the estuarine and coastal Atlantic species of Anchoviella is also presented., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)