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We investigated whether two South-Western Atlantic wrasses [Halichoeres penrosei (models) and Thalassoma noronhanum (mimics)] were involved in social mimicry. In mixed shoals, we recorded species-specific abundances and lengths, and qualitatively assessed these fishe’s behaviour. In all aggregations, mimics were fewer than models but of comparable body size. Furthermore, mimics faithfully followed model’s behaviour. As mimicry should provide benefits, we measured the flight initiation distance (FID) of mimics to an approaching predator. FID was negatively correlated with group size, suggesting that larger shoals were perceived as safer. These results suggest that social mimicry between these species takes place, and provide antipredation benefits.

The distribution of coral reef biodiversity is regulated by a series of natural variables and human induced factors such as depth, habitat availability, spatial variation, and management policies. However, spatial distribution patterns of coral reefs biodiversity are still scare on several areas, such as Southwestern Atlantic Ocean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) even though better management strategies worldwide could be supported by species distribution data. A total of 84 reefs spatially distributed around the MPA Costa dos Corais (Northeastern Brazil) and ranging from 1 to 30 m depth were sampled during the present study. The survey of biological data was obtained through SCUBA diving using a 20 m belt transect methodology. Our study is the first one to demonstrated biodiversity spatial distribution of the largest Brazilian coastal MPA Costa dos Corais biodiversity and the importance of zoning as a major coral reef conservation strategy in Brazil, additionally shown how depth influence fish and coral biodiversity. Hence, management and zoning strategies have influenced the structure of coral reef communities with a series of different ecological effects highlighting the importance of those strategies for Southwestern Atlantic Ocean MPAs.

Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) generates unique data sets that have the potential to identify and quantify trends in ecological processes that may be difficult to detect at lower temporal resolutions. Even though many LTER sites are within protected areas, they do not necessarily produce data that are well aligned with the objectives of the institutions and individuals who manage and govern these sites. There are several potential reasons for this, including: i) insufficient information provided by the LTER on socio-ecological variables of relevance to management; ii) a mismatch between the spatial scale of the data collected by the LTER and the scale of data needed to inform management decisions; iii) a lack of inclusion of policy-makers in crucial steps of LTER project implementation, including experimental design and analysis, and; iv) an absence or insufficiency of formal or informal mechanisms for incorporating LTER data into environmental decision-making and protected area governance. Using examples from recently implemented LTER in the Costa dos Corais Environmental Protected Area (known as the PELD-CCAL), we reflect on how some of these challenges can be addressed and provide general recommendations for increasing the conservation management and policy relevance of LTER projects in Brazil.

We reported the genus Parasphyraenops (Perciformes: Serranidae) in the Brazilian Biogeographic Province. Four Parasphyraenops incisus specimens were identified based in body shape and color pattern through underwater remote video records, on shallow coral reefs in the Bahia state, Brazil. In the video frames P. incisus was observed swimming close to the pomacentrid Chromis multilineata at 14 m depth, being this the shallowest record for this species. The present record expands on 6.500 km the southern limit of distribution of P. incisus in the Western Atlantic.

The Parcel de Manuel Luis (PML) is located at the southern end of the Amazon Reef System, which comprises the northernmost reef formations of the Brazilian biogeographical province. Its unique position and singular seascape make the PML an important stepping-stone for marine organisms between the Brazilian and Caribbean provinces. Yet, due to its distance from the shore, high tidal amplitude, and strong currents associated with a series of pinnacles exposed during low spring tides, the PML is one of the least studied reefs in the Western South Atlantic. Here, we integrated sessile benthic community data, fish assemblage surveys, and remote filming of fish interactions to establish the most complete community assessment of the PML reefs to date. In our surveys, we documented 78 sessile benthic taxa, with a taxonomic dominance of macroalgae (54 taxa), including two new occurrences of sponges for the North Brazilian Shelf, as well as four endemic species, such as the fire coral Millepora laboreli. The fish assemblage comprised 59 reef fish species, with biomass dominated mainly by large carnivorous species (e.g., groupers and snappers). Intra- and interspecific interactions were dominated by herbivorous fishes, particularly underpinned by grazing behavior and chasing by territorial species. The considerably high biomass and large-bodied species found in our surveys is rarely seen elsewhere in the Western South Atlantic, suggesting a low level of fishing compared to most other places, and only a few changes were observed in the fish assemblages since the first assessment made in 1998. We also highlight the usefulness of an integrated approach for continued assessment of Western South Atlantic reefs, particularly given emerging threats from mining and oil exploration, and the heavy traffic of commercial vessels in the region. Our findings support the PML as an area of critical conservation interest for reef systems, emphasizing the need for continued enforcement of this marine protected area and its integration in long-term plans of offshore oil and gas development projects.

Interactions or conflicts between humans and large predators occur globally, but an understanding of their spatial occurrence and associated media reporting remains limited. Media reach is now global and rapid, particularly through western news outlets and amplified by social networks. This has consequences for how the public perceive human-predator conflicts and in turn how this impacts species' conservation and management. To address this point, a literature search was undertaken to synthesize global records of predator-human conflicts followed be an assessment of media reporting of conflicts, for both aquatic (sharks) and terrestrial (lion, tiger, leopard, cougar, puma, bear spp.) species. We show that predator-human conflicts involving terrestrial mammals occur predominantly in developing" nations (>90%) while aquatic predator-human conflicts occur (65%) and are principally reported from developed nations. Moreover, media reporting of sharks is dominated by attacks on humans and sensationalized documentation of incidences compared to those involving terrestrial species. As a result, high media coverage of shark-human conflicts may lead humans to overestimate the risk of being attacked. We recommend increased communication between stakeholders to establish ground rules for media reporting of shark-human conflicts, better informed reporting of attacks, further research undertaken to understand the public's perception of media reporting of conflicts and continued investment in communication, education, and public awareness programs. Through these actions it will be possible to rebalance the public perception of sharks to promote understanding and value of their ecological role and to minimize human-shark incidents.

Marine litter (ML) contaminates essentially all global coastal and marine environments and drives multiple ecosystem-level effects. Although deleterious effects of ML on several organisms have been investigated in the last years, this information tends to be dispersed or underreported, even in marine biodiversity hotspots such as reef ecosystems. Two are the main goals of this paper: (i) to integrate and synthesize current knowledge on the interactions of ML and reef organisms, and (ii) to evaluate the multiple disruptions on the ecological processes in reef systems. We report here ML-driven ecological disruptions on 418 species across eight reef taxa, including interactions that were previously not addressed in detail, and evaluate their major conservation implications. These results can help raise awareness of global impacts on the world's reefs by highlighting ML associations in different reef systems around the world, and can aid in ML input reduction and marine management.

We describe the first record of a whale shark, Rhincodon typus, feeding in Brazilian coastal waters, and the first stranding record in the state of Bahia, Northeast Brazil. In April 2008, an individual of R. typus was observed surface feeding on Dromiidae crab larvae in the continental shelf off the coast of Bahia, near a gas platform. Other fishes were observed foraging in association with the whale shark. We also document the first stranding of R. typus on the coast of Bahia in October 2013. Biometric data confirmed that the stranded whale shark was a juvenile. Stomach content analysis revealed the ingestion of Geryonidae crab larvae. Plastic debris were also found in the gastric lumen of the stranded juvenile whale shark, and we speculate that it could have been a contributing factor to the stranding, and subsequent death of the whale shark. Crab larvae were observed in both of our records and likely to consist as relevant prey items for R. typus in Brazilian continental shelf. Our study provided a contribution on the diet and feeding behaviour of whale sharks in tropical oligotrophic waters and highlights the risks of marine pollution for the species conservation.

Escape behaviors have a great potential as an indicator of the efficacy of management. For instance, the degree of fear perceived by fishes targeted by fisheries is frequently higher in unprotected marine areas than in areas where some protection is provided. We systematically reviewed the literature on how fear, which we define as variation in escape behavior, was quantified in reef fishes. In the past 25 years, a total of 33 studies were identified, many of which were published within the last five years and nearly 40% of those (n = 13) focused on Indo-Pacific reefs, showing that there are still many geographical gaps. While eleven escape metrics were identified to evaluate fish escape, flight initiation distance (FID) was the most commonly employed (n = 23). FID was used to study different questions of applied and theoretical ecology, which involved 14 reef fish families. We also used a formal meta-analysis to investigate the effects of fishing by comparing FID inside and outside marine protected areas. Fishes outside MPAs had increased FID compared to those inside MPAs. The Labridae family had a significantly higher effect sizes than Acanthuridae and Epinephelidae, suggesting that fishes in this family may be indicators of effective MPAs using FID. We conclude that protocols aimed to quantify fear in fishes, which provide accurate assessments of fishing effects on fish escape behavior, will help gauge the compliance of marine protected areas.

Background:The role of chronic use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in rheumatic disease (RD) patients during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still subject of discussion.Objectives:To compare the occurrence of COVID-19 and its outcomes between RD patients on HCQ use with individuals from the same household not taking the drug during community viral transmission in an observational prospective multicenter study in Brazil.Methods:Participants were enrolled and monitored through 24-week (From March 29th to Sep 30th, 2020) regularly scheduled phone calls performed by trained medical professionals. Epidemiological and demographic data, as well as RD disease activity status and current treatment data, specific information about COVID-19, hospitalization, need for intensive care, and death was recorded in both groups and stored in the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) database. COVID-19 was defined according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health (BMH) criteria. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS v.20.0 software. Group comparisons were made using the Man-Whitney, Chi-Square and Fisher Exact Test, as well as multivariate regression models adjusted to confounders. Survival curves were performed using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results:A total of 10,427 participants mean age (SD) of 44.04 (14.98) years were enrolled, including 6004 (57.6%) rheumatic disease patients, of whom 70.8% had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 6.7% rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 4% primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), 1.8% mixed connective tissue disease (DMTC), 1% systemic sclerosis (SSc) and others (15.9), including overlap syndromes. In total, 1,132 (10.8%) participants fulfilled criteria for COVID-19, being 6.7% RD patients and 4.1% controls (p=0.002). A recent influenza vaccination had a protective role (p=65 years (OR=0.20; 95%CI 0.11-0.34) was negatively associated. Regarding RD, the risk factors associated with COVID-19 diagnosys were SLE (OR= 2.37; 95%CI 1.92-293), SSc (OR=2.25; 95%CI 1.05-4.83) and rituximab use (OR=1.92; 95%CI 1.13-3.26). In addition, age >=65 years (OR=5.47; 95%CI 1.7-19.4) and heart disease (OR=2.60; 95%CI 1.06-6.38) were associated with hospitalization. Seven female RD patients died, six with SLE and one with pSS, and the presence of two or more comorbidities were associated with higher mortality rate.Conclusion:Chronic HCQ use did not prevent COVID-19 in RD compared to their household cohabitants. Health care profession, presence of comorbidities LES, SSc and rituximab were identified as main risk factors for COVID-19 and aging and heart disease as higher risk for hospitalization. Our data suggest these outcomes could be considered to manage them in clinical practice.Table 1.Frequency and severity of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases on chronic use of hydroxychloroquine compared to their household controlsCOVID-19 outcomesTotal(%)GroupsPPatients(%)Controls (%)DiagnosisNo9256 (89.1)5300 (88.3)3956 (90.2)0.002Yes1132 (10.9)704 (11.7)428 (9.8)SeverityMild1059 (93.6)662 (94.0)397 (92.8)0.391Moderate52 (4.6)32 (4.5)20 (4.7)Severe21 (1.9)10 (1.4)11 (2.6)HCQ: hydroxychloroquine.Moderate and severe COVID-19 included the need for any of the following: hospitalization, intensive care, mechanical ventilation or death.Acknowledgements:To the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology for technical support and rapid nationwide mobilization.To all the 395 interviewers (medical students and physicians) who collaborated in the study and the participantsTo CNPq (Number 403442/2020-6)Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Understanding the decision-making process of fish when they escape from approaching spearfishers has a crucial role in elucidating the management conflicts in reef systems. Here, we used the Flight Initiation Distances – FID metric to assess how the management strategies, including fishing and tourism reef sites, could distinctively influence the escape behavior of the target reef fish. This work presents the differences in wariness of three reef fish species with a distinctive history of catches by spearfishing, Epinephelus adscensionis, Acanthurus bahianus, and Chaetodon striatus, in a multiple-use Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Brazilian Northeastern coast. Our findings demonstrate that the protection level has a consistent effect on wariness of the target species, but the use of tourism sites as a conservation strategy to fishing pressure could be controversial. Furthermore, the species-specific traits can clearly express how the risk perception varies among species and can simplify the understanding of flight measure results. Taken together with other data, e.g. quantitative data (biomass, abundance), changes in the fish behavior, such as escape decisions, may add important knowledge to the monitoring of marine protected areas, especially in the Brazilian coast where the effectiveness of these MPAs is often questioned. The use of FID measurements as a management tool could improve the monitoring policies in MPAs, and reveal reefs systems where human activities should be reduced or banned.

Occurrence of multiple whitetip reef sharks Triaenodon obesus in the Atlantic Ocean is reported for the first time from near a sunken ferry off the Parana coast in south-eastern Brazil. This occurrence is hypothesized to have been caused by either a human introduction or a remarkably long oceanic displacement.

For commercially important permits and pompanos, scant official information exists on fishery assessments, the reproductive seasonality and location of these species, which impede knowing the intensity of fishing pressure imposed at their spawning grounds. Fishers have acquired a substantial body of knowledge on these species as a result of their exploitation, which typically occurs at spawning aggregation sites. Because efficient fishery management relies on knowing the locations and time of spawning of exploited species, deficiencies of such information may impair the establishment of sustainable exploitation strategies. Here, we analyzed the data of permits (Trachinotus falcatus) and great pompanos (Trachinotus goodei) along the Brazilian coast, from small-scale (SSF) and recreational (RF) fishers that voluntarily shared their data (i.e., logbooks, images, movies), enabling us to track these aggregations and the resulting fishing pressure. Furthermore, to directly assess the impact that local fishing may have on these aggregations, we monitored the great pompano in Todos os Santos Bay (TSB). In TSB, high catches occurred at four sites known by fishers to harbor fish aggregations. We showed that abundant landings of these species are associated with SSF and RF, typically targeting ‘trophy’ individuals. Furthermore, expanding the web-based and logbook data through modeled catch estimates, we found high probability of catching these species during spawning aggregations. Fishers exert pressures on these populations given their awareness of the location and timing of these species’ aggregations. Collaborating with fishers and obtained their engagement toward guiding conservation-oriented fishery management at spawning grounds remains a highly sought-after goal.

Artificial reefs, such as shipwrecks, have been considered as an alternative to mitigate impacts on natural hard bottoms. On the other hand, unplanned artificial reefs can lead to several negative effects such as the introduction of toxic substances, further propagation of exotic and pathogen species, and impacts on the surrounding soft bottom habitat through alteration of bottom topography and dynamics. Artificial reefs are colonized by different organisms, exchanging larvae and spores with the nearest natural reefs, however, few studies have focused on the understanding of the benthic communities’ structures found on these coupling natural and artificial reefs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether benthic communities of centenary shipwrecks can be similar to natural rocky reef communities established at a short scale distance. The benthic cover of shipwrecks sunken more than 100 years ago and that of natural reefs located at a gradient distance of 0, 1 and 2 km, and differently exposed to wave action, were compared. Using multivariate analyses, we found that similarities were influenced by both wave exposure and distance. In exposed area, the benthic fouling community in shipwreck was similar to the benthic communities of the nearest reefs, with decreasing values of richness with distance. Sheltered area communities presented high dissimilarity. Once the presence of an artificial reef influences benthic communities of natural ones, we recommend the evaluation of the cost/benefits of introducing artificial reefs, considering local hydrodynamics and proximity to natural environments, to minimize undesirable changes in natural environment.

This study presents Ctenogobius boleosoma from the São Luis estuarine region, the first record from the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. This species may have gone unrecorded from Maranhão due to the difficulties in collecting gobies by the usual sampling methods, such as gill nets, corking nets, and longlines, even when using nets with an appropriate mesh size.

In Brazil, the use and diversity of the common names of fish species, coupled with taxonomic uncertainties, hinder the reliability of fishing statistical data. In this scenario, there are the so-called pilombetas of the São Francisco River, an important fishing resource in region. Despite its importance, the real diversity of species identified in the area remains obscure. In order to properly identify and delimit the species popularly known as pilombetas, an integrative approach involving traditional taxonomy, geometric morphometrics and molecular systematics was applied. Results from geometric morphometrics and molecular analyses were consistent with the results of the traditional morphological analysis, also indicating the delimitation of six taxa belonging to Engraulidae in the lower São Francisco River. In addition, species delimitation methods revealed an intrapopulation genetic divergence of 1.7% for Lycengraulis grossidens. The results revealed that the currently known richness species of Engraulidae in the studied area has been underestimated. Thus, an updated taxonomic key is herein proposed for the Engraulidae species from the lower São Francisco River and estuary. The integrative analysis approach revealed to be effective to address taxonomic questions and help the management of stocks, ensuring the maintenance of local diversity of fishes in the Neotropical region. RESUMO No Brasil, o uso e a diversidade dos nomes comuns para espécies de peixes, associado a incertezas taxonômicas, dificultam a confiabilidade dos dados estatísticos da pesca. Nesse cenário, existem as chamadas pilombetas do rio São Francisco, um importante recurso pesqueiro da região. Apesar de sua importância, a real diversidade de espécies identificadas na área permanece obscura. Para identificar adequadamente as espécies conhecidas como pilombetas, uma abordagem integrativa envolvendo taxonomia tradicional, morfometria geométrica e sistemática molecular foi aplicada. Os resultados das análises moleculares e de morfometria geométrica foram consistentes com os resultados da análise morfológica tradicional, indicando também a delimitação de seis táxons pertencentes a Engraulidae no baixo São Francisco. Além disso, os métodos de delimitação de espécies revelaram divergência genética intrapopulacional de 1,7% em Lycengraulis grossidens. Nossos dados revelaram que a riqueza de espécies atualmente conhecida de Engraulidae na área estudada é subestimada. Assim, uma chave taxonômica atualizada é aqui proposta para as espécies de Engraulidae do baixo rio São Francisco e seu estuário. A abordagem de análise integrativa revelou ser efetiva para tratar de questões taxonômicas e ajudar no gerenciamento de estoques, garantindo a manutenção da diversidade local de peixes na região Neotropical.

Based on material deposited in collections, photographic records and other reports from fishermen and divers, the occurrence of the hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus (Labridae) is confirmed in the south-western Atlantic Ocean, near the Brazilian coast as far south as southern Brazil. The recognized range of this species should therefore be extended c. 3000 km further south.

Causal mechanisms for broad-scale reef fish diversity patterns are poorly understood and current knowledge is limited to trends of species richness. This work compared the effects of ecological drivers on components of fish diversity across reefs spanning over 2.000 km of the tropical Brazilian coastline. A quarter of communities’ diversity is accountable to common and dominant species, while remaining species are rare. Low-latitude sites were more diverse in rare species. Communities along the coast share common and dominant species, which display high densities across all reefs, but differ in rare species that show abundance peaks in particular reef morphotypes. The disproportionate distribution of rare species reveals a higher vulnerability of these communities to impacts and stochastic density fluctuations. Uneven conservation efforts directed to these morphotypes pose a threat to the maintenance of a paramount component of the reef fish diversity represented by rare species.

Overfishing is considered one of the main threats to the health of global marine fish populations. Elasmobranchs that are characterized by low reproductive outputs may be particularly sensitive to intense fishing pressures. The sawfishes stand out as a highly threatened group, due in part to their life history in shallow coastal waters and their ease of capture. In Brazil, sawfish populations are now virtually extinct and these declines have gone undocumented, leaving their precise causes and timing poorly understood. Here, based on ecological and fisheries knowledge of local fishers, we document the disappearance of largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis from 5 estuaries on the central Brazilian coast. Fisher knowledge, combined with an estuarine morphology perspective, revealed important insights on this species, along with a timeline of its decline. Furthermore, fishers’ accounts of the protracted decline revealed clear inter-estuary differences in the timing of population declines, potentially influenced by local geomorphological features. The onset of sawfish population decline appears to have been earlier in estuaries with a direct connection to the sea than in estuaries connected to an inner bay, occurring in the former case from the 1930s onward. A second wave of intensifying decline began in the 1970s in more structurally complex estuaries. Pressures from artisanal and modern fishery practices appear to have led to an earlier population decline in structurally less complex estuaries, while in larger and more complex ones this decline occurred decades later. The replacement of traditional by more modern fishing practices may have triggered the initial phase of local sawfish extinctions.

The common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is widely distributed and represents an important part of the currently exploited fishery resources. This species’ feeding behaviour, however, is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the feeding behaviour of dolphinfish and the effect of body size (and the consequently aggregated learning experience) on the strategies used for capturing their prey. Observations were made from an oil platform in north-eastern Brazil. Dolphinfish length was visually estimated and classified into three size classes. The following foraging strategies were observed in our study: ‘active chasing’, ‘leaping out’, ‘swimming in circles’, ‘surf’, ‘using floating objects’ and ‘cleaning turtle carapaces’. The most frequently used foraging strategy was ‘active chasing’, suggesting a strong preference of dolphinfish in using visual cues during predation. Smaller size-classes of dolphinfish did not perform the ‘swimming in circles’ and ‘surf’ strategy, probably due to a lack of learning experience, since further social interactions could be needed in order to show this strategy. Smaller dolphinfish regularly showed the ‘using floating objects’ as a foraging strategy, probably reflecting an opportunistic behaviour. The smallest individuals were using more simple strategies, to chase smaller prey that could have different and less complex escape strategies. It indicates learning experience could play an important role into the dolphinfish ontogeny, moving towards more complex foraging strategies throughout their lives. Independently of the age class, the dolphinfish displayed a varied repertory of foraging strategies, maximizing hunting success in the open ocean, a hostile pelagic environment with a low prey availability.

Coral reef-based tourism has risen sharply across the globe, coupled with an increase in fish feeding by visitors. Studies indicate that fish feeding is one of the leading causes of changes in distribution patterns, abundance, the structure of marine fish communities, and fish behavior. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of human presence and fish feeding on the behavior of reef fish by conducting in situ experiments in tide pools in a Marine Protected Area located at the northern limit of the Abrolhos Bank in the South Atlantic Ocean. Eight feeding sessions were conducted and filmed, resulting in a total of 160 minutes of video footage. Each filming session recorded four different experimental conditions alternating between human presence, human absence, and fish feeding. Our findings suggest that fish feeding may cause changes in fish behavior, such as habituation to human presence, conditioning to fish feeding, increased aggressiveness, attacks on humans, and short-term changes in species distribution. The continuation of fish feeding over time can cause an increase in the size of the populations of species that consume food provided during feeding and consequently trigger changes in the structure of communities. Resumo: O uso turístico de recifes de corais tem aumentado fortemente em todo o mundo, e com ele o fornecimento de alimento aos peixes por humanos. Porém, estudos indicam essa atividade como causa de distúrbios nos padrões de distribuição, abundância, estrutura da comunidade e comportamento de peixes marinhos. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o efeito da presença humana e da alimentação artificial no comportamento dos peixes recifais, através de experimentos in situ realizados em piscinas de maré de uma Área Marinha Protegida no limite Norte do Banco dos Abrolhos, Atlântico Sul. Para isso foram realizadas 8 sessões (160 min) de filmagem remota do experimento de alimentação artificial. Cada sessão de filmagem registrou quatro tratamentos, os quais alternavam momentos de presença e ausência humana, e de alimentação dos peixes.Os resultados encontrados indicam que a alimentação artificial tem provocado alterações comportamentais nos peixes como a habituação à presença humana, condicionamento à oferta de alimento, aumento da agressividade, ataques a humanos e alterações na distribuição das espécies em curto prazo. A permanência da atividade de alimentação artificial, ao longo do tempo, pode provocar o aumento das populações que consomem o alimento oferecido e consequentemente, desencadear alterações na estrutura da comunidade.

Structural complexity is a key parameter for fish on reef habitats. Several studies have investigated the influence of this variable on aspects of reef fish population and community dynamics. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the influence of structural complexity on antipredator behavior. Here we studied the effect of habitat type and structural complexity on flight initiation distance (FID) and the escape behaviors of four labrid fishes (Halichoeres brasiliensis, H. penrosei, H. poeyi and Sparisoma axillare) on two different reef habitats (coral and rocky reefs). Habitat type influenced the FID of three of the studied species (H. brasiliensis, H. penrosei and S. axillare), and structural complexity negatively influenced the FID of two species (H. brasiliensis and S. axillare). The frequency of escape behaviors varied between species. All of them showed high frequency of the ‘run away’ behavior and low frequency of the ‘leave the habitat’ behavior. On coral reefs, structural complexity influenced the ‘fled to the holes’ for S. axillare only. Reef ecosystems worldwide are being modified by anthropogenic activities. Our results suggest that if such activities reduce structural complexity, then ‘seascapes of fear’ for labrid fishes will become more widespread, which could lead to negative consequences in the reef ecosystems.

Plastic debris collar wrappings (PDCW) are involved in the frequent entanglement of several groups of marine animals. In fishes, however aside from 'ghost fishing', PDCW events are rarely documented, and no record of this occurrence exists in tropical reef fishes. Here, we present records for four species afflicted by plastic debris collars. Observations occurred during snorkeling, and included the silver mojarra Eucinostomus argenteus, Atlantic thread herring Ophistonema oglinum, tomtate grunt Haemulon aurolineatum and gray parrotfish Sparisoma axillare. While PDCW may not create an instantaneous source of mortality, our observations suggest that debilitating stress, created by reduced swimming performances, feeding and/or antipredator behavior are likely consequences for afflicted individuals. Given the importance of these performances on survival, reduction in fitness is expected. This note aims to report cases of PDCW and underscore that such interactions between fishes and plastic pollution may be more prevalent than previously expected in coastal reef habitats.

The presence of Aplatophis chauliodus in the northeastern coast of Brazil (Western Atlantic Ocean) is recorded for first time on the basis of one specimen measuring 670,0 mm in total length collected in Todos os Santos Bay (Bahia state), a site with estuarine characteristics.

We investigated the diet of olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Sergipe, northeast Brazil. Stomach contents from 30 stranded animals showed ridleys in the region were benthic carnivorous, consuming mainly crustaceans and fish. Results are valuable to understand the feeding and foraging habitats of this population and to help clarify possible threats in the region.

Reef ecosystems are structurally complex and characterized by an array of abiotic (e.g., rocks and crevices) and biotic (sessile benthic organisms) physical features, many of which having the potential to act as refuge for prey organisms. Small cryptic reef fish species, including the redlip blenny, Ophioblennius trinitatis, rely on refuges to survive against predators, suggesting that adequate refuge choice is an important part of this species' antipredator strategy. Here we investigated blennies' selectivity in refuge choice along its ontogeny simulating predation risk in the field and laboratory. Our results revealed that when exposures to a predator model in the field, blennies chiefly fled to only two refuge types, namely crevices and sea urchins, and these choices reflected blennies' ontogeny. Furthermore, blennies' densities and flight-initiation distances were positively and negatively correlated with sea urchin densities, respectively, underscoring the refuge role played by this benthic organism. On high risk conditions, the fish translated into faster retreat to shelter and to higher refuge selectivity, when compared to low risk. The choices observed in situ were partly similar among initial and terminal phases. These findings suggest that small reef fishes may be selective in their refuge choice even using habitats with high structural complexity. This choice selectivity may be part of an antipredator strategy that considers the relative level of protection offered by the physical features of habitats, along with their conspicuity within rocky reef ecosystems.

One of the major issues in ethnobiology is the quality of life of coastal communities who traditionally survive by artisanal fishing. Du...

Wave exposure and habitat complexity have been used to explain variations in the distribution patterns and behavior of many reef fishes. This study analyzed the influence of both factors on density and foraging activity, and the influence of group size on foraging in three species of the genus Halichoeres (Labridae) on tropical rocky shores. It was shown that initial phases (IP) and terminal phases (TP) Halichoeres, were influenced by wave exposure, although foraging in Halichoeres brasiliensis TP was not influenced by wave exposure. The IP in all three species were positively associated with rugosity and algal cover while the TP was positively associated with depth. Habitat complexity also influences foraging in these species. Group size influenced foraging activity, except in H. brasiliensis TP. We also found variations in microhabitat patches used for foraging between species and differences in the stomach contents between species and phases, showing that functional roles change in response to ontogenetic shifts.

Fishing pressure affects the behavior of reef fish, especially of fishery-targeted species. In this context, it is critical to understand if fish behavior is preserved in no-take areas (NTAs), which are considered the best instrument for the recovery of fish stocks. Comparing the flight initiation distances (FIDs) of fish inhabiting multiple-use areas (MUAs), where fishing is allowed (including spearfishing), and NTAs is a useful approach to test whether NTAs can be effective as fish refuges. Here, we compared whether the FIDs of two target (Sparisoma axillare and Scarus trispinosus ) and one non-target (Halichoeres poeyi ) labrids are greater in the MUAs than in the NTAs. We also investigated whether group size (GS) and body size (BS) exert any effect on the FID. We sampled four MUAs and four NTAs in the Abrolhos Bank (Brazil). We found that only for the targeted species FID was shorter inside the NTAs and that the BS had a positive effect on the FID of all species. The GS and BS of the fish are greater in the NTAs than in the multiple-use areas only for S. trispinosus . Our study shows that fish, especially those species that are fishery targets, display an avoidance behavior against spearfishermen likely as a consequence of fishing pressure. We suggest that the NTAs in Abrolhos are not only important sites for the recovery of fish stocks but also possibly act as a repository area of naïve fish (fish that allow human approach), for reefs open for fishing. RESUMO A pressão pesqueira afeta o comportamento de peixes recifais, especialmente nas espécies alvo de pesca. Nesse contexto é importante entender se áreas fechadas a pesca ("no-take areas": NTAs), consideradas como melhor instrumento para recuperação dos estoques pesqueiros, garantem a integridade dos comportamentos dos peixes. Comparar distâncias iniciais de fuga ("fligth initiation distance": FIDs) de espécies entre recifes de uso múltiplos ("multiple-use areas": MUAs), onde a pesca é permitida (incluindo a pesca submarina), e as NTAs é uma abordagem útil para testar se as NTAs podem ser efetivas como refúgios para peixes recifais. Nesse trabalho FIDs de duas espécies alvo (Sparisoma axillare e Scarus trispinosus ) e uma não alvo (Halichoeres poeyi ) foram comparadas entre MUAs e NTAs. A possível influência do tamanho do grupo ("group size": GS) e o tamanho do corpo ("body size": BS) sobre FID também foram investigados. Foram amostradas quatro MUAs e quatro áreas NTAs no banco dos Abrolhos (Brasil). Nossos resultados mostraram que apenas FID das espécies alvo de pesca foi menor dentro de NTAs e que o BS teve um efeito positivo no FID de todas as espécies. Dentro da NTA, GS e BS foram maiores do que em recifes abertos à pesca apenas para S. trispinosus . Finalmente, sugerimos que NTAs em Abrolhos não são apenas importantes como recuperação dos estoques pesqueiros, mas estão possivelmente atuando como uma área repositória de peixes "ingênuos" (peixes que permitem aproximação humana) para os recifes onde a pesca é permitida.

A new record for Elacatinus figaro, an endangered Brazilian species, is documented for Pedra do Sal, Piaui coast. We present new data about its distribution, discussing on the limits of the Brazilian Province and commenting on the IUCN criteria for evaluation on threatening status. Five specimens of E. figaro were collected about 550 km northward from its previously known boundary, overtaking the expectations around its real distribution as presented in the original description. Results from E. figaro range expansion and new records of species in Brazilian coast fit the hypothesis presented in Floeter et al. (J Biogeogr 35: 22-47, 2008) of a Brazilian Zoogeographic Province, also assigned by Briggs & Bowen (J Biogeogr 39: 12-30, 2012) on a review of Marine Zoogeographic Provinces.

Although recreational spearfishing is a growing activity, its impacts are poorly understood. This paper aims to present data on reef fishes captured by recreational spearfishing in the Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil. We analyzed 168 photos of spearfishing conducted in the reefs of this region between 2006 and 2008. A total of 1.121 fish belonging to 48 species were captured in three sub-regions of the Bahia coastline: Litoral Norte (LN), Salvador (SSA) and Baixo Sul (BS). The main species caught were: Scomberomorus brasiliensis (n = 191), Sphyraena barracuda (n = 153), Lutjanus jocu (n = 150) and Caranx bartholomaei (n = 141); these four species represented 56.5% of total captures. Over the sampling period, the highest values of catch rates per day were observed at BS, followed by SSA and LN. There were significant between-sites differences in the number of fish in the number of species caught. However, there were no significant between-years differences in the number of fish and numbers of species caught. The trophic classification of fish showed that carnivores (n = 623) were more frequently captured, followed by piscivores (n = 371), herbivores (n = 101) and invertivores (n = 26). The results showed that high sized, top predatory fishes, were the main targets, although other trophic levels were also captured.

The influence of the lunar phases and tidal range on the fish capture was analysed in a tidal flat in Barra do Paraguaçu (Baía de Todos os Santos). The sampling was realized in the flood tide and ebb tide of the spring (full moon) and neap (waning moon) tides, between June 2007 and May 2008. At all sampling occasions, two parallel drags were accomplished to the tidal flat, in the same direction of the current, in a 100 m long area marked on the beach beforehand, using a seine net of 15 m × 2.0 m with a mesh of 12 mm between adjacent knots. A total of 2312 fish specimens were captured (26.5 kg), belonging to 75 species from 45 families. The mean number of captured fish was significantly larger in full moon at ebb tides, while the mean weight in the captures was larger in ebb tides. There was significant difference in number of species, number of fish, richness and diversity between full and waning moons. The number of fish and biomass were significantly different between tides. Significant differences were found in community structure regarding trophic groups in relation to tide and moon, although the classic diversity indices did not capture this effect between tides. Furthermore, it was possible to identify preferences of occurrence related to the change of tide in dominant species.

A presença de Gonioplectrus hispanus (Cuvier, 1828) (Actinopterygii, Epinephelidae) é registrada para o estado da Bahia, costa nordeste do Brasil (Oceano Atlântico ocidental) com base em 8 exemplares medindo entre 247 e 292 mm de comprimento total (entre 207 e 241 mm de comprimento padrão). Dados sobre alimentação, reprodução, caracteres merísticos e morfométricos (com proporções corporais) são apresentados e comparados com a literatura.

This is the first in a series of reports describing new records caught with circle hooks, a method only now being employed in exploratory fishing in Brazilian deep waters. Several new records of deep-water fishes were obtained with this equipment. In this paper we record for the first time the occurrence of two genera and species of Bramidae in Brazilian waters: the tropical pomfret Eumegistus brevorti and the keeltail pomfret Taractes rubescens. We also report on previously unnoticed collection records from preserved specimens of Pterycombus brama in museum collections, and the first capture of an adult bigscale pomfret Taractichthys longipinnis in Brazil. These new records increase the number of bramid species known from Brazilian waters to ten. The addition of P. brama to the Brazilian Bramidae makes the Southwestern Atlantic the only known area of the world where two species of Pterycombus are found together. Meristic, biometric, and new biological data are presented for Eumegistus brevorti. Some species of bramids are rather rare and even if well described in the literature there are morphological characters and behavioral aspects yet to be added. Herein we present detailed descriptions of some bramid species to add to their published descriptions. A key to the Western Atlantic Bramidae is provided.

Southwestern Atlantic Ocean rocky shores sustain important reef fish communities. However, those communities in tropical regions are not well understood, especially in Brazil. In this present article we assess community parameters of reef fishes such as composition, trophic organization and their relationships with physical and biological factors on four tropical rocky shores in Todos os Santos Bay, southwestern Atlantic. During six months, a total of 80 visual censuses were performed, in which 3,582 fish belonging to 76 species were recorded. Territorial herbivorous fish and turf algae were dominant at all the sites. The spatial variability of fish community structure was related to the benthic cover composition and depth. The high abundance of territorial herbivores and mobile invertebrate feeders could be associated with high levels of turf cover, low wave exposure and shallow waters. Moreover, this fact could be a consequence of the low density of roving herbivores and large carnivores probably due to the pressure of intense fishing activity. Thus complementary studies are needed to evaluate the actual conservation status of these rocky shore reefs, singularly located habitats connecting inner and outer reefs in Todos os Santos Bay. Resumo Os costões rochosos do Atlântico Sul Ocidental sustentam ricas comunidades de peixes recifais. Apesar disso, o conhecimento sobre essas comunidades em zonas tropicais continua escasso, especialmente no Brasil. No presente trabalho avaliamos parâmetros das comunidades de peixes recifais, tais como composição e estrutura trófica, além de sua interação com variáveis físicas e bióticas, em quatro costões rochosos tropicais na Baía de Todos os Santos, costa leste do Brasil. Durante seis meses 80 censos visuais foram realizados, nos quais 3.582 peixes pertencentes a 76 espécies foram registrados. Os peixes herbívoros territoriais e as algas filamentosas dominaram em todos os costões. A variação espacial na estrutura da comunidade de peixes esteve relacionada com a composição bêntica e profundidade. A elevada abundância observada de peixes herbívoros territoriais e invertívoros móveis pode ser devido à alta cobertura de algas filamentosas e à baixa profundidade e exposição às ondas. Além disso, esse padrão também pode ser explicado pela baixa densidade de herbívoros errantes e grandes carnívoros, provavelmente devido à intensa pressão da atividade pesqueira. Assim, novos estudos são necessários para avaliar o real estado de conservação destes ambientes, uma vez que estão localizados em posição singular na Baía de Todos os Santos, conectando recifes internos e externos da área.