Tolerance to salinities shocks of the invasive mussel Limnoperma fortunei under experimental conditions

The golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), has been found in the estuarine regions of South America, including the Patos Lagoon (Brazil), a huge choked lagoon with an estuarine region that is highly unstable chemically. Limnoperna fortunei space-temporal variability in the lagoon's estuarine region demonstrated the need to evaluate this species' ability to survive under salinity shocks. A set of experiments was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. Specimens were tested under salinities of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 ppt, and were exposed for periods of 24, 48, 72, 96 and 240 hours. The mussel can survive (90%) up to a salinity shock of 2 ppt for periods of at least 10 days. Considering the influence of climatic and stochastic events and the chemical instability of the Patos Lagoon estuarine region, it's unlikely that populations could survive for longer periods (more than a year) in this area

Distribuição das espécies de corais azooxantelados na plataforma e talude continental superior do sul do Brasil Distribution of deep-sea azooxanthellate scleractinians from southern Brazilian waters

Dentre os organismos registrados para águas profundas (> 100 m) no sul do Brasil, podemos destacar os corais azooxantelados pertencentes a ordem Scleractinia. Através de análises estatísticas, identificação de espécimes depositados em coleções científicas, e compilação de todos os registros pretéritos destes cnidarios ocorrentes no sul e parte do sudeste do Brasil, foi possível constatar que as coordenadas abrangidas no presente estudo representam uma área de transição entre os corais azooxantelados ocorrentes ao norte e as espécies mais características das zonas polares, principalmente em relação às espécies solitárias. Com a análise da distribuição batimétrica, foi observado um significativo aumento no número de espécies entre o setor de plataforma externa e 500 m de profundidade. Finalizando, foi realizada a análise de agrupamento, o que permitiu discriminar a formação de 6 biótopos das associações de corais azooxantelados para a área de estudo. Desta forma, apresentamos a primeira tentativa de se compreender a distribuição desta pouco conhecida fauna da plataforma e talude continental superior, entre 24ºS e 34ºS.<br>Amongst organisms reported in deep waters (> 100 m) from southern Brazil, the azooxanthellate scleractinians are of particular importance due to their capacity to form habitats which attract many species of invertebrates and vertebrates. Through statistical analysis of distribution, identification of specimens deposited in scientific collections, and revision of all preterite records of azooxanthellate scleractinians from southern and part of southeastern coast of Brazil, was noted that the coordinates covered by the present study represent an transitional distributional area between the Caribbean and marginal Antarctic fauna, especially for the solitary species. From a vertical distribution analysis, an increase in the number of species in the sector between the external continental shelve and 500 m depth was observed. A grouping analysis was performed, allowing the discrimination of 6 association biotopes of corals. Thus, we present the first attempt to understand the distribution of this fauna from the continental shelf and continental slope of southern Brazil, between 24°S and 34°S

Reproductive biology of the sesarmid crab Armases rubripes (Decapoda, Brachyura) from an estuarine area of the Sahy River, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The aim of this work was to gain knowledge about reproductive biology of the crab Armases rubripes (Rathbun, 1897) from an estuarine area of the Sepetiba Bay. Samples were taken monthly from February 2003 to January 2004 in the Sahy River estuary (22º56'S; 44º01'W), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crabs were collected by hand during 15-minute catch-effort sessions conducted by two people. In the laboratory, the specimens were separated by sex, carapace width was measured and gonadal stage was checked macroscopically. A total of 830 individuals were caught - 304 males, 373 females (60 ovigerous females) and 153 juveniles. The ovigerous females were found almost year-round, except in November and April, showing a continuous reproductive period. They presented a size range from 8.2 to 15.0 mm carapace width (12.1 ± 1.7 mm). Color and macroscopical aspects determined five gonadal stages for males and females (immature, rudimentary, intermediary, developed and resting). First sexual maturity was estimated at 6.5 mm of carapace width for males and 8.1 mm for females. Individual fecundity varied from 200 to 11,460 eggs (4,458 ± 2,739 eggs). Mean egg size was 0.248 ± 0.026 mm, varying from 0.213 to 0.333 mm, while the volume ranged from 0.0051 to 0.0188 mm³ (0.0082 ± 0.0029 mm³)