Molecular identification of Anisakis species from Pleuronectiformes off the Portuguese coast

Anisakid nematodes belonging to the Anisakis simplex complex are highly prevalent in several fish species off the coast of Portugal and are an important zoonotic problem in the Iberian Peninsula. Two reproductively isolated sibling species of the Anisakis simplex complex were identified from Pleuronectiformes inhabiting the Portuguese coast using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Recombinant genotypes corresponding to presumptive Anisakis simplex sensu stricto and Anisakis pegreffii hybrids were also detected by this technique, as well as the species Anisakis typica. Although 25 species of Pleuronectiformes were investigated, Anisakis spp. larvae were only found in seven: Arnoglossus imperialis, Arnoglossus laterna, Lepidorhombus boscii, Citharus linguatula, Platichthys flesus, Dicologlossa cuneata and Solea senegalensis. The occurrence of hybrids in relatively sedentary fishes such as the Pleuronectiformes suggests that the Portuguese coast may constitute an area of hybridization and, therefore, is of particular interest for the study of the process of hybridization and speciation for these anisakids

Bulletin of the Kyushu University Farm

In this work, we analysed the latitudinal trends in the nursery habitat colonization processes of the European flounder (Platichthys flesus). This was accomplished by estimating the duration of the pelagic and metamorphic stages, as well as the duration of the spawning period, in several nursery areas across its geographical distribution range in the European Atlantic Coast: Mondego estuary (Portugal), Vilaine estuary (France), Slack estuary (France), Wadden Sea (Netherlands) and the Sørfjord (Norway). All juvenile flounders were captured with beam trawls in June/July 2010, and otolith microstructure was used to determine the duration of each stage by means of daily growth increments. The pelagic and metamorphic stages were longer at the middle of the distribution range, and lasted in total up to two months after hatching. The spawning period occurred between mid-January and early-July over the species' distribution range, with a time lapse of nearly two months between the Mondego estuary and the Sørfjord, as a consequence of warmer water temperature earlier in the season in southern areas. In general, total length of the captured fish showed a latitudinal cline between the northernmost and southernmost sampling sites, with higher values at the middle of the distribution range. The results also suggested the existence of a countergradient growth compensation mechanism in the northernmost populations. Apart from temperature, which sets the general metabolic pace of organisms, differences between sites were also related with local features, such as the extension of the continental platform and adaptations to transport and retention mechanisms

Effects of field metal contaminations on sperm motility and RNA: DNA ratio in Asterias rubens

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

A qualidade ecológica da água na avaliação de impacto ambiental

A Directiva-Quadro da Água (2000/60/CE) entrou em vigor em Dezembro de 2000 e foi transposta para a ordem jurídica nacional pela nova Lei da Água (Lei nº 58/2005) e pelo Decreto-Lei nº 77/2006. Estes documentos introduzem o conceito de qualidade ecológica da água na regulamentação portuguesa e põem em evidência a importância de avaliar a qualidade da água, não só em termos dos aspectos físico-químicos, mas também dos elementos hidromorfológicos e biológicos. Apesar disso, a prática de AIA em Portugal continua a basearse fundamentalmente em métodos clássicos de análise da qualidade da água, ignorando quase por completo os elementos biológicos enquanto componentes dos ecossistemas aquáticos. Neste trabalho é discutida a necessidade de adaptação ao novo paradigma e apresentados alguns procedimentos e metodologias que podem contribuir para o cumprimento desse objectivo. Neste particular, são descritas as ferramentas que presentemente melhor se adequam para avaliar a qualidade ecológica da água em Portugal, e que de uma forma relativamente expedita permitem incorporar na AIA a nova política da água na União Europeia

Environmental effects on the recruitment variability of nursery species

The recruitment variability of the marine fish species Dicentrarchus labrax, Platichthys flesus and Solea solea was evaluated in the Mondego estuary (Portugal) from 2003 to 2007. The relationships between sea surface temperature, NAO index, coastal wind speed and direction, precipitation and river runoff prior to the estuarine colonization and the abundance of 0-group fish were evaluated using gamma-based Generalized Linear Models. Dicentrarchus labrax and P. flesus 0-group decreased in abundance towards the end of the study period, while S. solea, despite low abundance in 2004, increased in abundance in 2007. For D. labrax, river runoff, precipitation and east–west wind were significant; for P. flesus, precipitation, river runoff and both north–south and east–west wind components were significant parameters, while for S. solea only river runoff was important. Results were compared with recent projections for climate change scenarios, to evaluate their effects on future recruitment level

Short-term variability of multiple biomarker response in fish from estuaries: Influence of environmental dynamics

Short-term variability in biomarker responses and the effects of temperature and salinity variation were explored in three fish species (Dicentrarchus labrax, Solea senegalensis and Pomatoschistus microps) occurring in the Tejo estuary. Short-term variability in biomarkers was observed in all species although no pattern was discerned over time (days to weeks). Antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) showed low temporal variability, indicating some constancy or baseline level in antioxidant responses. Only CAT activity in S. senegalensis was correlated with temperature, suggesting that exposure to contaminants triggered antioxidant acclimation. Higher short-term variability was observed in xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes activity (phase I ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and phase II glutathione S-transferase (GST)). Yet a significant correlation between EROD and GST in D. labrax and S. senegalensis suggests a concomitant response to contaminants. Moreover the lack of correlation between xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes and abiotic variables on concordant time scales, suggest a high specificity of these biomarkers to chemical exposure, rather than high variability due to environmental dynamics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio