Resumo O conhecimento do estudo científico oceanográfico do início do século XX é essencial para compreender o processo de institucionalização da biologia marinha em Portugal. As primeiras estações biológicas nacionais foram criadas durante a Primeira República: a Estação de Zoologia Marítima da Foz, no Porto, e o Aquário Vasco da Gama, em Lisboa. Este artigo é um estudo de caso sobre a Estação da Foz, que colaborou com o Instituto de Zoologia da Universidade do Porto no alcance de seus objetivos estratégicos, e aborda o processo de institucionalização da biologia marinha no contexto universitário: sua conexão com ensino, pesquisa, economia e sociedade.

Abstract Knowledge of the scientific study of the sea in the early twentieth century is essential to understand the process through which marine biology was institutionalised in Portugal. The first national biological stations were set up during the First Republic: the Estação de Zoologia Marítima da Foz in Porto, and the Aquário Vasco da Gama in Lisbon. This paper is a case study on the Estação da Foz, which played an important role by assisting the Zoology Institute at the Universidade do Porto in achieving its strategic objectives, and provides an understanding of the institutionalisation process for marine biology within a university context: its connection with teaching, research, the economy, and society.

Resumen El acceso a datos actualizados, sobre los nombres y distribución de las especies de crustáceos presentes en un área en particular, es un primer paso para evaluar cambios debidos a factores locales, regionales o globales, como la sobrepesca, la contaminación y el cambio climático. Los datos en este estudio están basados en las expediciones de los buques de investigación Skimmer (20 estaciones, 1979-1980) y Victor Hensen (1993-1994, 12 estaciones) en el estuario del Golfo de Nicoya. Los crustáceos fueron recolectados mediante redes de arrastre tipo Otter (Skimmer, malla 3.5 cm) y por tipos Otter y Beam (V. Hensen, mallas de 2.5 cm y 1.9 cm) a profundidades entre 10 y 228 m. Datos en dos estudios posteriores aportaron información para una zona de entre-mareas en la región superior del Golfo y para estaciones en la boca del estuario, lo que incrementa el ámbito de profundidad de 0 a 350 m. Se revisaron las publicaciones originales y se hicieron 32 actualizaciones de los nombres de las especies con base en la literatura reciente y en la página de red World Register of Marine Species (WORMS). El total de especies para ambas expediciones fue de 131, del que 119 fueron decápodos y 12 fueron estomatópodos. Los datos en los otros dos estudios, así como la revisión de las colecciones en el Museo de Zoología de la Universidad de Costa Rica, incrementó en 43 el número de registros, para un total de 174 especies en los sedimentos del estuario. Para el Skimmer el número mínimo de especies en una estación fue de cuatro (tres estaciones) y el máximo de 27, con un promedio de 12.3 especies / estación. Para el V. Hensen el mínimo de especies en una estación fue de ocho, con un máximo de 27 y un promedio de 17 especies / estación. Las especies presentes en 50 % o más de las 20 estaciones de la expedición del Skimmer, fueron: Callinectes arcuatus, Rimapenaeus faoe, Penaeus brevirostris, Achelous asper y Hepatus kossmanni. Para la expedición del V. Hensen las especies presentes en más del 50 % de las 12 estaciones, fueron: A. asper, Sicyonia disdorsalis, S. picta y Persephona subovata. Durante el estudio del Skimmer, un total de 15 especies fueron encontradas en solo una estación, mientras que para el V. Hensen el número fue de 26. Se digitalizaron dos matrices de datos de presencia-ausencia de las especies en las estaciones y con base en los nombres actualizados de las especies recolectadas por el Skimmer (57 especies x 20 estaciones) y V. Hensen (82 especies x 12 estaciones) se les aplicó un Análisis No Métrico Dimensional de Escala (NMDS) para obtener una distribución de las estaciones en un espacio bi-dimensional. Los resultados revelaron unos grupos heterogéneos de estaciones. Algunos sub-grupos de tres o cuatro estaciones concuerdan con su proximidad geográfica. Las cuatro estaciones del V. Hensen en la boca del estuario a profundidades mayores a los 60 m fueron separadas más claramente de las otras, y podrían indicar una transición, desde aguas estuarinas hacia aguas profundas, en la composición de la fauna de crustáceos. Evaluaciones futuras de la diversidad de crustáceos del Golfo de Nicoya deben de considerar la amplia distribución espacial de algunas especies y la restringida de otras. La variabilidad temporal es también importante en el estuario, tal como lo evidenció la oscilación de la población de Pinnixulala valerii en un periodo de tres años.

Abstract The access to updated data on the names of the crustacean species and their distribution in a given area is a first step to evaluate changes due to local, regional and global factors such as overfishing, pollution, and climatic change. Data in this study are based on the expeditions of the RV Skimmer (20 stations, 1979-1980) and RV Victor Hensen (1993-1994, 12 stations) in the Gulf of Nicoya estuary. The crustaceans were collected by means of an Otter trawl (Skimmer, mesh 3.5 cm) and by Otter and Beam trawls (V. Hensen, mesh 2.5 cm and 1.0 cm, respectively) at depths from 10 m to 228 m. Data from two later studies were also included, one from an intertidal flat in the upper Gulf and the other from stations at the mouth of the estuary, which expand the depth range from 0 to 350 m. The list of species in the original publications were updated and 32 corrections were made based on recent literature and the web page, World Register of Marine Species (WORMS). The total number of species for both surveys was 131, of which 119 were decapods and 12 were stomatopods. Data from the other two studies and from the crustacean collection deposited at the University of Costa Rica Zoology Museum added 43 records for a total of 174 species collected in sediments from the estuary. For the Skimmer, the minimum number of species found in one station was four (three stations) and the maximum was 27, with an average of 12.3 species / station. For the V. Hensen, the minimum of species found in one station was eight, with a maximm of 27 and an average of 17 species / station. The species present in 50 % or more of the 20 stations of the Skimmer expedition, were: Callinectes arcuatus, Rimapenaeus faoe, Penaeus brevirostris, Achelous asper and Hepatus kossmanni. For the V. Hensen expedition, the species present in 50 % or more of the 12 stations, were: A. asper, Sicyonia disdorsalis, S. picta, and Persephona subovata. During the Skimmer survey a total of 15 species were found at only one station, while for the V. Hensen the number was 26. Two presence-absence matrices based on the updated names of the crustaceans collected by the Skimmer (57 species x 20 stations) and V. Hensen (82 species x 12 stations) were analyzed by Non Metric Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) to display the distribution of stations in a two-dimensional space. The results revealed heterogeneous groups of stations. Several sub-groups of two or three stations agreed with their geographical proximity. The four V. Hensen stations, located at the mouth of the estuary at depths greater than 60 m, were separated more clearly from the others and may indicate a transition, from estuarine to deep waters, in the composition of the crustacean fauna. Future evaluations of the crustacean diversity of the Gulf of Nicoya must take into account the wide spatial distribution of some species and the patchy distribution of others. Temporal variability is also important in the estuary as evidenced by the population oscilallations of Pinnixulala valerii over a three year period.

Resumen La etapa post-metamórfica es esencial en la historia de vida de los invertebrados marinos. Durante este período, los animales son más vulnerables y sufren una elevada mortalidad, que influye en la distribución y abundancia de las poblaciones de los adultos. También es durante este período cuando grandes cambios morfológicos ocurren en los individuos, lo que complica su identificación taxonómica. Los ofiuroideos juveniles son el componente principal para la mayor parte de la composición de la meiofauna en ciertas épocas del año y en algunos lugares. Sin embargo, son ignorados por la mayoría de los estudios ecológicos debido a las dificultades de identificación. De esta manera, la descripción de las fases juveniles presenta mayor importancia, sobre todo en estudios relacionados con la dinámica poblacional y de composición de fauna. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo describir la ontogenia de nueve especies de aguas profundas de las regiones Sudeste y Sur de Brasil, siendo el primer registro en la literatura sobre cambios morfológicos -a partir del crecimiento- para ocho de ellos. La mayoría de los organismos se tomaron en el intervalo de 60 a 800 m de profundidad, entre diciembre de 1997, enero de 1998 y marzo de 1998, durante el programa REVIZEE Sur-Score / Bentos. También se incluyen en este estudio material adicional del Museo de Zoología de la Unicamp (ZUEC). Para las identificaciones y descripciones de las diferentes etapas, las muestras se secaron y fueron fotografiadas. Los juveniles fueron identificados por “al revés” el proceso de crecimiento a través de la serie desde adultos hasta los individuos de menores tallas, una metodología exitosa en estudios anteriores. Las especies seleccionadas para la descripción de la serie de crecimiento fueron escogidas de acuerdo a su abundancia relativa en diferentes etapas de desarrollo. Algunos individuos fueron montados en tacos de aluminio para la microscopía electrónica de barrido. Las especies se estudiadas fueron: Ophiacantha pentacrinus (Ophiacanthidae), Ophiomastus satelitae, Ophiomusium acuferum, Ophiomusium eburneum, Ophiomisidium tommasii, Ophiura ljungmani, Ophiura clemens (Ophiuridae), Amphiura complanata (Amphiuridae) y Ophiothrix rathbuni (Ophiotrichidae). El análisis del desarrollo post-metamórfico de los individuos reveló que muchas especies podrían ser identificadas desde sus etapas más juveniles, sobre todo a partir de caracteres morfológicos externos. Este estudio nos permite sostener que algunas estructuras permanecen casi inalteradas durante toda la vida del organismo, mientras que otras están sujetas a transformaciones. De este modo, se contribuye al conocimiento más amplio de algunas especies de ofiuroideos, con relación a la caracterización de sus diferentes etapas de desarrollo.

Abstract The post-metamorphic stage is essential in the life history of marine invertebrates. During this period, animals are more vulnerable and suffer high mortality, which influences the distribution and abundance of adult populations. It is also during this period that major morphological changes happen in the individuals, complicating their taxonomic identification. The juvenile ophiuroids dominate the meiofauna in certain times of the year and at some places. However, they are ignored by most ecological studies due to identification difficulties. Here we describe the ontogeny of nine deep-sea species from the Southeast and South regions of Brazil, with the first record of morphological modifications for eight of them. Most organisms were collected 60 to 800 m deep, between December 1997, January, 1998 and March, 1998, during the REVIZEE-Score South / Benthos program. We also included additional material from the Zoology Museum of Unicamp (ZUEC). For descriptions and identifications of the different stages, the specimens were dried and photographed. The juveniles were identified by “backwards” process through the growth series of adults to smaller individuals, a backwards method that was successful in previous studies. Some individuals were mounted on aluminum stubs for scanning electron microscopy. The species were: Ophiacantha pentacrinus (Ophiacanthidae), Ophiomastus satelitae, Ophiomusium acuferum, Ophiomusium eburneum, Ophiomisidium tommasii, Ophiura ljungmani, Ophiura clemens (Ophiuridae), Amphiura complanata (Amphiuridae) and Ophiothrix rathbuni (Ophiotrichidae). Many species could be identified since their most juvenile stage. Some structures remain almost unaltered during the whole life. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 2): 361-381. Epub 2015 June 01.

Resumen La localización geográfica de México, entre las influencias oceánicas del Atlántico centro-occidental y del Pacífico centro-oriental, explica en gran medida su enorme diversidad biológica y ecosistémica. Las investigaciones sobre equinodermos en México comenzaron a mitades del siglo XIX, si bien aún no existe un trabajo sobre los equinoideos irregulares que habitan sus aguas. En este trabajo se presenta por primera vez una revisión taxonómica de los equinoideos irregulares de México. En este sentido, se usaron los ejemplares de equinoideos irregulares para México albergados en cuatro colecciones: 1) Colección Nacional de Equinodermos “Ma. Elena Caso Muñoz”, del Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (ICML), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); 2) Invertebrate Zoology Collection, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., United States of America (USA); 3) Invertebrate Collection, Museum of Comparative Zoology, University of Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA and 4) Invertebrate Zoology, Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Los organismos fueron reidentificados, se corroboró la identidad taxonómica de las especies y se ubicaron taxonómicamente. Además, se realizó un análisis de biogeografía ecológica tomando en cuenta el listado de especies obtenido y la regionalización ecológica de Norteamérica. Se presenta un total de 69 especies incluidas en 6 órdenes, 17 familias, y 36 géneros distribuidas en 34 ecorregiones biogeográficas; 11 de la costa Atlántica y 23 de la costa Pacífica. Se delimitan cuatro regiones biogeográficas Atlánticas y cinco Pacíficas. En la costa Atlántica, los factores ambientales que determinan la distribución de los equinoideos irregulares son, principalmente los sedimentos y las corrientes oceánicas, mientras que en la costa Pacífica son principalmente la profundidad y las corrientes oceánicas.

Abstract Mexico owns 643 species of echinoderms, almost 10% of the known echinoderm species in the planet. Its geographic location -between the oceanic influences of the Western Central Atlantic and the Eastern Central Pacific- largely explains its enormous biological and ecological diversity. Research on echinoderms in Mexico began in the late nineteenth century; however, there are no reviews on its irregular echinoids. This work reviews the taxonomic and geographic information of irregular echinoids from Mexico, housed in four collections: 1) Colección Nacional de Equinodermos “Ma. Elena Caso Muñoz” from the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (ICML), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); 2) Invertebrate Zoology Collection, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., United States of America (USA); 3) Invertebrate Collection, Museum of Comparative Zoology, University of Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA and 4) Invertebrate Zoology, Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Specimens were reidentified and classified; geographic distribution data were subjected to a parsimony analysis of endemisms (PAE) using the ecological regionalization of North America proposed by Wilkinson et al. (2010). A total of six orders, 17 families, 35 genera and 68 species are reported, distributed in 34 ecoregions, 11 from the Atlantic coast and 23 from the Pacific coast. Nine biogeographic regions were delimited, four in the Atlantic coast and five in the Pacific coast. The biogeographic analysis suggests that the oceanic currents and sediments are the environmental factors that determine the distribution of irregular echinoids in the Mexican Atlantic coast; on the other hand, oceanic currents and depth are the environmental factors that determine the distribution of irregular echinoids in the Mexican Pacific coast. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 2): 59-75. Epub 2015 June 01.

El grupo de los cangrejos anomuros es uno de los mejor conocidos de la costa Pacífica de Costa Rica, pero muy poco conocidos de la costa Caribe. En esta recopilación, basada en la literatura y en las colecciones del Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, informamos de la presencia de 114 especies del Infraorden Anomura en Costa Rica, 20 especies del Caribe, 96 especies del Pacífico, y dos especies presentes en ambas costa. Veintinueve especies son informes nuevos para Costa Rica, 15 del Caribe (75% del total de especies informadas para esa costa) y 14 del Pacífica (15% del total de esa costa). La distribución de diez especies es ampliada hasta Costa Rica, siete en el Caribe y tres en el Pacífico. Seis especies son informadas por primera vez para la Isla del Coco, donde además hay cuatro especies endémicas.

Marine biodiversity of Costa Rica: Crustacea: Infraorder Anomura. The anomuran crabs are among the best known crustacean groups from the Pacific coast. However, this group is poorly known from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. In this compilation based on the literature and the collection at the Zoology Museum, Biology School, University of Costa Rica, we report the presence of 114 species of the Infraorder Anomura for Costa Rica, 20 species from the Caribbean, 96 species from the Pacific (two are present on both coasts). Twenty-nine species are new reports for Costa Rica, 15 from the Caribbean coast (74% of the total of species from that coast) and 14 from the Pacific (15% of the total from the Pacific). The range of ten species is extended to Costa Rica, siete from the Caribbean and three from the Pacific. Six species are reported for the first time from Cocos Island, where there are also four endemic species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(2): 461-488. Epub 2006 Jun 01.

O Brasil é um país em desenvolvimento megadiverso e o conhecimento da situação atual da taxonomia brasileira é um passo necessário para se estabelecer políticas futuras para lidar com a biodiversidade. Certamente, o ponto mais relevante para o entendimento da biodiversidade é a criação de vagas para absorção de taxonomistas em cargos permanentes. De fato, pouco se conhece sobre o número de taxonomistas, produção científica, e os problemas enfrentados pelos taxonomistas em cada país. Devido a biota brasileira ser a mais rica do mundo, é inquestionável que seu conhecimento é crítico para o entendimento de padrões mundiais de biodiversidade e para embasar políticas de conservação. Nós preparamos um relatório técnico sobre a taxonomia zoológica brasileira para o Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia do Brasil que fornece uma idéia clara de como o país pode lidar com o desafio de sua biodiversidade. O Brasil possui cerca de 6,67% do total das espécies descritas (ca. 100.000 dos 1,5 milhão), mas estima-se que haja um enorme número de espécies ainda não descritas. O Brasil possui 542 taxonomistas: 415 em cargos permanentes, publicando em todos os campos da zoologia. A média de idade dos taxonomistas é de 45-50 anos e, portanto, a maioria ainda deverá estar ativa nos próximos 15-20 anos. Doutoramentos em taxonomia diminuíram na década de 90, refletindo a falta de interesse mundial pela área. A maioria dos taxonomistas está concentrada no Sudeste (51,7%) e Sul (21,6%) do Brasil, e extensas regiões incluindo biomas como Pantanal, Cerrado, Caatinga e Floresta Amazônica possuem menos especialistas. Táxons com maior número de taxonomistas são "peixes" (53), Crustacea (39), Diptera (28), e Mollusca (27), embora nenhum táxon tenha sido considerado como possuidor de um número suficiente de especialistas. Muitos grupos estão em uma situação mais crítica. Ecossistemas e biomas pouco conhecidos são águas profundas, plataforma continental, linha costeira da região norte, Caatinga semi-árida e Floresta Amazônica, embora nenhuma região seja considerada adequadamente conhecida. 7.320 espécies foram descritas (1978-1995, 430/ano), um ritmo muito lento para as necessidades atuais, especialmente porque muitos ambientes naturais estão desaparecendo. Pesquisadores brasileiros têm importantes contribuições para seus grupos taxonômicos de interesse, colaborando intensamente com colegas estrangeiros. Apesar disso, existe ainda muito trabalho básico por realizar: somente poucos grupos possuem catálogos ou manuais, revisões taxonômicas são restritas (e quase inexistentes para grupos marinhos) e bancos de dados são necessários para as coleções de muitos museus. Pesquisadores brasileiros publicaram 1.801 artigos (dados do ISI-Web of Knowledge, janeiro/2000-março/2005), mas somente três estados (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais) foram responsáveis por 70% deste total. As maiores e mais representativas coleções zoológicas estão concentradas em poucas cidades (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belém e Manaus). Existem 22 programas de pós-graduação em Zoologia, 14 dos quais incluindo cursos de doutoramento, a maioria destes situados nos mesmos estados em que as maiores coleções são encontradas e, dentre estes, os melhor avaliados localizam-se nos estados de São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Paraná. No fim de 2003, todos os programas juntos possuíam 477 docentes, 480 mestrandos e 486 doutorandos. Talvez, em comparação com outros países, o Brasil esteja em uma situação bem melhor, embora ainda muito longe do adequado. Claramente, políticas mundiais devem ser elaboradas, mas estas serão ainda mais eficientes se os países souberem exatamente como eles podem lidar e contribuir para o conhecimento global da biodiversidade. Nosso estudo propõe ainda programas, estratégias e orçamentos baseados em dados e necessidades da biodiversidade.

Brazil is a megadiverse developing country and the knowledge on the current situation of Brazilian taxonomy is a necessary step to establish future policies to deal with biodiversity. Certainly, the most important issue for the understanding of biodiversity is the installing capacity of taxonomists. In fact, little is known concerning the number of taxonomists, scientific production, and the problems faced by taxonomists in each country. Once Brazilian biota is the richest of the world, it is undisputable that its knowledge is critical to understand world biodiversity patterns and to base conservation policies. We produced a technical report on Brazilian zoological taxonomy for the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology, which provided a more objective view upon the Brazilian biodiversity challenge. Brazil accounts for 6.67% of the total species described (ca. 100,000 out of 1.5 million), but we expect a significantly higher number of species to be described. Brazil has 542 taxonomists: 415 with permanent positions, publishing in all fields of zoology. Their average age is 45-50 years old, with the majority still expecting to be active for more than 15-20 years. PhD Theses in taxonomy decreased during the 1990s, reflecting the worlds lack of interest in the area. The majority of taxonomists are concentrated in South East (51.7%) and South (21.6%) Brazil, and extensive regions, including biomes like Pantanal, Cerrado (Savannah), Caatinga and the Amazonian Rainforest, count with continuously fewer experts. Taxa with the larger number of taxonomists are "fishes" (53), Crustacea (39), Diptera (28), and Mollusca (27) although no taxon is considered to have enough experts. Several groups are in a more critical situation. Poorly known ecosystems and biomes are deep waters, continental shelf, northern coastline, semi-arid Caatinga, Amazon rainforest, though no region is considered adequately known. 7,320 species were described (1978-1995, 430/year), a rhythm very slow for the present needs, especially because many wild habitats are disappearing. Brazilian researchers have important contributions to make for their taxonomical groups, intensively collaborating with foreign colleagues. However, basic taxonomic work is still to be done: only a few groups have catalogues or manuals, basic taxonomic revisions are restricted (especially lacking for marine groups), databasing is needed for many museum collections. Brazilian researchers published 1801 papers (from ISI-Web of Knowledge, January/2000-March/2005), but only three states (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais) were responsible for 70% of these. The largest and most representative zoological collections are concentrated in a few cities (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belém, Manaus). There are 22 graduate programs of Zoology, 14 of them conferring PhDs, the majority of these in the same states in which the largest collections are found, and the best rated programs in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Paraná states. By the end of 2003, all programs together had 477 faculty professors, 480 MSc candidates and 486 PhD candidates. When compared to other countries, Brazil is in a rather good situation, although far from perfect. It is clear that world policies must be planned, but these will be more effective if countries know exactly how they can deal and can contribute to the global understanding on biodiversity. Our study also propose programs, strategies, and budgets based on the biodiversity data and needs.