Abstract Five anomuran and one brachyuran species collected from continental shelf and slope off southern Brazil have their geographic ranges considerably extended southward: Neolithodes agassizii (Smith), Paguristes spectabilis McLaughlin and Provenzano, Pagurus heblingi Nucci and Melo, Phimochirus occlusus (Henderson), Mixtopagurus paradoxus A. Milne-Edwards, and the brachyuran Euchirograpsus antillensis Türkay. Pagurus heblingi was previously known only from its type locality (off Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro) and from off Espírito Santo. Paguristes spectabilis was known only from the holotype (off Trinidad, Caribbean Sea) and two additional females from off Rio de Janeiro. One female was found of the brachyuran Robertsella meridionalis Tavares and Gouvêa, a species previously known only from two males. Additionally, the occurrence of the hermit crabs Dardanus venosus (H. Milne Edwards) and Oncopagurus gracilis (Henderson), and the brachyuran Hexapanopeus paulensis Rathbun are confirmed for Santa Catarina. The record of the brachyuran Neopilumnoplax americana (Rathbun) from Santa Catarina (27°S) probably actually refers to Neopilumnoplax lipkeholthuisi Tavares and Melo, a species described from Rio Grande do Sul (33°S) and Mar del Plata (37°S).

Abstract In 2015, a serious environmental disaster occurred at ULTRACARGO - Aratu S/A Terminal (Cubatão, SP) causing a long-lasting, large-scale, fire that resulted in the release of various chemical pollutants, including those used to contain the fire. These pollutants affected adjacent regions and the innermost area of the Santos-São Vicente Estuarine System, requiring the assessment of environmental quality in two mangrove areas post-disaster (2016). This assessment considered biomarkers for the species including population density, structure, and cytogenotoxicity. The population structure and cytotoxicity of Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) only changed slightly from pre-disaster (2013) to post-disaster (2016), as a consequence of the greater resilience and biological flexibility of this crab to environmental stress caused by pollutants. We recommend continuous monitoring be conducted using this species endemic to the mangroves of the study site, as this will make it possible to assess the magnitude of the chronic environmental impacts of the accident. In addition, it could guide environmental agencies in damage mitigation or in the quantification of possible future impacts.

Abstract This study deals with population structure and habitat sharing of two sympatric aeglid species, Aegla jarai Bond-Buckup and Buckup, 1994 and Aegla muelleri Bond-Buckup and Buckup, 2010 at Espingarda Creek, Serra do Itajaí National Park, Rio Itajaí-Açú basin, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Individuals of A. jarai (n = 190) and A. muelleri (n = 131) were captured from June/2001 to May/2002 in monthly collection. A total of 89 males and 101 females (2 ovigerous) of A. jarai were collected with a sex ratio of 1:1, and 56 males and 75 females (2 ovigerous) of A. muelleri, with a predominance of females. Aegla jarai was larger than A. muelleri and the reproductive period of A. jarai was in the winter and spring, while that of A. muelleri was in the spring. Three cohorts were observed throughout the year, and both species have a recruiting period in the spring and summer. Both species perform their entire life cycle in the Espingarda Creek and their coexistence is attributed to space partitioning: the larger A. jarai lives in the large spaces formed between boulders, while the smaller A. muelleri shelters in the small spaces between pebbles.

Abstract: The deep sea remains the least known biome. Despite this fact, anthropic activities have affected these regions in various ways. The objective of this study was to outline the scientific production scenario based on deep sea research and to analyze trends present in the literature. For this, the bibliographical resources available from the Web of Science (WoS) were surveyed. Between 1987 and 2016, 11,079 articles on the deep sea were published. Growth was over 100% from the first to second decade and 75% from the second to third. The most productive countries were the USA, Germany, France, England and Japan. Of the 404 journals that published articles on the deep sea, 10% accounted for approximately 60% of the total published articles. The keyword with the highest occurrence was “diversity”. In the first two decades, the keywords with the greatest “strength” were related to research on mining, especially for hydrocarbons. The description of new species and the analysis of the effects of climate change appear to be emerging trends in deep sea research. Mining continues to be primarily responsible for driving the development of deep sea research.

ABSTRACT: The deep-sea crab Chaceon ramosae occurs at 350-1200 m depth in the southeast and south of Brazil. Here we evaluated the latitudinal, bathymetric, and seasonal abundance of C. ramosae in southern Brazil obtained during several research cruises. We also obtained populational data to evaluate the effectiveness of the fishing regulations for C. ramosae. Five sampling cruises were carried out in 2009-2010 and the sampling effort comprised 32 fishing hauls with four pots per mainline. In total, 195 individuals were caught, 128 males and 67 females, of which 17 were ovigerous. The highest catch per unit effort occurred between 29°03’ and 29°05’S at 800-1000 m in depth. The highest abundance occurred in winter, and almost all ovigerous females were captured in this season. The size at the onset of sexual maturity was estimated at 120 mm carapace width. Depth was the most critical environmental factor explaining C. ramosae distribution. The largest individuals, as well as the mature ones, were mainly captured in shallower regions (400-600 m). Our results confirm the need for prohibiting the fishing for C. ramosae at depths lesser than 500 m.

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study is to report new occurrences of five species of snapping shrimps of the genus AlpheusFabricius, 1798 in Brazil and, thus, contribute to the knowledge of their zoogeography. The southern limit of distribution of A. formosus Gibbes, 1850 and A. peasei (Armstrong, 1940) is extended from Paraná to Santa Catarina and from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, respectively. The northern distribution limit of A. pouang Christoffersen, 1979 and A. verrilli (Schmitt, 1924) is substantially extended from São Paulo to Pará and from Bahia to Pará, respectively. Finally, A. rudolphi Almeida & Anker, 2011, previously known from Ceará and Alagoas, is recorded for the first time in Pernambuco, filling a gap in its known distribution.