Abstract The analysis of 14 years of sampling data on the zooplankton community in southern Brazil showed a tendency toward increased density and reduced species richness. This behavior could be a response to a prolonged period of negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Pacific Ocean and the ENSO phenomenon. The persistence of the La Niña phenomenon between 2001 and 2008 was associated with a higher incidence of stress from southwest winds and a greater reach of the front of the La Plata River plume, with possible responses being lower temperatures in the summer/autumn and lower salinities in the winter/spring in the study area. Under these conditions, one response in the zooplankton community was larger copepod domains. This group was responsible for specific changes in the community, with an increase in the population of Acartia tonsa while populations of species with more thermophilic characteristics showed a decrease. It cannot be disregarded, however, that possible interactions between different abiotic and biotic forces acting in the environment may have influenced the structure of the community. It remains unknown whether a new steady state has been established in the environment or whether there has been a return to initial conditions.

Plankton sampling with the Continuous Plankton Sampling survey has been conducted since 1938 in the Northern Atlantic Ocean and North Sea, where in both cases historical records have documented climate change. Plankton sampling with the VOR (Towed Oceanographic Vehicle) on industrial fishing boats was performed in May-June of 2013 off the southeastern and southern coasts of Brazil (between 23°00'S-44°2TW and 31°15,S-50°06,W). The speed of VOR towing onboard the fishing vessels was 8-10 knots to 1012 m of depth. The size of mesh silk used was 250-270 μm. The total of taxa is 73 phytoplankton, 26 zooplankton, 10 protozooplankton (Ciliophora) and ichityoplankton (fish eggs) were recorded. The dominant phytoplankton groups detected were diatoms and dinoflagellates, although cyanobacteria were also abundant in the southeast region. The zooplankton with a size class of less than 2 mm was the most frequent. A positive correlation was observed between herbivorous zooplankton and phytoplankton in the coastal waters.

El muestreo de plancton con el Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) se ha efectuado desde el año 1938 en el Océano Atlántico Norte y Mar del Norte, donde en ambos casos el registro histórico ha documentado el cambio climático. El muestreo de plancton con el VOR (Vehículo Oceanográfico de Remolque), empleado por la flota pesquera industrial se efectuó en mayo-junio de 2013 en la costa sur y sureste de Brasil (23°00'S-44°21'W y 31(0)15'S-50°06'W). La velocidad de arrastre del VOR, utilizada por las embarcaciones pesqueras fue de 8-10 nudos a 10-12 m de profundidad, utilizando un tamaño de red de 250-270 μm. Se registró un total de 73 taxa de fitoplancton, 26 de zooplancton, 10 de protozoarios e ictioplancton (huevos de peces). Los grupos dominantes de fitoplancton fueron diatomeas y dinoflagelados, aunque las cianobacterias fueron también abundantes en la región sudeste. El zooplancton con un tamaño de clase <2 mm fue el más frecuente. Se observó una correlación positiva entre el zooplancton herbívoro y fitoplancton en aguas costeras.

Resumo O presente trabalho investigou a sensibilidade de quatro espécies de Echinodermata (Lytechinus variegatus, Echinometra lucunter, Arbacia lixula e Encope emarginata), avaliando o efeito de cinco tóxicos de referência (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu e SDS) no desenvolvimento embrio-larval, seguindo os protocolos oficiais. Foram avaliadas também técnicas de manutenção de L. variegatus em laboratório, alterações de sua sensibilidade e efeitos de agentes químicos indutores de liberação de gametas nas taxas de sobrevivência dos organismos. Para L. variegatus mantido em laboratório, a dieta com conteúdo de vegetais e leguminosas parece ser favorável à manutenção e maturação em tanques de cultivo. Indutores químicos como o KCl e o Anestésico (lidocaína e epinefrina) ocasionaram altas taxas de mortalidade de adultos, desencorajando sua re-indução. Os ensaios realizados com as quatro diferentes espécies de Echinodermata utilizando variados tóxicos de referência não apresentaram variações de sensibilidade para os químicos de maior toxicidade, indicando que diferentes espécies podem ser utilizadas na avaliação e estudo de impacto ambiental.

Abstract This work investigates the sensitivity of four species of Echinodermata (Lytechinus variegatus, Echinometra lucunter, Arbacia lixula and Encope emarginata), evaluating the effect of five reference toxicants (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and SDS) on embryo-larval development, following the official protocols. It also evaluates techniques for the maintenance of L. variegatus in the laboratory, changes in its sensitivity, and the effects of chemical agents that induce the release of gametes, on the survival rates of the organisms. In terms of the maintenance of L. variegatus in the laboratory, the diet with vegetable content appears to be more favorable for maintenance and maturation in cultivation tanks. Chemical inducers such as KCl and the Anesthetic (lidocaine and epinephrine) resulted in high adult mortality rates, discouraging its re-induction. The tests performed with different species of sea urchin and sand dollar, using different reference toxicants, showed no variations in sensitivity to the more toxic chemicals, indicating that different species can be used for evaluation and environmental impact assessment.

O Prurido do Traje de Banho (PTB) é uma dermatite papulo-pruriginosa provocada pelos nematocistos de larvas da cifomedusa Linuche unguiculata retidas nos tecidos dos trajes de banho. Fenômeno já relatado no Brasil, este trabalho descreve quatorze casos ocorridos no Estado de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil. Os novos casos observados em um curto período de tempo (primeira quinzena de janeiro de 2012), no auge da temporada de verão, devem alertar equipes de saúde para possíveis surtos epidêmicos no litoral do estado de Santa Catarina.

Seabather's eruption is a papulo-pruritic dermatitis caused by the nematocysts of the larvae of the jellyfish Linuche unguiculata retained in the clothing fibers. Previously reported in Brazil, this work describes fourteen cases that occurred in the State of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. The new cases observed over a short period of time (the first half of January, 2012), at the height of the summer season, should alert health teams to possible epidemics on the coast of the state of Santa Catarina.

No norte do estado de Santa Catarina (Brasil) a desembocadura do Rio Itajaí-açu apresenta uma pluma de água de baixa salinidade e com forte gradiente de densidade sobre a plataforma interna. Essa condição oceanográfica pode influenciar a comunidade pelágica costeira local e este processo tem sido pobremente investigado na costa brasileira. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar as variações espaço-temporais da comunidade zooplanctônica na região da pluma do Rio Itajaí-açu e determinar a existência de alguma influência sobre esta comunidade. Para isso, 14 campanhas oceanográficas foram realizadas mensalmente entre os anos de 2002 e 2003 com a obtenção de parâmetros físico-químicos e arrastos de zooplâncton em 9 pontos amostrais. Foi observado que o zooplâncton apresentou suas maiores densidades nos meses de inverno e primavera. As espécies com maiores densidades e freqüências de ocorrência foram Paracalanus quasimodo, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Acartia lilijeborgi, Temora stylifera, T. turbinata, e Penilia avirostris, indicando domínio da Água Tropical da Corrente do Brasil na região e maior similaridade com a comunidade da costa da região sudeste do Brasil. Entretanto, mesmo para as espécies típicas da Água Tropical, houve alterações na dominância de espécies em função da sazonalidade e do grau de influência da vazão do rio sobre a salinidade na plataforma interna da área de estudo.

On the north coast of the State of Santa Catarina (Brazil), the Itajaí-Açu River mouth shows a low-saline water plume on the internal shelf with strong density gradients. This oceanographic condition has a possible influence over the pelagic community, and it has been little investigated on the Brazilian coast. The present work seeks to evaluate the spatial and temporal variations of the zooplankton community in the area of influence of the Itajaí-açu River, and its relations with the abiotic forces of temperature (seasonal variation) and salinity of the river plume. For this purpose, 14 monthly oceanographic cruises were carried out during the years 2002 and 2003, to obtain physical and chemical parameters, and zooplankton hauls in 9 sampling points. The zooplankton analyses were carried out at the lowest taxon possible to characterize the resident community of the river mouth. It was observed that the zooplankton presented the highest densities in winter and spring. The species with higher densities and frequencies of occurrence were Paracalanus quasimodo, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Acartia lilijeborgi, Temora stylifera, T. turbinata, and Penilia avirostris, indicating a prevalence in this region, of Tropical Water from the Brazil Current and greater similarity with the coastal community of the Southeast region of Brazil. However, even for the species typical of Tropical Water, there were alterations in dominance of the species, due to the seasonality and level of flow rate of the river on the salinity of the internal shelf of the study area.

O prurido do traje de banho ou seabather’s eruption é uma dermatite intensamente pruriginosa que ocorre pelo contato com larvas plânulas do cnidário cifozoário Linuche unguiculata, especialmente sob os trajes de banhistas. As larvas disparam seus nematocistos a partir de cnidócitos ou células urticantes de defesa na pele da vítima, causando uma típica erupção pápulo-eritemato-pruriginosa. Os primeiros cinco casos descritos no Brasil foram publicados em 2001, no litoral Sudeste (Ubatuba, SP), obtendo-se associação com larvas de Linuche unguiculata, uma vez que a ocorrência e o ciclo de vida do cnidário já haviam sido estudados no Canal de São Sebastião, SP. Os autores relatam os seis casos na região Sul do Brasil (Estado de Santa Catarina), enfatizando os aspectos clínicos e a pesquisa para identificação do agente na água do mar local.

Seabather’s eruption is an intensely pruriginous form of dermatitis that occurs after contact with the planula larvae of the cnidarian scyphozoan Linuche unguiculata, especially under the bather’s clothes. They discharge their poisonous nematocysts from the cnidocytes, causing a typical eruption presenting papules, erythema and intense itching. The first five cases described in Brazil were published in 2001 and occurred on the southeastern coast (Ubatuba, State of São Paulo). Those cases were linked to larvae of Linuche unguiculata, because the occurrence and life cycle of this cnidarian had been studied in the São Sebastião Channel, State of São Paulo. The present authors report the six cases observed in southern Brazil (State of Santa Catarina), with a description of the typical clinical aspects and an investigation linking the cases to Linuche unguiculata in the local seawater.