Vertical flow constructed wetlands, planted with and without Spartina alterniflora, were tested for the treatment of mariculture wastewater. Wetlands with and without the emergent macrophyte produced reductions of 89 and 71% for inorganic solids, 82 and 96% for organic solids, 51 and 63% for total nitrogen, 82 and 92% for ammoniacal nitrogen, 64 and 59% for orthophosphate, and 81 and 89% for turbidity, respectively. Wetlands with S. alterniflora showed denitrification tendencies, while wetlands without S. alterniflora had higher oxygen levels leading to nitrification. The results suggest the fundamental role of oxygen controlling the purification processes as well as the potential of constructed wetlands to treat mariculture effluents.

The cynodontid fish Rhaphiodon vulpinus Agassiz, 1829, known as "peixe-cachorro", is the only species of the family oceurring in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. The initial development of its larvae was characterized, based on material collected with a 500 µm mesh size plankton-net, in several biotopes of the Pantanal of Barão de Melgaço, State of Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. The analysis was carried out with 72 larvae with standard length (SL) between 4.7 and 13.8 mm. The morphometric measurements varied positively with standard length, and body proportions ranged 8.1-17.8% for head length (HL), 6.2-10.1% for body height, and 63.673.5%, 16.8-21.6%, and 61.8-78.2% SL, respectively for pre-dorsal, pre-pectoral and pre-anal distances. The eye diameter varied positively with HL and its proportion varied between 9.1 -22.5% HL. The body relations did not show great variation along the larval development. The morphologicai characterization of larvae from 4.7 to 5.8 mm SL, in the pre-flexion phase, showed lhe presence of anembryonic finfold covering the unraycd fins, exposed branchial arches, absence of exogenous digestive content, unpigmented eyes and round shaped head. Larvae with SL between 8.1 and 13.8 mm SL were in the flexion phase, presenting a pointed head, mouth filled with externai and internai rows of numerous teeth, presence of exogenous food, pigmented eyes, branchial filaments still exposed, evident swimming-bladder, and formation of the first caudal, dorsal and anal fins' rays. Only individuais in the pre-flexion and flexion phases were analyzed, and no completely developed fin was evidenced. A maximum number of 69 myomeres was counted and no evident pigmentation over the body observed. Comparing R. vulpinus larvae to those of other Characiformes, it was observed that this species and Apareiodon affinis Steindachner, 1879 present smaller body proportions, and variation range of body height, while R. vulpinus is characterized by a shorter eye diameter. The myomere number is a relevam feature for the idenlification of R. vulpinus larvae, since it is the Characiform that possesses the highest myomere number, among those species of this family studied so far.

This work presents the characterization of larval external morphology of the kissing gourami Helostoma temminckii, an aquarium fish of the family Helostomatidae, reared all over the world. A total of 38 larvae (standard length between 3.2 and 10.1 mm), obtained through natural reproduction carried out in the Fish Culture Station of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, were used. The morphometric measurements pre-dorsal, pre-pectoral and pre-anal distances, and body height varied positively with standard length, and body proportions varied between 30.8 and 51.2%; 12.9 and 37.9%; 38.2 and 58.3%, and 17.2 and 30.43% CP, respectively. The eye diameter varied positively with the length of the head (CC), but its body proportion decreased with growth, varying between 63.3 and 30.2% CC, within fish lenghts from 3.2 to 10.1 mm, respectively. The external morphological characterization of larvae with 3.9, 6.6, 7.7, 8.0 and 10.1 mm CP are presented, showing the notochord flexion (CP between 5.5 and 6.8 mm), the appearance of rays and formation of the caudal (CP between 5.5 and 7.5 mm), dorsal (CP above 7.5 mm), anal (larger than 7.5 mm CP) and pectoral fins (larger than 8 mm CP); the modification of body shape and pigmentation absence. Larvae with 10.1 mm CP don't show completely developed dorsal and anal fins, with their definitive number of rays. The opening of mouth and anus, and reduction of the yolk-sac were observed in larvae with CP between 6.5 and 7.5 mm. Such information is importam for larval rearing of the species, besides providing data for comparative ontogenic analysis of other Perciformes.