Rays of the family Rhinopteridae Jordan & Evermann, 1896 are highly migratory and widely distributed in warm tropical and temperate waters. Along the Brazilian coast, the presence of two species has been recorded: Rhinoptera bonasus Mitchill, 1815 and Rhinoptera brasiliensis Müller, 1836. These stingrays are commonly caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries, however, the two species lack distinctive external morphological features...

While bats are known to harbor various viruses and bacteria, their role as hosts for hemoparasites has not been extensively studied. This research investigated the presence of ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens—including Anaplasmataceae agents, hemoplasmas, apicomplexans, and kinetoplastids—in 74 Phyllostomidae bats sampled from an urban forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. Overall, 31.1% of the bats were infested wit...

This study documents the lifecycle and large-scale environment of a large-hail producing supercell that occurred in southern Brazil (SB) on 6 October 2015. The supercell underwent a merger with a nascent supercell near a Doppler weather radar and rapidly intensified shortly after the interaction. The original (premerger) supercell developed in a high-shear, high-instability pre-cyclogenesis environment and remained isolated un...

Aim We evaluated how native vegetation cover influences the diversity of arachnid assemblages across multiple spatial scales in major Brazilian ecosystems. Location Brazil (Amazon and Atlantic rainforests, Cerrado savanna and Caatinga dry forest). Taxon Arachnida (Opiliones, Pseudoscorpiones and Scorpiones). Methods We sampled arachnids at 120 sites using active search and litter sifting. Native vegetation cover was quantified...

Rationale Chronic stress, frequently associated with dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and reduced neuroplasticity, is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Objective The present study aimed to validate a 21-day chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model and to investigate the effects of the Mas receptor agonist AVE0991 on stress-induced behavioral and molecular...

Among the few species of Microcambeva reported as occurring in more than one hydrographic basin, M. ribeirae has been previously listed from both the Ribeira de Iguape and the Guaraqueçaba basins. However, morphological and molecular analyses revealed that the specimens from Guaraqueçaba represent a new species, which is described in this study. Therefore, the distribution of M . ribeirae is restricted to the Ribeira de Iguape...

Aim We investigate the distribution of dispersal modes — endozoochory (via animal ingestion), synzoochory (via animal seed accumulation) and anemochory (via wind)—and seed mass of woody plants across Brazilian ecosystems, testing whether their relative abundance in local plant communities could be predicted by climate, edaphic factors and dispersal agents (e.g., the main vectors moving seeds). We expected climate to be the mai...

Understanding the effects of environmental conditions on fisheries resources is crucial for guiding the effective assessment and management of fish stocks. Previously assessed as depleted, the narrow‐barred Spanish mackerel fishery on the east coast of Queensland, Australia, is under management intervention to rebuild the stock. In this study, we use long‐term age composition data to reconstruct 24 years of historic year class...

Rock outcrops are geological formations that harbor a highly specialized biota adapted to harsh environmental conditions that differ from their surrounding landscapes. They are globally distributed, especially in old, highly weathered landscapes, and can function as habitat islands containing high levels of endemism and distinct evolutionary lineages. Despite their ecoevolutionary importance, rock outcrops remain largely overl...