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...

Urban wastewater systems represent important interfaces between human activity and the environmental occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) markers. We assessed the temporal dynamics of intI1 , ermB , and the 16 S rRNA gene by quantitative PCR across three wastewater systems (EPC, CJC, and JW) in Fortaleza, Brazil, from November 2021 to November 2023. Bacterial communities were additionally characterized by 16 S rRNA gen...

The pygmy ( Kogia breviceps ) and dwarf ( Kogia sima ) sperm whales are cryptic cetaceans characterized by inconspicuous surfacing behavior, small group sizes, and deep‐diving habits, making visual detection particularly challenging. Here, we present the first broad‐scale passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) assessment of Kogia spp. occurrence along the Brazilian coast, spanning both the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (EAO) and Southw...

Purpose Strongyloidiasis is an intestinal helminthiasis that can induce structural alterations in the intestinal mucosa during infection. The present study evaluated histomorphometric alterations of the small intestine in mice experimentally infected with Strongyloides venezuelensis and treated with Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil. Methods Infected animals were treated orally with R. officinalis essential oil (200 or 400...

Conventional bivalve depuration protocols may compromise organoleptic and nutritional quality, largely as a consequence of fasting. This study investigates an innovative post-depuration feeding strategy in the clam Ruditapes decussatus using microencapsulated diets containing Nannochloropsis sp. supplemented with either a standard dose of vitamins C and E (MV) or a high dose—4× the standard level—of these vitamins (MV+). A thr...

Urban freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to mixtures of pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, their ecological effects remain poorly understood, especially in tropical regions with limited sanitation infrastructure. This study investigated PFAS contamination, water quality, and microbial community structure in Pampulha Lake, a tropical urban reservoir in southeastern Brazil. Spa...

This study aimed to evaluate the exposure of Chelonia mydas (green turtles) inhabiting the south coast of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, to essential and toxic elements. Concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined in shell, muscle, liver, and kidney samples from 43 individuals using ICP-OES. Element concentrations varied according to tissue type. Specifically, the average concentrations of A...

Climate change induced temperature and pH shifts can alter aquatic environments, potentially intensifying antibiotic toxicity, disrupting the physiological balance of aquatic organisms. Few studies have examined combined effects of these abiotic environmental stressors and antibiotics on aquatic ecosystems in a potential climate change scenario. This study evaluated the toxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of su...

Stillbirth remains a major public health concern, particularly in urban settings with persistent air pollution, while evidence remains limited in middle-income countries. This study aims to examine the association between prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) PM2.5 and stillbirth in São Paulo, Brazil. Case-control study including 348 antepartum stillbirths and 419 live births recruited from 14 public hospitals....

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...