Ecophysiological effects of mercury bioaccumulation and biochemical stress in the deep-water mesopredator Etmopterus spinax (Elasmobranchii; Etmopteridae).

Mercury (Hg) is a non-essential metal that can have toxic effects on the fitness of organisms and tends to bioaccumulate with age and to biomagnify in higher trophic levels. Few studies have assessed oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in deep-water sharks. This study evaluated early ontogenetic changes and physiological effects (antioxidant defences, oxidative damage, aerobic metabolism and neurotransmission functions) of Hg accumulation in the white muscle and brain tissues of the velvet belly lantern shark Etmopterus spinax from the southern Iberian coast (NE Atlantic).

The evolution of ecological specialization across the range of a broadly distributed marine species.

Ecological specialization is an important engine of evolutionary change and adaptive radiation, but empirical evidence of local adaptation in marine environments is rare, a pattern that has been attributed to the high dispersal ability of marine taxa and limited geographic barriers to gene flow. The broad-nosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle, is one of the most broadly distributed syngnathid species and shows pronounced variation in cranial morphology across its range, a factor that may contribute to its success in colonizing new environments. We quantified variation in cranial morphology across the species range using geometric morphometrics, and tested for evidence of trophic specialization by comparing individual-level dietary composition with the community of prey available at each site.

Soft-bottom fishes and spatial protection: findings from a temperate marine protected area.

Numerous studies over the last decades have focused on marine protected areas (MPAs) and their effects on fish communities. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how species that live associated with soft-substrates (e.g.

Effects of different slipping methods on the mortality of sardine, Sardina pilchardus, after purse-seine capture off the Portuguese Southern coast (Algarve).

The effects of two different slipping methods on the survival, physical and physiological response of sardines, Sardina pilchardus, captured in a purse-seine fishery were investigated in southern Portugal. Sardines were collected and transferred into holding tanks onboard a commercial fishing vessel after being captured, crowded and deliberately released using two slipping procedures: standard and modified. The standard slipping procedure aggregated fish at high densities and made them "roll over" the floatline, while the modified procedure aggregated the fish at moderate densities and enabled them to escape through an opening created by adding weights to the floatline.

Comparative Metagenomics Reveals the Distinctive Adaptive Features of the Endosymbiotic Consortium.

Current knowledge of sponge microbiome functioning derives mostly from comparative analyses with bacterioplankton communities. We employed a metagenomics-centered approach to unveil the distinct features of the endosymbiotic consortium in the context of its two primary environmental vicinities. Microbial metagenomic DNA samples ( = 10) from sponges, seawater, and sediments were subjected to Hiseq Illumina sequencing ( 15 million 100 bp reads per sample).

The gorgonian coral Eunicella labiata hosts a distinct prokaryotic consortium amenable to cultivation.

Microbial communities inhabiting gorgonian corals are believed to benefit their hosts through nutrient provision and chemical defence; yet much remains to be learned about their phylogenetic uniqueness and cultivability. Here, we determined the prokaryotic community structure and distinctiveness in the gorgonian Eunicella labiata by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from gorgonian and seawater metagenomic DNA. Furthermore, we used a 'plate-wash' methodology to compare the phylogenetic diversity of the 'total' gorgonian bacteriome and its 'cultivatable' fraction.

"How" and "what" matters: Sampling method affects biodiversity estimates of reef fishes.

Understanding changes in biodiversity requires the implementation of monitoring programs encompassing different dimensions of biodiversity through varying sampling techniques. In this work, fish assemblages associated with the "outer" and "inner" sides of four marinas, two at the Canary Islands and two at southern Portugal, were investigated using three complementary sampling techniques: underwater visual censuses (UVCs), baited cameras (BCs), and fish traps (FTs). We firstly investigated the complementarity of these sampling methods to describe species composition.

Draft Genome Sequence of Microbacterium sp. Strain Alg239_V18, an Actinobacterium Retrieved from the Marine Sponge Spongia sp.

Here, we describe the draft genome sequence of Microbacterium sp. strain Alg239_V18, an actinobacterium retrieved from the marine sponge Spongia sp. Genome annotation revealed a vast gene repertoire involved in antibiotic and heavy metal-resistance, and a versatile carbohydrate assimilation metabolism with potential for chitin utilization.

Correction: A Well-Kept Treasure at Depth: Precious Red Coral Rediscovered in Atlantic Deep Coral Gardens (SW Portugal) after 300 Years.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

A Well-Kept Treasure at Depth: Precious Red Coral Rediscovered in Atlantic Deep Coral Gardens (SW Portugal) after 300 Years.

Background: The highly valuable red coral Corallium rubrum is listed in several Mediterranean Conventions for species protection and management since the 1980s. Yet, the lack of data about its Atlantic distribution has hindered its protection there. This culminated in the recent discovery of poaching activities harvesting tens of kg of coral per day from deep rocky reefs off SW Portugal.

Marine litter in the upper São Vicente submarine canyon (SW Portugal): Abundance, distribution, composition and fauna interactions.

Marine litter has become a worldwide environmental problem, tainting all ocean habitats. The abundance, distribution and composition of litter and its interactions with fauna were evaluated in the upper S. Vicente canyon using video images from 3 remote operated vehicle exploratory dives.

Molecular richness and biotechnological potential of bacteria cultured from Irciniidae sponges in the north-east Atlantic.

Several bioactive compounds originally isolated from marine sponges have been later ascribed or suggested to be synthesized by their symbionts. The cultivation of sponge-associated bacteria provides one possible route to the discovery of these metabolites. Here, we determine the bacterial richness cultured from two irciniid sponge species, Sarcotragus spinosulus and Ircinia variabilis, and ascertain their biotechnological potential.

Phylogenetically and spatially close marine sponges harbour divergent bacterial communities.

Recent studies have unravelled the diversity of sponge-associated bacteria that may play essential roles in sponge health and metabolism. Nevertheless, our understanding of this microbiota remains limited to a few host species found in restricted geographical localities, and the extent to which the sponge host determines the composition of its own microbiome remains a matter of debate. We address bacterial abundance and diversity of two temperate marine sponges belonging to the Irciniidae family--Sarcotragus spinosulus and Ircinia variabilis--in the Northeast Atlantic.