Incorporation of abandoned and lost fishing gear into the structure of Dendrophyllia ramea in the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Plastic pollution poses global and societal concerns, especially from discarded fishing gear, threatening seabed environments like coral reefs. This study examines the incorporation of lost and/or abandoned fishing gear - specifically synthetic lines, and filaments - into the structure of orange tree coral, Dendrophyllia ramea along the coast of Portugal, in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The specimens were inadvertently captured by local fishers (Sines and Cascais), with 6 % showing filaments inside their structure, raising questions about their potential impact on coral health.

Pseudechidna brummeri: An unexpected discovery in the North-East Atlantic raises concerns.

Global changes are currently underway, resulting in the discovery and introduction of new species in unexpected locations. One notable case involves the Indo-Pacific species Pseudechidna brummeri, which was observed and captured on film during a nocturnal dive in Portugal. This situation raises the question: How did this species come to inhabit this area? Two primary explanations appear plausible: Another pertinent question to consider is whether there is only one individual of this species or if there are more individuals present?

Corrigendum: The significance of cephalopod beaks as a research tool: An update.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.

The significance of cephalopod beaks as a research tool: An update.

The use of cephalopod beaks in ecological and population dynamics studies has allowed major advances of our knowledge on the role of cephalopods in marine ecosystems in the last 60 years. Since the 1960's, with the pioneering research by Malcolm Clarke and colleagues, cephalopod beaks (also named jaws or mandibles) have been described to species level and their measurements have been shown to be related to cephalopod body size and mass, which permitted important information to be obtained on numerous biological and ecological aspects of cephalopods in marine ecosystems. In the last decade, a range of new techniques has been applied to cephalopod beaks, permitting new kinds of insight into cephalopod biology and ecology.

Interannual patterns of variation in concentrations of trace elements in arms of Octopus vulgaris.

Concentrations of essential (copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc) and non-essential (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead) trace elements were measured in arms of Octopus vulgaris. The cephalopods were sampled from commercial fishery landings at two sites on the Portuguese coast in spring 2002 and 2003. Mercury was determined using an Advanced Mercury Analyser Spectrophotometer (AMAS) and other trace elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).

Accumulation of mercury in the tissues of the common octopus Octopus vulgaris (L.) in two localities on the Portuguese coast.

Mercury concentrations were measured in tissues of 12 individuals of Octopus vulgaris, captured by the commercial fishery at two points along the Portuguese coast, Viana do Castelo and Cascais, in spring 2002. Concentrations were determined in six tissues (digestive gland, branchial hearts, gills, mantle, arms, and gonads). Correlations between mercury concentrations in different tissues were examined as were correlations between mercury levels and total length, mantle length, weight, gonadosomatic index, digestive gland index, and state of maturation.