We report the discovery of a dead Magellanic penguin ( Spheniscus magellanicus ) found on Juquehy Beach (23°46′S 45°44′W), municipality of São Sebastião, Brazil, on September 9th 2020. Following necropsy, we noted the presence of an adult size PFF-2 protective mask within the stomach of the penguin which we inferred as the cause of death. As far as we are aware, this is the first recorded instance of marine animal mortality by protective face mask ingestion. Whilst concerns have been raised relating microplastic contamination in marine environments from Covid-19 related waste, there has been relatively less attention paid to the potential risk of macro-scale contaminants, such as protective face coverings. We suggest that Covid-19 related macro contaminants be considered in coastal marine risk assessments and urge further research on this topic.

The trematode Rameshwarotrema uterocrescens (Digenea: Pronocephalidae) parasitizes the glands of the caudal esophagus of Chelonia mydas . In the present study, 741 C. mydas were examined, 85 animals had adult specimens of R. uterocrescens associated with necrotizing ulcerous esophagitis, of these 85, 21 presented invasion of the esophageal mural vessels in the caudal esophagus of juvenile green turtles ( Chelonia mydas ). Necrotizing granulomatous splenitis, hepatitis, and nephritis were associated with the presence of parasites. The eggs from R. uterocrescens are birefringent under plane-polarized light, which distinguishes them from those of spirorchiid trematodes. This study contributes novel data on R. uterocrescens , methods for detecting this parasite, and demonstrates the fatal potential of parasitism in C. mydas.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract