The mangrove crab Ucides cordatus is widespread in the Brazilian coast, which has an important role in nutrient cycling. This species reproduces in summer and females carry eggs about a month, when they maintain contact with water and sediments. It remains unclear if trace metals can be absorbed or adsorbed by the eggs during development. The present study aims to investigate, for the first time, trace metal concentrations in ovigerous female tissues and eggs of U. cordatus in two areas with different metal pollution levels in the Southeastern Brazil. Samples were collected in two different mangroves, Guanabara Bay (GB) highly polluted environment and Paraíba do Sul River (PSR). In both populations, we observed significant increase of V, Cr, and Mn concentrations along eggs maturation. The higher metals averages were found in PSR population. This trend was reported since the 1990s and lower concentrations in GB marine organisms were attributed to reducing conditions, high organic load, and the presence of sulfide ions. These conditions restrict the bioavailability of metals in the bay, with exception of Mn. No significant differences were observed in gills and muscles. In both populations of the present study, V, Zn, As, and Pb were higher in eggs of initial stage, whereas Mn, Ni, Cu, and Cd were higher in hepatopancreas. Beside this, V, Cr, Mn, As, and Pb showed an increase concerning egg development. Thus, V, As, and Pb in eggs come from two sources previous discussed: females and environment. Zinc came mainly from females due to essential function. Those new information should be considered as one of the mechanisms of trace metal transfer to the trophic chain, between benthonic and pelagic environment.

Com o objetivo de caracterizar a assembleia de crustáceos decápodes planctônicos da baía de Guanabara, foram feitas amostragens de zooplâncton em sete campanhas, de dezembro de 2012 a janeiro de 2014, principalmente nos meses de verão - período de desova do caranguejo-uçá, Ucides cordatus. Ao todo, foram analisadas 105 amostras, provenientes de cinco pontos do eixo norte-sul da baía. As amostragens foram feitas na margem leste, da APA de Guapimirim à saída da baía. Foram identificados 51 táxons zooplanctônicos, sendo 30 de crustáceos decápodes. No holoplâncton, Copepoda e Cladocera apresentaram as maiores densidades populacionais. Os decápodes foram encontrados em todas as amostras, sendo a maioria na fase larval, especialmente zoés. Dentre eles, observou-se predomínio de braquiúros (caranguejos e siris), especialmente larvas zoé I-II de Uca spp., Ucides cordatus, Eurytium limosum, Neohelice granulata e Pachygrapsus transversus e das Famílias Portunidae e Sesarminae. A diversidade média de decápodes foi baixa, sendo de 0,78 ± 0,34 bits.org-1. Foram encontradas larvas e pós-larvas do caranguejo-uçá, em todos os estádios de desenvolvimento, sendo o período de ocorrência coerente com o previsto. As maiores densidades larvais dessa espécie foram observadas em dezembro, na região intermediária da baía, com máximo de 106,9 org.m-3 (zoés l-ll). Apesar da degradação ambiental histórica, a riqueza de crustáceos decápodes observada na baía, apontou enorme potencial ecológico, especialmente como berçário e habitat. Contudo, comparando-se com ecossistemas mais conservados, densidades populacionais das larvas do caranguejo-uçá foram baixas, apontando a necessidade de maior conservação dos manguezais e das populações adultas.

Stenopodidae comprises about 28 species in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, but only two of them in the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO)—Stenopus scutellatus and S. hispidus. Larvae of S. scutellatus were never registered in SAO and those of S. hispidus remain poorly researched. The present study fully describes first to seventh zoea of S. hispidus collected in the plankton of SAO, adjacent to Brazil. In addition, eight larvae of S. scutellatus and two larvae of non-identified Stenopodidea from the same area were also described.

SÉRGIO LUIZ COSTA BONECKER RESUMOA maioria dos crustáceos decápodes, incluindo os camarões Macrobrachium acanthurus e Macrobrachium olfersii, têm fase larval planctônica no início da vida. As larvas enfrentam diversos estresses ambientais, sendo um dos principais a obtenção de alimentos. A inanição, ou privação de alimentos, pode gerar atrasos no desenvolvimento e incremento da mortalidade larval. Sendo assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar os efeitos de períodos iniciais de inanição no desenvolvimento larval dos camarões M. acanthurus e M. olfersii. Fêmeas ovígeras foram coletadas no Rio Sahy, Mangaratiba (RJ, Brasil), sendo mantidas em temperatura constante de 25,0 ± 0,5°C. Após a eclosão, as larvas de cada espécie foram submetidas a diferentes tratamentos, sendo: 1. Alimentação diá-ria desde o nascimento, 2. Inanição permanente e 3. Inanição inicial de três a 10 dias, seguida de alimentação diária. As larvas de ambas as espécies chegaram ao estádio zoé II, mesmo sem alimentação. A ausência de alimentação não afetou a duração da zoé I de M. acanthurus, mas aumentou em um ou dois dias a duraRevista Semioses, V 11, n.02, 2017 STARVATION EFFECTS IN EARLY LARVAL STAGES OF THE PRAWNS ABSTRACTMost decapod crustaceans, including the prawns Macrobrachium acanthurus and Macrobrachium olfersii, have planktonic larval phase at their life beginning. The larvae face several environmental stresses, and one of the mainis food obtaining.

Mangroves are relevant ecosystems due to their ecological role, economic use, and social importance. One of the most abundant and important species in Brazilian mangroves is the exploited crab Ucides cordatus. This study focuses on this species and the aim was to evaluate the concentration of trace elements in the hepatopancreas of ovigerous females, eggs (pre-hatching and hatching stages), and for the first time, in newly hatched larvae. Ovigerous females were captured in two Southeastern Brazil mangroves (Guanabara Bay and Paraíba do Sul River’s secondary estuary) and spawning was held in spawning tanks, in the laboratory. Some females were not taken to the tanks, but they were frozen right after collection. There was no significant difference in trace element concentration between these females and those kept in the spawning tanks. Both essential and non-essential trace elements were detected in newly hatched larvae. Comparing with the adult female, the elements Zn, Cu, and Mn showed the highest concentrations in larvae and eggs. Vanadium, Cr, and Mn concentrations were significantly higher in hatching eggs than observed in newly hatched larvae, indicating the retention of elements in the eggshell. Considering the V (0.17 - 1.17 μg.g−1 dry weight), Cu (14.1 - 41.1 μg.g−1 dry weight), and Zn (235.4 - 263.9 μg.g−1 dry weight) concentrations in newly hatched larvae, with the same order of magnitude observed in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediments in suspension, the planktonic larval dispersion could result in the transport of elements beyond the mangrove, and their introduction in coastal waters.