Antonio De Pádua Almeida - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Antonio De Pádua Almeida

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) population that nests in Brazil is restricted t... more The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) population
that nests in Brazil is restricted to a few individuals, but high densities of pelagic individuals are observed along the southern and southeastern Brazilian coast. We investigated
the diversity of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control
region in order to understand the relationship between
nesting and pelagic leatherbacks from Brazil and elsewhere.
High-quality 711-bp sequences were generated, analyzed,
and compared with published data from worldwide populations. We detected the presence of shared haplotypes
between nesting and pelagic aggregates from Brazil, as
well as haplotypes shared with other nesting areas from the
Atlantic and Pacific. Furthermore, the use of longer control
region sequences allowed the subdivision of the common
Atlantic haplotype A into 3 different haplotypes (A1, A3,
and A4), thus improving the resolution of mtDNA-based
leatherback phylogeography. The use of longer sequences
partially supported a closer association between nesting
and pelagic individuals from Brazil and pointed to a complex
origin for the pelagic individuals in the Brazilian coast.

Two new hylid frog species of the genus Sphaenorhynchus are described from Lagoa Nova (17o57’89”S... more Two new hylid frog species of the genus Sphaenorhynchus are described from Lagoa Nova (17o57’89”S, 40o25’80”W),
Fazenda Gemada, Municipality of Mucurici, State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Sphaenorhynchus botocudo sp.
nov., a medium sized species (SVL 23.9–29.3 mm in males), is characterized by snout truncate in dorsal view and acute
in profile, tympanum concealed, presence of a black line from the tip of snout to eye, delimiting the canthus rostralis, a
distinctive longitudinal white spot under the eye, and a white stripe delimited above and below by clear brown lines,
from the posterior corner of eye to the groin. Sphaenorhynchus mirim sp. nov., a small sized species (SVL 15.7–18.2 mm in males), is distinguished by the snout truncate in dorsal view and rounded, slightly acute in profile, tympanum
concealed, vocal sac developed, single, subgular, extending to the chest and entering the arms, whithout longitudinal
lateral folds, vomerine teeth absent, absence of a black line from the tip of snout to eye, absence of distinctive
longitudinal white spot under the eye, and absence of white stripe or brown lines on dorsolateral region.

We studied inter- and postnesting movements in the major loggerhead Caretta caretta nesting popul... more We studied inter- and postnesting movements in the major loggerhead Caretta caretta nesting population in Brazil. Ten breeding females were satellite-tracked from nesting grounds in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, for up to 1284 d. Eight females stayed in the nesting area after deployment, showing fidelity between internesting home ranges and nesting locations, even at a local scale. During postnesting movements, all of the turtles migrated to the northern coast of Brazil to individual foraging areas on the continental shelf. Distances between nesting and foraging areas reached up to 2400 km, and migration lasted from 28 to 47 d. Five females were tracked during subsequent breeding migrations to the nesting area at different remigration intervals of 2 or 3 yr.
Females were also tracked during a second postnesting migration back to foraging areas, and these showed strong fidelity to foraging grounds. Movements to and from foraging grounds occurred along the shelf, clearly delineating a migratory corridor. The northern coast of Brazil, specifically the coast of the state of Ceará, is an important foraging ground for loggerheads nesting along the northern coast of Bahia.

Green turtles Chelonia mydas nesting at Trindade Island, 1140 km off the coast of Brazil, were mo... more Green turtles Chelonia mydas nesting at Trindade Island, 1140 km off the coast of Brazil, were monitored discontinuously from 1982/83 to 2008/09. For 7 years during this period,
the majority of nesting was monitored, and the number of nests deposited on Trindade varied from 1333 to 5261. Based on these nest counts, Trindade is among the most important known Atlantic nesting sites for green turtles. The population remained stable between 1991 and 2008. Data on female body size, clutch size, internesting intervals, remigration intervals, and hatching success are also presented.

Four female leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea were satellite tracked from the southeas... more Four female leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea were satellite tracked from the southeastern coast of Brazil (3 from nesting beaches in the state of Espírito Santo, and 1
recovered from a driftnet off the coast of the state of São Paulo), representing the first study of movements of leatherbacks nesting on Brazilian grounds. The results suggest that during the internesting period, leatherbacks may disperse up to 160 km from the nesting beach using an area of 4400 km2. Tracking also revealed shared feeding areas in southern South America, comprising Brazilian, Uruguayan, and Argentinean waters, and highlighted important interactions with fisheries along nesting, migratory, and feeding habitats. The presence in migratory/foraging areas of turtles from at least 2 different nesting populations from both sides of the South Atlantic Ocean supports the concept that management efforts for this species must incorporate a broad regional perspective.

We present a list of the anuran amphibians of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. T... more We present a list of the anuran amphibians of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The list was compiled from data gathered from fieldwork over the course of the past 20 years in different localities, and from literature records and voucher specimens deposited in scientific collections. Our list comprises 133 species. Patchy sampling efforts and recent species descriptions suggest that the list may increase significantly with further sampling, considering the presence of several geographical gaps. The need for adequate sampling in these gap areas is highlighted.

Adults and tadpoles of a new species of the genus Leptodactylus are described from southeastern B... more Adults and tadpoles of a new species of the genus Leptodactylus are described from southeastern
Brazil. Leptodactylus thomei sp.nov. can be found amidst the leaf litter within cocoa plantations
along the northern coastal region of the state of Espírito Santo. It can be distinguished from other
species of the Leptodactylus marmoratus group by its advertisement call, which is described,
together with agonistic calls, and compared to advertisement calls of other species of the group that
occur in southern and southeastern Brazil. The systematics of associated populations is discussed.

Biological Conservation, 2007

The role of researchers and fishermen in the clutch management of loggerhead sea turtles was eva... more The role of researchers and fishermen in the clutch management of loggerhead sea turtles
was evaluated for 10 nesting seasons at Pontal do Ipiranga TAMAR station, Linhares, ES.
The comparison of nests transferred by researchers and locals (carebeiros) showed that
clutches transferred by researchers presented higher clutch size. Clutch size between nests
transferred by carebeiros and left in situ did not show significant differences. Hatching success
was significantly higher for clutches left in situ than for those transferred to other
places in the beach or to hatcheries. The clutches transferred exclusively by researchers
achieved a higher hatching success than those transferred partially or totally by carebeiros.
The relocation time of clutches collected by carebeiros and handed to researchers affected
hatching success. It is recommended that clutches be left in situ, provided they have adequate
conditions for monitoring, but careful clutch translocation, independent of the interval
elapsed after laying, may also constitute a viable technique for the conservation of sea
turtles in the region.

Current understanding of spatial ecology is insufficient in many threatened marine species, faili... more Current understanding of spatial ecology is insufficient in many threatened marine species, failing to provide a solid basis for
conservation and management. To address this issue for globally endangered green turtles, we investigated their population
distribution by sequencing a mitochondrial control region segment from the Rocas Atoll courtship area (n = 30 males) and
four feeding grounds (FGs) in Brazil (n = 397), and compared our findings to published data (nnesting = 1205; nfeeding = 1587).
At Rocas Atoll, the first Atlantic courtship area sequenced to date, we found males were differentiated from local juveniles but
not from nesting females. In combination with tag data, this indicates possible male philopatry. The most common haplotypes
detected at the study sites were CMA-08 and CMA-05, and significant temporal variation was not revealed. Although feeding
grounds were differentiated overall, intra-regional structure was less pronounced. Ascension was the primary natal source
of the study FGs, with Surinam and Trindade as secondary sources. The study clarified the primary connectivity between
Trindade and Brazil. Possible linkages to African populations were considered, but there was insufficient resolution to conclusively
determine this connection. The distribution of FG haplotype lineages was nonrandom and indicative of regional
clustering. The study investigated impacts of population size, geographic distance, ocean currents, and juvenile natal homing
on connectivity, addressed calls for increased genetic sampling in the southwestern Atlantic, and provided data important for
conservation of globally endangered green turtles.

Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yetmany species are of conservation co... more Large oceanic migrants play important roles in ecosystems, yetmany species are of conservation concern as a result of anthropogenic threats, of which incidental capture by fisheries is frequently identified. The last large populations of the
leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, occur in the Atlantic Ocean, but interactions with industrial fisheries could jeopardize recent positive population trends, making bycatch mitigation a priority. Here, we perform the first pan-
Atlantic analysis of spatio-temporal distribution of the leatherback turtle and ascertain overlap with longline fishing effort. Data suggest that the Atlantic probably consists of two regional management units: northern and southern
(the latter including turtles breeding in South Africa). Although turtles and fisheries show highly diverse distributions, we highlight nine areas of high susceptibility to potential bycatch (four in the northern Atlantic and five in the southern/equatorial Atlantic) that are worthy of further targeted investigation and mitigation. These are reinforced by reports of leatherback bycatch at eight of these sites. International collaborative efforts are needed, especially fromnations hosting regionswhere susceptibility to bycatch is likely to be high within their exclusive economic zone (northern Atlantic: Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau,Mauritania, Senegal, Spain, USA and Western Sahara; southern Atlantic: Angola, Brazil, Namibia and UK) and from nations fishing in these high-susceptibility areas, including those located in international waters.

Biological Conservation, 2007