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A preliminary study was carried out on electropherograms of eye-lens, muscle proteins and zymograms of muscle esterases of ten Notothenia larseni, six Notothenia nudifrons and one lanternfish, Electrona antarctica. The fish were collected by the R/V "Prof. W. Besnard" of the Institute of Oceanography, University of São Paulo, during the First Brazilian Expedition to Antarctica. Eye-lens proteins were analysed on cellulose acetate membrane, muscle proteins and esterases on gel of polyaorylamide. Eye-lens proteins showed three types of electropherograms for N. larseni, and two types for N. nudifrons. One of the electropherograms of N. larseni can be readily distinguished from those of N. nudifrons. Electropherograms of muscle proteins of N. larseni and N. nudifrons are very similar and, consist of sixteen to seventeen fractions. Electropherograms of muscle proteins of N. larseni are severely affected by the conservation of the extracts overnight under -20ºC. All N. nudifrons were of the same zymograms of esterases while those of N. larseni varied. Electropherograms of eye-lens and muscle proteins as well as zymograms of esterases of the lanternfish are different from those of nototheniids.

The tidal analysis of data from the Equatorial region, given by inverted echo-sounders, show considerable residuals in the frequency band of approximately 2 cycles per day. In the even harmonics of 4 and 6 cycles per day, tidal components statistically not negligible are also identified. Spectral analysis of temperature series from the same area show, on the other hand, variabilities in the same frequency bands, which suggests the occurrence of internal waves with energy distributed in these frequency bands, in the Atlantic Equatorial area.

In the present paper 90.418 individuals belonging to 186 species of fish were examined. The samples were taken on the southeastern Brazilian shelf, from Cabo de São Tome (RJ) (22º21'S) to Torres (RJ) (29º21'S) - Brazil. The present results indicate the presence of 12 different parasitic species of Cymothoidae and 13 host-species of fish. A high degree of specificity between Cymothoa sp1** and the host, Chloroscombrus chrysurus (Pisces, Carangidae) was disclosed. Although Lironeca redmanni is not specific-parasite, it was found mainly on Cynoscion striatus (Pisces, Sciaenidae).

Environment-zooplankton relationships were analysed in Maldonado Bay (Uruguay), an estuarine area between the River Plate and the Atlantic Ocean. This was done through Principal Component Analysis. Most of the environment variability is accounted for, primarily, by the outflow of the River Plate and the inflow of coastal waters which change through the annual cycle, and in the second place by surface water conditions. On the other hand, most of the zooplankton variability is accounted for by 17 taxa abundant in April and February and by one dominant species present only from May to August. A second source of zooplanktonic variability is due to species which occurred in fall only The main observed variabili ty occurred on an annual scale. On it, variations on smaller scales overlap: from one day to another, between Maldonado Bay and the adjacent waters of the River Plate. The main factors involved were different at each scale. The Bay is relatively isolated from adjacent waters, but the degree of isolation varies throughout the year. The influence of coastal water is greater and occurs first outside the Bay. Biological processes may develop under different conditions in the Bay and in the adjacent waters of the River Plate.

This paper reports a series of data on salinity, current, nutrient and dissolved oxygen concentration observed in the Cananeia-Iguape region. The circulation of the system is dominated by tides entering from Barra de Cananéia and Barra de Icapara. Due to differences in the ebb and flood periods in Mar de Cananéia and Mar do Cubatão, residual flows of opposite directions were observed in the bottom layers of these channels. Observations from January 1982 in Mar de Cananéia showed nutrient concentrations generally higher at high tide than at low tide. The same behaviour was not observed in July 1981, when the concentrations were lower than in January. Differences in nutrient distributions in Mar de Cananeia and Bata de Trapande-Mar do Cubatao are apparently related to local influence of mixing processes, as well as to local biological and chemical processes.

Qualitative samples of flora and fauna were collected in several points, from the supralittoral fringe down to 30 m, using mainly aqualungs. Species distribution and abundance were determined along four transects, up to 200 m long, in selected places. Samples were taken from 25 x 25 cm quadrats positioned at fixed intervals along the transects down to a variable depth, depending on algal percentage cover and their substrate. The intertidal zone was populated essentially by molluscs. The subtidal was covered predominantly by macroalgae. Montastrea cavernosa, Siderastrea stellata and Mussismillia hispida were the only animal species with a significant percentage cover within the quadrats. Dictyopteris justii, D. plagiograma, Dictyota cervicornis, D. linearis, D. mertensii, Sargassum platycarpum, Sargassum sp, and Stypopodium zonale were the plants with the highest biomass and/or percentage cover, along with Amphiroa fragilissima, Caulerpa verticillata, and crustose corallines. The scarcity of sea urchins, along with the dominance of algae known to produce chemical feeding deterrents or to have a calcareous nature, points towards a strong pressure by predators, with fishes probably playing a key role in the maintenance of the structure of this subtidal community.

Thyrsitops lepidopoides larvae were caught with Bongo nets in the upper 200 m of the ocean from the coast of southern Brazil during 1975-1978. Based on a serie of 271 specimens ranging from 2.5 to 24.0 mm body lenght, morphological and osteological development of the larvae and juveniles is described. Small larvae (2.5-12.0 mm NL) can be distinguished from all known gempylid larvae by the presence of a distinct melanophore at the base of the dorsal and anal fins. The larvae have well developed dorsal and ventral spines. It is the only gempylid with six preopercular spines and non-serrated dorsal and ventral spines during the larval stage.

As many as 3408 specimens from 16 samples were collected in São Vicente Estuary, Sao Paulo, Brazil, from June 1979 to July 1980. The occurrence, growth, length-weight relationship and condition factor of the species are analysed. This estuarine region is one of the areas where the species grows, moving from it when the maturation process begins.

During the sea-bob shrimp fishery, a large quantity of miscellaneous fishes are caught, of which the most part was discarded in the sea. In this paper, quantitative aspects of this bycatch products are analized, e.g. diversity of ichthyofauna, catch per unit effort and proportions of the sea-bob shrimp versus acompanying fish fauna. Sampling has been made from Sept. 1981 to Sept. 1983 at Santos bay, one of the most important fishing area from Brazil. A total of 5583 fishes were collected during 28 fishery operations with otter-trawl.

No summary/description provided

The frigatebird (Fregata magnificiens) often is referred to as a kleptoparasite of the brown booby (Sula lecogaster). This paper however, shows that the relationship between these species is more complex and that kleptoparasitism can be interpreted as just a part of a whole process of mutual exploration. When these birds fly behind fishing boats, F. magnificens locates the food source first and S. lecogaster then moves in and catches fish more efficiently in such a way that the frigatebird can no longer fish and has to fly away. When the fishing period is over then the frigatebird is thought to approach the brown boobies in order to get fish from them, as described in the literature, This leads to a revision on the interpretation about the relation between these species, from that of kleptoparasitism to this of mutual exploration.

The distribution of adults and juveniles of Calanoides carinatus with co-occurring copepods along two continental shelf transects off São Sebastião-Ubatuba and Paranaguá in the SE and S Brazil respectively, during December to February and May from 1975 to 1977 were studied by analysing plankton samples from 5 stations collected along each transect from 5 m above the bottom to the surface with a 0.333 mm mesh Bongo net. C. carinatus is present over the shelf along both transects only during late spring and early summer (December to February). Its density is approximately 20% and 5% of the mean copepod density estimated for São Sebastião-Ubatuba and Paranaguá respectively. Distribution of C. carinatus coincides with both that of Engraulius anchiota larvae and the spatial distribution of the South Atlantic Central waters over the São Sebastião-Ubatuba shelf from December to February. Both C. carinatus and larvae of Sardinela brasiliensis are locally abundant from December to February but do not co-occur.

This work constitutes a first contribution to the taxonomy of dinoflagellate resting cysts in planktonic samples of this region, being studied nine species of Protoperidinium Bergh and Zybabikodinium Loeblich Jr. et Loeblich III of the family Peridiniaceae. Incubation experiments with living material and parental thecae containing resting cysts in fixed samples allowed setting up of the cyst-theca relationship in P. obtusum (Karst.) Parke et Dodge, and also that verification for P. excentricum (Pauls.) Bal., P. claudicans (Pauls.) Bal., P. oblongum (Aur.) Parke et Dodge and Z. lanticalatum Loeb. Jr. et Loeb. III. P. conicides (Pauls.) Bal., P. antcuiciticum (Schimp.) Bal. P. pentagonum (Gran) Bal. and P. compressum (Abe) Bal. cysts were ' studied offering also an analysis for thecal sulcal plates for the latter species. Geographic distribution and temperature and salinity data for samples with living cysts are given.

The distribution of Squilla brasiliensis Caiman, 1917 (Crustacea Stomatopoda) is by the first time discussed in the continental plataform in the region of Rio Grande do Sul State, in relationship with depth, temperature and salinity. Apparently the distribution of that species is more related to salinity than to depth and temperature, and specially to the water mass of Subtropical origin. The largest densities were found between 84 and 128 m depth.

The marsupial development and the life oyole of Cymothoa liannae are described and discussed. This species is parasite on fishes (Chloroscombrus chrysurus) and. was collected on continental shelf of southeast Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul. Four distinct marsupial stages are recognize. The stage of infestation and the transition from male to female are also related.

The length and weight growth parameters from Sardinella brasiliensis were estimated along the Brazilian coast between 22ºS and 28ºS (RJ-SC)3 showing two distinct patterns: first for the specimens living on the Cananèia-Paranaguá lagunar regions (25º -26ºS; III) and second from those of the coastal area; in this one was identified a northern group of individuals (22º -23ºS; I) with higher growth than those inhabiting the rest of the area (23º - 25ºS; II and 26º -28ºS; IV). The results suggest that the species is not homogeneous in the area where explotation occurs, supporting previous hypothesis. The estimated values of the growth parameters were: ;

Morphological data of horse-mackerel (Trachurus lathami) were analysed from samples obtained on the Brazilian continental shelf with the R/V "Prof. W. Besnard" during four oceanographic cruises in 1975. Results have shown that there are no distinct populations in the studied area. Analysing its distribution and abundance, it was verified that the species occurred in the whole área, tending to concentrate southward (28º - 30ºS). Comparing these results with those found in literature, hypothesis about the existence of another population in southern areas (south of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina) are discussed.

In this note an experiment on transportation of alive krill from the Antarctica to Brazil during the V Brazilian Expedition to the Antarcticas austral summer 1986-198?3 was reported. The aquarium system and the krill mortality in function of time and other events dur-lng the experiment were described. The importance of this experiment for the development of experimental studies of krill was discussed.

The fauna of Spartina alterniflora from upper and lower shore levels has been monthly studied, from August 1981 to July 1982, in the Cananeia estuarine region, southern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil (25º02'S - 47º56'W). Biological samples were obtained by quadrats from two transects parallel to the water level. The mean density for the upper transect was 3,230 ind/m² and 2,403 ind/m² for the lower transect. Isopoda was the dominant group at both belts, Polychaeta was present consistently at lower transect and Gastropoda was at upper one. Monthly fluctuations of densities of several groups was related to plant biomass.

The present paper deals with the isopods present in the stomach content of Sympterygia acuta and S. bonapartei, two species of Rajidae frequently found along Rio Grande do Sul coast. Eight species of isopods were found in the stomachs analysed, and Ancinus gaucho sp.n. showed to be an important food resource for the fishes, especially for S. bonapartei. The difference found in the diet composition of both species of skates seems to reflect a non selective feeding of the fishes on distinct benthic communities. The description of Ancinus gaucho is also furnished herein as well as a key to the known species of the genus.