-The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) is considered to be one of the most endangered aquatic mammals in Brazil. From 1981 through 2002 an extensive research was performed to collect information about stranding of manatees on the northeast coast of Brazil. Data were separated in two distinct periods (1981-1990 and 1991-2002) and analyzed according to specific categories: stranded dead (captured by nets, captured by harpoons and undefined cause) and stranded alive (dead in captivity and captive population). There were 74 events of stranding manatees in the period surveyed. Thirty-one events of dead manatees and 43 events of specimens that survived until December 2002 were recorded. In the last years of the study there were more strandings of alive animals than dead. The main reason for the strandings of manatee calves in northeastern Brazil is the separation from their mothers. The largest numbers of stranded manatees occurred in Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte states.Resumo -O peixe-boi marinho (Trichechus manatus manatus) é considerado um dos mamíferos aquáticos mais ameaçados do Brasil. Entre 1981 e 2002 foi realizado um extenso levantamento de informações sobre os encalhes de peixes-boi marinho na costa nordeste do Brasil. Os dados foram dispostos em dois períodos distintos (1981-1990 e 1991-2002)

This study describes the pathologic findings of 24 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) found stranded along the Brazilian coast from 2004 to 2016. Eighteen (75%) animals evaluated were found stranded alive. From these, 13 died naturally on shore and five were euthanized. Six died at sea and were washed ashore. Of the 24, 19 (79.2%) were calves, four (16.7%) were juveniles, and one (4.2%) was an adult. The most probable cause of stranding and/or death (CSD) was determined in 23/24 (95.8%) individuals. In calves, CSD included neonatal respiratory distress (13/19; 68.4%), infectious disease (septicemia, omphaloarteritis and urachocystitis; 3/19; 15.8%), trauma of unknown origin (2/19; 10.5%), and vehicular trauma (vessel strike; 1/19; 5.3%). In juveniles and adult individuals, CSD was: emaciation (2/5; 40%), sunlight-thermal burn shock (1/5; 20%); and discospondylitis (1/5; 20%). In one juvenile, the CSD was undetermined (1/5; 20%). This study integrates novel findings and published case reports to delineate the pathology of a South-western Atlantic population of humpback whales. This foundation will aid in the assessment of the population health and establish a baseline for development of conservation policies.

Rodrigues, F.M., Silva, F.M.O., Trompieri-Silveira, A.C., Vergara-Parente, J.E., Miglino, M.A. and Guimarães, J.P. 2015. Morphology of accessory structures of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) eye. -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 96: 328-334.The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) has a cosmopolitan distribution and inhabits coastal and oceanic habitats, being present in polar and tropical waters. In aquatic mammals, vision has an important role in the perception of photoperiod changes. Due to lack of information on the morphology of Mysticetes, this study aimed to provide a morphological description of the adnexal structures of the humpback whale eye. Three newborn female specimens, stranded on the coast of Sergipe, Brazil, were used. Samples were fixed in a 10% formalin solution, dissected and photographed, and all the structures were collected and analysed using different light microscopy techniques. Eyelids were characterized by a palpebral fissure, a palpebral opening, two grooves (dorsal and ventral) and the presence of mechanoreceptors in the dermis. Some fibres of the four recti muscles had palpebral, scleral and glandular insertions. The Harderian gland filled the area between the orbit wall and the eyeball. Two vascular networks separated the extraocular retractor muscle of the eye and surround the optic nerve. The morphology of the accessory structures of the humpback whale eye was similar to that of other cetaceans, which suggests an adaptation to diving during migration, contributing to the perception of temperature difference in different regions.Juliana P. Guimarães, N ucleo de Estudo dos Efeitos Antropogênicos nos Recursos Marinhos/Fundac ßão Mam ıferos Aqu aticos, Av. Tancredo Neves,

No abstract

The increasing traffic of motorboats on feeding, resting and reproduction areas used by manatees causing serious problems for these animals, so scaring them away and leading to potential collisions. The purpose of this study was to describe cases interaction between boat and Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus) living in the Northeastern coast of Brazil. These interactions took place in the State of Ceará, Paraíba and Sergipe, involving three specimens, one of them with four records. Clinical alterations were observed, such as edema in the frontal part of the body, ocular proptosis, weight loss and multiple cuts all over the body. Therefore, the increasing traffic of motorboats, allied to the lack of normative rules and effective law enforcement assuring the protection of specific areas, represent a direct risk to the conservation of Antillean manatees living in the Northeastern coast of Brazil.Keywords: aquatic mammals, sirenians, conservation, rescue, collision. O aumento do tráfego de embarcações motorizadas em áreas utilizadas para alimentação, descanso e reprodução pelos peixes-boi marinhos tem não só afugentado estes animais, mas resultado em potenciais casos de colisões. Este trabalho tem como objetivo relatar casos de interações entre embarcações motorizadas e peixes-boi marinhos (Trichechus manatus) no litoral Nordeste do Brasil. As interações ocorreram nos Estados do Ceará, Paraíba e Sergipe com três espécimes, sendo um destes com quatro registros. Foram observados transtornos clínicos como edema da região frontal, proptose ocular, emagrecimento e múltiplos cortes ao longo do corpo. Sendo assim, o aumento do tráfego de embarcações, e a falta de normativas e de fiscalização que assegurem a efetiva proteção de determinadas áreas, representam um risco direto para a conservação dos peixes-boi marinhos no litoral Nordeste do Brasil.Palavras-chave: mamíferos aquáticos, sirênios, conservação, resgate, colisão.

Aquatic mammals underwent morphological and physiological adaptations due to the transition from terrestrial to aquatic environment. One of the morphological changes regards their vision since cetaceans' eyes are able to withstand mechanical, chemical, osmotic, and optical water conditions. Due to insufficient information about these animals, especially regarding their sense organs, this study aimed to describe the morphology of the Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) eyeball. Three newborn females, stranded dead on the coast of Sergipe and Bahia, Brazil, were used. Samples were fixed in a 10% formalin solution, dissected, photographed, collected, and evaluated through light and electron microscopy techniques. The Humpback whale sclera was thick and had an irregular surface with mechanoreceptors in its lamina propria. Lens was dense, transparent, and ellipsoidal, consisting of three layers, and the vascularized choroid contains melanocytes, mechanoreceptors, and a fibrous tapetum lucidum. The Humpback whale eyeball is similar to other cetaceans and suggests an adaptation to diving and migration, contributing to the perception of differences in temperature, pressure, and lighting.

. Based on these equations, length at birth for the Amazonian manatee is estimated at 133.2 cm (average = 113.0 cm; SD = 34.4 cm) for males, and 131.0 cm (average = 124.7 cm; SD = 22.0 cm) for females. Among the males, the annual growth rate was 0.09 cm (95% CI: ± 0.002), with a maximum length of 299.4 cm (95% CI: ± 2.039), while females presented a growth rate of 0.24 cm per year (95% CI: ± 0.004), reaching up to 256.1 cm (95% CI: ± 0.4832) of total length. Even though von Bertalanffy's equation is not commonly used for sirenians, and considering that when previously applied it did not obtain satisfactory results, in this study it proved adequate for the establishment of the growth curve for free-ranging Amazonian manatees. Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever curvas de crescimento para peixes-boi-da-Amazônia de vida livre no Brasil. Foram utilizados dados etários e biométricos de 60 peixes-boi-da-Amazônia, 33 machos e 27 fêmeas, capturados entre 1993 e 2006 por pessoas ribeirinhas do médio Solimões e do Rio Pirativa, na região Amazônica, oriundos do Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá e do Centro Nacional de Conservação e Manejo de Mamíferos Aquáticos/ICMBio. O modelo matemático não-linear utilizado para análise desses dados foi a equação derivada de von Bertalanffy, sendo calculadas duas equações de crescimento, uma para os machos L(t) macho = 299,4 [1-e -0,0897507(t+6,55696) ], e outra para as fêmeas L(t) fêmea = 256,1 [1-e -0,23731(t+ 3,01921) ]. Com o desenvolvimento dessas equações, o comprimento do peixe-boi-da-Amazônia ao nascer foi de 133,2 cm (média = 113,0 cm; SD = 34,4 cm) quando macho, e 131,0 cm (média = 124,7 cm; SD = 22,0 cm) quando fêmeas. Nos machos a taxa de crescimento anual obtida foi de 0,09 cm (IC 95%: ± 0,002), atingindo uma envergadura máxima de 299,4 cm (IC 95%: ± 2,039), enquanto as fêmeas apresentaram uma taxa de crescimento de 0,24 cm ao ano (IC 95%: ± 0,004), podendo alcançar até 256,1 cm (IC 95%: ± 0,4832) de envergadura. Apesar da equação de von Bertalanffy não ser comumente utilizada para sirênios, e quando aplicada anteriormente não ter obtido resultados satisfatórios, neste estudo apresentou-se adequada para a elaboração da curva de crescimento para peixe-boi-da-Amazônia de vida livre. Palavras-chave: peixe-boi-da Amazônia, estimativa de idade, von Bertalanffy, sirênios.

The parasitic fauna of cetaceans is an important tool for ecological studies, including analyses on the causes of death. Halocercus brasiliensis is a nematode frequently found in the bronchi and bronchioles of some cetaceans, and it is commonly associated with focal inflammation of the respiratory tract leading to bacterial pneumonia and septicemia and, sometimes, to death. The objective of this study was to report infections by H. brasiliensis in the respiratory tract of Delphinidae stranded on the northern seaside of Bahia, Sergipe, and south of Alagoas, all states in the northeast region of Brazil. A total of 30 individuals, 1 Feresa attenuate (pygmy killer whale), 9 Stenella clymene (Clymene dolphin), and 20 Sotalia guianensis (Guiana dolphin) were studied. In 16 of them, the presence of H. brasiliensis was observed with a mean intensity of 3.5 ± 0.6 (range 1-9) in the hosts. Macroscopically, parasitic calcified nodules, lung congestion, edema, and emphysema were observed. Histopathological examination showed interstitial and granulomatous pneumonia with multifocal infiltrates, discrete to moderate edema, congestion, diffuse hemorrhage, and foci of calcification. We conclude that parasitic pneumonia in the sampled individuals may have directly contributed to stranding and death of the animals.