The West Atlantic trumpetfish Aulostomus maculatus is a species of little commercial importance, but it is frequently used as a study organism in behavioural ecology, and it has been traded in the aquarium industry to some extent. The adult life stage is well described, however its early life history is nearly unknown. This paper provides the first description of post-flexion larvae of A. maculatus, including detailed illustrations, photographs, morphological data, and collection site data of specimens collected during a multipurpose research survey conducted within the Sargasso Sea Subtropical Convergence Zone. The collection site also implies a geographic range expansion, off the continental shelf, of the pelagic larvae stage. This paper hence advances the scientific knowledge about the early life stages, distribution and ecology of this species.

The symbiotic relationship between the syllid polychaete, Haplosyllides floridana Augener, 1922, and the barrel-shaped sponge Xestospongia muta (Schmidt, 1870), originally documented solely in the Caribbean, is presumed to be species-specific. Recently, the host sponge has been found as a single species distributed across approximately 8000 km (from 26°N to 22°S). Herein we addressed new spatial and bathymetric population records of H. floridana to question the persistence of the association with X. muta, and whether, in the case of an association, the polychaete remains as a single species throughout this extensive distribution. Our findings change the restricted distribution of H. floridana, revealing a remarkable association with X. muta from Tropical north-western to south-western Atlantic including records in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and the Almirante Saldanha Seamount, at 270 m deep. The populations analysed in this study are morphologically consistent. The study underscores the need for further investigations into the connectivity of Xestospongia species, the presence of Haplosyllides in other ocean basins, and the shared evolutionary history between Xestospongia and Haplosyllides. The observed life cycle completion of H. floridana within the host sponge suggests a potential co-evolutionary relationship, offering insights into the intricate dynamics of symbiotic associations in marine ecosystems.

Policymakers frequently voice concerns that carbon pricing could impair economic development in the short run, especially in low-income countries such as Uganda. Using a consumer demand system for energy and food items, we assess how households’ welfare, and demand for food and energy, would respond to a carbon price of USD40/tCO2. We find welfare losses of 0.2–12 per cent of household expenditure on food and fuel, due to the carbon price. Average demand for electricity and kerosene decline by 11 and 20 per cent respectively, while firewood demand rises by 10 per cent on average. We observe shifts within food consumption baskets, with declines in the demand for meat & fish, and vegetables, alongside an increase in cereal consumption. Household nutrition is adversely impacted, with declines in protein and micronutrient intake across the population. Complementary social protection policies such as cash transfers are therefore required to ease adverse effects on economic development in Uganda.

Harbour seals were extensively hunted in Denmark, but have only been driven to local extinction in one larger area, the South Funen Archipelago and Little Belt, where the species has been absent throughout the 20th century. Despite high growth rates of the Danish harbour seal populations after protection from hunting in 1976, seals have only been observed sporadically in the South Funen Archipelago and Little Belt until recent years, where recolonisation now causes conflicts with fisheries. Here, we review historical sources documenting the local extinction of harbour seals in the area during the 19th century and report the results of aerial surveys of haul-out sites during moulting seasons of 2021–2023 and pupping seasons of 2022 and 2023. Historical sources reveal that seal hunting was a common practice in southern Denmark, but catches dwindled to rarities during the 19th century. During recent surveys, seals were detected at six of the identified potential haul-out sites. Around Aarø Island, an average of 141 (range: 92–186) harbour seals were recorded over four moulting season surveys, constituting the majority (90%) of the total counts of the surveyed area. During the pupping seasons, a total of five pups was encountered at two different haulouts. As none of the haulouts are protected during the pupping and breeding seasons, protective measures may support this recolonisation of the historic harbour seal breeding range.

A single Stygiomedusa gigantea was caught by demersal crab trawl off Namibia at a fishing depth of 750 m. Although widely considered to be globally distributed in meso- and bathy-pelagic waters, this represents the first record of the species from the SE Atlantic and only the second from around Africa. The photographed specimen differs slightly from previous observations and attention is drawn to accurately recording future material.

Rattus species pose a significant threat to the Philippines, causing substantial economic losses in agriculture and posing health risks to humans. While Ecologically Based Rodent Management (EBRM) has been developed to mitigate rodent outbreaks, its implementation is challenging, particularly in the face of climate and land use changes. In this study, we aimed to potentially enhance EBRM strategies by utilizing a high-performing modelling approach, MaxEnt, to predict the habitat suitability for Rattus species in the Philippines. This study revealed that forested areas exhibit high suitability for R. tanezumi, R. exulans, and R. everetti, with a notable degree of similarities in their habitat suitability. Furthermore, the model predicted that R. argentiventer, a species with no records in the mainland of Luzon, could potentially find suitable habitats in some areas of these regions, particularly in Central Luzon. Conversely, R. norvegicus was predicted to be highly suitable for areas with high-human population density, such as urban cities. The predictive model deepens our understanding of the interactions between Rattus species and their environments across the Philippines, which is crucial for identifying high-risk areas that require immediate intervention. These results have the potential to enhance the EBRM approach more effectively on a national scale. The EBRM strategy based on the predictive outcomes of the MaxEnt model is not only crucial for the Philippines but also serve as a guiding framework for other regions facing similar challenges with rodent populations.

Little is known about the Chondrichthyes fauna of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, notably on the species composition, distribution, and biology. Historically, only a few studies have focused on these issues. Basic taxonomy is one of the main tools employed in cataloguing, organizing, and initiating other, more specific, assessments regarding regional diversity. In this context, this study presents the most comprehensive list of shark and ray species occurring in the state of Espírito Santo to date. The compiled data were obtained from specimens deposited in ichthyological collections, literature reviews, and samplings conducted at fisheries landings and onboard commercial fleet vessels. The findings indicate 79 species, comprising 51 sharks and 28 rays. A total of 53.2% of threatened Brazilian marine elasmobranch species occur in the area, indicating the importance of carrying out local studies focusing on this group. A first record for the Brazilian large-eyed stingray, Hypanus marianae, was also observed for the state, increasing the southern limit of the species known distribution, previously considered restricted to the North and Northeast coasts.

The bryozoan Uschakovia gorbunovi was initially characterized as a constituent member of benthic communities of the Kara and East-Siberian Seas. The academic literature reports this species in the Barents Sea, but without accurate information on sampling locations. Also, there are no previous records of this species in the northern Greenland Sea near Svalbard. Our analysis of benthic collections obtained during the past two decades revealed the occurrence of four distribution records of Uschakovia gorbunovi within the Barents and Greenland Sea specifying its distribution: one in the northwestern part of the area and three others in the waters surrounding Svalbard. The new distribution records may be related to inadequate sampling efforts or the expansion of this Arctic species into the Barents Sea, which may be due to either natural processes such as ocean currents, or introduction by mobile benthic species such as snow crabs.

This review summarises studies on distribution, diversity, and prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infections in wild ruminants in sub-Saharan Africa. The results showed that 109 gastrointestinal tract (GIT) helminth species or species complexes were recorded in 10 sub-Saharan African countries. South Africa reported the highest number of species because most studies were carried out in this country. Eighty-eight nematode species or species complexes were recorded from 30 wild ruminant species across eight countries. The genus Trichostrongylus recorded the highest number of species and utilised the highest number of wild ruminant species, and along with Haemonchus spp., was the most widely distributed geographically. Fifteen trematode species or species complexes were reported from seven countries. The genus Paramphistomum recorded the highest number of species, and Calicophoron calicophoron was the most commonly occurring species in sub-Saharan African countries and infected the highest number of hosts. Six cestode species or species complexes from one family were documented from 14 wild hosts in seven countries. Moniezia spp. were the most commonly distributed in terms of host range and geographically. Impala were infected by the highest number of nematodes, whilst Nyala were infected by the highest number of trematode species. Greater kudu and Impala harbored the largest number of cestodes. The prevalence amongst the three GIT helminths taxa ranged between 1.4% and 100% for nematodes, 0.8% and 100% for trematodes, and 1.4% and 50% for cestodes. There is still limited information on the distribution and diversity of GIT helminths in wild ruminants in most sub-Saharan African countries.

The absorption and distribution of radiocarbon-labeled urea at the ultratrace level were investigated with a 14C-AMS biotracer method. The radiopharmaceutical concentrations in the plasma, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, brain, bladder, muscle, testis, and fat of rats after oral administration of 14C urea at ultratrace doses were determined by AMS, and the concentration-time curves in plasma and tissues and pharmacokinetic distribution data were obtained. This study provides an analytical method for the pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution of exogenous urea in rats at ultratrace doses and explores the feasibility of evaluation and long-term tracking of ultratrace doses of drugs with AMS.

The rare Himalayan wolf Canis lupus chanco is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and there is limited knowledge of its ecology and distribution. In Bhutan, the Himalayan wolf is one of the least known carnivores. Our aims in this study were to map the current distribution of the wolf in Bhutan and to identify potential habitats within the country. We compiled 32 records of wolf presence from camera-trap surveys and, using a maximum entropy approach, we estimated a potential habitat of 2,431 km2, comprising c. 6.3% of Bhutan. However, wolf presence was localized and non-continuous. We recommend a detailed fine-scale habitat analysis in areas of potential habitat and genetic studies to investigate population structure. Knowledge of these matters will provide insights regarding connectivity and facilitate the development of conservation strategies for this threatened wolf.

One specimen of tropical shad was caught from the Giang Thanh River, Kien Giang province, Vietnam in a survey on 16 October 2022. We identified the specimen as the hilsa shad, Tenualosa ilisha Hamilton, 1822 using morphological analysis, and further validated by its cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence. The specimen was 418 mm long, 1428 g in weight, with a head length of 29.0% and pectoral fin length of 31.1% of its standard length. Notably, the presence of 34 scutes, a higher gill raker count and a caudal fin length within the moderate range for Tenualosa species distinguished it from T. macrura, T. toli and T. reevesii. The COI sequence of the sample matched closely to the T. ilisha. The results confirm that T. ilisha still endures Vietnamese water, where it was thought to be extinct. Climate change and Indo-Pacific Ocean currents may introduce expansion of distribution area of the T. ilisha. Further studies on distribution of the T. ilisha and other Tenualosa species and their dynamics are needed.

Here, we report the first sighting records of Bryde's whales in Nicaragua. Four sightings were made in 2022 during boat-based surveys off the southwestern coast of Nicaragua. Photo-identification, distributional data, dive times, and behavioural information were collected, and environmental parameters, including sea surface temperature, were measured for each sighting. Sightings included calf and non-calf groups displaying travelling (n = 1; 25%), milling (n = 1; 25%), and suspected feeding (n = 2; 50%) behaviours. Approximately 4 h of focal following allowed the calculation of short and long breath intervals. Based on our observations, the individuals were suspected of feeding in the area, based on the presence of feeding birds, feeding humpback whales, relatively high time-lagged chlorophyll-a, and observed general behaviours. Our findings indicate that this species may occasionally visit Nicaraguan coastal areas in search of feeding opportunities, and could represent a possible range extension of the Eastern North Pacific stock.

Historic species records of the families Onuphidae and Eunicidae, from the Falkland Islands region, are reviewed and updated, new records added from intertidal and nearshore localities on and around the Falkland Islands, and a new species of Hyalinoecia described. Eight genera are reported from around the region including eight taxa of Onuphidae and two of Eunicidae, although most are only known from deep offshore waters. Kinbergonuphis dorsalis is re-described from type material, Kinbergonuphis sp. from the Falkland Islands is described and discrepancies between the two descriptions are examined. Hyalinoecia falklandica sp. nov. is described and the history of the genus and its misidentification in the region is discussed. The new species is distinguished from all other species in the genus through a combination of simple, unidentate falcigers on chaetigers 1 and 2, ventral cirri present to chaetigers 3 or 4, and branchiae present from chaetigers 26 or 27 to the end of the body. The historic record of Marphysa aenea from the Falkland Islands is also shown to be a misidentification and the actual, as-yet-undetermined species present is described. Problems surrounding a correct identification of Marphysa species, other species that do not quite fit current descriptions, and additional Eunicoidea taxa that might be expected to occur in the region are also discussed.

We report the first record of Ramari's beaked whale (Mesoplodon eueu) from the temperate Southwestern Atlantic. Our analysis is based on an adult female and a plausibly associated calf/juvenile that stranded on the coast of Canelones Department, Uruguay. The species of the two individuals was identified via a combination of morphometric and molecular mitochondrial data and provide new insights into the Ramari's beaked whale, including previously unknown polymorphisms in the mitochondrial genome and a re-estimated date of divergence from Mesoplodon mirus at 2.5902 Mya.

This paper goes beyond Katz–Sarnak theory on the distribution of curves over finite fields according to their number of rational points, theoretically, experimentally, and conjecturally. In particular, we give a formula for the limits of the moments measuring the asymmetry of this distribution for (non-hyperelliptic) curves of genus $g\geq 3$. The experiments point to a stronger notion of convergence than the one provided by the Katz–Sarnak framework for all curves of genus $\geq 3$. However, for elliptic curves and for hyperelliptic curves of every genus, we prove that this stronger convergence cannot occur.