Laboratório de Ictiologia e Ictioplâncton

The Ichthyology Lab of the Federal University of Espírito Santo, linked to the Department of Oceanography, was founded 1998. Since its implementation, the Ictiolab has been developing research related to ecology and distribution of coastal and estuarine ichthyoplankton, ecology, biogeography, and systematics of reef and estuarine fish.

BrazilO Laboratório de Ictiologia da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ictiolab), vinculado ao Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, foi fundado em 1998. Desde sua implantação, o Ictiolab vem desenvolvendo diversas pesquisas relacionadas à ecologia e distribuição de ictioplâncton costeiro e estuarino, ecologia, biogeografia e sistemática de peixes recifais e estuarinos.

Jean-Christophe Joyeux – Coordenador / Coordinator

Ecologist (Université Montpellier), Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography (Université de Perpignan)
Associate Professor of the Oceanography and Ecology Department
Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil
email: jean.joyeux@ufes.br | ResearchGate

Reef sharks are at a much higher risk of extinction than previously thought

Protected areas and fisheries management key to survival Versão em português abaixo Overfishing is driving reef sharks toward extinction, according to a new study published this week in Science. The five main shark species that live on coral reefs — grey reef, blacktip reef, whitetip reef, nurse and Caribbean reef sharks — have declined globally… Continue reading Reef sharks are at a much higher risk of extinction than previously thought

The evolutionary history of Priolepis (Gobiidae) in the Atlantic Ocean

Versão em português abaixo The UFES Ichthyological Collection (CIUFES) has a relevant collection of cryptobenthic marine fishes from the Brazilian coast and oceanic islands. This collection, besides including numerous paratypes and holotypes, allows clarifying the often complex evolutionary history of these little-known species. In the present work, Thais Quintão presents to the scientific community the… Continue reading The evolutionary history of Priolepis (Gobiidae) in the Atlantic Ocean

Niche availability and habitat affinities of the red porgy Pagrus pagrus: An important ecological player on the world’s largest rodolith beds

Versão em português abaixo The red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) is a carnivore bottom dweller sparid, inhabiting flat sandy bottoms, rhodolith and seagrass beds of the Mediterranean Sea, the Western Atlantic (from Florida to Argentina) and the Eastern Atlantic (from Britain to Gabon). Along its native range, the red porgy is highly targeted by commercial and… Continue reading Niche availability and habitat affinities of the red porgy Pagrus pagrus: An important ecological player on the world’s largest rodolith beds

Ecological traits influencing anthropogenic debris ingestion by herbivorous reef fishes

Human presence on Earth is recent on a geological scale, but its footprints are present on the land, air, and oceans. On that, the most recent geological era is known as the Anthropocene. One of the most conspicuous marks of the Anthropocene is the pollution by long-lasting materials as plastics. The durability and resistance of… Continue reading Ecological traits influencing anthropogenic debris ingestion by herbivorous reef fishes

Global warming assessment suggests the endemic Brazilian kelp beds to be an endangered ecosystem

Kelps are canopy-forming brown seaweed sustaining critical ecosystem services in coastal habitats, including shelter, nursery grounds, and providing food resources to a myriad of associated species. This study modeled the fundamental niche of Laminaria abyssalis along the Brazilian continental margin, an endemic species of the South Atlantic, to anticipate potential distributional range shifts under two… Continue reading Global warming assessment suggests the endemic Brazilian kelp beds to be an endangered ecosystem

Mesophotic ecosystems at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil (South-western Atlantic), reveal unique ichthyofauna and need for conservation

Although several studies on the ichthyofauna of the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago have been carried out, its mesophotic fish diversity has never been surveyed before. Here we used SCUBA and technical rebreather diving, baited remote underwater videos and remotely operated vehicle to record shallow (≤ 30 m depth) and mesophotic (31 to 150 m depth)… Continue reading Mesophotic ecosystems at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil (South-western Atlantic), reveal unique ichthyofauna and need for conservation

New records of fishes for the Vitória-Trindade Chain, southwestern Atlantic

Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments are still poorly understood. We from @ictiolab team, in partnership with researchers from the California Academy of Science, just published a paper on Check List showing how important is maintain scientific effort in the need to understand fish species biogeography patterns and, therefore,… Continue reading New records of fishes for the Vitória-Trindade Chain, southwestern Atlantic

Trends in recreational fisheries and reef fish community structure indicate decline in target species population in an isolated tropical oceanic island

Trindade Island and the Martin Vaz Archipelago are located at the eastern end of the Vitória-Trindade Chain, approximately 1,160 km off the coast of Brazil. In this work, we monitored the catches of spearfishing and line fishing on Trindade Island, as well as the shallow reef fish community. During the study period, fishing effort increased… Continue reading Trends in recreational fisheries and reef fish community structure indicate decline in target species population in an isolated tropical oceanic island

Early evidences of niche shifts in estuarine fishes following a large mining dam disaster

Researchers from The Ichthyology Lab have studied the effects of the Fundão dam collapse occurred in Mariana (Minas Gerais, Brazil). In 2015, before the 43 million cubic meters of mud arrived at the mouth of the Doce River, researchers collected specimens of six species from different microhabitats and repeated the sampling six months forward. Muscle… Continue reading Early evidences of niche shifts in estuarine fishes following a large mining dam disaster

BRUVS reveal locally extinct shark

The main challenge for assessing population trends and conservation statuses of many shark species is the lack of population data. Here, researchers from Ictiolab and other Brazilian and international institutions, present records of sharks obtained using baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVS) at the Brazilian oceanic islands of Trindade and Saint Peter and Saint Paul… Continue reading BRUVS reveal locally extinct shark

New records of the snow bass Serranus chionaraia

New records of the snow bass Serranus chionaraia (Perciformes: Serranidae) confirm an established population in the Brazilian Province In a recent survey with baited remote underwater stereo-video systems, researchers from the Ictiolab/UFES and other Brazilian universities detected the snow bass Serranus chionaraia on the eastern coast of Brazil. This small-bodied reef fish was presumed to… Continue reading New records of the snow bass Serranus chionaraia

Multiple niche-based analyses reveal the dual life of an intertidal reef predator

Members of ICTIOLAB have published a paper elucidating the secret life of a fish that lives in shallow reefs distributed along the Western Atlantic Ocean. The group of researchers studied three life mode aspects of the hairy blenny Labrisomus nuchipinnis: habitat use, diet and morphological traits. Based on these, researchers could answer where the fish… Continue reading Multiple niche-based analyses reveal the dual life of an intertidal reef predator

Marine debris in Trindade Island

Researchers from Ictiolab, UFPA and UFAL in collaboration to researchers of the University of Florence conducted a study on marine debris accumulations in Trindade Island, the most remote Brazilian island (1,200 km far from mainland). In this study, the researchers verified that the greater accumulations occurred in the windward beaches (east side) in comparison to… Continue reading Marine debris in Trindade Island

Endemic fish species structuring oceanic intertidal reef assemblages

ICTIOLAB and GEA-UFPA members have published a paper revealing that intertidal reefs on isolated islands shelters a noteworthy fish endemism rate in comparison to mainland and island subtidal reefs. In addition, intertidal reef environments in islands differ from mainland in relation to fish assemblages and environmental structuring variables. Endemic fish species are among the most… Continue reading Endemic fish species structuring oceanic intertidal reef assemblages

Trophic relationships in tidepool fish assemblages of the tropical Southwestern Atlantic

In a recent paper published in Marine Ecology, Ictiolab researchers described for the first time to the Brazilian Province the trophic relationships in tidepool fishes. Based on the underlying idea that food resources are not limiting and that trophic guild formation is not driven by food competition, the authors concluded that trophic organization is built… Continue reading Trophic relationships in tidepool fish assemblages of the tropical Southwestern Atlantic

Inferring labrid functional roles through morphological and ecological traits

 Ictiolab members just published a paper in Marine Ecology Progress Series where they investigate the functional role of 21 Labridae species of great importance to the Brazilian reef ecosystem. Through morphological measures and traits related to habitat use, swimming ability and feeding habits we were able to infer about the functional role of these species. Beyond… Continue reading Inferring labrid functional roles through morphological and ecological traits

Parrotfishes of the genus Scarus in southwestern Atlantic oceanic reef environments: occasional pulse or initial colonization?

ICTIOLAB members published a communication in Marine Biodiversity drawing attention to the first records of the endemics parrotfishes in oceanic coral reef environments of Brazil. According to the authors, ecological reasons could drive these intriguing biogeographic pattern recorded in the Southwestern Atlantic. Membros do ICTIOLAB publicaram um comunicado na Marine Biodiversity chamando atenção para os primeiros registros de… Continue reading Parrotfishes of the genus Scarus in southwestern Atlantic oceanic reef environments: occasional pulse or initial colonization?