Oceanographer by the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Ufes), Master in Biological Oceanography by the University of São Paulo (USP) and PhD in Environmental Oceanography (Ufes). I work mainly in the areas of biology and ecology of reef, estuarine and tidal pool fish, as well as monitoring fishing activity. I am currently studying the ecology of marine fish using baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs).
algae and rises up from the seamount summit at 60-70 m to 17 m depth. The benthic community is ma... more algae and rises up from the seamount summit at 60-70 m to 17 m depth. The benthic community is mainly composed by coralline algae and sponges. Fish biomass at Davis coralline hill is dominated by carnivores, mainly top predators such as nurse sharks and large groupers. The relatively shallow reef top presents higher species richness, abundance and distinct trophic structure (mostly omnivore and planktivore species) than the mesophotic zone (with higher abundance of carnivorous fishes). A biogeographic analysis revealed that the reef fish community structure is greatly influenced by a set of dispersal and establishment traits that strongly differs from that encountered on coastal reefs of the central Brazilian coast and on insular reefs of Trindade Island. Gathering information about the ecology and structure of such unique and remote habitat is timely, since the region is under imminent threat such as fishing and mining and lacks international attention.
Fishing monitoring to gather fishery dynamic data is usually land-based or carried from onboard i... more Fishing monitoring to gather fishery dynamic data is usually land-based or carried from onboard inspections. However, direct georeferencing of fishing activities using aerial drones is a versatile and easy option that can potentially improve fishery studies, especially in Marine Protected Areas. We investigated the utility of aerial images to understand spatial displacement and fishing territoriality in a Brazilian MPA system under risk of deregulation. Survey flights were conducted in the multiple use area where fishing is allowed in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, located in the South Atlantic Ocean and considered one of the main ecotourism destinations and marine conservation sites in Brazil. An aircraft was used to map and detect several aspects of fishing activities and shallow seabed characteristics to demonstrate its utility for fishery management. We recorded 89 fishing activities in the marine area and 75 shore fishers on beaches. Results documented areas most intensively targeted by fishers, and operational aspects of fishing effort, both onboard and shoreline activities targeting shoals. Enforcement and monitoring efforts must be strengthened to assess the impact of expanded fishing activity in this marine sanctuary, mainly due to fading conservation rules imposed by top-down political decisions. This aerial approach demonstrates the utility of quantifying and mapping fishing activities to assist both MPA and fisheries management aligned to benchmarks for biodiversity conservation and human-based demands.
The red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) is a carnivore bottom dweller sparid, inhabiting flat sandy bottoms... more 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 artisanal
Oceanic islands and seamounts play an important role on the origin and maintenance of biodiversit... more Oceanic islands and seamounts play an important role on the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report 15 new records of reef fish species for the Davis Seamount, Trindade Island and Martin Vaz Archipelago, in the Vitoria-Trindade Chain (VTC). Such isolated sites are among the last frontier for shallow reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help in conservation efforts.
This study evaluated the ingestion of microplastic and artificial cellulose by 103 specimens belo... more This study evaluated the ingestion of microplastic and artificial cellulose by 103 specimens belonging to 21 reef fish species from the southwestern Atlantic. Nine species ingested particles- seven species both types and three only one kind.
PLoS ONE - Supporting Information - Accepted: December 2014 Fish biodiversity of the Vitória-Trin... more PLoS ONE - Supporting Information - Accepted: December 2014 Fish biodiversity of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, southwestern Atlantic: an updated database. Below is an annotated checklist of the fishes known to occur at VTC. Orders and families follow Nelson [1], Epinephelidae follows Craig & Hastings [2] and Craig et al. [3], and Labridae follows Westneat & Alfaro [4]. Species nomenclature follows Eschmeyer [5]. Genera and species are listed in alphabetical order. New records for VTC seamounts and islands are marked with § and for global depth range extensions with ‡ after the species’ name. Information for each species includes: habitat type. indicating the habitat(s) where the species has been recorded at VTC [reef structure (RS), rhodolith beds (RH), sand/mud (SD) and water column (WC)]; global distribution. [Brazilian province (Br) (according to [6]), Central Atlantic (CA), Circumglobal (CG), Circumtropical (CT), Eastern Atlantic (EA), Eastern Pacific (EP), Indo-Pacific (...
Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments a... more Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report seven new records of fishes for Martin Vaz Archipelago, five for Trindade Island, and one for Davis Seamount, in the Vitória-Trindade Chain. Three species, Cookeolus japonicus (Cuvier, 1829), Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832), and Psenes cyanophrys Valenciennes, 1833 are new records for the whole chain. Such isolated sites are among the last frontiers for shallow-reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help advance conservation efforts.
Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments a... more Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report seven new records of fishes for Martin Vaz Archipelago, five for Trindade Island, and one for Davis Seamount, in the Vitória-Trindade Chain. Three species, Cookeolus japonicus (Cuvier, 1829), Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832), and Psenes cyanophrys Valenciennes, 1833 are new records for the whole chain. Such isolated sites are among the last frontiers for shallow-reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help advance conservation efforts.
Dozens of marine fih species are known to form spawning aggregations, a behaviour that often incr... more Dozens of marine fih species are known to form spawning aggregations, a behaviour that often increases the species vulnerability to fiheries. Therefore, it is widely recommended for aggregation sites to be considered a conservation priority, and implementation of management measures on those sites is essential. Here, we report for the fist time the reproductive behaviour of the marbled grouper Dermatolepis inermis, observed at a lower mesophotic coral ecosystem of Fernando de Noronha, an oceanic tropical archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic. The event was characterised by an aggregation of six adult fih, displaying courtship behaviour and reproductive colouration. We also recorded an aggregation of about 20 dog snappers Lutjanus jocu at the same site, but no reproductive behaviour was observed. Finally, another aggregation was observed in the island’s upper mesophotic reefs, with 25 terminal phase individuals of the Brazilian endemic parrotfih Sparisoma amplum. Our report reinforces the biological importance of mesophotic coral ecosystems, and highlights the urgent need of governmental policies for studying, monitoring, and protecting those reefs.
The mechanisms driving the ecology and biodiversity of seamount communities are still unclear. He... more The mechanisms driving the ecology and biodiversity of seamount communities are still unclear. Here we analyzed the distribution and species traits of reef fsh species recorded over seamounts, oceanic islands, and the continental shelf of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean to understand the infuence of mechanisms of dispersal and establishment in these ecosystems. Species richness did not decrease with distance from the mainland, and community composition was not related to geographic position and geological history of seamounts and oceanic islands. Similarity among sites was explained by habitat heterogeneity, shallowest depth, and distance from mainland. Inter-site isolation had a signifcant infuence on the spatial turnover of species. All species traits related to dispersal and establishment worked as ecological flters driving the composition of communities and distribution of species along seamounts and oceanic islands. We conclude that seamount communities are closely related to those of oceanic islands, with the stepping-stones (inter-site isolation) process being the most important one shaping species composition and distribution. Establishment and dispersal mechanisms, in combination with historical sea-level fuctuations, regulate the persistence of species and the similarity of communities among adjacent and environmentally similar sites.
Dispersal is fundamental to the colonization of oceanic islands that were never connected to larg... more Dispersal is fundamental to the colonization of oceanic islands that were never connected to larger landmasses. For species with limited dispersal capabilities, colonization of remote islands can be followed by isolation and speciation. The tidepool fish community of Trindade Island, 1,160 km off the Brazilian coast at the eastern end of the Vitória-Trindade Chain, is composed of 18 species from 11 families. Four endemics accounted for 48 % of the total number and 10 % of the total fish weight in tidepools. The fact that the five species confirmed to be endemic to Trindade are restricted to intertidal and shallow waters indicate that in the present interglacial period the seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Chain do not allow dispersal following a stepping-stones model. Thus, seamounts must have been used as stepping-stones when emerged during lower sea-level periods of the Pleistocene, but this connection was definitively interrupted when they became submerged at the end of the last glaciation. This highlights the importance of considering sea level fluctuations as a structuring factor of intertidal and shallow water communities at oceanic localities.
algae and rises up from the seamount summit at 60-70 m to 17 m depth. The benthic community is ma... more algae and rises up from the seamount summit at 60-70 m to 17 m depth. The benthic community is mainly composed by coralline algae and sponges. Fish biomass at Davis coralline hill is dominated by carnivores, mainly top predators such as nurse sharks and large groupers. The relatively shallow reef top presents higher species richness, abundance and distinct trophic structure (mostly omnivore and planktivore species) than the mesophotic zone (with higher abundance of carnivorous fishes). A biogeographic analysis revealed that the reef fish community structure is greatly influenced by a set of dispersal and establishment traits that strongly differs from that encountered on coastal reefs of the central Brazilian coast and on insular reefs of Trindade Island. Gathering information about the ecology and structure of such unique and remote habitat is timely, since the region is under imminent threat such as fishing and mining and lacks international attention.
Fishing monitoring to gather fishery dynamic data is usually land-based or carried from onboard i... more Fishing monitoring to gather fishery dynamic data is usually land-based or carried from onboard inspections. However, direct georeferencing of fishing activities using aerial drones is a versatile and easy option that can potentially improve fishery studies, especially in Marine Protected Areas. We investigated the utility of aerial images to understand spatial displacement and fishing territoriality in a Brazilian MPA system under risk of deregulation. Survey flights were conducted in the multiple use area where fishing is allowed in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, located in the South Atlantic Ocean and considered one of the main ecotourism destinations and marine conservation sites in Brazil. An aircraft was used to map and detect several aspects of fishing activities and shallow seabed characteristics to demonstrate its utility for fishery management. We recorded 89 fishing activities in the marine area and 75 shore fishers on beaches. Results documented areas most intensively targeted by fishers, and operational aspects of fishing effort, both onboard and shoreline activities targeting shoals. Enforcement and monitoring efforts must be strengthened to assess the impact of expanded fishing activity in this marine sanctuary, mainly due to fading conservation rules imposed by top-down political decisions. This aerial approach demonstrates the utility of quantifying and mapping fishing activities to assist both MPA and fisheries management aligned to benchmarks for biodiversity conservation and human-based demands.
The red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) is a carnivore bottom dweller sparid, inhabiting flat sandy bottoms... more 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 artisanal
Oceanic islands and seamounts play an important role on the origin and maintenance of biodiversit... more Oceanic islands and seamounts play an important role on the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report 15 new records of reef fish species for the Davis Seamount, Trindade Island and Martin Vaz Archipelago, in the Vitoria-Trindade Chain (VTC). Such isolated sites are among the last frontier for shallow reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help in conservation efforts.
This study evaluated the ingestion of microplastic and artificial cellulose by 103 specimens belo... more This study evaluated the ingestion of microplastic and artificial cellulose by 103 specimens belonging to 21 reef fish species from the southwestern Atlantic. Nine species ingested particles- seven species both types and three only one kind.
PLoS ONE - Supporting Information - Accepted: December 2014 Fish biodiversity of the Vitória-Trin... more PLoS ONE - Supporting Information - Accepted: December 2014 Fish biodiversity of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, southwestern Atlantic: an updated database. Below is an annotated checklist of the fishes known to occur at VTC. Orders and families follow Nelson [1], Epinephelidae follows Craig & Hastings [2] and Craig et al. [3], and Labridae follows Westneat & Alfaro [4]. Species nomenclature follows Eschmeyer [5]. Genera and species are listed in alphabetical order. New records for VTC seamounts and islands are marked with § and for global depth range extensions with ‡ after the species’ name. Information for each species includes: habitat type. indicating the habitat(s) where the species has been recorded at VTC [reef structure (RS), rhodolith beds (RH), sand/mud (SD) and water column (WC)]; global distribution. [Brazilian province (Br) (according to [6]), Central Atlantic (CA), Circumglobal (CG), Circumtropical (CT), Eastern Atlantic (EA), Eastern Pacific (EP), Indo-Pacific (...
Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments a... more Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report seven new records of fishes for Martin Vaz Archipelago, five for Trindade Island, and one for Davis Seamount, in the Vitória-Trindade Chain. Three species, Cookeolus japonicus (Cuvier, 1829), Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832), and Psenes cyanophrys Valenciennes, 1833 are new records for the whole chain. Such isolated sites are among the last frontiers for shallow-reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help advance conservation efforts.
Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments a... more Oceanic islands and seamounts present high and unique biodiversity; however, these environments are still poorly understood. Here we report seven new records of fishes for Martin Vaz Archipelago, five for Trindade Island, and one for Davis Seamount, in the Vitória-Trindade Chain. Three species, Cookeolus japonicus (Cuvier, 1829), Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832), and Psenes cyanophrys Valenciennes, 1833 are new records for the whole chain. Such isolated sites are among the last frontiers for shallow-reef exploration in the South Atlantic, and more scientific effort is needed to better understand their biogeography and to help advance conservation efforts.
Dozens of marine fih species are known to form spawning aggregations, a behaviour that often incr... more Dozens of marine fih species are known to form spawning aggregations, a behaviour that often increases the species vulnerability to fiheries. Therefore, it is widely recommended for aggregation sites to be considered a conservation priority, and implementation of management measures on those sites is essential. Here, we report for the fist time the reproductive behaviour of the marbled grouper Dermatolepis inermis, observed at a lower mesophotic coral ecosystem of Fernando de Noronha, an oceanic tropical archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic. The event was characterised by an aggregation of six adult fih, displaying courtship behaviour and reproductive colouration. We also recorded an aggregation of about 20 dog snappers Lutjanus jocu at the same site, but no reproductive behaviour was observed. Finally, another aggregation was observed in the island’s upper mesophotic reefs, with 25 terminal phase individuals of the Brazilian endemic parrotfih Sparisoma amplum. Our report reinforces the biological importance of mesophotic coral ecosystems, and highlights the urgent need of governmental policies for studying, monitoring, and protecting those reefs.
The mechanisms driving the ecology and biodiversity of seamount communities are still unclear. He... more The mechanisms driving the ecology and biodiversity of seamount communities are still unclear. Here we analyzed the distribution and species traits of reef fsh species recorded over seamounts, oceanic islands, and the continental shelf of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean to understand the infuence of mechanisms of dispersal and establishment in these ecosystems. Species richness did not decrease with distance from the mainland, and community composition was not related to geographic position and geological history of seamounts and oceanic islands. Similarity among sites was explained by habitat heterogeneity, shallowest depth, and distance from mainland. Inter-site isolation had a signifcant infuence on the spatial turnover of species. All species traits related to dispersal and establishment worked as ecological flters driving the composition of communities and distribution of species along seamounts and oceanic islands. We conclude that seamount communities are closely related to those of oceanic islands, with the stepping-stones (inter-site isolation) process being the most important one shaping species composition and distribution. Establishment and dispersal mechanisms, in combination with historical sea-level fuctuations, regulate the persistence of species and the similarity of communities among adjacent and environmentally similar sites.
Dispersal is fundamental to the colonization of oceanic islands that were never connected to larg... more Dispersal is fundamental to the colonization of oceanic islands that were never connected to larger landmasses. For species with limited dispersal capabilities, colonization of remote islands can be followed by isolation and speciation. The tidepool fish community of Trindade Island, 1,160 km off the Brazilian coast at the eastern end of the Vitória-Trindade Chain, is composed of 18 species from 11 families. Four endemics accounted for 48 % of the total number and 10 % of the total fish weight in tidepools. The fact that the five species confirmed to be endemic to Trindade are restricted to intertidal and shallow waters indicate that in the present interglacial period the seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Chain do not allow dispersal following a stepping-stones model. Thus, seamounts must have been used as stepping-stones when emerged during lower sea-level periods of the Pleistocene, but this connection was definitively interrupted when they became submerged at the end of the last glaciation. This highlights the importance of considering sea level fluctuations as a structuring factor of intertidal and shallow water communities at oceanic localities.
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Papers by Caio Ribeiro Pimentel