Guilherme Maricato

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Verified

Guilherme verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• Ph.D.
• PostDoc Position at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation are expected to intensify without significant climate mitigation. In tropical regions, rising ocean temperatures may push marine species to their thermal limits, leading to redistributions and cascading effects on communities and ecosystems. We evaluate how the future climate change scenarios could im...

Global, regional, and national targets have been set to protect and conserve at least 30 % of the ocean by 2030, in recognition of the important benefits of healthy ocean ecosystems, including for human well-being. Many of these targets recognize the importance of the quality, not just quantity, of areas that are included in the 30 %, such as marin...

The genus Kogia includes two species that are some of the least known cetacean species around the globe. Here, we investigated the occurrence, behavior, and habitat suitability of dwarf sperm whales (K. sima) off St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Eastern Caribbean). Small boat dedicated surveys were conducted during May and June of both 2022 and 2023...

Understanding the processes that determine the occurrence of species, especially for those exposed to human activities, is key to appropriate management. The common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, is well studied worldwide, but very little attention has been given to transient groups of this species and how such groups are exposed to human...

Despite the importance of coastal habitats for the provision of many ecosystem services, these areas are currently among the most impacted by human activities. Impacts on coastal ecosystems may affect many key species, such as the Guiana dolphin, which inhabits Sepetiba Bay in south‐eastern Brazil, a highly degraded environment owing to a human‐ind...

Studies show that the infection of cetaceans by socially transmitted diseases may impact the ecology and behavior of individuals and populations. Little is known about the effects of intense, short-term outbreaks of disease, typical of cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV). Understanding these effects is important in the case of resident populations expose...

This study describes a detailed protocol for the capture and release of Araguaian river dolphins (Inia araguaiaensis) in the Tocantins River, Brazil, aiming to collect essential biological data for the research and conservation of the species. The methodology involved the use of a seine net to capture the animals, followed by the collection of biol...

Climate change alters marine environments, affecting temperature, oxygen levels, and acidity, prompting species to relocate to suitable areas. Understanding these shifts is vital for top predators like cetaceans, crucial for marine ecosystem regulation. We mapped the suitable environments for the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) - consider...

This technical note reports the record of a leucistic Brow Booby (Sula leucogaster) in March 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. This record expands knowledge about the occurrence and distribution of leucistic individuals of the species in the Western South Atlantic.

Impact of human activities (dredged channel, anchoring areas, and industrial pole) on Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) social structure (group size and feeding behaviours) in a coastal bay in Brazil

Two resident populations of Guiana dolphins inhabit the Costa Verde estuarine complex in southeastern Brazil. While these populations are relatively well-studied, little is known of the movement patterns between them. The present study was based on the identification of the individual dolphins that transited between the two Costa Verde populations...

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population segment “A” migrates annually to the southwestern Atlantic and passes along the coast of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, one of the most populous and important cities in Latin America. In April 2021, The Cagarras Islands and Surrounding Waters were named Hope Spot by Mission Blue. The disc...

Climate change harms marine ecosystems, causing habitat loss and shifts in biodiversity. Impacts on vital species like cetaceans disrupt biological communities, emphasizing the need to understand their spatial distribution for biodiversity conservation. Our study assessed potential changes to suitable habitats in Brazil of a key species, the rough-...

Marine ecosystems, especially coastal ones, are experiencing an increased pressure from human impacts. The first step to develop effective and appropriate management strategies is to understand the underlying processes of species distribution. The Guiana dolphin is a threatened coastal species, vulnerable to human-induced rapid environmental change...

As baleias-jubartes (Megaptera novaeangliae) são frequentemente avistadas na região do Cabo Frio, entre Arraial do Cabo e Armação dos Búzios–RJ, durante a sua temporada de migração para as áreas de reprodução, predominantemente no sul da Bahia. Apesar dessa região ser conhecida como um importante local de passagem, em anos recentes, há indícios do...

Mixed species groups are usually associated with group protection to avoid predation. Reports of killer whale occurrence and attacks are scarce in Brazilian waters. Here we report the first case of an attack by killer whales on a mixed group of humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) and a southern right whale (Eubalaena australis). This is also the fir...

Simple Summary This study investigated the body condition of the Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) of Sepetiba Bay, in southeastern Brazil, between 2017 and 2022. Body condition, a key indicator of animal health, was assessed using standardized photographs taken from a research vessel. These photographs were used to evaluate visible roundness, e...

The present chapter gathers five years of information on the population of Guiana dolphins in Sepetiba bay, contributing to the Observatório Socioambiental of Sepetiba bay. The information gathered here is presented in the context of intensified degradation of Sepetiba bay caused by the cumulative and synergistic action of port, industrial, tourist...

Áreas Marinhas Protegidas (AMPs) são delimitações legais, criadas para proteção dos recursos naturais e serviços ecossistêmicos, de ecossistemas representativos de um bioma ou de elementos da biodiversidade, sendo considerada a melhor medida de manejo sustentável de recursos naturais e da biodiversidade. A sua efetividade se dá pelo conjunto de açõ...

The distribution of species is of utmost importance to ensure proper protection of both species and ecosystems. Cetaceans (whales and dolphins) play crucial roles in regulating marine ecosystems, yet our understanding of the distribution of marine organisms, especially cetaceans, remains limited. This study aimed to fill this gap by using suitabili...

The widespread presence of marine microplastics (< 5 mm) is a significant concern, as it may harm marine biodiversity and ocean ecosystems. Corals' capacity to ingest microplastics has emerged as a significant threat to reef ecosystems, owing to the detrimental physiological and ecological effects it can trigger. The extent of the impact of micropl...

A Ciência Cidadã reúne o interesse dos pesquisadores em obter dados e a disponibilidade do público em produzi-los, favorecendo uma relação recíproca entre academia e sociedade. Essa parceria entre especialistas e público leigo permite o incremento de dados que são incorporados na produção de conhecimento. Este estudo destaca a eficácia da pesquisa...

The marine ecosystem provides many vital services to humans, including fishing. Ilha Grande Bay (IGB), Southeastern Brazil, has several fishing communities that depend on this activity to survive. The region also harbors one of the largest populations of Guiana dolphins in the world, which also depend on food in the area, mostly fish, for survival....

The risks from climate change are ever-growing, especially in more vulnerable and exposed regions such as coastlines. The rise in sea level and increase in the frequency and intensity of climate-induced coastal hazards are threatening the increasing coastal populations. Brazil, with its 8,500 km of coast, is one of the countries most at risk from c...

As baleias-jubarte (Megaptera novaeangliae) deslocam-se de suas áreas de alimentação em Regiões Subantárticas e Antárticas em busca de águas mais quentes para se reproduzir e criar seus filhotes, chegando ao Brasil no final do outono e início do inverno. No final da primavera retornam para suas áreas de alimentação. Este ciclo, conhecido como migra...

Sepetiba bay has a Marine Protected Area (MPA) created to safeguard the population of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis). However, anthropogenic activities and the current increase in vessel traffic may cause the environment to be acoustically disturbed, and impact communication, reinforcing the need for acoustic refuges to protect the species. T...

Os assobios dos botos-cinzas (Sotalia guianensis) são importantes na comunicação. Estes sinais são adaptáveis ao ambiente e às influências antropogênicas, alterando o esforço vocal. Unidades de Conservação (UC), apresentam medidas de regulação de atividade humanas, sendo potenciais habitats favoráveis à comunicação. Avaliamos as diferenças entre di...

A pesquisa sísmica introduz altos níveis de ruído no ambiente. Os limites acústicos para cetáceos expostos a sons pulsados foi definido para resposta comportamental e potencial dano auditivo respectivamente á 160 e 180 dB re 1 µPa. Entretanto, órgãos ambientais brasileiros estão preocupados quanto a potenciais impactos mesmo abaixo de 160 dB. Nós a...

It is important to understand the processes that determine species distribution, particularly for species that have an extensive home range and are exposed to various environmental conditions. Although studies have modeled the influence of environmental conditions on dolphin distribution, there is still a gap in assessing the influence of human act...

Marine ecosystems provide vital services to humans. However, they have been further degraded due to anthropogenic activities. To minimize the impacts, the creation and establishment of Protected Areas (PAs) have been encouraged, but their effectiveness is still not clear. Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays are two anthropized estuarine areas located in...

Understanding the processes that determine the occurrence of species, especially for those exposed to human activities, is the key to appropriate management. Despite Tursiops truncatus being well-studied worldwide, information about transient groups of this common bottlenose dolphins and how groups are exposed to human activities is lacking. Here,...

Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays are two estuarine areas located in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, that have Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to safeguard the local biodiversity. However, anthropogenic activities may cause acoustic disturbance in some areas, affecting local species. The aim of this study was to map the noisiest areas in Sepetiba and Ilha...

The social structure plays a key role in the ecology of cetaceans. It is a product of group living trade-off and may influence the genetic structure, habitat use and spread of diseases. We analyzed social network parameters of Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) at Ilha Grande Bay, a estuarine complex in SE Brazil. A total of 196 individuals were p...

Dolphins developed feeding tactics to overcome schooling fish anti-predatory behavior and the distribution of prey species may influence dolphins tactics. We analyzed the habitat suitability of feeding tactics performed by Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) at Ilha Grande Bay (IGB), in SW Brazil. Due to IGB various microhabitats, we expected the G...

Behavioral plasticity helps to understand the life history and different strategies that offspring and adults use to increase their fitness. Behavioral differences among age classes are reported for marine mammals, but few focused on behavioral events. These events help to understand the complexity of cetacean’s behavior, since they may be performe...

Baleias e golfinhos são mamíferos aquáticos que formam a ordem Cetacea. Grande parte deste grupo vive nos oceanos, embora algumas espécies estejam, geralmente, associadas aos estuários e manguezais, como é o caso do boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis). O histórico de forte pressão antrópica coloca S. guianensis na categoria quase ameaçada de extinção,...

A craca-de-haste-falsa, Xenobalanus globicipitis (Classe Cirripedia) é espécie de vida livre exclusivamente marinha. A espécie possui uma haste muscular flexível, onde a extremidade do pedúnculo apresenta especializações das estruturas antenulares. Tais estruturas facilitam e garantem a fixação ao tegumento de cetáceos, permitindo suportar forças d...

Os cetáceos desempenham relevante papel ecológico devido à sua posição trófica. Nos ecossistemas costeiros tropicais da costa leste da América do Sul e Central, geralmente associados a baías, estuários e manguezais, encontra-se um dos menores representantes desse grupo, o boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis). O histórico de forte pressão de capturas aci...

The common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, is widely distributed. However, information about its ecology and behavior in Brazilian waters is scarce especially about the ‘offshore’ ecotype, an Evolutionarily Significant Unit in the Southwest Atlantic. We report for the first time the occurrence, behavior and habitat use of bottlenose dolphin...

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protect...

Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) are regularly present in continental shelf areas of the South-western Atlantic. However, there is little information on the natural history and ecology of these delphinids. This study evaluated the occurrence, habitat use and individual movements of the species in coastal waters off Rio de Janeiro, south-e...

Social organization is an important feature of the behavior of most delphinids, including the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), although, even in social dolphins, specific circumstances may lead to solitary behavior. In these situations, a solitary dolphin may shift to interacting with humans. Between November 2018 and April 2019, we obtai...

The Ilhas do Rio Project invites the readers to know the results of years of scientific research in the insular ecosystems of Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan region. A set of 302 species of algae, invertebrates, fishes, birds and cetaceans is herein presented through almost 500 photographs, revealing the islands' unique marine biodiversity. Furthermo...

Although populations of Tursiops truncatus are well studied worldwide, recent studies indicate two subspecies occurring in the Brazilian coast, in which the subspecies Tursiops truncatus truncatus is little known. To fill this gap, the present study aimed to study the occurrence, movements and residency of T. t. truncatus in Rio de Janeiro state. T...

Os objetivos do presente estudo foram analisar a ocorrência, os movimentos e a fidelidade de área da subespécie oceânica do golfinho-nariz-de-garrafa-comum (Tursiops truncatus truncatus) na região do Cabo Frio e na cidade do Rio de Janeiro através da análise de captura e recaptura dos indivíduos foto-identificados. Cruzeiros mensais foram realizado...

No Atlântico Sul Ocidental golfinhos-de-dentes-rugosos (Steno bredanensis) são observados com regularidade em áreas costeiras. Contudo informações sobre a história natural e ecologia desse delfinídeo permanecem pouco conhecidas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a ocorrência, o uso do habitat e os movimentos individuais da espécie em águas costei...

Brydes do Brasil é uma plataforma virtual que tem como principais objetivos: mobilizar e envolver a sociedade na pesquisa científica participativa; elaborar uma base de dados de baleias-de-bryde (Balaenoptera edeni) fotoidentificadas, através de um acervo fotográfico concentrado e verificar os movimentos e fidelidade de área; e conscientizar a soci...

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) present great ability to perform aerial behaviors, which have been associated to several functions in their social context. The aim of this study was to analyze the aerial behaviors of humpback whales in Northeastern Brazil. From July to October 2013, 113 groups, totaling 272 individuals (x̄ = 2.41; ± 1.52),...