Renata Emin

• PhD
• Research Director at Instituto Bicho D'água

Simple Summary Antillean manatees are among the most endangered marine animals, and there is a paucity of data on free-living animals’ behavior in the northern region of Brazil, where they occur in sympatry with the Amazonian manatee. This study highlights the interaction behavior of adult manatees with a calf that was unable to remain stable in th...

Long‐term systematic records of cetacean strandings are valuable indicators of temporal responses of specific cetacean populations and communities to natural or anthropogenic pressures. They also help guide management objectives and conservation actions. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to analyse 10 years of systematic and opportunisti...

The analysis of chromosome structure and variation can provide important information for the management and reproduction of threatened species, in situations where molecular results could not solve issues concerning genetic risks and reproductive problems. In this regard, some molecular studies have proposed the occurrence of hybrids between the tw...

The most prominent personage of Brazilian folklore is the “boto” or the “legend of the boto”. Dolphins are regarded as special creatures and shapeshifters that can take human form and seduce women at night. This cultural attribute of dolphins in the Amazon has probably surfaced long ago, as earliest Americans have relied on aquatic fauna for protei...

In Brazil, dolphins’ body parts are commonly used as traditional amulets, named as love-charms, while dolphins’ teeth are commercialized in handcrafted necklaces and bracelets. Recent studies on forensic genetics confirmed the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, as the principal target of the love-charms trading, with specimens incidentally capture...

Quantifying the distribution of an endangered species in space and time is crucial for planning management and conservation actions. The giant otter ( Pteronura brasiliensis ) is an endangered South American mammal that is considered to be extinct in the Atlantic Forest biome. Historical records of P. brasiliensis were used to reconstruct its origi...

Threats to aquatic mammals may occur in isolation or in combination, leading to cumulative effects on populations and their ecosystems. Thus, conservation actions must consider the complexity of factors involved in patterns of habitat use, including feeding ecology, such as ontogenetic, spatial and temporal dietary shifts. The Amazonian manatee ( T...

The taxonomy of the South American river dolphins of the genus Inia has been a focus of intense debate. While traditionally it is thought to be composed of a single species with three geographically structured subspecies (Inia geoffrensis geoffrensis, I. g. humboldtiana, and I. g. boliviensis), recent molecular studies have highlighted substantial...

Two species of manatees are found in Northern Brazil—the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus), which is found along the coast from Florida to Northeastern Brazil, and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), endemic to the Amazon drainage basin. These species show a sympatric distribution in the region of the Marajó Archipelago, an estuarine...

The West Indian manatee Trichechus manatus Linnaeus, 1758 and the Amazonian manatee T. inunguis (Natterer, 1883) occur in the Marajó Bay area and in the inlets and channels near Belém. The Amazon Aquatic Mammal Study Group (GEMAM) coordinates a collaborative network for trapped and rescued manatees along the coast of the state of Pará and in the in...

This dataset compiles information on giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) specimens housed in the major zoological collections of Brazil. We have personally examined the specimens, which constitute of skins, crania, and partial skeletons. We compiled information on collector, date, and locality of the specimens. A total of 56 giant otter specimens...

Stranded cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are frequently used to obtain data on species occurrence and demographic trends. Accurate species-level identification of these individuals is crucial, but often challenging or impossible when relying solely on morphological features (e.g., for highly decayed specimens). To aid in the development...

South America is unique as it is home of two species of manatees: the West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, and the Amazonian manatee, T. inunguis. These species are easily identified by the belly skin coloration, the first is entirely gray whereas T. inunguis has a white mark pattern in the belly, and presence of nails in T. manatus, absent in...

The objective of this study was to describe a case of salmonellosis in an Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis). The animal was rescued from a tributary of the Capim River, in the municipality of Goianésia do Pará, Pará, Brazil, kept in a pool, and died approximately five months after being rescued. The main changes observed at necropsy were that...

This study aimed to investigate the ontogenetic development of the skull in the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis Van Bénéden, 1864 ) through the comparison of 29 morphological non-metrical characters together with the estimated age of 54 specimens derived from four areas on the northern coast of Brazil. The state of each character was associated...

Traditionally, the morphological attributes and the range of Trichechus species have been clearly established. However, we herein show that morphological traits, like belly and pectoral flipper coloration in South American manatees may be polymorphic. Karyotypic analysis of T. manatus allowed the precise identification of this species and confirmed...

Traditionally, the morphological attributes and the range of Trichechus species have been clearly established. However, we herein show that morphological traits, like belly and pectoral flipper coloration in South American manatees may be polymorphic. Karyotypic analysis of T. manatus allowed the precise identification of this species and confirmed...

We assessed the level of genetic variability and population structure of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the tropical and subtropical portions of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and compared the results with previous morphological findings. We analyzed 109 samples of common bottlenose dolphins that were sequenced for control r...

The human population of the Brazilian Amazon possesses a rich body of beliefs and practices that relate to river dolphins, which are also known as botos (Inia and Sotalia species). There is a widespread belief in their magical powers in relation to love enchantments. One form that this takes is “dolphin love charms” and these are widely in use in n...

As top predators, cetaceans occupy important ecologic niches in marine ecosystems, although this also makes them highly vulnerable to the biomagnification of persistent chemicals throughout their life stages. Coastal dolphins, in particular, are highly exposed to harmful chemicals in the marine environment, due to their proximity to anthropogenic a...

We describe herein herpesvirus-associated genital lesions in a Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) from the northern Brazilian coast. Papillary lesions on the vulva, with epithelial hyperplasia, swollen keratinocytes, and intranuclear inclusions, were positive for a herpesvirus (Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily).

Marine mammal stranding events are used as an important tool for understanding cetacean biology worldwide. Nonetheless, there are vast gaps of knowledge to be filled in for a wide range of species. Reputable information is required regarding species from large baleen whales to sperm and beaked whales, as well as pelagic dolphins. This paper describ...

Environmental Sensitivity Atlas of Amazon Mouth basin

Geographic distribution is basic information on the biology for any species. However, the precise data on spatial limits of species are unavailable for most taxa, but knowledge of such data is essential for their conservation and monitoring. We report the northernmost records of Inia araguaiaensis, a newly described river dolphin that occurs in the...

Historically, human activities have impacted cetacean populations; such activities have included commercial fishing operations, overexploitation of marine species, habitat degradation, and commercial harvesting. As a result, many species are now classified as being threatened (Gulland and Hall 2007; Sherman 2000). Additionally, most species are exp...

Total mercury (Hg) was analyzed in muscle tissue of 27 accidentally captured Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in order to evaluate Hg contamination levels present in the Amazon Continental Shelf, in Amapá state, North Brazil. The samples showed a mean concentration of 0.4 ± 0.16 μg/g wet weight (ww), ranging from 0.07 to 0.79 μg/g ww. As observ...

The occurrence of dolphins in the Belém area, northern Brazil, has been poorly surveyed. In addition, there has been much speculation on the identity of cetaceans inhabiting these brackish waters. Vantage point observations conducted from September 2008 to October 2010 resulted in the observation of 44 groups of dolphins and 79 individuals. Among t...

RESUMO: A costa norte do Brasil representa uma nova fronteira para o avanço do conhecimento sobre a fauna de mamíferos aquáticos. A ausência de dados pretéritos sobre os mamíferos aquáticos nessa região e a própria dificuldade logística de monitoramento resultou, até muito recentemente, numa lacuna de conhecimento. A fim de reverter este quadro, o...

On the morning of December 13 2014, a manatee calf (Trichechus manatus manatus) was rescued by fisherman near the Pesqueiro Village, Soure, Marajó Island, northeastern Pará State, Brazil. It was found during low tide on the beach in bright sunlight. Locals promptly called the federal environment officers and GEMAM personnel to rescue the manatee. L...