Thelma Dias

• Doctor in Zoology
• Professor at State University of Paraíba

Knowing the reproductive biology and population dynamics of invasive species are essential for environmental conservation and protection of native species. The success of these invasive species is directly linked to their reproductive strategy. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the reproductive cycles and evaluate population parameters of the...

The sea urchin Centrostephanus longispinus rubicingulus was rediscovered on the continental shelf of Brazil. The subspecies was merely recorded in 1955, when Bernasconi described Centrostephanus besnardi (a synonym of C. longispinus rubicingulus), on the basis of two specimens collected at Trindade Island (State of Espírito Santo). This is the firs...

The class Echinoidea contains among the best-known echinoderms. The group has left the most complete fossil record of this phylum, and contains about 1000 living species, of which 51 are recorded along the Brazilian coast. Although the first record of echinoids in Brazil was made 369 years ago, the knowledge of this fauna remains quite unsatisfacto...

The fireworm Hermodice carunculata is an active predator of many benthic organisms from coral reefs. We present a first record for the South America of the predation by this polychaete on a colony of Palythoa caribaeorum, in Maracajaú reefs, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

This study presents information on the use of medicinal animals in a semiarid area of northeast Brazil, a region where animals have recognized importance in local popular medicine. The information on the use of animals for medicinal purposes was obtained through semi-structured questionnaires, complemented by free interviews and informal conversati...

An inventory of the gastropods associated with three species of reef macroalgae having different thallus structures are provided. We discuss how algal architecture influences diversity patterns, abundance and species richness. Fronds of the macroalgae Gracilaria domingensis (Kützing) Sonder ex Dickie, 1874, Padina pavonica (Linnaeus) Thivy, 1960, a...

Occurrence of bleaching in scleractinian corals, a hydrocoral, and an octocoral species was observed in a reef community of Paraíba coast, northeastern Brazil, during an unusual thermal stress that occurred in March 2010. Four scleractinian species (Siderastrea stellata, Porites astreoides, Agaricia agaricites, and Mussismilia harttii) and one hydr...

Spawning of Cassis tuberosa is recorded and described for the first time, based on observations carried out in the Tamandaré reefs, north-eastern Brazil. The specimen was laying over gravel substrate surrounded by macroalgae at a depth of 2 m. Cassis tuberosa uses an algal frond of the genus Padina to lay its eggs. The oothecae consists of approxim...

We redescribe Hemieuryale pustulata on the basis of 325 specimens obtained from the continental shelf off northeastern and southeastern Brazil. This is the first record of the species for Brazil. We illustrate for the first time details of the dental plate, oral plate, and vertebrae. Few morphological variations were observed in our extensive mater...

First record of basket stars Astrocyclus caecilia (Lütken, 1856) and Astrophyton muricatum (Lamarck, 1816) (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea, Euryalida) for the state of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil Abstract: This paper reports the first record of Astrocyclus caecilia for northeastern Brazil and Astrophyton muricatum for the state of Rio Gran...

Presently more than 1900 species of sea stars are recognized, of which 77 are recorded for the coast of Brazil. Although the first starfish record in Brazil was published 363 years ago, our knowledge of this fauna remains unsatisfactory from a systematic and ecological point of view, particularly in the north and northeastern regions of the country...

The fronds of marine macroalgae play an important role in coastal ecosystems because the algae banks are utilized as a microhabitat by different taxa, including molluscs, one of the most abundant and diverse animals of marine ecosystems. In this study, we characterized the malacofauna associated with the macroalgae Gracilaria domingensis (Kützing)...

Humans in various cultures have feared snakes, provoking an aversion and persecution that hinders conservation efforts for these reptiles. Such fact suggests that conservation strategies for snakes should consider the interactions and perceptions of the local population towards these animals. The aim of this study was to investigate students' perce...

Rhodolith beds formed by non-articulated calcareous algae have been recognized as important habitats for a range of organisms. The Brazilian coast is home to one of the largest beds of the Southwestern Atlantic, but the lack of faunal studies in these habitats represents one of our major gaps in the knowledge of Brazilian biodiversity. This study c...

Holothuria (Holothuria) dakarensis (Holothuroidea: Holothuriidae) is recorded for the first time in the south-western Atlantic, from mangroves in Macau, Rio Grande do Norte State, and deposited in the Coleção de Invertebrados Paulo Young, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.

Back reef systems, represented by seagrass beds, algal banks, lagoons, mangroves, patch reefs, and other underwater habitats of the back reef zone, often harbor a great biological diversity and high abundance of many species. In this study, we provide the first inventory of the molluscan fauna associated to three shallow-water back reef habitats (a...

The genus Diadema presently consists of seven species, two of which are known from the Brazilian coast: D. antillarum and D. ascensionis. The first is usually known for shallow coastal areas, while the second was apparently restricted to oceanic islands. In February 2011, a dense population of D. ascensionis was observed on the coastal reefs of Pra...

The present study provides the first checklist of echinoderm species that occurs in the States of Maranhão and Piauí, in Northeastern Brazil. The present compilation was produced based on an extensive bibliographical revision and on echinoderms deposited in the Invertebrate Collection Paulo Young, Federal University of Paraíba. Twenty-two species w...

We provide the first annotated checklist of ophiuroids from the continental shelf of the State of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Identification keys and taxonomic diagnoses for 23 species, belonging to 14 genera and 8 families, are provided. The material is deposited in the Invertebrate Collection Paulo Young, at the Federal University of Paraíba. O...

Collection data of voucher specimens (spec.) collected at Paraíba State continental shelf, Northeastern Brazil. (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.307.4673.app1) File format: Mircrosoft Word Document (doc).

Data on the size (measured by disk diameter), number of individuals and relative abundance of voucher specimens collected at Paraíba State continental shelf, Northeastern Brazil. SD = standard deviation. (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.307.4673.app2) File format: Mircrosoft Word Document (doc).

This study provides the first record of the exotic invasive bivalve Isognomon bicolor for the State of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. It has been found to occur in at least twelve coastal reefs along the coast. We also present its first record for the State of Alagoas and new record localities for the States of Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco, in...

The present work presents an inventory of the traditional medicinal uses of animals in the municipality of Bom Sucesso in Paraiba State (PB) in the semiarid northeastern region of Brazil. Information was obtained through the use of semi-structured interviews with 50 people who use zootherapeutic products. A total of 25 animal species used for medic...

This study provides an updated morphological description of Asteroporpa (Asteroporpa) annulata based on one specimen from the northeastern coast of Brazil, thus validating the previously uncertain occurrence of this species there. We also provide notes on the known geographic distribution of the subgenus Asteroporpa (Asteroporpa) and comments on ec...

Human societies utilize mollusks for myriad material and spiritual ends. An example of their use in a religious context is found in Brazil's African-derived belief systems. Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion introduced during the 18th-19th centuries by enslaved Yoruba, includes various magical and liturgical uses of mollusks. This work inventori...

This study provides an updated morphological description of Asteroporpa (Asteroporpa) annulata based on one specimen from the northeastern coast of Brazil, thus validating the previously uncertain occurrence of this species there. We also provide notes on the known geographic distribution of the subgenus Asteroporpa (Asteroporpa) and comments on ec...

Marine molluscs are sold all over the world as curios and souvenirs. This market encompasses about 5,000 species of molluscs (bivalves and gastropods) worldwide, but the mollusc species involved in this trade are undocumented in all but a very small number of countries. The present study provides a baseline assessment of the mollusc species used in...

The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park (Cabedelo Municipality, Paraiba State, Brazil) was established by the State Government to preserve the local biodiversity and to regulate touristic activities in the area. More than a decade after the creation of this park, we provide the first inventory of the benthic macrofauna of this single exclusively marin...

The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park (Cabedelo Municipality, Paraiba State, Brazil) was established by the State Government to preserve the local biodiversity and to regulate touristic activities in the area. More than a decade after the creation of this park, we provide the first inventory of the benthic macrofauna of this single exclusively marin...

Animais medicinais constituem uma parte integral da Medicina Popular Brasileira tanto em áreas urbanas quanto rurais. Não obstante, embora o uso de animais medicinais represente um importante componente da medicina tradicional tem sido pouco estudado quando comparado às plantas medicinais. O presente trabalho apresenta uma revisão sobre os inverteb...

Animal-based remedies constitute an integral part of Brazilian traditional medicine both in rural and urban areas in Brazil. Nevertheless, the use of animal species as remedies, although representing an important component of traditional medicine has been much less studied than medicinal plants in the country. The present study is a review of the i...

Aspects of the habitat, size structure, and interactions of Voluta ebraea in the wild are provided here for the first time from underwater observations on coastal reefs at Cabo Branco, north-eastern Brazil. Seventeen different sized individuals of V. ebraea were observed, with the largest individual reaching 15 cm in shell length. This species inha...

This paper provides a case study of a threatened seahorse species, Hippocampus reidi, highlighting the importance of using ecological information to assist conservation and management initiatives. Underwater visual sighting data (50 x 2m transect) gathered along the NE, SE and S portions of the Brazilian coast revealed an unequal distribution acros...

Dias, T.L.P. What do we know about Anisotremus moricandi (Teleostei: Haemulidae), an endangered reef fish? Biota Neotrop. May/Aug 2007 vol. 7, no. 2. http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v7n2/pt/abstract?short-communication+bn04207022007. ISSN 1676-0603. This article provides general information on habitat, behavior, and conservation status of Anisotr...

D 18-19 (16-20); P 15-16 (14-18); rings 11 + 36 (34-39); base colour ash grey, orange,brown, yellow, red or black, often with a pattern of white lines following contour of neckand sometimes with saddle marks on dorsal surface; tiny white dots on tail. Minimum adultsize 55mm (Lourie et al. 1999), maximum 220mm TL (personal observation, TLD, ILR).Ill...

Este estudo investigou os aspectos socioeconômicos e percepção ambiental das mulheres marisqueiras que subsistem da catação de mariscos (Anomalocardia brasiliana) nos manguezais de uma área protegida brasileira. Foram aplicados 16 questionários semi-estruturados e as atividades pesqueiras das marisqueiras foram acompanhadas e documentadas. A cataçã...