Results | University of Saint Joseph Research Output

Vasconcelos, R. O., Alderks, P. W., Ramos, A., Fonseca, P. J., Amorim, M. C. P., & Sisneros, J. A. (2015). Vocal differentiation parallels development of auditory saccular sensitivity in a highly soniferous fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 218(18), 2864–2872. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.123059

Vocal differentiation is widely documented in birds and mammals but has been poorly investigated in other vertebrates, including fish, which represent the oldest extant vertebrate group. Neural circuitry controlling vocal behaviour is thought to have evolved from conserved brain areas that originated in fish, making this taxon key to understanding the evolution and development of the vertebrate vocal-auditory systems. This study examines ontogenetic changes in the vocal repertoire and whether vocal differentiation parallels auditory development in the Lusitanian toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus (Batrachoididae). This species exhibits a complex acoustic repertoire and is vocally active during early development. Vocalisations were recorded during social interactions for four size groups (fry: <2 cm; small juveniles: 2–4 cm; large juveniles: 5–7 cm; adults >25 cm, standard length). Auditory sensitivity of juveniles and adults was determined based on evoked potentials recorded from the inner ear saccule in response to pure tones of 75–945 Hz. We show an ontogenetic increment in the vocal repertoire from simple broadband-pulsed ‘grunts’ that later differentiate into four distinct vocalisations, including low-frequency amplitude-modulated ‘boatwhistles’. Whereas fry emitted mostly single grunts, large juveniles exhibited vocalisations similar to the adult vocal repertoire. Saccular sensitivity revealed a three-fold enhancement at most frequencies tested from small to large juveniles; however, large juveniles were similar in sensitivity to adults. We provide the first clear evidence of ontogenetic vocal differentiation in fish, as previously described for higher vertebrates. Our results suggest a parallel development between the vocal motor pathway and the peripheral auditory system for acoustic social communication in fish.

Cardoso, S. D., Teles, M. C., & Oliveira, R. F. (2015). Neurogenomic mechanisms of social plasticity. Journal of Experimental Biology, 218(1), 140–149. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.106997

Skip to Next Section Group-living animals must adjust the expression of their social behaviour to changes in their social environment and to transitions between life-history stages, and this social plasticity can be seen as an adaptive trait that can be under positive selection when changes in the environment outpace the rate of genetic evolutionary change. Here, we propose a conceptual framework for understanding the neuromolecular mechanisms of social plasticity. According to this framework, social plasticity is achieved by rewiring or by biochemically switching nodes of a neural network underlying social behaviour in response to perceived social information. Therefore, at the molecular level, it depends on the social regulation of gene expression, so that different genomic and epigenetic states of this brain network correspond to different behavioural states, and the switches between states are orchestrated by signalling pathways that interface the social environment and the genotype. Different types of social plasticity can be recognized based on the observed patterns of inter- versus intra-individual occurrence, time scale and reversibility. It is proposed that these different types of social plasticity rely on different proximate mechanisms at the physiological, neural and genomic level.

Amorim, M. C. P., Vasconcelos, R. O., & Fonseca, P. J. (2015). Fish Sounds and Mate Choice. In F. Ladich (Ed.), Sound Communication in Fishes (pp. 1–33). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1846-7_1

Fish acoustic signals associated with mating behaviour are typically low-frequency sounds produced by males when in close proximity to females. However, some species make sounds that serve the function and follow the design of advertisement calls, well known in insects, anurans, and birds. Close-range courtship acoustic signals may be used by females in mate assessment as they contain information of male quality such as size and condition. For example, sound-dominant frequency, amplitude, and fatigue resistance may signal body size whereas pulse period (i.e. muscle contraction rate) and calling activity are related with body condition in some species. Some signal features, such as sound pulse number, may carry multiple messages including size and condition. Playback experiments on mate choice of a restricted number of species suggest that females prefer vocal to silent males and may use sound frequency, amplitude, and mainly calling rateCalling ratewhen assessing males. The assessment of males by females becomes more challenging when males engage in choruses or when sounds are otherwise masked by anthropogenic noise but almost nothing is known about how these aspects affect mating decisions and fish reproductive success.

Dias, Á., & Barriga, F. (2015). Saldanha hydrothermal field: the role of the sediment-cover in the preservation of ore-forming minerals. Third InterRidge Theoretical Institute: Magmatic and Tectonic Processes and Seabed Resources at Mid-Ocean Ridges. T2-09, Hangzhou, China.

Fagundes, T., Simões, M. G., Saraiva, J. L., Ros, A. F. H., Gonçalves, D., & Oliveira, R. F. (2015). Birth date predicts alternative life‐history pathways in a fish with sequential reproductive tactics. Functional Ecology, 29(12), 1533–1542. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12465

Tagulao, K. (2015). Bringing Life Science to Primary and Secondary School Students in Macao: From Genes to Environment [Research Report]. University of Saint Joseph.

Cruz, M. I., Marques, F. A. M., Dias, Á., Pedersen, R., & Barriga, F. (2014). Sr and Nd isotopic composition of Jan Mayen and Loki’s Castle: a progress report. 43rd Underwater Mining Institute.

Gonçalves, D. (2014). Alternative pathway history in a fish with plastic reproductive tactic. Functional Ecology.

Gonçalves, D. (2014). Oestradiol and prostaglandin F2α regulate sexual display in female of a sex-role reversed fish. 281(1778).

Amuno, S. A. (2013). Potential Ecological Risk of Heavy Metal Distribution in Cemetery Soils. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 224(2), 1435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1435-2

In this paper, preliminary investigation was conducted to evaluate the potential ecological risk of heavy metals contamination in cemetery soils. Necrosol samples were collected from within and around the vicinity of the largest mass grave in Rwanda and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations using total digestion–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. Based on the concentrations of As, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Zn, the overall contamination degree (Cdeg) and potential ecological risks status (RI) of the necrosols were determined. The preliminary results revealed that the associated cemetery soils are only contaminated to a low degree. On the other hand, assessment of the potential ecological risk index (RI) revealed that cumulative heavy metal content of the soil do not pose any significant ecological risks. These findings, therefore, suggest that, while cemetery soils may be toxic due to the accumulation of certain heavy metals, their overall ecological risks may be minimal and insignificant.

Cardoso, S. D., Gonçalves, D., Robalo, J. I., Almada, V. C., Canário, A. V. M., & Oliveira, R. F. (2013). Efficient isolation of polymorphic microsatellites from high-throughput sequence data based on number of repeats. Marine Genomics, 11, 11–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margen.2013.04.002

Cruz, M. I., Dias, Á., Pedersen, R. B., Relvas, J. M. R. S., Fonseca, R., & Barriga, F. J. A. S. (2013). Sulphide mineralization in Arctic seafloor hydrothermal fields: extending the European exploration area to the Far North. ERA-MIN.

Cruz, M. I., Marques, A. F., Dias, Á., Pedersen, R., Relvas, J. M. R. S., & Barriga, F. J. A. S. (2013). Sulfide Sites in the Arctic Ocean: Jan Mayen and Loki’s Castle, Mineralogical Magazine. Goldschmidt. https://goldschmidtabstracts.info/abstracts/abstractView?id=2013003606

Saraiva, J. L., Gonçalves, D., & Oliveira, R. F. (2013). Ecological modulation of reproductive behaviour in the peacock blenny: a mini-review. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 39(1), 85–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-012-9658-5

Fagundes, T., Simões, M. G., Gonçalves, D., & Oliveira, R. F. (2012). Social cues in the expression of sequential alternative reproductive tactics in young males of the peacock blenny, Salaria pavo. Physiology & Behavior, 107(3), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.07.011

Saraiva, J. L., Pignolo, G., Gonçalves, D., & Oliveira, R. F. (2012). Interpopulational variation of the mating system in the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. Acta Ethologica, 15(1), 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-011-0104-y

Dias, Á., Früh-Green, G. L., Bernasconi, S. M., & Barriga, F. J. A. S. (2011). Geochemistry and stable isotope constraints on high-temperature activity from sediment cores of the Saldanha hydrothermal field. Marine Geology, 279(1–4), 128–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.10.017

Gonçalves, D., & Oliveira, R. F. (2011). Hormones and Sexual Behavior of Teleost Fishes. In Hormones and Reproduction of Vertebrates (pp. 119–147). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-375009-9.10007-4

Oliveira, R. F., Simões, M. G., Gonçalves, D., & Saraiva, J. L. (2011). Plasticity in reproductive behaviour in two populations of the peacock blenny. Behaviour, 148(14), 1457–1472. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853911X617089

Ezeka, F. A. N., & Chan, S. K. (2010, April 10). Achieving acceptable air quality in Macao through sustainable transportation. International symposium on the progrees of technology in environmental impact assessment, 2010 Macao international environmental co-operation forum & exhibition, Macao SAR, China.