Catálogo Ilustrado dos Tubarões e Raias dos Açores - Sharks and Rays from the Azores an illustrated catalogue
by
João Pedro Barreiros
Otto Bismarck F. Gadig
The authors:
João Pedro Barreiros is a PhD in Biology/Animal Ecology and aggregated Professor in Animal Ethology by the Universidade dos Açores, Portugal. He belongs to this same University and to the Sea Institute (IMAR). His studies are mainly directed to the ecology of marine fish especially big predators but also research in animal behaviour and cetaceans. Author of several scientific papers, as well as books, articles in popular science magazines and scientific illustration. In parallel JPB studies music since his childhood and paints, mainly oil on canvas having made several individual and collective exhibits. He spends most of his life diving, more often free diving not only for leisure but also as an important tool in his research for more than 30 years. Born in Lisbon but living in Angra do Heroísmo since 1984.
Otto Bismarck Fazzano Gadig is a biologist and a PhD in zoology by the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil. He is a professor and researcher in UNESP, campus of São Paulo coast located in the city of São Vicente. His studies are mainly directed to the biology, taxonomy and conservation of Brazilian sharks and rays. Author of several scientific papers, 3 books and numerous chapters on the subject. Although born in São Paulo, he lives in the seaside city of Santos for more than 40 years. According to himself, this is the home city of the greatest football team of all time – Santos Futebol Clube – from Pélé and mates. He is the proud father of Mariana and grand father of Ângela.
Indtroduction:
It is, by no means, a definitive book nor do we have such a pretension. It was written to be used by researchers, university professors, teachers, students of marine biology, oceanography, fisheries as well as divers, fishermen and all those who might be fond of the sea and would like to learn a little more about these magnificent animals. The information you are about to get come from the Professional experience of the authors and from the literature produced by many outstanding researchers from all over the World, especially from European colleagues, namely Portuguese. The main diagnostic characteristics for identifying orders, families, genera and species of Azorean sharks, rays and chimaeras are presented. For each species the reader will find an illustration, the scientific name as well as most used common names in the Azores and in English language. We also present information morphology with additional taxonomic details whenever useful and/or necessary in order to help the reader in identifying a given species. Basic information on the biology (feeding habits; reproduction), geographic distribution, habitat, maximum known size, fisheries and conservation status are also given. Ending the text on each species there is an “Observations” entry in order to include more regional data, behaviour and especially comparative descriptions with other species not yet recorded for the Azores but whose eventual appearance must not be discarded. At references chapter, the reader will find a state of art chapter on some of the most important scientific papers and books which, having been consulted to fulfil this work, may also offer a great volume of additional information. We tried to include here the main books on the basic biology of Chondrichthyes and also important identification field guides for the NE Atlantic and the Mediterranean and, finally, to list the majority of the scientific papers produced in Portugal. Colour plates with photos of the main Azorean species complement visual information.
Editor / Editor
IAC-Instituto Açoriano de Cultura
ISBN
978-989-8225-24-5
