The Southern red snapper, Lutjanus purpureus, is a valuable economic resource, especially in international market. However, no recent data are available on the reproductive biology of this species in Brazilian waters, in particular, the stock found on the Amazon reef. The present study evaluated the population structure and reproductive biology of L. purpureus, and the volume of the catch of juveniles taken by the local commercial fisheries. A total of 923 specimens were analyzed, of which, 577 were female and 346 male (sex ratio: 0.6:1; p < 0.05). The analysis of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the distribution of maturation stages indicated that the males and females are able to reproduce throughout the year, however the reproductive peak occurs simultaneously with the increase in the water discharge of the Amazon River. The spawning females were registered in the study area, indicating that L. purpureus does not perform long distance reproductive migrations, different from the previously proposed. The Fork length at first sexual maturation (FL50) was estimated to be 35.2 cm in the males and 32.1 cm in the females. The high frequency of juveniles (< FL₅₀) captured by the commercial snapper fleet using longlines (33.67% of the total catch) and traps (42.1%) indicates the poor selectivity of the fishing gear used by the snapper fleet, which may contribute to the accelerated depletion of the L. purpureus stock. Although the results of this study show a catch percentage of juveniles >50%, it is still a significant percentage of juveniles that are being caught due to little or no guidance and enforcement of fishing gear to ensure compliance with current legislation. Considering the data presented in this study and the current situation of declining fish stocks of L. purpureus, an assessment is recommended for the inclusion of the species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which is currently a species categorized as “vulnerable” in the Brazilian Red List.

The genus Maculabatis is a group of batoid rays from the Dasyatidae family, consisting of two main complexes: the gerrardi (spotted species) and the pastinacoides (plain species). This study investigated the diversity within the Maculabatis gerrardi complex, revealing the presence of two distinct geographical lineages, with a potential new species captured off the coast of Mozambique. Molecular analysis showed a significant divergence: COI sequences from Mozambique specimens exhibited over 99% similarity with M. gerrardi from South Africa but more than 2% divergence from those in the Indo-Pacific. Phylogenetic analysis identified two distinct subclades, suggesting at least two hidden lineages within the genus Maculabatis and consequently possible new undescribed species within M. gerrardi complex. These findings emphasize the importance of conducting additional research that integrates both morphological and molecular methods to better understand the group's diversity and evolutionary dynamics, ultimately supporting the development of effective conservation strategies.

Snappers, como os Lutjanidae são conhecidos, estão amplamente distribuídos ao longo do Atlântico Ocidental, especialmente espécies do gênero Lutjanus, o mais abundante para esta região. Representam importantes recursos pesqueiros, sendo bastante capturados pela pesca comercial. Para a costa do Brasil, Atlântico Sul Ocidental, as espécies mais capturadas são L. purpureus, L. analis, L. synagris, O. chrysurus e o L. vivanus. Este último é comumente capturado em conjunto com o pargo L. purpureus. O objetivo do trabalho foi reunir dados da Região Controle mitocondrial para essas cinco espécies a fim de discutir aspectos da estrutura genética de suas populações e testar sua eficiência como marcador espécie-específico. Analisamos uma região de 390 pb da porção 5’ para 827 snappers, sendo 107 da espécie L. analis, 240 de L. purpureus, 272 de L. synagris, 56 de L. vivanus e 152 de O. chrysurus. Observamos diferentes níveis de diversidade genética para as cinco espécies, além do intenso compartilhamento de haplótipos em cada uma, sugerindo ampla conectividade genética para a costa do Brasil. Acreditamos que os diferentes padrões de variação observados estão relacionados a história evolutiva das espécies, aliados as peculiaridades bioecológicas de cada uma, sendo um produto de eventos históricos. Por isso, acreditamos que a RC é bastante adequada para a detecção de perda de diversidade resultante de gargalos populacionais históricos, não sendo adequada para a diagnose de sobrepesca. Além disso, comprovamos sua utilidade como marcador espécie-específico, representando uma nova possibilidade de Barcode para Lutjanidae.