ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3532-6759
Current Organisation
Octolarvae S.L.
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-04-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-07-2018
Publisher: Schweizerbart
Date: 10-2012
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-01-2015
DOI: 10.1111/AZO.12113
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 31-05-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-03-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 24-05-2017
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 28-06-2018
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12218
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2014
DOI: 10.1037/A0036883
Abstract: The first description of cannibalism in wild adult Octopus vulgaris is presented from 3 observations made in the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain), which were filmed by scuba ers. These records document common traits in cannibalistic behavior: (a) it was intercohort cannibalism (b) attacks were made by both males and females (c) in 2 of the records, the prey were transported to the den, which was covered with stones of different sizes (d) the predator started to eat the tip of the arms of its prey (e) predation on conspecifics occurred even if there were other abundant prey available (i.e., mussels) and (f) the prey redator weight ratio in the 3 cases ranged from 20% to 25% body weight. The relationships between this behavior and sex, defense of territory, energy balance, food shortage, competition and predation, as well as how the attacker kills its victim are discussed.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2018.05.032
Abstract: The oegopsid squid family Onychoteuthidae was recently revised based on morphology, but sufficient material for a complementary molecular analysis has not been available until now. In the present study, over 250 sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S rRNA for 222 in iduals were analysed to create a combined phylogeny for the family. Results support monophyly for the family and all seven onychoteuthid genera (including Moroteuthopsis, established herein as the senior genus name for species formerly attributed to Kondakovia) 29 genetically distinct species were recovered, with the BIN (Barcode Index Number) analysis for COI showing good congruence overall with morphological species groupings. No sequences were available for five additional known species, making the total family ersity likely to exceed 34 species. Seven of the BINs formed in this study appear to represent undescribed taxa, suggesting that even in this relatively well-studied family, much additional work remains before a comprehensive understanding of the ersity and evolutionary relationships for the Onychoteuthidae can be achieved.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-03-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-07-2015
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-015-4601-1
Abstract: S les of anadromous Alosa alosa (Clupeidae) (n = 163) and Alosa fallax (Clupeidae) (n = 223), caught in Western Iberian Peninsula Rivers from 2008 to 2013, were examined for buccal, branchial and internal macroparasites, which were identified using morphological and molecular methods. Alosa alosa were infected with Anisakis simplex s.s., Anisakis pegreffii, Hysterothylacium aduncum, Rhadinorhynchus pristis, Mazocraes alosae, Hemiurus appendiculatus, Ceratothoa italica and an unidentified ergasilid copepod. Ceratothoa italica represents a new host record for A. alosa. Alosa fallax were infected with A. simplex s.s., A. pegreffii, H. aduncum, H. appendiculatus, Clavellisa emarginata and an unidentified cymothoid isopod. This is the first report of C. italica, C. emarginata and M. alosae in the Iberian Peninsula. The phylogenetic positions of M. alosae, H. appendiculatus and C. emarginata were assessed using 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) our contributions provide a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within their groups. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the parasite faunas of these two shad species are consistent with different feeding strategies. The results provide information about host migration behaviour and transmission pathways through diet during the marine trophic phase of the shad's life cycle and their roles as paratenic or final hosts and transporters of parasites between seawater and freshwater environments. The zoonotic parasites A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii pose a risk for consumers or riverine mammals (e.g. European otter). The use of parasites as biological tags for shad stocks in Western Iberian Rivers could be a useful approach in multidisciplinary studies concerning fish stock delimitation and characterization.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-05-2010
Abstract: Guerra, Á., Roura, Á., González, Á. F., Pascual, S., Cherel, Y., and Pérez-Losada, M. 2010. Morphological and genetic evidence that Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 inhabits Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands (southern Indian Ocean). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1401–1407. The coastal octopus at Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands is Octopus vulgaris Cuvier 1797. Meristic and morphological characters, along with phylogenetic analysis of COI and COIII DNA sequences, were used to identify 11 animals collected in 2000 or 2001. The range of the species is therefore expanded to include the oceanic islands of the central southern Indian Ocean. The trees also depicted the genus Octopus as polyphyletic and O. vulgaris sense Cuvier or sensu stricto as monophyletic.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-01-2015
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-05-2023
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-023-35206-4
Abstract: Our knowledge of the diet of wild octopus paralarvae, Octopus vulgaris, is restricted to the first 2 weeks of its planktonic phase when they are selective hunters found near the coastline. These small paralarvae, bearing only three suckers per arm, are transported by oceanic currents from the coast towards offshore waters, where they complete the planktonic phase over 2 months. Here, we have investigated the trophic ecology of O. vulgaris paralarvae in two contrasting upwelling sub-regions of the Iberian Canary current (ICC) eastern boundary upwelling system and have evaluated dietary change as paralarvae develop (inferred by counting the number of suckers per arm, ranging from three to 15) along the coastal-oceanic gradient during their planktonic phase. Using high-throughput licon sequencing, we have characterised the diet of 100 paralarvae collected along the Northwest Iberian Peninsula (n = 65, three to five suckers per arm) and off the west coast of Morocco (n = 35, three to 15 suckers per arm), identifying up to 87 different prey species. The diet of paralarvae varied along the ICC, with crabs (53.4%), siphonophores (12.2%), copepods (12.3%), cnidarians (8.4%) and pteropods (3.7%) accounting for 90% of the variability detected off NW Iberian Peninsula, whereas off W Morocco, crabs (46.2%), copepods (23.1%), cnidarians (12.9%), krill (9.3%) and fishes (4.2%) explained 95.6% of the variability observed using frequency of observance (FOO%) data. Ontogenetic changes in the diet based on groups of paralarvae with similar numbers per arm were evidenced by the decreasing contribution of coastal meroplankton and an increase in oceanic holoplankton, including siphonophores, copepods, pteropods and krill. Trophic niche breadth values ranged from 0.06 to 0.67, with averaged values ranging from 0.23 to 0.33 (generalist = 1 and specialist = 0), suggesting that O. vulgaris paralarvae are selective predators through their ontogenetic transition between coastal and oceanic environments.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-10-2018
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.4546
Publisher: Editorial CSIC
Date: 11-05-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-07-2020
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 02-08-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 15-05-2012
DOI: 10.3354/DAO02457
Abstract: Cystacanths of the acanthocephalan Bolbosoma balaenae (Gmelin, 1790) were found encapsulated in the cephalothorax of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes couchii (Bell, 1853) from temperate waters in the NE Atlantic Ocean. Euphausiids were caught in locations outside the Ría de Vigo in Galicia, NW Spain, and prevalence of infection was up to 0.1%. The parasite was identified by morphological characters. Cystacanths were 8.09 ± 2.25 mm total length (mean ± SD) and had proboscises that consisted of 22 to 24 longitudinal rows of hooks, each of which had 8 or 9 hooks per row including 2 or 3 rootless ones in the proboscis base and 1 field of small hooks in the prebulbar part. Phylogenetic analyses of 18S rDNA and cytocrome c oxidase subunit I revealed a close relationship with other taxa of the family Polymorphidae (Meyer, 1931). The results extend northwards ot the known distribution of B. balaenae. Taxonomic affiliation of parasites and trophic ecology in the s ling area suggest that N. couchii is the intermediate host for B. balenae, and we suggest that the whales Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) and B. acutorostrata (Lacepède, 1804) are its definitive hosts. This life cycle is probably completed with or without paratenic hosts.
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 09-07-2013
DOI: 10.3354/DAO02611
Abstract: In the mesozooplanktonic community of the coastal upwelling system of the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain), the euphausiid Nyctiphanes couchii has been identified for the first time in temperate waters of the NE Atlantic as the intermediate host for cystacanths of Rhadinorhynchus sp. Parasites were identified using morphological characters described in 20 cystacanths. The hooks of the proboscis were arranged in 14 rows of 26 hooks each, while the hooks of the basal circle were only slightly erected and were longer than remaining spines. A maximum-likelihood estimation (ML) tree inferred from the 18S rRNA data set of Palaeacantocephala revealed that our specimens belong to a highly supported clade with Rhadinorhynchus sp., Pararhadinorhynchus sp. and Transvena annulospinosa. Nonetheless, our morphological and phylogenetic analyses suggested that the status of Rhadinorhynchus pristis should be re-examined. The prevalences of parasites were 0.0019% and 0.0001% for frontal and coastal summer communities, and 0.0068% and 0.0008% for coastal and oceanic autumn communities, respectively. The presence of these cystacanths in different mesozooplankton communities throughout the study suggests that the recruitment of parasites may be affected by the oceanography.
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 19-10-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-2148127/V1
Abstract: Planktonic octopuses undergo a transitional period from a pelagic lifestyle to the predominantly benthic life of the juvenile stage, known as settlement, that is scarcely documented in the wild or captivity. In this work two generations of the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris , were reared in captivity and three different stages were defined for the settlement phase based on morphological, anatomical, and behavioural changes: pre-settlement or “tactile” stage, settlement, and post-settlement or “ninja” stage. Before settlement the swimming planktonic paralarvae are transparent with 65–80 chromatophores, iridophores covering eyes and digestive system, Kölliker organs, circular pupils, ~ 20 suckers, and mantle length (ML) bigger than total length (TL ML/TL 60%). The “tactile” stage (ML/TL from 65 − 55% and ~ 20–25 suckers) is marked by the onset of pre-settlement reflexes, where the late paralarvae touch the walls and bottom of the tank and start crawling clumsily. Morphologically, the paralarvae are transparent with increasing chromatophores and iridophores along the arms and the dorsal area of head and mantle. During the settlement stage (~ 55 − 48% ML/TL, and ~ 25–35 suckers), there is an exponential increase of chromatophores in the dorsal area and a marked change in behaviour, with paralarvae showing strong negative phototaxis, looking for shelter when disturbed. The skin is still transparent but new chromatic cells (leucophores) start to develop and the Kölliker organs are almost lost. During the post-settlement stage (~ 48 − 40% ML/TL, 35 suckers) the chromatic cells keep increasing exponentially, giving a pale look to the skin. The early juveniles have horizontal pupils, with the “eye-bar” and display very fast and coordinated movements like “ninjas”. The start of the benthic phase is marked by the presence of skin sculptural components (papillae and cirrha) and the display of complex chromatic and body patterns.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1002/JMOR.10787
Abstract: A morphological comparison of the spermatozoa of the octopods Bathypolypus bairdii and B. sponsalis has been carried out by electron microscopy. Although the mature spermatozoon of B. bairdii is longer and thinner than that of B. sponsalis, its general ultrastructure is similar except for some minor differences. Their characteristic acrosomes, described here for the first time, consist of a periodically banded cone surrounded by a double helix whose arrangement has been defined by a numeric expression. The plasma membrane of sponsalis that surrounds the acrosome has many projections filled with abundant granular cytoplasm, which appears as a star-shaped acrosome in cross-section. The mitochondrial sheath contains 9-11 mitochondria in bairdii but only 9 in sponsalis. A comparison with other Octopodidae shows that the nucleus of both species is the largest ever seen. Our results support the capability of sperm morphology to discriminate between species and could even discern at higher taxonomic levels.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-04-2010
DOI: 10.1002/JMOR.10842
Abstract: Sperm ultrastructure of the deep-sea hydrothermal vent octopod Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis has been carried out by transmission electron microscopy. Spermatozoa of this species have the shortest head observed so far in octopodids. The acrosome possesses a helix with six gyres. The rod-shaped nucleus is short and wide in relation with other octopodids. Noteworthy features along the nucleus are the regularly disposed dense bands of cytoplasm, which have not been observed before in octopodids. The nuclear fossa is very short and wavy. Mitochondrial sheath has 10 elongated mitochondria running parallel to the axoneme-coarse fibers complex. Sperm morphology of V. hydrothermalis resembles that of Enteroctopus dofleini, suggesting a close phylogenetic relationship.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 17-08-2017
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 06-01-2022
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS13915
Abstract: Trophic interactions in cephalopod paralarvae are difficult to evaluate due to the ingestion of liquified prey contents that are not recognizable by visual methods however, molecular techniques such as next generation sequencing (NGS) can provide better resolution. In this study, we used NGS techniques to determine the diet of Loligo vulgaris paralarvae collected along the West Iberian Peninsula coast. Trophic analyses were conducted on 31 paralarvae ranging from 1.61-6.01 mm in dorsal mantle length, with an estimated age between 2 and 28 d. The digestive system of each paralarvae was dissected and a 300 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene was sequenced with the MiSeq platform. After quality selection, 3201878 reads were obtained and 130 licon sequencing variants were identified as prey (158457 reads). Crustaceans accounted for 88.09% of the total reads, mainly represented by calanoids (73.22%), euphausiids (5.73%) and decapods (2.75%). Distance-based linear modelling showed that diet patterns depended mainly on spatial variables, accounting for 46.92% of the total variation, with calanoids and euphausiids comprising the dominant prey in the diet of paralarvae from SW Galicia, while siphonophores and myopsids constituted the most important prey on the Northern Galician coast.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2013
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 19-07-2017
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-09-2018
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPROTEOME.8B00525
Abstract: The salivary apparatus of the common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris) has been the subject of biochemical study for over a century. A combination of bioassays, behavioral studies and molecular analysis on O. vulgaris and related species suggests that its proteome should contain a mixture of highly potent neurotoxins and degradative proteins. However, a lack of genomic and transcriptomic data has meant that the amino acid sequences of these proteins remain almost entirely unknown. To address this, we assembled the posterior salivary gland transcriptome of O. vulgaris and combined it with high resolution mass spectrometry data from the posterior and anterior salivary glands of two adults, the posterior salivary glands of six paralarvae and the saliva from a single adult. We identified a total of 2810 protein groups from across this range of salivary tissues and age classes, including 84 with homology to known venom protein families. Additionally, we found 21 short secreted cysteine rich protein groups of which 12 were specific to cephalopods. By combining protein expression data with phylogenetic analysis we demonstrate that serine proteases expanded dramatically within the cephalopod lineage and that cephalopod specific proteins are strongly associated with the salivary apparatus.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 11-03-2019
DOI: 10.1101/573493
Abstract: Many marine species once considered to be cosmopolitan are now recognised as cryptic species complexes. Mitochondrial markers are ubiquitously used to address phylogeographic questions, and have been used to identify some cryptic species complexes however, their efficacy in inference of evolutionary processes in the nuclear genome has not been thoroughly investigated. We used double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) markers to quantify species boundaries in the widely distributed and high value common octopus, Octopus vulgaris , comparing genome-wide phylogenetic signal to that obtained from mitochondrial markers. Phylogenetic analyses, genome-wide concordance and species tree estimation based on 604 genome-wide ddRADseq loci revealed six species within the O. vulgaris group. Divergence time estimates suggested modern-day species evolved over the last 2.5 ma, during a period of global cooling. Importantly, our study identified significant phylogenetic discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear markers genome-wide nuclear loci supported O. vulgaris sensu stricto and Type III (South Africa) as distinct species, which mtDNA failed to recognise. Our finding of conflicting phylogenetic signal between mitochondrial and nuclear markers has broad implications for many taxa. Improved phylogenetic resolution of O. vulgaris has significant implications for appropriate management of the group and will allow greater accuracy in global fisheries catch statistics.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-04-2016
DOI: 10.1111/FOG.12151
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-06-2010
Abstract: Roura, Á., González, Á. F., Pascual, S., and Guerra, Á. 2010. A molecular approach to identifying the prey of cephalopod paralarvae. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1408–1412. A molecular method was developed to detect Artemia franciscana within Octopus vulgaris paralarvae, as a first step towards understanding the diet of octopus during this life stage. Wild eggs were collected from a spawning female in the Ría de Vigo (northwestern Spain) in late summer, and brought to the laboratory. After hatching, paralarvae were reared in 30 l rectangular tanks with an open seawater filtered system. Paralarvae were fed Artemia, then immediately fixed in 80% ethanol and preserved at −20°C. Primers specific to A. franciscana were designed for the gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. A nested polymerase chain reaction was necessary to detect A. franciscana within octopus paralarvae. This molecular method provides a new framework for resolving the diet of cephalopod paralarvae in the wild, essential for ecological understanding and increasing survival rates in aquaculture.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-09-2016
DOI: 10.1111/ZSC.12207
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 2014
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-03-2022
Location: No location found
No related grants have been discovered for Álvaro Roura.