Abstract
A case report of six brown booby (Sula leucogaster) envenomation following the ingestion of toadfish (Porichthys porosissimus) specimens in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil is discussed herein. Several macro- and microscopic pathological alterations were observed in the examined brown booby specimens, and rapid envenomation (<24 h) is suggested due to the digestion stage of the fish found in their gastrointestinal tracts. This is the first report to mention the death of adult and juvenile brown boobies due to envenomation by the toadfish P. porosissimus. Further studies assessing the role of discarded fish as a driving force of negative effects on seabirds, such as envenomations, for example, along the southeastern coast of Brazil are recommended.
Highlights
The toadfish, Porichthys porosissimus (Cuvier, 1829) (Teleostei, Batrachoididae) is found in in marine and brackish environment in the Southwest Atlantic, ranging from Espírito Santo, Brazil to eastern Argentina (Floeter et al 2003, Figueiredo et al 2002)
Porichthys porosissimus has been recently proven venomous after much discussion in the literature, only one study on envenoming by this species is available in the literature, regarding two human cases (Lopes-Ferreira et al 2014)
This study consists in a case report of the death of six brown booby (Sula leucogaster) individuals following the ingestion of this venomous toadfish in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil
Summary
The toadfish, Porichthys porosissimus (Cuvier, 1829) (Teleostei, Batrachoididae) is found in in marine and brackish environment in the Southwest Atlantic, ranging from Espírito Santo, Brazil to eastern Argentina (Floeter et al 2003, Figueiredo et al 2002). Porichthys porosissimus has been recently proven venomous after much discussion in the literature, only one study on envenoming by this species is available in the literature, regarding two human cases (Lopes-Ferreira et al 2014). This study consists in a case report of the death of six brown booby (Sula leucogaster) individuals following the ingestion of this venomous toadfish in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
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