true

ISRA FACTSHEETS

SOUTH AMERICAN ATLANTIC REGION

ISRA FACTSHEETS

SOUTH AMERICAN ATLANTIC REGION

Espírito Santo Bay ISRA

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Espírito Santo Bay ISRA

Espírito Santo Bay

Summary

Espírito Santo Bay is located in Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The substrate is mostly characterised by fine sand or muddy sediments and seagrass patches. The area is influenced by freshwater discharge from the Santa Maria da Vitória River, with seasonally higher flow from November–March. Within this area there are: threatened species (e.g., American Cownose Ray Rhinoptera bonasus) and undefined aggregations (e.g., Brazilian Cownose Ray Rhinoptera brasiliensis).

Espírito Santo Bay

Espírito Santo Bay

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Espírito Santo Bay is located in Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The substrate is mostly formed by fine sand or muddy sediments and seagrass patches (Bastos et al. 2015). The Santa Maria da Vitória River discharges into this area, with elevated flow during the rainy season from November–March. Mangroves line the bay and occupy an area of 18 km2, which represents 20% of the total mangroves in this state (Giacometti et al. 2018). The bay has a lower mesotidal regime, with a mean spring tidal range of 1.6 m and peak current speeds of up to 0.3 m/s (Bastos et al. 2015).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthic and pelagic and is delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to 18 m based on the bathymetry of the area.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

Two Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occur in the area. These are the Vulnerable American Cownose Ray (Carlson et al. 2020a) and Brazilian Cownose Ray (Carlson et al. 2020b).

CRITERION C

SUB-CRITERION C5 – UNDEFINED AGGREGATIONS

Espírito Santo Bay is an important area for undefined aggregations of two ray species.

Between 2019–2025, assemblages of ~80–300 Cownose Rays were opportunistically recorded within the area, mainly from October–March, and shared on social media and on local news outlets (G1 2019; A Gazeta 2022; G1 2025). Photos and videos of these assemblages of cownose rays swimming in groups were analysed. The 2019 assemblage could only be identified at the genus level as comprising Rhinoptera spp. (P Charvet pers. obs. 2025). In 2020, 2022, and 2025, it was possible to distinguish between American Cownose Rays and Brazilian Cownose Rays based on the colouration of their dorsal surface. Additionally, cownose rays were found dead on the beaches within this area in 2015 (n = 68 individuals [65 pregnant females and 3 males]), 2020 (~20 individuals), and 2023 (~40 individuals) (R7 2020; A Gazeta 2023). Further information is required to understand the nature and function of the aggregations and the importance of this area for these rays.

Espírito Santo Bay

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