true

ISRA FACTSHEETS

SOUTH AMERICAN ATLANTIC REGION

ISRA FACTSHEETS

SOUTH AMERICAN ATLANTIC REGION

Queimada Grande Island ISRA

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Queimada Grande Island ISRA

Queimada Grande Island

Summary

Queimada Grande Island is located off the coastline of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. The area is characterised by having the southernmost Atlantic coral reef system. The habitat consists of a heterogeneous subtidal substrate which includes rocks, coral reefs, and rhodolite beds. Within this area there are: threatened species and undefined aggregations (Whitespotted Eagle Ray Aetobatus narinari).

Queimada Grande Island

Queimada Grande Island

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Queimada Grande Island is located 32 km off the coastline of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. It has the southernmost Atlantic coral reef system (Pereira-Filho et al. 2019). The habitat consists of a heterogeneous subtidal substrate, including rocky reefs formed by boulders associated with fringing coral reefs, a coralline reef plateau covered by living corals, sponges, tunicates, and fleshy algae, and rhodolite beds (Pereira-Filho et al. 2019). The average sea surface temperature ranges from 21.2ºC in the austral winter to 26.6ºC in the summer (Grillo et al. 2021).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthic and pelagic delineated from surface waters (0 m) to a depth of 22 m based on the depth range of the Qualifying Species in the area.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

One Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occurs in the area. This is the Endangered Whitespotted Eagle Ray (Dulvy et al. 2021).

CRITERION C

SUB-CRITERION C5 – UNDEFINED AGGREGATIONS

Queimada Grande Island is an important area for undefined aggregations of one ray species.

Between 2018–2024, six aggregations of Whitespotted Eagle Rays, with the maximum of 45 individuals in a single group, were observed by divers in the area (LD Chelotti unpubl. data 2024). During 2023 and 2024, a citizen science program compiled shark and ray sightings through interviews with dive masters’ and recreational divers visiting the area. To avoid double counting, each survey value corresponded to the maximum number of individuals per species reported by all divers on the same dive boat. During this period, 45 surveys were conducted in the area and Whitespotted Eagle Rays were reported in 43 (95.6%). Two aggregations were reported (n = 6 individuals in November 2023 and n = 10 in December 2023; LD Chelotti unpubl. data. 2024). During interviews, divers also reported four aggregations in the area from previous years (n = 45 individuals in July 2018, n = 7 in July 2020, n = 29 in November 2020, and n = 30 in July 2022). Queimada Grande Island has the most regular and largest aggregations of Whitespotted Eagle Ray on the south and central coast of São Paulo. Based on reports from the citizen science project, there has only been one record of an aggregation of this species outside this area (LD Chelotti unpubl. data 2024). Whitespotted Eagle Rays have been reported to swim in synchrony and engage in foraging activity when within these aggregations (LD Chelotti person. comm. 2024). Further information is required to determine the nature and function of these aggregations.

Queimada Grande Island

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