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<p>The accumulation of plastics in the marine environment constitutes an increasing threat to biodiversity due to accidental ingestion and bioaccumulation along food webs. While plastic contamination has been widely documented in mollusks and fishes, gaps remain regarding elasmobranchs, ecologically relevant groups vulnerable to marine pollution. This study assessed plastic particle ingestion in three ray species with contrasting ecological habits <i>Dasyatis hypostigma</i>, <i>Myliobatis freminvillei</i>, and <i>Sympterygia bonapartii</i> incidentally captured in Florianópolis, southern Brazil, testing whether habitat use and feeding strategy influence contamination patterns among species and tissues. Stomach and gills from 28 individuals were analyzed using alkaline digestion, membrane filtration, stereomicroscopy, and <i>µ</i>-FTIR spectroscopy. A total of 152 plastic particles were detected, predominantly micro- and mesoplastics, with 98% fibers. No significant interspecific differences in overall plastic abundance were observed; however, particle size and polymer composition differed significantly among species. The benthic <i>S. bonapartii</i> retained smaller, sediment-associated particles, whereas the pelagic <i>M. freminvillei</i> was associated with low-density polymers and fibers typical of the water column, likely linked to fishing activities. Plastic particles were more frequent in stomachs than in gills, indicating distinct dietary and waterborne exposure pathways. These findings indicate that habitat use and foraging strategy influence primarily the type and size, rather than the abundance, of ingested plastics. This study provides the first records of plastic ingestion for these ray species in southern Brazil, highlighting the importance of species ecology in assessments of marine plastic contamination.</p>

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Patterns of plastic ingestion linked to feeding ecology in three ray species from southern Brazil

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月1日

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  • João Pedro Cavalcante Martins,
  • Diego José Nogueira,
  • Miguel Saldaña-Serrano,
  • Raimara de Souza Gomes,
  • Andreia Neves Fernandes,
  • Afonso Celso Dias Bainy,
  • Renato Hajenius Aché de Freitas

摘要

The accumulation of plastics in the marine environment constitutes an increasing threat to biodiversity due to accidental ingestion and bioaccumulation along food webs. While plastic contamination has been widely documented in mollusks and fishes, gaps remain regarding elasmobranchs, ecologically relevant groups vulnerable to marine pollution. This study assessed plastic particle ingestion in three ray species with contrasting ecological habits Dasyatis hypostigma, Myliobatis freminvillei, and Sympterygia bonapartii incidentally captured in Florianópolis, southern Brazil, testing whether habitat use and feeding strategy influence contamination patterns among species and tissues. Stomach and gills from 28 individuals were analyzed using alkaline digestion, membrane filtration, stereomicroscopy, and µ-FTIR spectroscopy. A total of 152 plastic particles were detected, predominantly micro- and mesoplastics, with 98% fibers. No significant interspecific differences in overall plastic abundance were observed; however, particle size and polymer composition differed significantly among species. The benthic S. bonapartii retained smaller, sediment-associated particles, whereas the pelagic M. freminvillei was associated with low-density polymers and fibers typical of the water column, likely linked to fishing activities. Plastic particles were more frequent in stomachs than in gills, indicating distinct dietary and waterborne exposure pathways. These findings indicate that habitat use and foraging strategy influence primarily the type and size, rather than the abundance, of ingested plastics. This study provides the first records of plastic ingestion for these ray species in southern Brazil, highlighting the importance of species ecology in assessments of marine plastic contamination.