"Biology, Ecology and Systematics of Sea Anemones sensu lato (Anthozoa: Actiniaria and Ceriantharia) in the Atlantic Ocean: Key Findings from a Four-Year Research Program" by Prof. Sérgio N. Stampar

Marine Climate Change (Ravasi) Unit would like to invite you to the seminar by Prof. Sérgio N. Stampar on June 23 (Tuesday).
 
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Date:   Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026
Time:  10:00-11:00
Venue: C210 (Level C, Center building)

Zoom link:

Speaker:

Prof. Sérgio N. Stampar
São Paulo State University – UNESP, Brazil

Title:

Biology, Ecology and Systematics of Sea Anemones sensu lato (Anthozoa: Actiniaria and Ceriantharia) in the Atlantic Ocean: Key Findings from a Four-Year Research Program

Abstract:

This lecture presents the principal outcomes of a four-year integrative research program (2022–2026) dedicated to characterizing the diversity, biology, and biotechnological potential of sea anemones sensu lato in the Atlantic Ocean, with particular emphasis on the historically understudied South Atlantic. The program was articulated around five interconnected axes: integrative taxonomy, population biology and cytogenetics, trophic and environmental ecology, genomics and transcriptomics, and bioprospecting.

The talk will highlight a series of substantive contributions to the field. Taxonomic work yielded the description of four species new to science and the erection of a new family, alongside the correction of a fifty-year-old misidentification of an Australian species in Argentine waters. In the domain of functional biology, the project documented the first virucidal activity ever reported for a cnidarian extract against the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), assembled the first nuclear genome of native species from Brazilian coast and refuted the century-old hypothesis of protandric hermaphroditism in Ceriantharia, confirming simultaneous hermaphroditism instead. Ecological assessments further revealed microplastic contamination in 61.7% of examined Brazilian specimens, underscoring the conservation relevance of the group. Methodological innovations include the development of the AC5D karyotyping protocol and the deployment of DNA metabarcoding and SymPortal pipelines for symbiont characterization. Field efforts encompassed more than fifteen Brazilian localities, five Australian sites, and a deep-sea expedition with the Schmidt Ocean Institute off Uruguay, recovering over 200 specimens between 200 and 2,500 m depth. The program produced 19 published articles, deposited more than 250 sequences in GenBank, trained 34 students at multiple academic levels, and established active collaborations across seven countries. The lecture concludes by discussing how these findings collectively reshape current understanding of Atlantic anthozoan diversity and outline a long-term research agenda for the South Atlantic.

Host:
Prof. Timothy Ravasi