The general objective of our research group is to carry out studies on phenotypic flexibility at the biochemical and physiological level in key organisms from coastal environments. Within the general objective, we carried out integrative and comparative studies on digestive and metabolic biochemical physiology and on mechanisms of adjustment at the biochemical-physiological level in relation to key environmental variables as well as  on the pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved.

Integrative and comparative studies on enzymatic activities involved in adjustments to changes in key environmental variables and on pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved

Studies of characterization and of modulation by different pathways of key enzymes in the digestive tract and of energy reserves.

Director
Dra. Michiels Maria Soledad
 Researcher UNMDP
Professor

Méndez, E., Albanesi, C., Michiels, M. S., López Mañanes, A. A., & González Castro, M. (2024). Analyses of body condition and digestive/metabolic parameters of Odontesthes argentinensis (Atherinopsidae) from Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (Argentina) during different phases of ovarian development. Neotropical Ichthyology, 22, e230139. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0139
Méndez, E., Michiels, M. S., & López-Mañanes, A. A. (2021). The influence of habitat on metabolic and digestive parameters in an intertidal crab from a SW Atlantic coastal lagoon. Belgian Journal of Zoology, 151, 81–98. https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2021.87
Michiels, M. S., Daleo, G. R., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2020). Differential modulation after feeding in different salinities and response to abscisic acid (ABA) and extracellular Ca2+ of aminopeptidase N (APN) activity in the hepatopancreas of the intertidal euryhaline crab Neohelice granulata. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 98(4), 262–268. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0163
López Mañanes, A. A., Asaro, A., Méndez, E., Michiels, M. S., & Pinoni, S. A. (2020). Digestive flexibility in Neohelice granulata from the Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon: Characterization and modulation of key enzymes in hepatopancreas. In E. M. Rodriguez & T. A. Luppi (Eds.), Neohelice granulata, a Model Species for Studies on Crustaceans, Volume II. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/128920
Michiels, M. S., Del Valle, J. C., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2017). Trypsin and N-aminopeptidase (APN) activities in the hepatopancreas of an intertidal euryhaline crab: Biochemical characteristics and differential modulation by histamine and salinity. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 204, 228–235.
Del Valle, J. C., Michiels, M. S., Radonic, M., López, A., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2016). Digestive and metabolic profile at the biochemical level of juvenile flounder Paralichthys orbignyanus (Valenciennes, 1839) (Pleuronectiformes: Paralichthyidae). Pan-American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 11(4), 309–323. http://www.panamjas.org/pdf_artigos/PANAMJAS_11(4)_309-323.pdf
Michiels, M. S., Del Valle, J. C., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2015). Biochemical characteristics and modulation by external and internal factors of aminopeptidase-N activity in the hepatopancreas of a euryhaline burrowing crab. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 185(5), 501–510. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00360-015-0899-3
Michiels, M. S., Del Valle, J. C., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2015). Lipase activity sensitive to dopamine, glucagon and cyclic AMP in the hepatopancreas of the euryhaline burrowing crab Neohelice granulata (Dana, 1851)(Decapoda, Grapsidae). Crustaceana, 88(1), 51–65. http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/15685403-00003399
Pinoni, S. A., Michiels, M. S., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2013). Phenotypic flexibility in response to environmental salinity in the euryhaline crab Neohelice granulata from the mudflat and the saltmarsh of a SW coastal lagoon. Marine Biology, 160(10), 2647–2661.
Michiels, M. S., Del Valle, J. C., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2013). Effect of environmental salinity and dopamine injections on key digestive enzymes in hepatopancreas of the euryhaline crab Cyrtograpsus angulatus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Varunidae. Scientia Marina, 77(1), 129–136. http://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/2234
Researchers
Dr. Gonzalez Castro Mariano
CV-SIGEVA
 Researcher CONICET

Albanesi, C., González-Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2023). Differential digestive and metabolic profile of juveniles and adults of the estuarine-dependent marine fish Mugil liza (Mugilidae) cohabiting inside a southwestern Atlantic coastal lagoon. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 101(12), 1079–1092. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0111
Pétillon, J., McKinley, E., Alexander, M., Adams, J. B., Angelini, C., Balke, T., Griffin, J. N., Bouma, T., Hacker, S., He, Q., Hensel, M. J. S., Ibáñez, C., Macreadie, P. I., Martino, S., Sharps, E., Ballinger, R., de Battisti, D., Beaumont, N., Burdon, D., … Skov, M. W. (2023). Top ten priorities for global saltmarsh restoration, conservation and ecosystem service research. Science of The Total Environment, 898, 165544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165544
González Castro, M., Cardoso, Y. P., Hughes, L. C., & Ortí, G. (2022). Hybridization is strongly constrained by salinity during secondary contact between silverside fishes (Odontesthes, Atheriniformes). Heredity, 129, 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-022-00555-9
Albanesi, C., González Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2022). Prejuveniles of Mugil liza (Actinopterygii; Fam. Mugilidae) show digestive and metabolic flexibility upon different postprandial times and refeeding. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 192, 561–573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-022-01438-5
Guimarães, K. L. A., Rosso, J. J., González Castro, M., Souza, M. F. B., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & Rodrigues, L. R. R. (2022). A new species of Hoplias malabaricus species complex (Characiformes: Erythrinidae) from the Crepori River, Amazon basin, Brazil. Journal of Fish Biology, 100(2), 425–443. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14953
Albanesi, C., González Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2021). Understanding the early ontogenetic stages of Mugil liza (Mugilidae): Morphological traits and digestive/metabolic profile of pre-juveniles after recruitment. Journal of Fish Biology, 98(3), 643–654. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14605
Delpiani, S. M., Bruno, D. O., Militelli, M. I., Acuña, F. H., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & González Castro, M. (2021). Reproductive variables of Hypleurochilus fissicornis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (Pisces: Blenniidae) on rocky intertidal zones in the South-western Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 101(2), 409–418. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315421000230
Colautti, D., Miranda, L., González Castro, M., Villanova, G. V., Strussmann, C., Mancin, M., Maiztegui, T., Berasain, G., Hattori, R. S., Grosman, F., Sanzano, P., Lozano, I., Vegh, S. L., Salinas, V., Ponti, O. D., Fresno, P. del, Minotti, P., Yamamoto, Y., & Baigún, C. (2020). Evidence of a landlocked reproducing population of the marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis (Actinopterygii; Atherinopsidae). Journal of Fish Biology, 96(1), 202–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14207
Hughes, L. C., Cardoso, Y. P., Sommer, J. A., Cifuentes, R., Cuello, M., Somoza, G. M., González Castro, M., Malabarba, L. R., Cussac, V., Habit, E. M., Betancur‐R, R., & Ortí, G. (2020). Biogeography, habitat transitions and hybridization in a radiation of South American silverside fishes revealed by mitochondrial and genomic RAD data. Molecular Ecology, 29(4), 738–751. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15350
Bianchi, S. J., & González Castro, M. (2020). Reproductive biology of Parona signata (Actinopterygii: Carangidae), a valuable economic resource, in the coastal area of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Neotropical Ichthyology, 18(3), e190133. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2019-0133
Deli Antoni, M. Y., Delpiani, S. M., González Castro, M., Blasina, G. E., Spath, M. C., Delpiani, G. E., Ashikaga, F. Y., Cruz, V. P., Oliveira, C., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2019). Comparative populational study of Lepidonotothen larseni and L. nudifrons (Teleostei: Nototheniidae) from the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 42(8), 1537–1547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02540-1
Castellini, D. L., Brown, D. R., Lajud, N. A., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & González Castro, M. (2019). Juveniles recruitment and daily growth of the southern stock of Mugil liza (Actinopterygii; Fam. Mugilidae): new evidence for the current life-history model. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 99(1), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417001904
González Castro, M., Rosso, J. J., Delpiani, S. M., Mabragaña, E., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2019). Inferring boundaries among fish species of the new world silversides (Atherinopsidae; genus Odontesthes): new evidences of incipient speciation between marine and brackish populations of Odontesthes argentinensis. Genetica, 147, 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-019-00066-2
Cardoso, Y. P., Rosso, J. J., Mabragaña, E., González Castro, M., Delpiani, S. M., Avigliano, E., Bogan, S., Covain, R., Schenone, N. F., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2018). A continental-wide molecular approach unraveling mtDNA diversity and geographic distribution of the Neotropical genus Hoplias. PLOS ONE, 13(8), e0202024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202024
Rosso, J. J., Rueda, E. C., Sanchez, S., Bruno, M. C., Casciotta, J., Aguilera, G., Almirón, A. E., Ruiz Díaz, F. J., Cancino, D. F., Bugeau, B., Mabragaña, E., González-Castro, M., Delpiani, S. M., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2018). Basin-scale distribution and haplotype partitioning in different genetic lineages of the Neotropical migratory fish Salminus brasiliensis. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 28(2), 444–456. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2830
Castellini, D. L., González Castro, M., Lopez-Cazorla, A., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2018). Abnormalities in flatfishes of the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Fish Biology, 92(4), 1225–1234. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13578
Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., Munroe, T. A., Béarez, P., González Castro, M., & Castellini, D. L. (2018). External morphology, postcranial and appendicular osteology of three southwestern Atlantic flatfishes ( Paralichthys , Paralichthyidae), and comparisons with other congeneric species. Neotropical Ichthyology, 16(2), e170134. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-20170164
Callicó Fortunato, R., González Castro, M., Reguera Galán, A., García Alonso, I., Kunert, C., Benedito Durà, V., & Volpedo, A. V. (2017). Identification of potential fish stocks and lifetime movement patterns of Mugil liza Valenciennes 1836 in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Fisheries Research, 193, 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2017.04.005
Callicó Fortunato, R., Benedito Durà, V., González Castro, M., & Volpedo, A. V. (2017). Morphological and morphometric changes of sagittae otoliths related to fish growth in three Mugilidae species. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 33(6), 1137–1145. https://doi.org/10.1111/jai.13479
Hughes, L. C., Somoza, G. M., Nguyen, B. N., Bernot, J. P., González Castro, M., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & Ortí, G. (2017). Transcriptomic differentiation underlying marine-to-freshwater transitions in the South American silversides Odontesthes argentinensis and O. bonariensis (Atheriniformes). Ecology and Evolution, 7(14), 5258–5268. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3133
Mabragaña, E., Delpiani, S. M., Rosso, J. J., González Castro, M., Deli Antoni, M. Y., Hanner, R., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2016). Barcoding antarctic fishes: species discrimination and contribution to elucidate ontogenetic changes in nototheniidae. In DNA Barcoding in Marine Perspectives (pp. 213–242). Springer. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-41840-7_14
Rosso, J. J., Mabragaña, E., González Castro, M., Delpiani, S. M., Avigliano, E., Schenone, N. F., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2016). A new species of the Hoplias malabaricus species complex (Characiformes: Erythrinidae) from the La Plata River basin. Cybium, 40(3), 199–208.
Lajud, N. A., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & González Castro, M. (2016). Reproduction of Brevoortia aurea (Spix & Agassiz, 1829) (Actinopterygii: Clupeidae) in the Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14(1). http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1679-62252016000100222&script=sci_arttext
Devincenti, C. V., Longo, M. V., González Castro, M., & Díaz, A. O. (2015). Morphological and histochemical characterization of the pectoral fin muscle of the stripped weakfish, Cynoscion guatucupa. Acta Zoologica, 96(2), 199–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12067
González Castro, M., Rosso, J. J., Lajud, N. A., Castellini, D. L., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2015). Occurrence of Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) in a World Biosphere Reserve, the Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (Argentina). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 31(4), 749–751. https://doi.org/10.1111/jai.12780
Deli Antoni, M. Y., Delpiani, S. M., Stewart, A. L., González Castro, M., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2015). Merluccius tasmanicus Matallanas & Lloris 2006 is a junior synonym of M. australis (Hutton 1872)(Gadiformes: Merluciidae) based on morphological and molecular data. Zootaxa, 3956(1), 029–055.
Deli Antoni, M. Y., González Castro, M., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2015). New tools (DNA barcoding), old hypothesis: the case of the taxonomic identity of the Argentine hakes (Actinopterygii: Merluccius). Journal of Fish Biology, 87(3), 783–793. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfb.12745/full
López, S., Mabragaña, E., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., & González Castro, M. (2015). Reproductive studies of Anchoa marinii Hildebrand, 1943 (Actinopterygii: Engraulidae) in the nearby-coastal area of Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Neotropical Ichthyology, 13(1), 221–228.
González Castro, M., & Minos, G. (2015). Sexuality and Reproduction of Mugilidae. In D. Crosetti & S. Blaber (Eds.), Biology, Ecology and Culture of Grey Mullets (Mugilidae) (pp. 227–263). CRC Press.
González Castro, M., Ghasemzadeh, J., Crosetti, D., & Blaber, S. (2015). Morphology and morphometry based taxonomy of Mugilidae. In Biology, Ecology and Culture of Grey Mullets (Mugilidae) (pp. 1–21). CRC Press.
Orlando, P., González Castro, M., & Mabragaña, E. (2015). New insights to discriminate between Sympterygia acuta Garman 1877 and Sympterygia bonapartii Müller & Henle, 1841 (Rajidae) of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: on the use of geometric morphometrics and spinulation patterns. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 31(2), 381–389. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jai.12674/full
Mai, A. C., Mino, C. I., Marins, L. F., Monteiro-Neto, C., Miranda, L., Schwingel, P. R., Lemos, V. M., González Castro, M., Castello, J. P., & Vieira, J. P. (2014). Microsatellite variation and genetic structuring in Mugil liza (Teleostei: Mugilidae) populations from Argentina and Brazil. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 149, 80–86. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027277141400198X
López, S., Corbo, M., Castellini, D. L., Lajud, N., & González Castro, M. (2014). First record of Porichthys porosissimus Cuvier, 1829 (Actinopterygii: Batrachoidiformes) and Macrodon atricauda Günther, 1880 (Actinopterygii: Perciformes) in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Check List, 10(4), 947–949.
Tano de la Hoz, M. F., García, A. M., González Castro, M., & Díaz, A. O. (2014). Histochemical and scanning electron microscopic approaches to gills in juveniles of Odontesthes argentinensis (Actinopterygii, Atherinopsidae). International Journal of Aquatic Science, 5, 154–166.
González Castro, M., Delpiani, S. M., Bruno, D. O., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2013). Short communication First occurrence of the Patagonian blennie, Eleginops maclovinus (Cuvier, 1830) and the silverside Odontesthes smitti (Lahille, 1929), in a temperate south-western Atlantic coastal lagoon. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 29, 940–942. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mariano_Gonzalez-Castro/publication/236212418_First_occurrence_of_the_Patagonian_blennie_Eleginops_maclovinus_(Cuvier_1830)_and_the_silverside_Odontesthes_smitti_(Lahille_1929)_in_a_temperate_south-western_Atlantic_coastal_lagoon/links/558302bd08ae8bf4ba6f86cd.pdf
González Castro, M., Ibáñez, A. L., Heras, S., Roldán, M. I., & Cousseau, M. B. (2012). Assessment of lineal versus landmark-based morphometry for discriminating species of Mugilidae (Actinopterygii). Zoological Studies, 51(8), 1515–1528. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana_Ibanez4/publication/260248440_Assessment_of_Lineal_Versus_Landmark-Based_Morphometry_for_Discriminating_Species_of_Mugilidae_Actinopterygii/links/00b7d5374eaa3197dd000000.pdf
Mabragaña, E., Delpiani, S. M., Blasina, G. E., González Castro, M., Rosso, J. J., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2012). Sardinella aurita (Clupeidae) in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon: morphological and DNA barcoding identification approaches. Cybium, International Journal of Ichthyology, 36(2), 397–399.
Rosso, J. J., Mabragaña, E., González Castro, M., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2012). DNA barcoding Neotropical fishes: recent advances from the Pampa Plain, Argentina. Molecular Ecology Resources, 12(6), 999–1011. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1755-0998.12010/full
Delpiani, S. M., González Castro, M., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2012). El uso de otolitos y huesos de la cabeza para la identificación de dos especies del género Merluccius, en estudios de predador-presa. Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía, 47(2), 351–357. http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0718-19572012000200018&script=sci_arttext&tlng=pt
Mabragaña, E., Díaz de Astarloa, J. M., Hanner, R., Zhang, J., & González Castro, M. (2011). DNA Barcoding Identifies Argentine Fishes from Marine and Brackish Waters. PLOS ONE, 6(12), e28655. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028655
Dra. Méndez Eugenia
 Researcher UNMDP
Teaching assistant

Graduate Students
Dra. Albanesi Camila
CV-SIGEVA
 Graduate fellowship

Méndez, E., Albanesi, C., Michiels, M. S., López Mañanes, A. A., & González Castro, M. (2024). Analyses of body condition and digestive/metabolic parameters of Odontesthes argentinensis (Atherinopsidae) from Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (Argentina) during different phases of ovarian development. Neotropical Ichthyology, 22, e230139. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0139
Albanesi, C., González-Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2023). Differential digestive and metabolic profile of juveniles and adults of the estuarine-dependent marine fish Mugil liza (Mugilidae) cohabiting inside a southwestern Atlantic coastal lagoon. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 101(12), 1079–1092. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0111
Albanesi, C., González Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2022). Prejuveniles of Mugil liza (Actinopterygii; Fam. Mugilidae) show digestive and metabolic flexibility upon different postprandial times and refeeding. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 192, 561–573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-022-01438-5
Albanesi, C., González Castro, M., & López Mañanes, A. A. (2021). Understanding the early ontogenetic stages of Mugil liza (Mugilidae): Morphological traits and digestive/metabolic profile of pre-juveniles after recruitment. Journal of Fish Biology, 98(3), 643–654. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14605