Fossil Chondrichthyes from the Neogene of Portugal: Diversity and Occurrence

Portugal has a rich fossil record both on the continent and in the Azores islands (Santa Maria). For decades, researchers have found thousands of fossils and identified hundreds of species from major taxonomic groups. The present work focuses on analyzing the scientific literature on fossils of Chondrichthyes collected in fossiliferous deposits of the Neogene. Fossils of sharks and rays, teeth, dermal denticles, and caudal spines were discovered in deposits from Aquitanian to Piacenzian (Neogene). About 105 deposits were identified and studied on the mainland and on the Island of Santa Maria, most of which have disappeared or are currently inaccessible. In total, 36 publications list 91 species of Chondrichthyes, 11 of which were described for the first time in Portugal, and 61 genera. Twelve orders are represented in the material published so far.

The Potential of Rural Tourism Development in the Azores Islands from the Perspective of Public Administration and Decision-Makers

Regional planning policies are an essential instrument for allowing the local inhabitants' necessary life quality standards. Those planning tools support future living prosperity in that territory, encouraging the ending of spatial and social inequalities as an incentive instrument for the so-desired sustainable development. Thereby, this paper aims to analyze the Public Administration and Decision-Makers' opinions concerning the Potential of Rrural Tourism Development in the Azores Islands. We used an exploratory methodology, which enabled to assess those perceptions. Consequently, it was possible to understand that the public administration's role in fostering and coordinating rural tourism is pivotal for this activity's continued sustained growth. Besides, throughout this study, it was possible to understand that regional development has been decisive and has decidedly influenced the local population. The research also recognizes that are many advantages in this typology of tourism for local communities - i.e., job creation or stimulating the local economy, are just a few examples.

Larval description of Limnephilus atlanticus Nybom 1948, morphological comparison with Limnephilus affinis Curtis 1834, (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) and additional notes on their ecology in Azores Islands

This study presents the first morphological description and illustration of the late instar larva of Limnephilus atlanticus Nybom 1948, an endemic caddisfly from the Azores. Taxonomic comparisons with a recently recorded limnephilid species, Limnephilus affinis (Limnephilidae), and notes of their ecology and distribution in the Azores are also provided.