Project title: Unlocking the Secrets of Population Structure in Overexploited Fish Stocks

Student: Alberto Rdríguez Díaz

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entities: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

The institution where the student will pursue their Ph.D.: BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Ph.D: Oceanography and Global Change

The academic year when the Ph.D. program commences: 2024-2025

Duration: 5 years

Project title: Unraveling Individual Variability in Body and Otolith Shapes among Commercially Fish Species

Student: Javier Martínez Pérez

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entities: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

The institution where the student will pursue their Ph.D.: BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Ph.D: Oceanography and Global Change

The academic year when the Ph.D. program commences: 2023-2024

Duration: 5 years

Outputs

Vasconcelos, J., Martínez-Pérez, J., Guerra-Marrero, A., Otero-Ferrer, J., Jurado-Ruzafa, A., Sousa, R., Hernández-González, C., Freitas, M., Tuset, V.M. 2025. Clarifying Species Identity in Aphanopus Using Wavelet-Based Otolith Shape Analysis. PloS One 20(6): e0326199. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326199 .

Project title: Deciphering Mollusk Body Shape Adaptations to Varying Hydrodynamic Conditions and Substrate Types

Student: Juan Carlos de la Rosa Valdivia

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entities: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

The institution where the student will pursue their Master: BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Master: Master's Degree in Sustainable Resource Management

Academic year: 2024-2025

Grade: 9.4/10

Defense date: January 21, 2026

Project title: Unravelling the key environmental drivers in the limpets of a highly anthropogenised region

Student: Olivia Martínez Ruiz

Supervisor: Rodrigo Riera / Co-Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entities: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria / Universidade da Coruña

The institution where the student will pursue their Master: BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Master: Marine Biology

Academic year: 2023-2024

Grade: 9.8/10 (with honors)

Defense date: June 28, 2024

Outputs

Martínez Ruiz, O., Riera, R., Tuset, V.M., Vasconcelos, J. 2025. Coastal exposure and Artificialization: Drivers of Shell Shape Variation in Intertidal Limpets. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109344.

Project title: Detecting Phenotypic Tipping Points in Trachurus trachurus under Environmental Change: Insights from Otolith Contour Variability

Student: Marina Shui Fernández Alba

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Co-Supervisor: José Sanabria Fernández

Entity University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

City of entity: Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain

Degree: Marine Sciences

Grade: Ongoing

Defense date: Ongoing

Project title: Intraspecific variability in otoliths of Helicolenus dactilopterus from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea

Student: Rita Delia Santana Benítez

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entity: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

City of entity: Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain

Degree: Marine Sciences

Academic year: 2024-2025

Grade: With distinction (Sobresaliente)

Defense date: December 18, 2024

Outputs

Vasconcelos, J., Jurado-Ruzafa, A., Neves, A., Santana, R., Otero-Ferrer, J.L., Antoni Lombarte, Carlos Hernández-Rodríguez, Pablo Martín-Sosa, Ivan Ruiz-Pérez and V.M. Tuset. 2024. Phenotypic plasticity in the otolith contour of blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus) in response to environmental factors. IX International Symposium on Marine Sciences. July 10th-12nd 2024, Valencia, Spain.

Vasconcelos, J., Jurado-Ruzafa, A., Neves, A., Santana-Benítez, R.D., et al. 2026. Unveiling regional population structure in blackbelly rosefish Helicolenus dactylopterus through otolith shape analysis. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 777: meps15035. DOI: 10.3354/meps15035.

Project title: Application of morphometry and shape analysis in the identification of coastal stocks

Student: María Cirera Díaz

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entity: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

City of entity: Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain

Degree: Marine Sciences

Academic year: 2023-2024

Grade: With distinction (Sobresaliente)

Defense date: September 4, 2024

Outputs

Vasconcelos, J., Cirera, M., Vieira, A.R., Oterro-Ferrer, J.L., Tuset, V.M. 2025. Application of shape analysis for the identification of pelagic fish stocks. Hydrobiologia 852, 2847–2869. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-025-05798-1.

Project title: Fecundity strategy in Patella aspera and Patella crenata from the Canary Islands (NE Atlantic)

Student: Pablo Jesús Angulo Falcón

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos

Entity: University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

City of entity: Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain

Degree: Marine Sciences

Academic year: 2023-2024

Grade: With distinction (Sobresaliente)

Defense date: September 4, 2024

Outputs

Vasconcelos, J., Angulo, P., Martínez-Ruiz, O., Díaz, A.R., Tuset, V.M., Riera, R. 2025. Adaptive Reproductive Strategies of Limpets in a Harvest-Influenced Environment. Fisheries Oceanography, e12745 DOI: 10.1111/fog.12745.

Project title: Fecundity Regulation Strategy of the Limpet, Patella ordinaria, of Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

Student: João Paulo Silva Ferro

Supervisor: Joana Vasconcelos / Co-Supervisor: Rodrigo Riera

Entity: University of Madeira

City of entity: Funchal, Região Autónoma da Madeira, Portugal

Academic year: 2021-2022

Obtained qualification: 18 (maximum score: 20)

Date of defense: May 25, 2022

Outputs

Vasconcelos, J., Sousa, R., Ferro, João, Pinto, A.R., Freitas, M., Riera, R. 2023. Fecundity, an overlooked life-history trait for coastal management of commercial molluscs?. Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1173629. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1173629.

Vasconcelos, J., Ferro, João, Sousa, R., Pinto, A.R., Riera, R. 2023. Fecundity strategy of the highly exploited limpet Patella ordinaria from an oceanic archipelago. Regional Studies in Marine Science 60, 102849. DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2023.102849.

Ferro, João, Sousa, R., Riera, R., Freitas, M., Vasconcelos, J.. 2022. Fecundity strategy of the highly exploited limpet Patella ordinaria from an oceanic archipelago. International Symposium on Artisanal and Recreational Fishing in Islands Systems: Assessment, Vulnerabilities and management (IS-AR-FIS), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 6th -8th July 2022.