This book concentrates on the marine mammalian group of Odontocetes, the toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In 23 chapters, a total of 40 authors describe general patterns of ethological concepts of odontocetes in their natural environments, with a strong bent towards behavioral ecology. Examples are given of particularly well-studied species and species groups for which enough data exist, especially from the past 15 years. The aim is to give a modern flavor of present knowledge of ethology and behavior of generally large-brained behaviorally flexible mammals that have evolved quite separately from social mammals on land. As well, the plight of populations and species due to humans is described in multiple chapters, with the goal that an understanding of behavior can help to solve or alleviate at least some human-made problems.

This book compiles the main findings of the multidisciplinary long-term research program developed in the continental margin of one of the more productive and unknown areas of the world oceans, Northwest Africa. The more than 25,000 preserved fishes and benthic invertebrates and quantitative data collected in 342 trawling stations, the 267 oceanographic profiles, the 211 sediment samples and the 28,122 km2 prospected by multi˗beam echo sounding allowed to obtain an overview of the amazing biodiversity of the demersal and benthic fauna inhabiting soft- and hard-bottom habitats, as well as the fascinating geomorphology and oceanography, hidden in the Mauritanian slope.

Analyses the current state of science around the globe as well the trends that have emerged since the previous report published in 2005.

Relates the history of Portuguese Conversos who settled in Brazil at the beginning of the 16th century, after they had been forced to convert in Portugal in 1497. States that most of them continued to maintain Jewish customs secretly in Brazil, as they had in Portugal. Ch. 2 (p. 12-42) describe the activities of the Inquisition in Brazil between 1591-1618, due to the intensification of these activities after the unification of Portugal and Spain in 1580. The Inquisition was never formally introduced in Brazil, but about 1580 the Bishop of Bahia acquired Inquisitorial authority which permitted him to prepare judicial proceedings against heretics and to hand over violators of the law to the court of the Inquisition in Lisbon. Pp. 143-167 describe cases of persecution endured by specific Conversos between 1654-1822, until Brazil's independence from Portugal.