Research on conservation biology concentrates on cetaceans and sea turtles. Since 1982, the Marine Zoology Unit (formerly within the Department of Zoology) keeps a record of cetacean strandings in the Comunidad Valenciana (about 380 km of coastline). Our objectives have become progressively more ambitious over the years and today we also monitor sea turtle strandings and interactions with fisheries of turtles and cetaceans in waters off Valencia. Since 1988, the Marine Zoology Unit has acted on behalf of the Government of Valencia as the scientific authority monitoring strandings and by-catches of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Comunidad Valenciana.
The Marine Zoology Unit hosts the Mediterranean Database of Cetacean Strandings (MEDACES) under the auspices of the ACCOBAMS and the United Nations Environmental Programme. In addition, the unit has been coordinator of a comprehensive study within the EU’s Natura 2000 Network initiative funded by the Ministry of Environment of Spain. The aim of the study was to identify and designate protection areas for cetaceans and marine turtles in Spanish Mediterranean waters. Our contribution to this project consisted of aerial surveys in the Land of Valencia and Murcia Region to obtain population estimates and distribution data of the cetacean and turtle populations. We have also carried out studies of the distribution, migration and nesting behaviour of marine turtles in Equatorial Guinea and Dominican Republic, and of food habits of sea turtles and cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea.
Representative Projects
- Collective actions for improving the conservation status of the EU sea turtle populations: bordering areas. EU LIFE18 NAT/IT/000103 (2019-2023).
- Evaluación del estado de conservación de los elasmobranquios del mediterráneo español mediante estudio de pesquerías: riesgos y acciones de prioridad, Fundación Biodiversidad, Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica (2020-2022).
- Evaluación y principales amenazas de las poblaciones de cetáceos en el sur del Corredor de Migración de Cetáceos del Mediterráneo, Fundación Biodiversidad, Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica (2020-2021).
- Implementation of the indicator “Impacts of marine litter on sea turtles and biota” in RSC and MSFD areas” (INDICIT II). UE DG ENV. C2/MSFD (2019-2021).
- “Implementation of the indicator Impacts of marine litter on sea turtles and biota” in RSC and MSFD areas” (INDICIT) subvencionado por el programa de la UE DG ENV. C2/MSFD Second Cycle/2016 (2017-2019).
- “Developing Mediterranean-specific protocols to protect biodiversity from litter impact at basin and local MPAs scales” (MEDSEALITTER) subvencionado por el programa de la UE Interreg Mediterranean nº 1134 (2016-2019).
- “Biología y parasitología de vertebrados marinos del Mediterráneo occidental: aplicaciones en conservación y acuicultura”, subvencionado por la Conselleria de Educación nº PROMETEOII/2015/018 (2015-2018).
- “Cambios a largo plazo en la abundancia poblacional, ecología trófica y fauna de metazoos simbiontes, de delfines y tortugas marinas en aguas de la Comunidad Valenciana: conservación en un contexto de cambio global”, subvencionado por la Conselleria de Educación nº PROMETEO/2011/040.
- “Cambios a largo plazo en la abundancia poblacional y ecología de la tortuga boba (Caretta caretta) en el Mediterráneo occidental” subvencionado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación nº CGL2011-30413 (2011-2013).
- “Long-term research on sea turtle ecology and conservation”, subvencionado por la Comisión Europea nº Marie Curie FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG.
- “Estudio de las poblaciones de tortugas marinas nidificantes en el Parque Nacional de Jaragua (República Dominicana)”, subvencionado por la Conselleria de Educación nº ACOMP/2009/331.
- “Conservación de las tortugas marinas en la República Dominicana: relación con el desarrollo sostenible de las comunidades locales”. I & II Convocatòria de projectes de cooperació al desenvolupament de la Universitat de València, Fundación General de la Universitat de València.
- “Estudio de las poblaciones nidificantes de tortugas marinas del Parque Nacional de Jaragua (República Dominicana)”, MEC nº CGL2006-02936-BOS.
- “Estudio de las amenazas para la conservación de mamíferos marinos de Patagonia”, Fundación BBVA, BIOCON 04.
- “Estudio de las poblaciones de tortugas marinas nidificantes en el Parque Nacional de Jaragua (República Dominicana)”, AECI nº A/2991/05. – Reduction of the impact of the EU fishery on Mediterranean sea turtles, European Commission nº LIFE-2002-NAT/ST/IT/000030.0
- Programa de Identificación de las Áreas de Especial Interés para la Conservación de los Cetáceos en el Mediterráneo Español, Ministerio Medio Ambiente. Link.
- Estudio de la mortandad masiva de delfines listados en el Mediterráneo, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia nº NAT91-1128.
- Estudio de los cetáceos y tortugas marinas de las costas valencianas, Conselleria de Territorio y Vivienda, Generalitat Valenciana.
- Proyecto para la puesta en marcha y el mantenimiento de la Base de Datos Internacional de Información de Varamientos de Cetáceos en el Mar Mediterráneo, Ministerio Medio Ambiente. Link.
- Reduction of the impact of the EU fishery on Mediterranean sea turtles, European Commission nº LIFE-2002-NAT/ST/IT/000030.
- Programa de Identificación de las Áreas de Especial Interés para la Conservación de los Cetáceos en el Mediterráneo Español, Ministerio Medio Ambiente. Link.
- Estudio de la mortandad masiva de delfines listados en el Mediterráneo, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia nº NAT91-1128.
Representative Publications
- Borrell, A; Gazo, A.; Aguilar, A.; Raga, J.A.; Degollada, E.; Gozalbes, P.; García-Vernet, R. (2021). Niche differentiation amongst northwestern Mediterranean cetaceans using ratios of stable isotopes. Progress in Oceanography, 193: 102559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2021.102559
- Gkafas, G.G.; Jong, M.; Exadactylos, A.; Raga, J.A.; Aznar, F.J.; Hoelzel, A.R. (2020) Sex-specific impact of inbreeding on pathogen load in the striped dolphin. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. -Biological Sciences, 287: 20200195. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0195
- Cuvertoret-Sanz, M.; López-Figueroa, C.; O’Byrne, A.; Canturri, A.; Martí-Garcia, B.; Pintado, E.; Pérez, L.; Ganges, L.; Cobos, A.; Abarca, M.L.; Raga, J.A.; Van Bressem, M.F.; Domingo, M. (2020). Causes of cetacean stranding and death in the Catalonian coast (Western Mediterranean Sea) in the period 2012-2019. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 142: 239-253 doi:10.3354/dao03550
- Moreno-Colom P., Ten, S., Raga, J.A., Aznar F.J. (2020). Spatial distribution and aggregation of Xenobalanus globicipitis on the flukes of striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba: An indicator of host hydrodynamics? Marine Mammal Science, 36: 897–914. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12691
- Novillo, O.; Raga, J.A.; Tomás, J. (2020). Evaluating the presence of microplastics in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in the Western Mediterranean sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 160: 111557 doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111557
- Tsangaris, C.; Digka, N.; Valente, T.; Aguilar, A.; Borrell, A.; De Lucia, A.; Gambaiani, D.; Garcia-Garin, O.; Kaberi, H.; Martin, J.; Mauriño, E.; Miaud, C.; Palazzo, L.; Pérez Del Olmo, A.; Raga, J.A.; Sbrana, A.; Silvestri, C.; Skylaki, E.; Vighi, M.; Wongdontree, P.; Matiddi, M. (2020). Using Boops boops (Osteichthyes) to assess microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 158: 111397 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111397
- García-Garín, O.; Aguilar, A.; Borrell, A.; Gozalbes, P.; Lobo, A.; Penades-Suay, J.; Raga, J.A.; Revuelta, O.; Serrano, M.; Vighi, M. (2020). Who’s better at spotting? Comparison between aerial photography and visual methods to monitor floating marine litter and marine mega-fauna. Environmental Pollution, 258: 113680 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113680
- Domènech F, Aznar FJ, Raga JA, Tomás J (2019) Two decades of monitoring in marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, from the western Mediterranean. Environmental Pollution, 244: 367-378.
- Ten S., Pascual L., Pérez-Gabaldón M.I., Tomás J., Domènech F., Aznar F.J. 2019 Epibiont barnacles of sea turtles as indicators of habitat use and fishery interactions: an analysis of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, in the western Mediterranean. Ecological Indicators 107: 105672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019105672
- Penadés-Suay J., García-Salinas P., Tomás J., Aznar, F.J. 2019 Aggressive interactions between juvenile swordfishes and blue sharks in the Western Mediterranean: a widespread phenomenon? Mediterranean Marine Science, 20(2). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.18102
- Matiddi, M., deLucia, G. A., Silvestri, C., Darmon, G., Tomás, J., Pham, C. K., Camedda, A., Vandeperre, F., Claro, F., Kaska, Y., Kaberi, H., Revuelta, O., Piermarini, R., Daffina, R., Pisapia, M., Genta, D., Sözbilen, D., Bradai, M. N., Rodríguez, Y., Gambaiani, D., Tsangaris, C., Chaieb, O., Moussier, J., Loza, A. L., Miaud, C., 2019 Data Collection on Marine Litter Ingestion in Sea Turtles and Thresholds for Good Environmental Status. Journal of Visualized Experiments (147), e59466, doi:10.3791/59466 2019
- Abalo-Morla S, Marco A, Tomás J, Revuelta O, Abella E, Lorenzo T, Crespo-Picazo JL, Fernández C, Valdés F, Arroyo MC, Montero S, Vázquez C, Eymar J, Esteban JA, Pelegrí J, Belda EJ. (2018) Survival and dispersal routes of head-started post-hatchlings of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biology 165:5.
- Wildermann NE, Gredzens C, Avens L, Barrios-Garrido HA, Bell I, Blumenthal J, Bolten AB, Braun McNeill J, Casale P, Di Domenico M, Domit CA, Epperly SP, Godfrey MH, Godley BJ, González-Carman V, Hamann M, Hart KM, Ishihara T, Mansfield K, Metz TL, Miller JD, Pilcher NJ, Read MA, Sasso C, Seminoff JA, Seney EE, Southwood Williard A, Tomás J, Vélez-Rubio GM, Ware1 M, Williams JL, Wyneken J, Fuentes MMPB. (2018) Informing research priorities for immature sea turtles through expert elicitation (Review) Endangered Species Research 37: 55-76.
- Carreras C, Pascual M, Tomás J, Marco A, Hochsheid S, Castillo JJ, Gozalbes P, Parga ML, Piovano S, Cardona L. (2018) Sporadic nesting reveals long distance colonisation in the philopatric loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Scientific Reports 8:1435.
- Vélez-Rubio GM, Teryda N, Asaroff PE, Estrades A, Rodriguez D, Tomás J. (2018) Differential impact of marine debris ingestion during ontogenetic dietary shift of green turtles in Uruguayan waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin 127 2018 603–611.
- Vélez-Rubio GM, Cardona L, López-Mendilaharsu M, Martinez Souza G, Carranza A, Campos P, González-Paredes D, Tomás J. (2018) Pre and post- settlement movements of juvenile green turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 501: 36-45.
- Manonocci L, Roberts JJ, Halpin PN, Authier M, Boisseau O, Bradai MN, Cañadas A, Chicote C, David L, Di-Méglio N, Fortuna CM, Frantzis A, Gazo M, Genov T, Hammond PM, Holcer D, Kaschner, Kerem D, Lauriano G, Lewis T, Notarbartolo Di Sciara G, Panigada S, Raga JA, Scheinn A, Ridoux V, Vella A, Vella J, (2018) Cetacean surveys in the contrasted Mediterranean Sea: a gap analysis in environmental space. Scientific Reports, (3126): 1-14.
- Revuelta O, Domènech F, Fraija-Fernández N, Gozalbes P, Novillo O, Penadés-Suay J, Tomás J. (2018) Interaction between bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and artisanal fisheries in the Valencia Region (Spanish Mediterranean Sea). Ocean and Coastal Management 165 (1): 117-125.
- Cañadas, A.; Cotte, C.; Crosti, R.; Fortuna, C.; Gutierrez-Xarxa, R.; Bearzi, G.; Holcer, D.; Raga, J.A.; Rendell, L.; Aissi, M.; Arcangeli, A.; B-Nagy, A.; Campana, I.; Lewis, T.; Laran, S.; Aguilar De Soto, N.; Frantzis, A.; Moulins, A.; Notarbartolo Di Sciara, G.; Pastor, X.; Pulcini, M.; Tepsich, P.; Tomás, J.; Mussi, B.; Politi, E.; Tringali, M.; Azzolin, M.; Di Natale, A.; Rosso, M.; Garcia, P.; Gazo, M.; Lauriano, G.; Panigada, S. (2018). The challenge of habitat modelling for threatened low density species using heterogeneous data: the case of Cuvier’s beaked whales in the Mediterranean. Ecological Indicators, 85: 128–136.
- Gkafas, G.A.; Exadactylos, A; Rogan, E.; Raga, J.A.; Reid, R.; Hoelzel, A.R. (2017). Biogeography and temporal progression during the evolution of striped dolphin population structure in European waters. Journal of Biogeography, 1-11 DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13079.
- Aznar, F.J.; Míguez-Lozano, R.; Ruiz, B., Bosch De Castro, A.; Raga, J.A.; Blanco, C. (2017). Long-term changes (1990-2012) in the diet of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba from the western Mediterranean: a role for overfishing? Marine Ecology Progress Series, 568: 231–247.
- Clusa, M.; Carreras, C.; Pascual, M.; Gaughran, S.J.; Piovano, S.; Avolio, D.; Ollano, G.; Fernández, G.; Tomás, J.; Raga, J.A., Aguilar, A; Cardona, L. (2016). Potential bycatch impact on distinct sea turtle populations is dependent on fishing ground rather than gear type in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biology, 163:122 doi: 10.1007/s00227-016-2875-1
- Vélez-Rubio, G.M.,, L.; López-Mendilaharsu, M.; Martínez Souza, G.; Carranza, A.; González-Paredes, D.; Tomás, J. (2016). Ontogenetic dietary changes of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the temperate southwestern Atlantic. Marine Biology, 163: 57 doi: 10.1007/s00227-016-2827-9
- Revuelta, O.; León, Y.M.; Broderick, A.C..; Feliz, P.; Godley, B.J.; Balbuena, J.A.; Mason, A.; Poulton, K.; Savoré, S.; Raga, J.A.; Tomás, J. (2015). Assessing the efficacy of direct conservation interventions: clutch protection of the leatherback marine turtle in the Dominican Republic. Oryx, 49 (4): 677–686. Doi: 10.1017/S0030605313001488
- Domènech, F.; Badillo, F.J.; Tomás, J.; Raga, J.A.; Aznar, F. (2015). Epibiont communities of loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) in the western Mediterranean: influence of geographical and ecological factors. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 5(4): 851–861. doi: 10.1017/S0025315414001520.
- Revuelta, O.; Hawkes, L.A.; León, Y.M.; Godley, B.J.; Raga, J.A.; Tomás, J. (2015). Evaluating the importance of Marine Protected Areas for the conservation of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting in the Dominican Republic. Endangered Species Research, 27: 169–180.
- Revuelta, O. León, Y.M.; Broderick, A.C.; Godley, B.J.; Feliz, P.; Balbuena, J.A.; Raga, J.A.; Tomás, J. (2014) The value of endangered species in protected areas at risk: the case of the leatherback turtle in the Dominican Republic. Biodiversity and Conservation 06/2014; 23(6).
- Carreras, C., Monzon-Arguello, C., López-Jurado, L.F., Calabuig, P., Bellido, J.J., Castillo, J.J., Sanchez, P., Medina, P., Tomas, J., Gozalbes, P., Fernandez, G., Marco, A., Cardona, L. (2014). Origin and dispersal routes of foreign green and Kemp’s ridley turtles in Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. Amphibia-Reptilia 35: 73-86.
- Domènech F, Álvarez De Quevedo I, Merchán M, Revuelta O, Vélez-Rubio AG, Bitón S, Cardona L, Tomás J. (2014). Incidental catch of marine turtles by Spanish bottom rawlers in the western Mediterranean. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst. Published online. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.2463
- Vélez-Rubio, GM.; Estrades, A.; Fallabrino, A.; Tomás, J. (2013) Marine turtle threats in Uruguayan waters: insights from 12 years of stranding data. Marine Biology DOI: 10.1007/s00227-013-2272-y.
- Carreras C, Godley BJ, León YM, Hawkes LA, Revuelta O, Raga JA, Tomás J. (2013) Contextualising the Last Survivors: Population Structure of Marine Turtles in the Dominican Republic. PLoS ONE 8(6): e66037. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066037
- Revuelta O, León YM, Aznar FJ, Raga JA, Tomás J. (2013) Running against time: conservation of the remaining hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting population in the Dominican Republic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 93(4): 1133-1140.
- Clusa M., Carreras C., Pascual M., Gaughran S.J., Piovano S., Giacoma C., Fernández G., Levy Y., Tomás J., Raga J.A., Maffucci F., Hochscheid S., Aguilar A., Cardona L. (2013). Fine-scale distribution of juvenile Atlantic and Mediterranean loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biology. DOI 10.1007/s00227-013-2353-y
- Hawkes, L.A.; Tomás, J.; Revuelta, O.; León, Y.M.; Blumenthal, J.M.; Broderick, A.C.; Fish, M.; Raga, J.A.; Witt, M.J.; Godley, B.J. (2012). Migratory patterns in hawksbill turtles described by satellite tracking. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 461: 223–232.
- Revuelta, O.; León, Y.M.; Aznar, F.J.; Raga, J.A.; Tomás, J. (2012). Evaluation of conservation measures forhawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Saona Island, Dominican Republic. Oryx, 46: 348-358.
- Lloret, J.; Faliex, E.; Shulman, G.E.; Raga, J.A.; Sasal, P.; Muñoz, M.; Casadevall, M.; Ahuir-Baraja, A.E.; Montero, F.E.; Repullés-Albelda, A.; Cardinale, M.; Rätzh, H.J.; Vila, S.; Ferrer, D. (2012). Fish health and fisheries, implications for stock assessment and management: the Mediterranean example. Reviews in Fisheries Science, 20: 165-180.
- Soto, S.; Alba, A., Ganges, L.; Vidal, E.; Raga, J.A.; Alegre, F.; González, B.; Medina, P.; Zorrilla, I.; Martínez, J.; Marco, A.; Pérez, M.; Pérez, B.; Pérez De Vargas Mesas, A.; Martínez Valverde, R.; Domingo, M. (2011). Post-epizootic chronic Dolphin Morbillivirus (DVM) infection in Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 96: 187-194.
- Carreras, C.; Pascual, M.; Cardona, L.; Marco, A.; Bellido, J.J.; Castillo, J.J.; Tomas, J.; Raga, J.A.; Sanfelix, M.; Ferna Ndez, G.; Aguilar, A. (2011). Living together but remaining apart: Atlantic and Mediterranean Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in shared feeding grounds. Journal of Heredity, 102: 666-677 (doi:10.1093/jhered/esr089).
- Monzón-Arguello, C., Tomás, J., Naro-Maciel, E., Marco, A. (2011). Tortuga verde – Chelonia mydas. En: Enciclopedia Virtual de los Vertebrados Españoles. Salvador, A., Marco, A. (Eds.). Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid. 21 pp., http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/
- Bitón, P.S.; Merchán, F.M.; Tomás, J. (2011). Assessing the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in bottom trawlers in the Western Mediterranean Sea: A preliminary study. Marine Turtle Newsletter 131: 15-16.
- Tomás, J.; Godley, B.J.; León, Y.M.; Revuelta, O.; Raga, J.A. (2011). Sea turtle conservation in the Dominican Republic: the importance of national parks. Testudo, 7 (3): 32-38.
- Casale P, Maragaritoulis D, Aksissou M, Aureggi M, Benhardouze W, Bradai Mn, Broderick Ac, Carreras C, Demetropoulos A, Fuller Wj, Glen F, Godfrey Mh, Godley Bj, Hadjichristophorou M, Hamza A, Haxhiu I, Jony M, Jribi I, Kaska Y, Khalil M, Kusetogullari H, Lazar B, Levy Y, Mifsud C, Nada M, Oliver G, Panagopoulou A, Rees Af, Saad A, Tiwari M, Tomás J, Türkozan O, Ziza V. (2010). Overview. In: Casale, P. And Margaritoulis, D. (Eds.). Sea Turtles in the Mediterranean: Distribution, Threats and Conservation Priorities. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, p. 1-9. ISSBN: 978-2-8317-1240-6.
- Hamann, M, Mh Godfrey, Ja Seminoff, K Arthur, Pcr Barata, Ka Bjorndal, Ab Bolten, Ac Broderick, Lm Campbell, C Carreras, P Casale, M Chaloupka, Skf Chan, Ms Coyne, Lb Crowder, Ce Diez, Ph Dutton, Sp Epperly, Nn Fitzsimmons, A Formia, M Girondot, Gc Hays, Ch Ijiunn, Y Kaska, R Lewison, Ja Mortimer, Wj Nichols, Rd Reina, K Shanker, Jr Spotila, J Tomás, Bp Wallace, Tm Work, J Zbinden, Bj Godley (2010). Global research priorities for sea turtles: informing management and conservation in the 21st century. Endangered Species Research 11: 245-269.
- Merchán M. (Ed.), S. Bitón, J. Tomás, A. Martínez-Silvestre, M. Parga, M. Aguilar (2010). Tortugas marinas de la Comunidad Valenciana: Conservacion y manejo clínico. Monografías de la Asociación Chelonia, volumen II. Madrid, España. ISBN: 978-84-614-2454-2.
- Revuelta O., Tomás J. (2010). Tortuga carey – Eretmochelys imbricata (Linnaeus, 1766). En: Enciclopedia Virtual de Vertebrados Españoles. Salvador A., Marco A. (Eds). Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid. 25 pp., http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/
- Higgins, R.M.; Danilowicz, B.S.; Balbuena, J.A.; Daníelsdóttir, A.K.; Geffen, A.J.; Meijer, W.G.; Modin, J.; Montero, F.E.; Pampoulie, C.; Perdiguero-Alonso, D.; Schreiber, A.; Stefánsson, M. Ö.; Wilson, B. (2010). Multi-disciplinary fingerprints reveal the harvest location of cod Gadus morhua in the northeast Atlantic. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 404: 197- 206.
- Van Bressem, M.F.; Raga, J.A. (2011). Viruses of Cetaceans. In: C. Hurst (Ed.). Studies in Viral Ecology: animal host systems, 309-332, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ.
- Tomas J.; Godley B.J.; Castroviejo J.; Raga J.A (2010). Bioko: Critically important nesting habitat for sea turtles of West Africa. Biodiversity and Conservation, 19: 2699-2714.
- Cardona, L.; Revelles, M.; Parga, M.; Tomás, J.; Aguilar, A.; Alegre, F.; Raga, J.A., Ferrer, X. (2009). Habitat use by loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta off the coast of eastern Spain results in a high vulnerability to neritic fishing gear. Marine Biology, 156:2621–2630.
- Van Bressem, M-F., Raga, J.A., Di Guardo, G., Jepson, P.D., Duignan, P., Siebert, U., Barrett, T., Santos Mco, Moreno, I.B., Siciliano, S., Aguilar, A. And Van Waerebeek, K. (2009). Emerging infectious diseases in cetaceans worldwide and the possible role of environmental stressors. Diseases of Aquatic Organismsn, 86: 143–157.
- Van Bressem, M.F.; Koen Van Waerebeek, K.; Aznar, F.J.; Raga, J.A.; Jepson, P.D.; Duignan, P.; Deaville, R.; Flach, L.; Viddi, F.; Baker, J.R.; Di Beneditto, A.P.; Echegaray, M.; Genov, T.; Reyes, J.; Felix, F.; Gaspar, R.; Ramos, R.; Peddemors, V.; Sanino, G.P.; Siebert, U. (2009). Epidemiological pattern of tattoo skin disease: a general health indicator for cetaceans? Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 85: 225-237.
- Tomás, J.; Gazo, M.; Álvarez, C.; Gozalbes, P.; Perdiguero, D.; Raga, J.A.; Alegre, F. (2008). Is the Spanish coast within the Mediterranean nesting range for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 88: 1509-1512.
- Raga, J.A.; Banyard, A.; Domingo, M.; Van Bressem, M.F.; Fernández, M.; Aznar, F.J.; Barrett, T. (2008). Epizootic of Dolphin Morbillivirus resurges in the Mediterranean. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14: 471-473.
- Gomez De Segura, A.; Hammond, P.S.; Raga, J.A. (2008). Influence of environmental factors on small cetacean distribution in the Spanish Mediterranean and its conservational applications. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 88: 1185–1192.
- Revelles M.; Camiñas, J.A.; Cardona L; Parga, M.L.; Tomás, J.; Aguilar, A.; Alegre, F.; Raga, J.A. Bertolero, A.; Oliver, G. (2008). Tagging reveals limited exchange of immature loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) between regions in the western Mediterranean. Scientia Marina, 72: 511-518.
- Tomás, J.; Gozalbes, P.; Raga, J.A.; Godley, B.J. (2008). Fisheries by-catch of loggerhead sea turtles: insights from 14 years of stranding data. Endangered Species Research, 5 (2-3): 161-169.
- Tomás J.; Raga, J.A. (2007). Occurrence of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in the Mediterranean. Journal of Marine biological Association of United Kingdom 2: Biodiversity records: 1-3.
- Gomez De Segura, A.; Hammond, P.S.; Cañadas, A.; Raga, J.A. (2007). Comparing cetacean abundance estimates derived from spatial models and design-based line transect methods. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 329: 289-299.
- Gomez De Segura, A.; Crespo, E.A.; Pedraza, S.N.; Hammond, P.S. Raga, J.A. (2006). Abundance of small cetaceans in the waters of the central Spanish Mediterranean. Marine Biology, 150: 149-160.
- Blanco, C.; Raduan, M.A.; Raga, J.A. (2006). Diet of Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the western Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina, 70 (3): 407-411.
- Gomez De Segura, A.; Tomás J.; Pedraza, S.N.; Crespo, E.A.; Raga, J.A. (2006). Abundance and distribution of the endangered loggerhead turtle in Spanish Mediterranean waters and its conservation implications. Animal Conservation, 9: 199-206.
- Casale, P.; Lazar, B.; Pont, S.; Tomás, J.; Zizzo, N.; Alegre, F.; Badillo, J.; Di Summa, A.; Freggi, D.; Lackovi, G.; Raga, J.A.; Rositani, L.; Tvrtkovi, N. (2006). Sex ratios of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 324:281-285.
- Aznar, F.J.; Perdiguero, D.; Pérez Del Olmo, A.; Repullés, A.; Agustí, C.; Raga, J.A. (2005). Changes in epizoite infections during cetacean die-offs: the mass mortality of Mediterranean striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba, revisited. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 67: 239-247.
- Valsecchi EA, Amos W, Raga JA, Podesta M., Sherwin W (2004). The effects of inbreeding on mortality during a morbillivirus outbreak in the Mediterranean striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). Animal Conservation, 7: 1-8.
- Gómez de Segura A., Tomás J, Pedraza SN, Crespo EA, Raga JA (2003). Preliminary patterns of distribution and abundance of Loggerhead Sea turtles, Caretta caretta, around Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve, Spanish Mediterranean. Marine Biology, 143: 817-823.
- Tomás J, Guitart R, Mateo R, Raga JA (2002). Marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from Western Mediterranean. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44: 211-216.
- García-Martínez J, Raga JA, Latorre A, Moya A (2002). Mitochondrial DNA variability of striped dolphins in European waters. In: CJ Pfeiffer (ed.), Molecular and Cell Biology of Marine Mammals, Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, 21-33.
- Evans PGE, Raga JA (eds.) (2001). Marine Mammals Biology and Conservation, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 630 pp. LINK PDF
- Blanco C, Salomón O, Raga JA (2001). Diet of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 81: 1053-1058.
- Tomás J, Aznar FJ, Raga JA (2001). Feeding ecology of the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758) from western Mediterranean waters. Journal of Zoology (London), 255: 525-532.
- Van Bressem MF, Van Waerebeek, K, Raga JA (1999). A review of virus infections of cetaceans and the potential impact of morbilliviruses, poxviruses and papillomaviruses on host population dynamics. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 38: 53-65.
- Blanco C, Aznar J, Raga JA (1995). Cephalopods in the diet of Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) from Western Mediterranean during an epizootic in 1990. Journal of Zoology (London), 237: 151-158.
- Aguilar A, Raga JA (1993). The striped dolphin epizootic in the Mediterranean Sea. Ambio, 22: 524-528.