Using bone measurements to estimate the original sizes of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) from digested remains

The ability to estimate the original size of an ingested prey item is an important step in understanding the community and population structure of piscivorous predators (Scharf et al., 1998). More specifically, knowledge of original prey size is essential for deriving important biological information, such as predator consumption rates, biomass of the prey consumed, and selectivity of a predator towards a specific size class of prey (Hansel et al., 1988; Scharf et al., 1997; Radke et al., 2000). To accurately assess the overall “top-down” pressure a predator may exert on prey community structure, prey size is crucial. However, such information is often difficult to collect in the field (Trippel and Beamish, 1987). Stomach-content analyses are the most common methods for examining the diets of piscivorous fish, but the prey items found are often thoroughly digested and sometimes unidentifiable. As a result, obtaining a direct measurement of prey items is frequently impossible.

Anchorage of air bladder with the interspinous bone of the anal fin in Lactarius lactarius (Bloch and Schneider, 1801)

Specimens of the false trevally (Lactarius lactarius ), 127 to 221 mm in total length, were studied for the mode of anchorage of the air-bladder with the interspinous bone of the anal fin. The 1st and 2nd interspinous bones are fused together into a single piece (named here as the anchor bone) which pierces through the air-bladder, dividing it into two intercommunicating chambers at its upper end, and ultimately articulates with the 10th vertebral bone. The lower end of the bone is broad, fan like with one side affording articulation with the 1st and 2nd anal spines. This is an unique feature of great taxonomical importance to L. lactarius, the only species in the family Lactariidae. The anal fin counts (23-27) and vertebral counts (23) are also given.

Effects of dietary phosphorus and zinc levels on growth artd bone mineralization in fingerlings of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

A laboratory based 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the influences of dietary phosphorus and zinc levels on growth and bone mineralization in fingerlings of rainbow trout for 21 weeks. Two levels of phosphorus (19 and 30 mg/g) and two levels of zinc (55 and 103 Ag/g) in the dry diets were tested. Duplicate tanks of 30 rainbow trout (average weight 1.56 ± 0.24 g) per 60L glass tank were fed experimental diets three times a day to apparent satiation level at 15 to 24°C water temperature. The results of the present study demonstrated that dietary phosphorus supplementation influenced the growth and bone mineralization whereas zinc levels significantly (p<0.05) influenced bone mineralization in rainbow trout. Further investigations in this area with different size and age groups of this fish are broadly needed.

Reproductive Biology of Amblema neislerii, Elliptoideus sloatianus, Lampsilis subangulata, Medionidus penicillatus, and Pleurobema pyriforme (Bivalvia: Unionidae): final report

A study on the reproductive biology of Amblema neislerii, Elliptoideus sloatianus, Lampsilis subangulata, Medionidus penicillatus, and Pleurobema pyriforme was conducted from May 1995 to May 1997. The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) determine period of gravidity for each of the five mussel species, 2) determine host fish via laboratory experiments, 3) test whether unionid glochidia will transform on a nonidingenous fish, and 4) describe the glochidial morphology for each of the five mussel species using a scanning electron microscope. Amblema neislerii are tachytictic breeders and were found with mature glochidia in May. Elliptoideus sloatianus are tachytictic breeders and were found with mature glochidia from late February to early April. Lampsilis subangulata are bradytictic breeders and were found with mature glochidia from December to August. Superconglutinates were released by L. subangulata from late May to early July. Medionidus penicillatus are bradytictic breeders and were found with mature glochidia in November and February to April. Pleurobema pyriforme are tachytictic breeders and were found with mature glochidia from March to July. The following fish species served as hosts for A. neislerii: Notropis texanus, Lepomis macrochirus, L. microlophus, Micropterus salmoides, and Percina nigrofasciata. The following fish species served as hosts for E. sloatianus: Gambusia holbrooki, Poecilia reticulata, and P. nigrofasciata. The following fish species served as hosts for L. subangulata: G. holbrooki, P. reticulata, L. macrochirus, Micropterus punctulatus, and M. salmoides. The following fish species served as hosts for M. penicillatus: G. holbrooki, P. reticulata, Etheostoma edwini, and P. nigrofasciata. The following fish species served as hosts for P. pyriforme: Pteronotropis hypselopterus, G. holbrooki, and P. reticulata. Poecilia reticulata, a nonindigenous fish, served as a host for E. sloatianus, L. subangulata, M. penicillatus, and P. pyriforme. (76 page document)

Lithology and palynology of cave floor sediment cores from Wakulla Spring, Wakulla County, Florida

Five short bottom sediment cores taken in Wakulla Spring Wakulla County, Florida, were described lithologically and sampled for palynological study. Four of the cores were recoveredfrom sediments at the spring cave entrance (130 feet water depth). One core was taken in a fossil vertebrate bone bed, 280 feet distance into the main spring cave at a water depth of 240 feet. Sediments in the cores are composed of alternating intervals of quartz sand and calcilitite, containing freshwater diatoms, freshwater mollusk shells and plant remains. The predominant pollen present in all cores consists of a periporate variety typical of the herb families Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae. Arboreal flora, typical of the area surrounding the spring today, represent a very low percentage of thle pollen assemblage in the cores. Clustered Chenopod-Amaranth type pollen observed in one core suggest minimal transport prior to deposition, and indicate that the bottom sediments in the cave may be essentially In situ. An absence of exotic flora suggests a Quaternary age for the sediments. (PDF contains 11 pages.)

Biology and Fishery of Florida's commercial sponges

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Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology, 2-6 March 1999 South Padre Island, Texas, U.S.A.

The 19th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation was the largest to date. The beautiful venue was the South Padre Island Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas from March 2-6, 1999. Key features of the 19th were invited talks on the theme The Promise, the Pain, and the Progress of 50 years of Sea Turtle Research and Conservation, a mini-symposium on the Kemp's ridley and an increased emphasis on high quality poster sessions. Hosts for the meeting included Texas A&M University, the Texas Sea Grant College Program, The Gladys Porter Zoo and Sea Turtle, Inc. Co-sponsors included the National Marine Fisheries Service-Southeast Fisheries Science Center, the National Marine Fisheries Service-Protected Resources Branch, Padre Island National Seashore and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With the assistance of Jack Frazier, we were fortunate to obtain a $30,000 grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. This grant provided travel support to 49 individuals from 24 nations who presented a total of 50 presentations. (PDF contains 309 pages)

Proceedings of the Twenty-second Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, 4-7 April, 2002, Miami, Florida

The 22nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation was held April 4-7, 2002 in Miami, Florida and hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 22nd symposium was the most globally diverse ever with 839 individuals from 73 countries attending the symposium and associated regional meetings. One third of the attendees were from outside the United States. This diverse attendance was made possible in large part because of substantial donations from The Packard Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Convention on Migratory Species, Oceanic Research Foundation, and International Sea Turtle Society which supported travel grants for 170 international travelers. (PDF contains 336 pages)

Biology and fisheries of swordfish, Xiphias gladius: Papers from the International Symposium on Pacific Swordfish, Ensenada, Mexico, 11-14 December 1994

The swordfish, Xiphias gladius, is a large migratory oceanic species. It is widely distributed in tropical, temperate, and sometimes cold waters of all oceans, and is usually found in areas with sea-surface temperatures above 13°C. It can reach a maximum size of 540 kg, and is a favorite food fish in many countries. It is excellent for steaks, canning, or teriyaki, the Japanese dish of meat grilled with sugar, soy sauce, and rice wine. Swordfish is harvested commercially throughout its distribution, in both coastal and high-seas fisheries. Sport fisheries for swordfish are very small compared to those for other billfishes, accounting for no more than a few hundred fish per year. (PDF file contains 284 pages.)

Biology and Management of Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria: Papers from the International Symposium on the Biology and Management of Sablefish, Seattle, Washington, 13-15 April 1993

At its june 1990 annual meeting, the Technical Subcommittee (TSC) of the Canada-U.S. Groundfish Committee recommended that scientists and managers working on sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, issues convene to present and discuss the results of their recent research. Thorough knowledge of the biology and population dynamics of this species is essential for its effective management, especially considering its commercial importance. TSC representatives from both countries recognized that a great deal ofactive research has been conducted on this species since the International Sablefish Symposium was held in Anchorage, Alaska, in March 1983 (Melteff, 1983). As a result of this recommendation, the International Symposium on the Biology and Management of Sablefish (ISBMS) was convened April 13-15, 1993, at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington. (PDF file contains 286 pages.)

Conservation Biology of Elasmobranchs

Elasmobranchs are vital and valuable components of the marine biota. From an ecological perspective they occupy the role of top predators within marine food webs, providing a regulatory control that helps balance the ecosystem. From an evolutionary perspective, this group represents an early divergence along the vertebrate line that produced many unusual, but highly successful, adaptations in function and form. From man's perspective, elasmobranchs have been considered both an unavoidable nuisance, and an exploitable fishery resource. A few of the large shark species have earned a dubious notoriety because of sporadic attacks on humans that occur in coastal areas each year worldwide; the hysteria surrounding an encounter with a shark can be costly to the tourist industry. More importantly, elasmobranchs are often considered a detriment to commercial fishing operations; they cause significant economic damage to catches and fishing gear. On the other hand, consumer attitudes have changed concerning many previously unpopular food fishes, including elasmobranchs, and this group of fishes has been increasingly used by both recreational and commercial fishing interests. Many elasmobranchs have become a popular target of recreational fishermen for food and sport because of their abundance, size, and availability in coastal waters. Similarly, commercial fisheries for elasmobranchs have developed or expanded from an increased demand for elasmobranch food products. (PDF file contains 108 pages.)

Biology, Oceanography, and Fisheries of the North Pacific Transition Zone and Subarctic Frontal Zone: Papers from the North Pacific Transition Zone Workshop, Honolulu, Hawaii, 9-11 May 1988

In the past few years, large-scale, high-seas driftnet fishing has sparked intense debate and political conflict in many oceanic regions. In the Pacific Ocean the driftnet controversy first emerged in the North Pacific transition zone and subarctic frontal zone, where driftnet vessels from Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan pursue their target species of neon flying squid. Other North Pacific driftnet fleets from Japan and Taiwan target stocks of tunas and billfishes. Both types of driftnet fishing incidentally kill valued non-target species of marine life, including fish, mammals, birds, and turtles. In response to public concerns about driftnet fishing, government scientists began early on to assemble available information and consider what new data were required to assess impacts on North Pacific marine resources and the broader pelagic ecosystem. Accordingly, a workshop was convened at the NMFS Honolulu Laboratory in May 1988 to review current information on the biology, oceanography, and fisheries of the North Pacific transition zone and subarctic frontal zone. The workshop participants, from the United States and Canada, also developed a strategic plan to guide NMFS in developing a program of driftnet fishery research and impact assessment. This volume contains a selection of scientific review papers presented at the 1988 Honolulu workshop. The papers represent part of the small kernel of information available then, prior to the expansion of cooperative international scientific programs. Subsequent driftnet fishery monitoring and research by the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have added much new data. Nevertheless, this collection of papers provides a historical perspective and contains useful information not readily available elsewhere. (PDF file contains 118 pages.)

Elasmobranchs as living resources: Advances in the biology, ecology, systematics, and the status of the fisheries

This report owes its genesis to the foresight and enthusiam of Dr. Kazuhiro Mizue. By happy circumstance, Professor Mizue contacted me in 1983 with his visionary ideas on cooperative programs. He noted that the time was right because the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the National Science Foundation had mutually given priority to cooperative programs in marine biology. I therefore agreed to act as the U.S. coordinator and proposed to NSF, a short trip to Japan to negotiate site visits and timing with ten previously appointed Japanese scientists and, if that trip were successful, to negotiate a joint research project, possibly followed by a joint seminar. (PDF file contains 528 pages.)

New and innovative advances in biology/engineering with potential for use in aquaculture: Proceedings of the Fourteenth U.S.-Japan Meeting on Aquaculture, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, October 16-17, 1985

The United States and Japanese counterpart panels on aquaculture were formed in 1969 under the United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources (UJNR). The panels currently include specialists drawn from the federal departments most concerned with aquaculture. Charged with exploring and developing bilateral cooperation, the panels have focused their efforts on exchanging information related to aquaculture which could be of benefit to both countries. The UJNR was begun during the Third Cabinet-Level Meeting of the Joint United States-Japan Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs in January 1964. In addition to aquaculture, current subjects in the program include desalination of seawater, toxic microorganisms, air pollution, energy, forage crops, national park management, mycoplasmosis, wind and seismic effects, protein resources, forestry, and several joint panels and committees in marine resources research, development, and utilization. Accomplishments include: Increased communication and cooperation among technical specialists; exchanges of information, data, and research findings; annual meetings of the panels, a policy-coordinative body; administrative staff meetings; exchanges of equipment, materials, and samples; several major technical conferences; and beneficial effects on international relations. (PDF file contains 76 pages.)