History of a Systematics Odyssey: The Marine Flora and Fauna of the Eastern United States

On an early fall day in September 1962 I sat quietly, thoughtfully, at my large desk in a newly renovated corner office in the old Crane wing of the Lillie Building, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Looking out through high, ancient windows, I could see the busy main street of Woods Hole in the foreground, Martha's Vineyard beyond, behind me the MBL Stone Candle House, across the street the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and to the far right, the Biological Laboratory of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries (BCF)(Fig. 1). Down the inner hall from my office stretched renovated quarters for the fledgling, ongoing, year-round MBL Systematics-Ecology Program (SEP), which I had been invited to direct.

Historical knowledge of sharks: ancient science, earliest American encounters, and American science, fisheries, and utilization

In western civilization, the knowledge of the elasmobranch or selachian fishes (sharks and rays) begins with Aristotle (384–322 B.C.). Two of his extant works, the “Historia Animalium” and the “Generation of Animals,” both written about 330 B.C., demonstrate knowledge of elasmobranch fishes acquired by observation. Roman writers of works on natural history, such as Aelian and Pliny, who followed Aristotle, were compilers of available information. Their contribution was that they prevented the Greek knowledge from being lost, but they added few original observations. The fall of Rome, around 476 A.D., brought a period of economic regression and political chaos. These in turn brought intellectual thought to a standstill for nearly one thousand years, the period known as the Dark Ages. It would not be until the middle of the sixteenth century, well into the Renaissance, that knowledge of elasmobranchs would advance again. The works of Belon, Salviani, Rondelet, and Steno mark the beginnings of ichthyology, including the study of sharks and rays. The knowledge of sharks and rays increased slowly during and after the Renaissance, and the introduction of the Linnaean System of Nomenclature in 1735 marks the beginning of modern ichthyology. However, the first major work on sharks would not appear until the early nineteenth century. Knowledge acquired about sea animals usually follows their economic importance and exploitation, and this was also true with sharks. The first to learn about sharks in North America were the native fishermen who learned how, when, and where to catch them for food or for their oils. The early naturalists in America studied the land animals and plants; they had little interest in sharks. When faunistic works on fishes started to appear, naturalists just enumerated the species of sharks that they could discern. Throughout the U.S. colonial period, sharks were seldom utilized for food, although their liver oil or skins were often utilized. Throughout the nineteenth century, the Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias, was the only shark species utilized in a large scale on both coasts. It was fished for its liver oil, which was used as a lubricant, and for lighting and tanning, and for its skin which was used as an abrasive. During the early part of the twentieth century, the Ocean Leather Company was started to process sea animals (primarily sharks) into leather, oil, fertilizer, fins, etc. The Ocean Leather Company enjoyed a monopoly on the shark leather industry for several decades. In 1937, the liver of the Soupfin Shark, Galeorhinus galeus, was found to be a rich source of vitamin A, and because the outbreak of World War II in 1938 interrupted the shipping of vitamin A from European sources, an intensive shark fishery soon developed along the U.S. West Coast. By 1939 the American shark leather fishery had transformed into the shark liver oil fishery of the early 1940’s, encompassing both coasts. By the late 1940’s, these fisheries were depleted because of overfishing and fishing in the nursery areas. Synthetic vitamin A appeared on the market in 1950, causing the fishery to be discontinued. During World War II, shark attacks on the survivors of sunken ships and downed aviators engendered the search for a shark repellent. This led to research aimed at understanding shark behavior and the sensory biology of sharks. From the late 1950’s to the 1980’s, funding from the Office of Naval Research was responsible for most of what was learned about the sensory biology of sharks.

Geologic History of Florida

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Contributions to the Geology and Paleontology of the Canal Zone, Panama, and geologically related areas in central America and the West Indies. Part 11: The biologic character and geologic correlations of the sedimentary formations of Panama in their relation to the geologic history of Central America and the West Indies

The paper presents: 1) biologic summaries for each of the formations for which paleontologic data are available, with brief discussions of the geologic age; 2) geologic correlations of the formations and the distribution of their age-equivalents in Central America, the West Indies, and the southeastern United States; 3) an outline of the paleogeography of middle America. The biologic summaries are based on the paleontologic memoirs in this vol. by Messars. Howe, Berry, Chuchman, Jackson, Canu and Bassler and Pilsbry, Miss Rathbun and myself.

A history of the Connecticut River and its fisheries

(PDF contains 15 pages)

Life History, Diet, Abundance and Distribution, and Length-Frequencies of Selected Invertebrates in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park, Florida

This report presents information on the life history, diet, abundance and distribution, and length-frequency distributions of five invertebrates in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park. Collections were made with an otter trawl in basins on a bi-monthly basis. Non-parametric statistics were used to test spatial and temporal differences in the abundance of invertebrates when numbers were appropriate (i. e., $25). Invertebrate species are presented in four sections. The sections on Life History, and Diet were derived from the literature. The section on Abundance and Distribution consists of data from otter-trawl collections. In addition, comparisons with other studies are included here following our results. The section on Length-frequency Distributions consists of length measurements from all collections, except 1984-1985 when no measurements were taken. Length-frequency distributions were used, when possible, to estimate life stage captured, spawning times, recruitment into Florida Bay for those species which spawn outside the Bay, and growth. Additional material from the literature was added when appropriate. (PDF contains 39 pages)

Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of Priacanthid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

The family Priacanthidae contains four genera and four species that occur in the western central North Atlantic (Starnes, 1988). Pristigenys alta is distributed in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and along the east coast of North America. Although juveniles have been reported from as far north as southern New England waters, adults are not reported north of Cape Hatteras, NC. Priacanthus arenatus is distributed in tropical and tropically influenced areas of the western central North Atlantic in insular and continental shelf waters. Adult P. arenatus are distributed north to North Carolina and Bermuda, juveniles have been collected as far north as Nova Scotia. Cookeolus japonicus and Heteropriacanthus cruentatus are circumglobally distributed species and are both common in insular habitats. In the western central North Atlantic, C. japonicus ranges from New Jersey to Argentina; H. cruentatus from New Jersey and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil (Starnes, 1988). (PDF contains 6 pages)

Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of Gerreid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

The family Gerreidae contains four genera and 13 species that occur in the western central North Atlantic. Adult gerreids are small to medium size fishes that are abundant in coastal waters, bays, and estuaries in tropical and warm temperate regions and sometimes occur in freshwaters. They are generally associate~ with grassy or open bottoms, but not with reefs. Gerreids are silvery fishes, with deeply forked tails, and extremely protrusible mouth that points downward when protracted. They apparently feed on bottom-dwelling organisms and at least one species (Eucinostomus gula) shows a distinct transition, during the juvenile period, from a planktivore (exclusively copepods) to a carnivore that includes a diet of almost solely polychaetes (Carr & Adams, 1973; Robins and Ray, 1987; Murdy et al., 1997). (PDF contains 10 pages)

Preliminary guide to the indentification of the early life history stages of Callionymid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

Callionymidae, along with the Draconettidae and Gobiesocidae, previously were placed in the order Gobiesociformes (Allen, 1984). Recently, Nelson (1994) placed the Callionymidae and Draconettidae in the percifonn suborder Callionymoidei. The family is represented by three species in the western central North Atlantic Ocean, Diplogrammus pauciradiatus, Paradiplogrammus bairdi and Foetorepus agassizi (Davis, 1966; Robins and Ray, 1986). A detailed review ofthe family including early life history infonnation is given by Houde (1984) and Watson (1996). (PDF contains 11 pages)

Identification of the egg, early life history and spawning areas if the anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), in the Gulf of Panama

ENGLISH: The egg of the anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), was identified in the Gulf of Panama by its size, difference in diurnal period of spawning, seasonal occurrence (October to January) and relative abundance. It is pelagic, translucent and oval with mean dimensions of 1.166 mm. and 0.558 mm. for the long and short axes respectively. The egg membrane is unsculptured, the yolk mass is markedly segmented, and no oil globule or pigmentation is present. It was not found in the plankton from mid-January 1957 until the latter part of the following September; during this period the gonads of the anchoveta were immature. Only one other anchovy egg, spawned during the same diurnal period, is sufficiently similar in dimensions to be confused with that of the anchoveta; however, it is slightly smaller. SPANISH: El huevo de la anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), fué identificado en el Golfo de Panamá por su tamaño, diferencias en el período diario de desove, su abundancia en la temporada (de octubre a enero) y por su abundancia relativa. El huevo es pelágico, translúcido, oval y con dimensiones promedio de 1.166 mm. y 0.558 mm. para los ejes largo y corto, respectivamente. La membrana es lisa, el vitelo está francamente segmentado y no posee ningún glóbulo graso o pigmentación. El huevo de la anchoveta no se encontró en el plancton en el período comprendido entre mediados de enero y fines de septiembre de 1957; durante este lapso las gónadas estuvieron inactivas.

Spawning, egg development, and early life history dynamics of arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) in the Gulf of Alaska

Arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) has the highest biomass of any groundfish species in the Gulf of Alaska, is a voracious predator of age 1 walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), and is a major component in the diet of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). Owing to its ecological importance in the Gulf of Alaska and the limited information available on its reproduction, interest has intensified in describing its spawning and early life history. A study was undertaken in late January–February 2001–2003 in the Gulf of Alaska to obtain information on adult spawning location, depth distribution, and sexual maturity, and to obtain fertilized eggs for laboratory studies. Adults were found 200–600 m deep east of Kodiak Island over the outer continental shelf and upper slope, and southwest along the shelf break to the Shumagin Islands. Most ripe females (oocytes extruded with light pressure) were found at 400 m and most ripe males (milt extruded with light pressure) were found at depths ≥450 m. Eggs were fertilized and incubated in the laboratory at 3.0°, 4.5°, and 6.0°C. Eggs were reared to hatching, but larvae did not survive long enough to complete yolk absorption and develop pigment. Eggs were staged according to morphological hallmarks and incubation data were used to produce a stage duration table and a regression model to estimate egg age based on water temperature and developmental stage. Arrowtooth flounder eggs (1.58–1.98 mm in diameter) were collected in ichthyoplankton surveys along the continental shelf edge, primarily at depths ≥400 m. Early-stage eggs were found in tows that sampled to depths of ≥450 m. Larvae, which hatch between 3.9 and 4.8 mm standard length, increased in abundance with depth. Observations on arrowtooth flounder eggs and early-stage larvae were used to complete the description of the published partial developmental series.(PDF file contains 34 pages.)

Observations on the life history and identity of intraspecific groups of the anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus, in Montijo Bay and Chiriquí Province, Panama

ENGLISH: Howard and Landa (1958) and Barrett and Howard (1961) have studied the life history of the anchoveta in most of the areas where this species occurs in important quantities. The Gulf of Panama was the only area of Panama included in these studies, as this was the only one from which sufficient samples were available. Berdegue (1958) compared certain meristic and morphometric characters of anchovetas from Montijo Bay and nine other areas of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. He found statistically significant differences, and concluded that the fish of the different areas belonged to separate "populations." Fish from Chiriquí province were not included in his study. Since the, completion of the above-mentioned studies, a number of collections of anchovetas from Montijo Bay and Chiriquí province have been obtained. In the present report use is made of this material to determine the salient facts regarding the life history of the anchoveta from these areas and to supplement the available knowledge of the identity of the intraspecific groups. Acknowledgment is extended to Dr. Milner B. Schaefer, formerly Director of Investigations, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (now Director, Institute of Marble Resources, University of California), Mr. Clifford L. Peterson, Assistant Director of Investigations, and Mr. Edward F. Klima (now with the U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries) for advice and assistance rendered to the project. The shrimp-boat samples were collected by Captains Robert Barrett, Stephen Barrett, and Chester McLean. SPANISH: Howard y Landa (1958) y Barrett y Howard (1961) han estudiado la historia natural de la anchoveta en la mayoría de las áreas en donde esta especie aparece en cantidades importantes. El Golfo de Panamá es la única area de Panamá incluida en estos estudios, ya que es la única de la cual hubo suficientes muestras disponibles. Berdegué (1958) camparó ciertos caracteres merístieos y morfométricos de la anehoveta del Golfo de Montijo y otras nueve áreas del Océano Pacífico Oriental Tropical. Encontró diferencias estadísticamente significativas e hizo la conclusión de que los peces de las diferentes áreas pertenecían a "poblaciones" separadas. Los peces de la Provincia de Chiriquí no fueron incluidos en su estudio. Desde la terminación de los estudios antes meneionados se obtuvieron varias recolecciones de anchovetas del Golfo de Montijo y de la Provincia de Chiriquí. En el presente informe se usó este material para determinar los hechos sobresalientes referentes a la historia natural de la anchoveta de estas áreas y suplir el conocimiento disponible de la identidadde los grupos intraespecíficos. Se hace extensivo un reconocimiento al Dr. Milner B. Schaefer, antiguo director de investigaciones de la Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical (ahora director del Institute of Marine Resources, University of California), al Sr. Clifford L. Peterson, asistente del director de investigaciones, y al Sr. Edward F. Klima (ahora can el U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries) por su consejo y ayuda prestados en este proyecto. Las muestras de los barcos camaroneros fueron reeolectadas por los capitanes Robert Barrett, Stephen Barrett y Chester McLean

Southeastern U.S. Deepwater Reef Fish Assemblages, Habitat Characteristics, Catches, and Life History Summaries

There are 19 economically important reef fish species in the deepwater (l00-300 m) fishery of the southeastern United States. Five species make up the majority (over 97% by weight) of the catch. In descending order of total landings for 1995, they are: tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus, blueline tilefish, Caulolatilus microps, warsaw grouper, Epinephelus nigritus, and yellowedge grouper, E. flavolimbatus. Life history summaries and estimates of catches from 1972 through 1995 for 14 species are described. (PDF file contains 45 pages.)