Alexander Agassiz, 1835-1910

Biography with photograph

First record of Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis Semper, 1868 (Echinodermata:Holothuroidea) from the northern Arabian Sea (Pakistan)

During the 1994 winter collections, a small holothurian was collected from the rocky shore of Buleji (24°50'N, 66°53'E). It was attached to the green seaweed, Ulva fasciata and was not immediately noticed due to the same basic colour of the body as that of the seaweed. For identification a microscope slide of the spicules was prepared by placing a small piece of skin on a slide and treating it with (3.5%) sodium hypo-chloride (common household bleach). The specimen was identified as Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis Semper, 1868.

Suggestive role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in regulation of its reproductive behaviour

Role of eye-stalk of Macrobrachium gangeticum Bate, 1868 in its reproductive behaviour has been examined by conducting deletion and addition experiments. Eye-stalk ablation induced gonadal maturity in both sexes, leading to change in colour and size of ovaries and increase in GSI and oocyte diameter in females and increased length of testes and diameters of seminiferous tubules in males. Injection of eye-stalk extracts tended to at least partly restrict the effects in both sexes. The experiments thus suggested that the eye-stalk of M. gangeticum released some gonad inhibiting factors.

Proximate composition and mineral contents of pebbly fish, Alestes baremoze (Joannis, 1835) fillets in relation to fish size

Alestes baremoze (Joannis, 1835), locally known as Angara in Uganda, is native to fresh water systems in Africa, thriving well in both lacustrine and riverine conditions. It is part of the routine diets of families in northern Uganda, South Sudan, the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The objective of this study was to determine the proximate composition and mineral contents of A. baremoze fillets according to fish size. The mineral contents of A. baremoze from Lake Albert were analysed using standard procedures. The fish samples were categorised into three size-groups; <1 kg (880–990g), 1-1.5 kg and 1.6-2.5 kg. On wet weight basis, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in crude protein and ash content among the different fish sizes. However, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in crude fat, carbohydrate, gross energy and vitamin A. Crude fat (0.35%), carbohydrate (0.37%) and gross energy (597.6 Kcal/100 g) were significantly higher in medium sized fish (1 to 1.5 kg) compared with the larger fish category. Vitamin A contents of different fish sizes ranged from 55.1 to75.3 μg RAE/100g. The contents of magnesium and iron were highest in sizes <1 kg (5.34 mg/100 g) and (3.58 mg/100 g), respectively. It was observed that potassium content (339.33 mg/100 g) and calcium (29.75 mg/100 g) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in fish >1.5 kg. These findings suggest that taste, freshness and other related external appearances should not be the only factors to be considered in making choice for marketing and consumption of Alestes baremoze.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp 1-18. July-September 2006

CONTENTS: Impacts of the fisheries policy reform on livelihoods in Cambodia, by Chun Sophat and Mitchell Isaacs. A success story about aquaculture in India, by Shri Prameswar Bhoi. Two stories from Nepal: fisherman becomes a rich fish farmer, women’s empowerment through aquaculture, by Rjendra Yadav, Rabindra Man Malla. A positive change in perceptions in Pakistan, by Cecile Brugere. Small details that matter: a story from the Philippines, by Rommel Guarin. A Vietnamese farmer managing aquaculture and capture in a reservoir, by Nguyen Van Lung.

FFA Fisheries Trade Briefing, Vol. 1, Issue 8 & 9, pp. 1-12, July-August 2008

Contents: Fisheries Subsidies. Status of fisheries subsidies talks at the WTO. Preferential Free Trade Agreements. Collapse of Doha Round results in rise of FTAs Update on EU Generalised System of Preferences regime Fisheries Trade-related Regulation. Soltai encounters quality problems. Update on Fiji seafood export ban to the EU. EU sanitary inspections in other developing countries Tuna Markets. Developments in the US debate on the mercury content of tuna. Other developments in the US market. Japanese tuna fisheries and seafood markets. Greenpeace tuna campaign moves to the UK. Thai Union predicts growth for 2008. (PDF contains 12 pages)

Una contribución al conocimiento del Dorado (Salminus maxillosus Cuv. y Val.)

Este trabajo surge de la monografía realizada por el autor para optar al título de Doctor en Ciencias Naturales de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP y trata sobre el pez sudamericano Salminus maxillosus Cuv. y Val., conocido popularmente bajo el nombre de "Dorado", (PDF tiene 72 paginas.)

Larvae of Nearshore Fishes in Oceanic Waters near Oahu, Hawaii

Larvae of over 50 families of nearshore fishes were taken in oceanic waters about 13 km offshore of the leeward (southwest) coast of Oahu, Hawaii during 1977-78, The five most frequently taken families (Labridae, Parapercidae, Serranidae, Gobiidae, and Carangidae) made up over 50% of the total nearshore larvae. Most other families were taken very infrequently. Comparison of catch data from three types of nets indicated that 1.25-m diameter bongo nets often sampled larvae as well or better than a 3-m Isaacs-Kidd trawl and that smaller, 70-cm diameter bongo nets were often as effective as the larger nets for certain abundant taxa. Only a few taxa showed evidence of seasonal patterns in abundance. Irregular temporal variability in abundance of some taxa may have been related to occasional recent influxes of surface water from closer to shore. Most larvae taken were late preflexion stage or older. Densities of even the most abundant taxa were rarely greater than 0.001 m-3. The nearshore fish larvae were not dominated by taxa with large larvae or with larvae possessing apparent specializations to pelagic existence, Most taxa taken were pelagic spawners as adults, but larvae of demersal spawners were roughly as well represented as demersal spawners are among the nearshore fish fauna. Previous studies of waters closer to shore probably sampled insufficient volumes for any but a few exceptionally abundant taxa. Sampling with volumes filtered of the order of 104-105 m3 will be necessary to determine if the dominant taxa taken by the present study are ever more abundant closer to shore, (PDF file contains 23 pages.)

Catalog of Osteological Collections of Aquatic Mammals from Mexico

This paper compiles available information on osteological and other anatomical specimens of at least 51 species of aquatic mammals (34 extant, one recently extinct and 16 fossil) collected in Mexico between 1868 and 1990 and housed in 29 scientific institutions (18 in the USA, nine in Mexico, one in the Netherlands, and one in England). These collections contain a total of 1427 specimens representing 10 families of odontocetes (Squalodontidaet , Rhabdosteidaet , Pontoporiidae, Albireonidaet , Monodontidae, Phocoenidae, Delphinidae, Ziphiidae, Kogiidae, and Physeteridae), three of mysticetes (Cetotheridaet , Eschrichtiidae, and Balaenopteridae), three of carnivores (Otariidae, Phocidae, and Mustelidae) and one of sirenians (Trichechidae). Of the aquatic mammals recorded from Mexico, seven species are not represented by specimens (Stenella frontalis, Lagenodelphis hosei, Feresa attenuata, Hyperoodon sp., Eubalaena glacialis, Balaenoptera borealis, and Enhydra lutris). (PDF file contains 40 pages.)

Review of the crevalle jacks, Caranx hippos complex (Teleostei: Carangidae), with a description of a new species from West Africa

The Caranx hippos species complex comprises three extant species: crevalle jack (Caranx hippos) (Linnaeus, 1766) from both the western and eastern Atlantic oceans; Pacific crevalle jack (Caranx caninus) Günther, 1868 from the eastern Pacific Ocean; and longfin crevalle jack (Caranx fischeri) new species, from the eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea and Ascension Island. Adults of all three species are superficially similar with a black blotch on the lower half of the pectoral fin, a black spot on the upper margin of opercle, one or two pairs of enlarged symphyseal canines on the lower jaw, and a similar pattern of breast squamation. Each species has a different pattern of hyperostotic bone development and anal-fin color. The two sympatric eastern Atlantic species also differ from each other in number of dorsal-and anal-fin rays, and in large adults of C. fischeri the lobes of these fins are longer and the body is deeper. Caranx hippos from opposite sides of the Atlantic are virtually indistinguishable externally but differ consistently in the expression of hyperostosis of the first dorsalfin pterygiophore. The fossil species Caranx carangopsis Steindachner 1859 appears to have been based on composite material of Trachurus sp. and a fourth species of the Caranx hippos complex. Patterns of hyperostotic bone development are compared in the nine (of 15 total) species of Caranx sensu stricto that exhibit hyperostosis.

Length-weight relationships for some important forage crustaceans from South Africa

The diet of marine animals is usually determined by stomach content analysis. Although partially digested prey fragments can often be identified to species level, it is difficult to estimate the original mass of the prey organism. This information, however, is essential for calculating both the total food intake as well as the relative contribution of each prey item. In this study we present regression equations that can be used to estimate the original mass of 18 common South African crustaceans from various indigestible fragments such as the carapace (length and width), chelae (length and width of left and right dactylus) and eye (length and width).

Diet of oceanic loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the central North Pacific

Diet analysis of 52 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) collected as bycatch from 1990 to 1992 in the high-seas driftnet fishery operating between lat. 29.5°N and 43°N and between long. 150°E and 154°W demonstrated that these turtles fed predominately at the surface; few deeper water prey items were present in their stomachs. The turtles ranged in size from 13.5 to 74.0 cm curved carapace length. Whole turtles (n =10) and excised stomachs (n= 42) were frozen and transported to a laboratory for analysis of major faunal components. Neustonic species accounted for four of the five most common prey taxa. The most common prey items were Janthina spp. (Gastropoda); Carinaria cithara Benson 1835 (Heteropoda); a chondrophore, Velella velella (Hydrodia); Lepas spp. (Cirripedia), Planes spp. (Decapoda: Grapsidae), and pyrosomas (Pyrosoma spp.).