Haematological and biochemical reference intervals for farmed channel catfish

The reference intervals for biochemical variables and red blood cell indices of healthy intensively bred channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were determined. The blood variables were determined using standardized clinical methods. The reference intervals (25th and 75th percentiles) were established using a non-parametric method. Reference intervals for plasma glucose, serum total protein, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride concentration, primary and secondary red blood cell indices were established. The haematological and biochemical reference intervals established may allow important clinical decisions about channel catfish. (c) 2007 the Authors Journal compilation (C) 2007 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Preliminary Criteria for Global Flares in Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective. To develop widely acceptable preliminary criteria of global flare for childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE).Methods. Pediatric rheumatologists (n = 138) rated a total of 358 unique patient profiles with information about the cSLE flare descriptors from 2 consecutive visits: patient global assessment of well-being, physician global assessment of disease activity (MD-global), health-related quality of life, anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, disease activity index scores, protein: creatinine (P:C) ratio, complement levels, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Based on 2,996 rater responses about the course of cSLE (baseline versus followup), the accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of candidate flare criteria was assessed. An international consensus conference was held to rank these candidate flare criteria as per the American College of Rheumatology recommendations for the development and validation of criteria sets.Results. The highest-ranked candidate criteria considered absolute changes (Delta) of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) or British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG), MD-global, P:C ratio, and ESR; flare scores can be calculated (0.5 x Delta SLEDAI + 0.45 x Delta P:C ratio + 0.5 x Delta MD-global + 0.02 x Delta ESR), where values of >= 1.04 are reflective of a flare. Similarly, BILAG-based flare scores (0.4 x Delta BILAG + Delta 0.65 x Delta P:C ratio + 0.5 + Delta MD-global + 0.02 x Delta ESR) of >= 1.15 were diagnostic of a flare. Flare scores increased with flare severity.Conclusion. Consensus has been reached on preliminary criteria for global flares in cSLE. Further validation studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of the cSLE flare criteria in research and for clinical care.

Conditioning of stress in Nile tilapia

A Pavlovian conditioning paradigm was used to induce a connection between a conditioned stimulus, light (CS), associated with an unconditioned stimulus, confinement (US) in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, which resulted in a conditioned endocrine response (CR) to the CS alone manifested as an increase in plasma cortisol. Individual isolated Nile tilapia were submitted for 10 days to the conditioning treatment consisting of turning on a light (CS) for I min with subsequent 30 min confinement (US). on the 10th day of the experiment, plasma cortisol was not increased when fish were subjected to no handling at all, or only light, or even a daily stressor for the 9 days. on the other hand, at the 10th day cortisol was significantly increased only when light was presented either with or without pairing with the stressor. These results confirmed that the cue, light (CS), was not stressful in itself, but when given as the CS in the absence of the US post conditioning the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis was activated. Therefore, it was concluded that memory of a previous experience with a stressor can be recalled by a conditioned stimulus and induce stress, which is the first demonstration of a memory-induced stress in fishes. (C) 2004 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Cytogenetic characterization of six species of flatfishes with comments to karyotype differentiation patterns in Pleuronectiformes (Teleostei)

The karyotypes and cytogenetic characteristics of flatfishes species Paralichthys orbignyanus, Paralichthys patagonicus, Citarichthys spilopterus and Etropus crossotus (Paralichthyidae), Bothus ocellatus (Bothidae) and Symphurus tessellatus (Cynoglossidae) were investigated by conventional [Giemsa staining, C-banding, Ag- and chromomycin (CMA(3))-stainings] and molecular [in situ hybridization (ISH)] cytogenetic techniques. The results showed 2n = 46 and FN = 48 (2msm + 46sta) in P. orbignyanus, 2n = 46 and FN = 46 (46sta) in P. patagonicus, 2n = 26 and FN = 44 (18msm + 8sta) in C. spilopterus, 2n = 38 and FN = 64 (26msm + 12sta) in E. crossotus, 2n = 32 and FN = 50 (18msm + 14sta) in B. ocellatus, and 2n = 46 and FN = 62 (46msm + 62sta) in S. tessellatus. All species exhibited weak C-band positive segments in terminal and centromeric positions of some chromosome pairs. Silver staining of the nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NOR) technique showed a single Ag-NOR-bearing chromosome pair in all species except E. crossotus. All these sites were CMA(3) positive and showed clear ISH signals after probing with a 18S rRNA probe. Etropus crossotus presented until seven chromosomes with Ag-NORs and CMA(3) positively stained segments in five chromosome pairs. Conversely only one chromosome pair was identified with the ISH experiments in this species. The available results show that the fishes of the order Pleuronectiformes experienced a marked chromosome evolution that included reduction in diploid number, mainly due to Robertsonian rearrangements, and several chromosome inversions. (c) 2007 the Authors Journal compilation (c) 2007 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Ultrastructure of spermatogenic cells and spermatozoa in Hoplias malabaricus (teleostei, characiformes, erythrinidae)

The differentiation of spermatids in Hoplias malabaricus is characterized by chromatin compaction, flagellum development, nuclear rotation, nuclear fossa formation, and excess cytoplasm elimination. In the resulting spermatozoon, the head is round and the nucleus contains chromatin compacted in thick filaments, peripherically arranged, to a central electron-lucent area. The acrosome is absent. The nuclear fossa is eccentric but not pronounced. The proximal centriole penetrates it and is oblique to the flagellum. The long midpiece has several converging elongate vesicles, forming membranous hoops in the initial segment of the flagellum, but has no cytoplasmic channel. The mitochondria are elongate and branched or C-shaped and located around the initial segment of the axoneme. The lateral flagellum does not show lateral projections. The ultrastructural characteristics of H. malabaricus spermatozoa are similar to the Cypriniformes. (C) 2001 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

A new species of mullet (Teleostei : Mugilidae) from Venezuela, with a discussion on the taxonomy of Mugil gaimardianus

The original description of Mugil gaimardianus has created various taxonomic problems in the past since the description is ambiguous and the type specimen is apparently lost. The name M. gaimardianus could not be reliably applied to any known species and was suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) (Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, 51: 286-287, 1994). Nevertheless, karyological evidence has shown that there is a species of mullet in Venezuelan coastal waters that does not conform to the description of any other mullet from the Western Central Atlantic and has the feature of a red eye that was often used by earlier authors to define nominal M. gaimardianus. The purpose of this study was to make a morphological description of these unusual specimens, provide a morphological diagnosis from other species of Mugil present in the Caribbean and Western Central Atlantic and establish a valid name for the species. (c) 2007 the Authors Journal complication (c) 2007 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and spermatozoa in Diplomystes mesembrinus

Spermiogenesis in Diplomystes mesembrinus, one of the most primitive species from the Siluriformes, occurs in cysts. Differentiation of spermatids is characterized by chromatin compaction, flagellum development, nuclear fossa formation, rotation of the nucleus, and excess cytoplasm elimination. The spermatozoon head is round, the nucleus contains highly condensed chromatin clusters, the midpiece is short, the axoneme shows a 9 + 2 pattern with two discrete lateral projections, and the acrosome is absent. The nuclear fossa penetrates deeply into the nucleus, including the centriolar complex and the start of the axoneme. The single large C-shaped mitochondrion sur rounds the: initial segment of the axoneme. The structural features of D. mesembrinus spermatozoon are similar to the Clupeiformes. (C) 2001 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Spermatic cell characteristics in Gymnotiformes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi) and their phylogenetic meaning

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Size at maturity of Atlantoraja platana (Gunther, 1880) (Chondrichthyes : Rajidae : Arhynchobatinae) in the south-west Atlantic Ocean

The sexual development of Atlantoraja platana from the south-west Atlantic Ocean was analysed. According to the reproductive variables considered for both sexes, males were found to mature at 620 mm and females at 715 mm total length. (c) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus and its follower fishes at an oceanic island in the tropical west Atlantic

The influence of a substratum-disturbing forager, the spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus on the assemblage of its escorting, opportunistic-feeding fishes was examined at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (tropical west Atlantic). Followers attracted to spotted goatfish foraging singly differed from followers of spotted goatfish foraging in groups in several characteristics. The larger the nuclear fish group, the greater the species richness and number of individuals of followers. Moreover, groups of foraging spotted goatfish attracted herbivores, not recorded for spotted goatfish foraging singly. The size of follower individuals increased with the size and the number of foraging spotted goatfish. The zoobenthivorous habits of the spotted goatfish and its ability to disturb a variety of soft substrata render it an important nuclear fish for several follower species of the reef fish assemblage at Fernando de Noronha. (c) 2006 the Authors Journal compilation (c) 2006 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Foam nest production in the armoured catfish

Foam nest production in Hoplosternum littorale is described in detail. This fish produces foam, while swimming belly-up, by pumping water over the gills and using their pelvic fins to mix water and mucus. The bubbles resulting from this process are added to plant debris carried by the male, which possesses a specialized pectoral fin spine to perform such activity. (C) 1997 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Effects of ambient colour on colour preference and growth of juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Colour preference of individual juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss was tested at 1 and 12 degrees C, and also at 12 degrees C after a 42 day growth experiment under white, blue, green, yellow or red ambient colour. All experiments were carried out under controlled laboratory conditions and the preference was assessed by the location of the fish in a preference tank with four chambers. Rainbow trout showed a preference for blue and green at 1 degrees C and for green at 12 degrees C. After the growth experiment the fish reared in blue tanks preferred blue and green but green was the most preferred colour for the fish reared in green, yellow and red tanks. Yellow and especially red chambers were avoided, irrespective of the ambient colour during the growth trial. The final mass of fish reared in the red aquaria was significantly smaller than that of the fish in green tanks. In addition, when the data of the preference tests were correlated with the data of the growth experiment using mean values of the four tested colours, a very good linear relationship was observed between the preference (i.e. visit frequency in coloured compartments) and growth rate as well as food intake. When considering the results both from the preference and growth trials it is suggested that green is the best environmental colour for rearing juvenile rainbow trout while rearing in a red environment cannot be recommended. (c) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Reproductive biology of the guitarfish Rhinobatos percellens (Chondrichthyes, Rhinobatidae) from the São Paulo Coast, Brazil, western South Atlantic Ocean

The reproductive biology of the guitarfish Rhinobatos percellens was studied from 751 specimens caught by bottom pair trawlers off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil, between c. 24° 00′ S; 45° 15′ W and c. 25° 10′ S; 47° 52′ W, from September 2007 to August 2009. The total length (LT) and total mass (MT) relationship for males and females combined was MT = 1·29E-06 LT 3·15 (r = 0·99, n = 751). The mean LT of sexually mature specimens was 548 mm for males and 583 mm for females. Clasper growth was allometric and showed three distinct phases. Most claspers were calcified in specimens of c. 550 mm LT. The mean diameter of the largest oocyte was 29·8 mm, the mean ovarian fecundity was seven oocytes and ovulation occurred between August and November. Uterine fecundity ranged from two to 13 embryos (mean of five embryos). Larger females had higher litter sizes and larger embryos; the size-at-birth was c. 200 mm LT. The hepato-somatic index oscillated seasonally for males and females; the gonado-somatic index had little variation in males, but varied seasonally in females. The presence of many non-pregnant adult females and of encapsulated eggs during two consecutive seasons suggests a resting period between gestations and the possibility of diapause. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2012 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Haematological response of curimbas Prochilodus lineatus, naturally infected with Neoechinorhynchus curemai

This study evaluated the haematological response of curimbas Prochilodus lineatus, naturally infected with Neoechinorhynchus curemai (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae). Thirty-seven fish were captured in October 2010 from the Mogi Guaçu River, Porto Ferreira, SP, Brazil. Infected fish presented increased mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes, and lower thrombocyte and higher monocyte counts than uninfected fish. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Hemiodus iratapuru, a new species of Hemiodontidae from the Rio Jari, Amazon Basin, Brazil (Teleostei, Characiformes)

Hemiodus iratapuru, a new species of the Hemiodontidae from the Rio Iratapuru, a left bank tributary of the Rio Jari, Amazon Basin, Brazil, is described. The new species is diagnosed from other species of Hemiodus by modifications in the ectopterygoid, tooth form, scale counts, dorsal-fin form and colour pattern. The new species is proposed to be related to the Hemiodus quadrimaculatus species group. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.