Rare fishes of the deep-sea genus Halieutopsis : a review with descriptions of four new species (Lophiiformes; Ogcocephalidae) : a contribution in celebration of the distinguished scholarship of Robert F. Inger on the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday /

n.s. no.44(1988)

Deep sea fishes from the Gulf of Mexico, with the description of a new species, Squalogadus intermedius (Macrouroididae)

v.39:no.29(1959)

Siliceous deep-sea sponge Monorhaphis chuni: A potential paleoclimate archive in ancient animals

The deep-sea sponge Monorhaphis chuni forms giant basal spicules, which can reach lengths of 3 m; they represent the largest biogenic silica structures on Earth that is formed from an individual metazoan. The spicules offer a unique opportunity to record environmental change of past oceanic and climatic conditions. A giant spicule collected in the East China Sea in a depth of 1110 m was investigated. The oxygen isotopic composition and Mg/Ca ratios determined along center-to-surface segments are used as geochemical proxies for the assessment of seawater paleotemperatures. Calculations are based on the assumption that the calculated temperature near the surface of the spicule is identical with the average ambient temperature of 4 degrees C. A seawater temperature of 1.9 degrees C is inferred for the beginning of the lifespan of the Monorhaphis specimen. The temperature increases smoothly to 2.3 degrees C, to be followed by sharply increased and variable temperatures up to 6-10 degrees C. In the outer part of the spicule, the inferred seawater temperature is about 4 degrees C. The lifespan of the spicule can be estimated to 11,000 +/- 3000 years using the long-term trend of the inferred temperatures fitted to the seawater temperature age relationships since the Last Glacial Maximum. Specimens of Monorhaphis therefore represents one the oldest living animals on Earth. The remarkable temperature spikes of the ambient seawater occurring 9500-3100 years B.P. are explained by discharges of hydrothermal fluids in the neighborhood of the spicule. The irregular lamellar organization of the spicule and the elevated Mn concentrations during the high-temperature growth are consistent with a hydrothermal fluid input. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DESARROLLO DE UNA BASE DE DATOS Y UNA APLICACIÓN WEB DE ACCESO A LA MISMA PARA UN GRUPO DE INVESTIGACIÓN MARINA DE ORGANISMOS DE PROFUNDIDAD (DEEP-SEA)

Este proyecto se fraguó previamente a la elección de un trabajo final de carrera. Para poder entenderlo debo mencionar que trabajo como titulado superior de investigación y laboratorio en el Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), dentro de un grupo de investigación en oceanografía biológica, concretamente en recursos marinos renovables. En base a mi experiencia con este tipo de entorno de investigación, observe que existían una serie de mejoras de carácter técnico que se podrían introducir, y que ha la larga iban a facilitar mucho más el trabajo científico del grupo.Este grupo durante muchos años se ha dedicado a la obtención de datos de dos especies marinas de interés comercial del mar Mediterráneo que tienen su hábitat en aguas profundas: la gamba rosada (Aristeus antennatus) y la cigala (Nephrops norvegicus). Por ende, de manera colateral, datos de las especies que interaccionan con ellas, y que por este hecho se ven influenciadas al ser pescadas las anteriores. En estos años ha ido en aumento la evidencia de que ecosistemas más someros de nuestros mares tienen una relación mucho mayor de lo que se suponía con los ecosistemas profundos de los mismos. Además estos ecosistemas profundos influyen en los someros, también más de lo que cabía esperar, actuando de refugio de larvas y especies que tienen capacidad de sobrevivir en rangos batimétricos amplios. Si desean tener una visión más profunda al respecto pueden ver algunas de las últimas referencias bibliográficas a las que hago referencia en este párrafo acerca de este hecho, así como del incremento de la importancia de los grupos de investigación en el mundo dedicados a este tipo de investigación. En algunas de estas publicaciones han participado miembros del grupo al cual va dirigido el trabajo que aquí expongo.A medida que crecía el número de miembros del grupo, la importancia del mismo, la mejora tecnológica empleada en los muestreos, las colaboraciones internacionales con otras instituciones y la cantidad de proyectos en el grupo de investigación, crecía a su vez proporcionalmente, la cantidad de datos y la disparidad en formatos y sistemas de almacenaje (Hojas MS Excel o bases de datos MS Access, archivos de texto, etc.). Se ha hecho necesaria entonces la creación de una herramienta que los gestione de una forma común, y una base de datos para el almacenaje de los mismos de una forma coherente y robusta. Así mismo el hecho de tener los datos en una fuente común, posibilitará su distribución a otras bases de datos mundiales sobre la materia con las cuales se colabora, dependientes de organismos tan en la cresta a de la ola, como el Census of marine life (COML), el Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) y el Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM)de Alemania. Estos a su vez carecen de datos de las zonas geográficas pertenecientes al mar Mediterráneo foco de la investigación del grupo.

Application of compositional data analysis to geochemical data of marine sediments

In an earlier investigation (Burger et al., 2000) five sediment cores near the RodriguesTriple Junction in the Indian Ocean were studied applying classical statistical methods(fuzzy c-means clustering, linear mixing model, principal component analysis) for theextraction of endmembers and evaluating the spatial and temporal variation ofgeochemical signals. Three main factors of sedimentation were expected by the marinegeologists: a volcano-genetic, a hydro-hydrothermal and an ultra-basic factor. Thedisplay of fuzzy membership values and/or factor scores versus depth providedconsistent results for two factors only; the ultra-basic component could not beidentified. The reason for this may be that only traditional statistical methods wereapplied, i.e. the untransformed components were used and the cosine-theta coefficient assimilarity measure.During the last decade considerable progress in compositional data analysis was madeand many case studies were published using new tools for exploratory analysis of thesedata. Therefore it makes sense to check if the application of suitable data transformations,reduction of the D-part simplex to two or three factors and visualinterpretation of the factor scores would lead to a revision of earlier results and toanswers to open questions . In this paper we follow the lines of a paper of R. Tolosana-Delgado et al. (2005) starting with a problem-oriented interpretation of the biplotscattergram, extracting compositional factors, ilr-transformation of the components andvisualization of the factor scores in a spatial context: The compositional factors will beplotted versus depth (time) of the core samples in order to facilitate the identification ofthe expected sources of the sedimentary process.Kew words: compositional data analysis, biplot, deep sea sediments

Impacts on the deep-sea ecosystem by a severe coastal storm

Major coastal storms, associated with strong winds, high waves and intensified currents, and occasionally with heavy rains and flash floods, are mostly known because of the serious damage they can cause along the shoreline and the threats they pose to navigation. However, there is a profound lack of knowledge on the deep-sea impacts of severe coastal storms. Concurrent measurements of key parameters along the coast and in the deep-sea are extremely rare. Here we present a unique data set showing how one of the most extreme coastal storms of the last decades lashing the Western Mediterranean Sea rapidly impacted the deep-sea ecosystem. The storm peaked the 26th of December 2008 leading to the remobilization of a shallow-water reservoir of marine organic carbon associated with fine particles and resulting in its redistribution across the deep basin. The storm also initiated the movement of large amounts of coarse shelf sediment, which abraded and buried benthic communities. Our findings demonstrate, first, that severe coastal storms are highly efficient in transporting organic carbon from shallow water to deep water, thus contributing to its sequestration and, second, that natural, intermittent atmospheric drivers sensitive to global climate change have the potential to tremendously impact the largest and least known ecosystem on Earth, the deep-sea ecosystem.

An introduction to Mediterranean deep-sea biology

This chapter presents the state of the art concerning the deep-sea Mediterranean environment: geology, hydrology, biology and fisheries. These are the fields of study dealt with in the scientific papers of this volume. The authors are specialists who have addressed their research to the Mediterranean deep-sea environment during the last years. This introduction is an overview but not an exhaustive review.

Shallow-platform palaeoenvironmental conditions recorded in deep-shelf sediments: C and stable isotopes in Upper Jurassic sections of southern Germany (Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian)

A high-resolution carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of Late Oxfordian-Early Kimmeridgian deep-shelf sediments of southern Germany is combined with investigation of nannofossil assemblage composition and sedimentological interpretations in order to evaluate the impact of regional palaeoenvironmental conditions on isotopic composition of carbonates. This study suggests that carbonate mud was essentially derived from the Jura shallow platform environments and also that the isotopic signature of carbonates deposited in the Swabian Alb deep shelf indirectly expresses the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the platform. Short-term fluctuations in delta(13) C and delta(18)O are probably controlled by changes in salinity (fresh-water input versus evaporation) in platform environments. Long-term fluctuations in carbon and oxygen isotope record throughout the Late Oxfordian-Early Kimmeridgian result from the interplay of increasing temperature and decreasing humidity, which both control the trophic level. Changes from mesotrophic to oligotrophic conditions in platform environments and in the deep-shelf surface waters are inferred. During the Late Oxfordian (Bimammatum Subzone to Planula Zone), the delta(13)C curve displays a positive shift of about 1 parts per thousand, which is comparable in intensity to global perturbations of the carbon cycle. This evident isotopic shift has not been documented yet in other basinal settings. It can be reasonably explained by local palaeoenvironmental changes on the Jura platform (salinity, temperature, and nutrient availability) that controlled platform carbonate production, and the geochemistry of overlying waters. However, increasing carbonate production on the Jura platform and related positive delta(13)C shifts recorded in the Swabian Alb deep shelf are the regional signatures of climatic changes affecting other palaeogeographical domains of Europe in which the carbonate production increased throughout the Late Oxfordian. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts on the deep-sea ecosystem by a severe coastal storm

Major coastal storms, associated with strong winds, high waves and intensified currents, and occasionally with heavy rains and flash floods, are mostly known because of the serious damage they can cause along the shoreline and the threats they pose to navigation. However, there is a profound lack of knowledge on the deep-sea impacts of severe coastal storms. Concurrent measurements of key parameters along the coast and in the deep-sea are extremely rare. Here we present a unique data set showing how one of the most extreme coastal storms of the last decades lashing the Western Mediterranean Sea rapidly impacted the deep-sea ecosystem. The storm peaked the 26th of December 2008 leading to the remobilization of a shallow-water reservoir of marine organic carbon associated with fine particles and resulting in its redistribution across the deep basin. The storm also initiated the movement of large amounts of coarse shelf sediment, which abraded and buried benthic communities. Our findings demonstrate, first, that severe coastal storms are highly efficient in transporting organic carbon from shallow water to deep water, thus contributing to its sequestration and, second, that natural, intermittent atmospheric drivers sensitive to global climate change have the potential to tremendously impact the largest and least known ecosystem on Earth, the deep-sea ecosystem.

Systematics, Fishery, Resource Characteristics and Bionomics of Deep Sea Prawns Off Kerala

School Of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Biochemical & Pharmacological evaluation of liver oils of selected deep sea sharks and chimaeras of the Indian EEZ

With a seacoast of 8,1 18 km, an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2 million square km, and with an area of about 30,000 square km under aquaculture, lndia produces close to six million tonnes of fish, over 4 per cent of the world fish production. While the marine waters upto 50m depth have been fully exploited, those beyond, remain unexplored. There is an ever increasing demand for fishery resources as food. The coastal fishery resources of the country are dwindling at a rapid pace and it becomes highly imperative that we search for alternate fishery resources for food. The option we have is to hunt for marine fishery resources. Studies pertaining to proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition are essential to understand the nutraceutical values of these deep sea fishery resources. The present study was aimed to carry out proximate composition of deep sea fishery resources obtained during cruises onboard the FORV Sarise Sampada, to identify fishery resources which have appreciable lipid content and thereby analyse the bioactive potentials of marine lipids, to study the amino acid profile of these fishery resources, to understand the contents of SPA, MUFA and PUFA and to calculate the n3/n6 fatty acid contents. Though the presence of nutraceuticals was identified in the marine fishery resources their use as potential food resources deserve further investigation. So the study were carried out to calculate the hepatosomatic indices of sharks & chimaeras and conduct biochemical characterisation of liver oils of Apristurus indicus, Cenlrophorus scalprams, Centroselachus crepidater, Neoharriotta raleighana, and Harriotta pinnata obtained during cruises onboard the FORV Sugar Sampada.Therapeutic use of shark liver oil is evident from its use for centuries as a remedy to heal wounds and fight flu (Neil er al. 2006). Japanese seamen called it 'samedava' or "cure all". Shark liver oil is being promoted worldwide as a dietary supplement to boost the immune system, fight infections, to treat cancer and to lessen the side effects of conventional cancer treatment. These days more emphasis is laid on the nutritive benefits of shark liver oils especially on the omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs) (Anandan er al. 2007) and alkylglycerols (AKGs) (Pugliese er al. I998) contained in them due to the high rise of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, asthma and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Schizophrenia. So the present study also evaluate the pharmacological properties with respect to analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti pyretic and anti-ulcer effects of four different liver oils of sharks belonging to the Indian EEZ and to identify the components of oil responsible for these activities.The analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of liver oils from Neoharriotra raleighana (NR), Centrosymnus crepidater (CC), Apristurus indicus (AI), and Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) sharks caught from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean were compared. The main objectives also include determination of the cholesterol lowering effects of liver oils of Neoharriotra raleighana (NR) and Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) on the high fat diet induced dyslipidemia and to compare the impact of four isolipidemic diets, on levels of serum diagnostic marker enzymes, on lipid profile of blood and liver and antioxidant status of heart in male Albino rats. And also to study the efficacy of Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) liver oil against Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-induced arthritis and to compare the anti-inflammatory activity of this oil with a traditionally used anti-inflammatory substance gingerol (oleoresin extracted from ginger.). The results of the present study indicated that both (Centrophorus sculpratus liver oils as well as gingerol extracts proved to be effective natural remedies against CFA-induced arthritis in Albino rats.

Distribution, diversity and biology of deep-sea fishes in the Indian EEZ

This thesis Entitled distribution ,diversity and biology of deep-sea fishes the indian Eez.Fishing rights and responsibilities it entails in the deep-sea sector has been a vexed issue since the mid-nineties and various stakeholders have different opinion on the modalities of harnessing the marine fisheries wealth, especially from the oceanic and deeper waters. The exploitation and utilization of these esources requires technology development and upgradation in harvest and post-harvest areas; besides shore infrastructure for berthing, handling, storing and processing facilities. At present, although deep-sea fishes don’t have any ready market in our country it can be converted into value added products. Many problems have so far confronted the deep-sea fishing sector not allowing it to reach its full potential. Hence, there should be a sound deep-sea fishing policy revolving round the upgradation of the capabilities of small scale fishermen, who have the inherent skills but do not have adequate support to develop themselves and to acquire vessels having the capability to operate in farther and deeper waters. Prospects for the commercial exploitation and utilization of deep-sea fishes were analyzed using SWOL analysis.

The Systematics, Distribution and Bionomics of Deep sea fishes beyond depth 200m along the South west coast of India

Reducing fishing pressure in coastal waters is the need of the day in the Indian marine fisheries sector of the country which is fast changing from a mere vocational activity to a capital intensive industry. It requires continuous monitoring of the resource exploitation through a scientifically acceptable methodology, data on production of each species stock, the number and characteristics of the fishing gears of the fleet, various biological characteristics of each stock, the impact of fishing on the environment and the role of fishery—independent on availability and abundance. Besides this, there are issues relating to capabilities in stock assessment, taxonomy research, biodiversity, conservation and fisheries management. Generation of reliable data base over a fixed time frame, their analysis and interpretation are necessary before drawing conclusions on the stock size, maximum sustainable yield, maximum economic yield and to further implement various fishing regulatory measures. India being a signatory to several treaties and conventions, is obliged to carry out assessments of the exploited stocks and manage them at sustainable levels. Besides, the nation is bound by its obligation of protein food security to people and livelihood security to those engaged in marine fishing related activities. Also, there are regional variabilities in fishing technology and fishery resources. All these make it mandatory for India to continue and strengthen its marine capture fisheries research in general and deep sea fisheries in particular. Against this background, an attempt is made to strengthen the deep sea fish biodiversity and also to generate data on the distribution, abundance, catch per unit effort of fishery resources available beyond 200 m in the EEZ of southwest coast ofIndia and also unravel some of the aspects of life history traits of potentially important non conventional fish species inhabiting in the depth beyond 200 m. This study was carried out as part of the Project on Stock Assessment and Biology of Deep Sea Fishes of Indian EEZ (MoES, Govt. of India).