A Biogeographic assessment off North/Central California: In support of the National Marine Sanctuaries of Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase II - Environmental setting and update to marine birds and animals

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conducts and supports research, monitoring, assessments, and technical assistance to meet NOAA’s coastal stewardship and management responsibilities. In 2001 the Biogeography Branch of NCCOS partnered with NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) to conduct biogeographic assessments to support the management plan updates for the sanctuaries. The first biogeographic assessment conducted in this partnership focused on three sanctuaries off north/ central California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase I of this assessment was conducted from 2001 to 2004, with the primary goal to identify and gather the best available data and information to characterize and identify important biological areas and time periods within the study area. The study area encompasses the three sanctuaries and extends along the coastal ocean off California from Pt. Arena to Pt. Sal (35°-39°N). This partnership project was lead by the NCCOS Biogeography Branch, but included over 90 contributors and 25 collaborating institutions. Phase I results include: 1) a report on the overall assessment that includes hundreds of maps, tables and analyses; 2) an ecological linkage report on the marine and estuarine ecosystems along the coast of north/central California, and 3) related geographic information system (GIS) data and other summary data files, which are available for viewing and download in several formats at the following website: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/canms_cd/welcome.html Phase II (this report) was initiated in the Fall of 2004 to complete the analyses of marine mammals and update the marine bird colony information. Phase II resulted in significant updates to the bird and mammal chapters, as well as adding an environmental settings chapter, which contains new and existing data and maps on the study area. Specifically, the following Phase II topics and items were either revised or developed new for Phase II: •environmental, ecological settings – new maps on marine physiographic features, sea surface temperature and fronts, chlorophyll and productivity •all bird colony or roost maps, including a summary of marine bird colonies •updated at-sea data CDAS data set (1980-2003) •all mammal maps and descriptions •new overall density maps for eight mammal species •new summary pinniped rookery/haulout map •new maps on at-sea richness for cetaceans and pinnipeds •most text in the mammal chapter •new summary tables for mammals on population status and spatial and temporal patterns

An ecological characterization of the marine resources of Vieques, Puerto Rico Part II: Field studies of habitats, nutrients, contaminants, fish, and benthic communities

Since the 1940s, portions of the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico have been used by the United States Navy (USN) as an ammunition support detachment and bombing and maneuver training range. In April 2001, the USN began phasing out military activities on the island and transferring military property to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Municipality of Vieques, and the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust. A small number of studies have been commissioned by the USN in the past few decades to assess selected components of the coral reef ecosystem surrounding the island; however, these studies were generally of limited geographic scope and short duration. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), in consultation with NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) and other local and regional experts, conducted a more comprehensive characterization of coral reef ecosystems, contaminants, and nutrient distribution patterns around Vieques. This work was conducted using many of the same protocols as ongoing monitoring work underway elsewhere in the U.S. Caribbean and has enabled comparisons among coral reef ecosystems in Vieques and other locations in the region. This characterization of Vieques’ marine ecosystems consists of a two part series. First, available information on reefs, fish, birds, seagrasses, turtles, mangroves, climate, geology, currents, and human uses from previous studies was gathered and integrated into a single document comprising Part I of this two part series (Bauer et al. 2008). For Part II of the series, presented in this document, new field studies were conducted to fill data gaps identified in previous studies, to provide an island-wide characterization, and to establish baseline values for the distribution of habitats, nutrients, contaminants, fish, and benthic communities. An important objective underlying this suite of studies was to quantify any differences in the marine areas adjacent to the former and current land-use zoning around Vieques. Specifically of interest was the possibility that either Naval (e.g., practice bombing, munitions storage) or civilian activities (e.g., sewage pollutants, overfishing) could have a negative impact on adjacent marine resources. Measuring conditions at this time and so recently after the land transfer was essential because present conditions are likely to be reflective of past land-use practices. In addition, the assessment will establish benchmark conditions that can be influenced by the potentially dramatic future changes in land-use practices as Vieques considers its development. This report is organized into seven chapters that represent a suite of interrelated studies. Chapter 1 provides a short introduction to the island setting, the former and current land-use zoning, and how the land zoning was used to spatially stratify much of the sampling. Chapter 2 is focused on benthic mapping and provides the methods, accuracy assessment, and results of newly created benthic maps for Vieques. Chapter 3 presents the results of new surveys of fish, marine debris, and reef communities on hardbottom habitats around the island. Chapter 4 presents results of flora and fauna surveys in selected bays and lagoons. Chapter 5 examines the distribution of nutrients in lagoons, inshore, and offshore waters around the island. Chapter 6 is focused on the distribution of chemical contaminants in sediments and corals. Chapter 7 is a brief summary discussion that highlights key findings of the entire suite of studies.

Age determination and growth of the night shark (Carcharhinus signatus) off the northeastern Brazilian coast

Age and growth of the night shark (Carcharhinus signatus) from areas off northeastern Brazil were determined from 317 unstained vertebral sections of 182 males (113–215 cm total length [TL]), 132 females (111.5–234.9 cm) and three individuals of unknown sex (169–242 cm). Although marginal increment (MI) analysis suggests that band formation occurs in the third and fourth trimesters in juveniles, it was inconclusive for adults. Thus, it was assumed that one band is formed annually. Births that occur over a protracted period may be the most important source of bias in MI analysis. An estimated average percent error of 2.4% was found in readings for individuals between two and seventeen years. The von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) showed no significant differences between sexes, and the model derived from back-calculated mean length at age best represented growth for the species (L∞=270 cm, K=0.11/yr, t0=–2.71 yr) when compared to the observed mean lengths at age and the Fabens’ method. Length-frequency analysis on 1055 specimens (93–260 cm) was used to verify age determination. Back-calculated size at birth was 66.8 cm and maturity was reached at 180–190 cm (age 8) for males and 200–205 cm (age ten) for females. Age composition, estimated from an age-length key, indicated that juveniles predominate in commercial catches, representing 74.3% of the catch. A growth rate of 25.4 cm/yr was estimated from birth to the first band (i.e. juveniles grow 38% of their birth length during the first year), and a growth rate of 8.55 cm/yr was estimated for eight- to ten-year-old adults.

Compilaçao de dados sobre fauna acompanhante do camarão em Moçambique

All the data that the Instituto de Investigaçā Pesqueira was able to collect relating to by-catches of shrimps are presented. The by-catches of shrimp are almost entirely comprised of fish with commercial value. In this paper the author analyzes data for areas separated according to yields obtained.

Two genera and species of Isopoda new to the fauna of the northern Arabian Sea

The paper is based on the new records of two genera - Lanocira Hansen and Paranthura Bate and Westwood and species L. gardineri Stebbing and P. latipes Barnard from the rocky intertidal zone of Karachi coast. Synonymes, diagnoses and geographical distribution of the genera are given. A list of known species of the genus Lanocira is provided. Both the species are described and illustrated in detail.

Portunus pulchricristatus (Gordon, 1931): an addition to crab fauna of Pakistan (northern Arabian Sea)

Portunus pulchricristatus (Gordon, 1931) is a rare species, to date we have obtained only three specimens, two males and a berried female which can be easily identified with the help of existing descriptions and illustrations. Brief account of the Pakistan material is given below. One male specimen (measuring 11.0 mm in carapace length) has been deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden (Reg.No.D.42393) the other two specimens housed in the Marine Reference Collection and Resource Centre (MRCC Cat. No.BRAC.491). The abbreviations used are cl. for carapace length and cb. for carapace breadth.

A guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon

Freshwater animals are of importance in the economy of most countries. In recent years the scientific cultivation of freshwater fish for food has been spreading throughout South-East Asia and the Far-East. New and useful species of fish have been introduced into many countries including Ceylon where the older system of trapping any variety of fish that is available is being replaced by scientifically planned management with a view to increasing the production of good quality fish. Considerable quantities of food mainly in the form of fish are being taken from our freshwaters, providing a cheap source of much needed protein in the diet of the villager. More recently large quantities of freshwater fish are being consumed by the urban population.

Fish and shell fish fauna of the retting and nonretting zones of the Kadinamkulam kayal, Kerala

Retting of coconut husk is one of the major problems of pollution in the estuaries (kayals) of Kerala. Retting activity has resulted in the mass destruction of the flora and fauna and has converted sizeable sections of the kayal into virtual cesspools of foul smelling stagnant waters. Levels of hydrogen sulphide, phosphate and BOD, increased while dissolved oxygen and fish and shellfish fauna decreased in the ambient waters. In the Kadinamkulam kayal a total of 37 species of fishes belonging to 26 families, 5 species of prawn and 2 species each of crabs and molluscs were recorded from the no retting zone, whereas only 20 species of fish in dead condition were collected from the rating zone. Prawns, crabs and molluscs were absent at the vetting zone. Majority of the fish fauna in the kayal were marine forms.

A guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon. Supplement 1.

This is the first of a series consequent to "A guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon" by A. S. Mendis and C. H. Fernando, Bull. Fish. Res. Stn. Ceylon No. 12, 160 pp. (1962). The purpose of this series is to make the above-mentioned work more comprehensive. The present supplement is restricted to the Arthropoda.

A Guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon. Supplement 2

This is the second supplement to "A guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon" by A. S. Mendis and C. H. Fernando, Bull. Fish. Res. Stn., Ceylon, No. 12, 160 pp. (1962). In the present supplement additions and corrections are made in the sections on Protozoa, Annelida and Arthropoda. The sections on Platyhelrainthes and Nematoda have been expanded and the Acanthocephala added. A list of species recorded and the hosts of the parasitic forms are included. In the "Guide", the insects with only larval stages in aquatic habitats were mentioned only briefly and no species lists were included. In this supplement this gap is largely filled by added notes and inclusion of species lists of all these groups except the Neuroptera, Lepidoptera, Tabanidae, Syrphidae and Stratiomyidae. The orders Neuroptera and Lepidoptera have relatively few members in freshwater habitats and the families Tabanidae, Syrphidae and Stratiomyidae have forms with larvae in aquatic habitats and also in moist places which are not true freshwater habitats. At this time, it is not possible to separate those forms living in freshwater habitats. Short diagnoses of six additional families are given, namely, the ixidae, Psychodidae, Tabanidae Stratiomyidae, Rhagionidae and Sciomyzidae. Keys are provided for the Odonata and Ephermeroptera larvae down to the family level. An attempt has been made to make the references more comprehensive. Works dealing specifically with the Ceylonese fauna are of course included, but in addition those which are of use in diagnosis of local genera and species have been cited.

A Preliminary survey of 21 Ceylon lakes. 3. Parasites and predators, food of fish, and marginal fauna

Three nematodes, two acanthocephalans and three cestodes were collected by dissecting 15 species of fish. Of these parasites only Hedruris sp. a larval nematode is responsible directly for the death of fish, since it is found in predatory species a reduction of these might prove of considerable consequence to fish, production. Bothriocephalus gowleonensis, a cestode probably introduced from China with Chinese carp, was recorded in an indigenous carp Puntius sarana. This parasite causes heavy mortality in grass carp in China and is a potential danger to local species. A single crustacean parasite was recorded. It is likely that they are widespread. No protozoa were recorded but there can be little doubt that they occur in local freshwater species and may be of considerable importance in fisheries. Several predators (insects, fish and other vertebrates) were recorded and are doubtless of considerable importance. However, the role of parasites and of predators (especially fishes) in relation to the productivity of fisheries can hardly be assessed at present and needs further study. A study of the fauna found at the shallow edges of 21 irrigation reservoirs showed an abundance of fauna in the low-country reservoirs whilst the up-country reservoirs had a poor fauna. The fauna showed insects, crustacea and mollusca in this order of abundance. The presence of insect and molluscs feeding fish in our fauna shows that these rich sources of food are being utilised.

A guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon. Supplement 3

This supplement to the “Guide to the freshwater fauna of Ceylon” by A. S. Mendis and C. H. Fernando. Bull Fish. Res. Stn. Ceylon 12, 160 pp. (1962) includes a number of additional records to the fauna and nomenclatural changes designed to bring the names of the Rotifera, and Hydracarina up to date. This latter involves a complete change in naming of Rotifera to keep in line with modern nomenclature synonymizing species where necessary. A major study on the water mites of India by Cook (1067) has necessitated considerable changes in the naming of Ceylonese species. Besides the Rotifera and Hydracarina the Ilemiptera-Heteroptera have received attention as regards the Corixidae and new generic and specific records from published and unpublished material has been included. A major difficulty in studying freshwater animals (for that matter any animals) is the lack of suitable illustrations of local forms. An attempt has been made to fill this gap for the Rotifera and Turbellaria, It is hoped that in future supplements other groups can be similarly dealt with.

Results of the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 of the 1st Zoological Institute of the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Department of Zoology of the University of Ceylon Vidyalankara Campus, Kelaniya. Pt. 13. Some remarkable ripicol insects of the Ceylonese fauna

New Ceylonese records namely, Euscelimena gavialis (Sauss.), Paranemobius pictus Sauss. and semiaquatic cockroaches of the genus Rhabdoblatta were found in the collection of Saltatorid and Dictyopterid insects.