Basque legacy in the New World: on the surnames of Latin American presidents

[EN] In this article we explain the etymology of the surnames of Basque origin that some presidents of Latin American countries have or have had in the past. These family names were created in the language called Euskara, in the Basque Country (Europe), and then, when some of the people who bore them emigrated to America, they brought their surnames with them. Most of the family names studied here are either oiconymic or toponymic, but it must be kept in mind that the oiconymic ones are, very often, based on house-nicknames, that is, they are anthroponymic in the first place. As far as possible, we have related the surname, when its origin is oiconymic or toponymic, to its source, i.e. to the house or place where it was created.

Species-specific effects of four preservative treatments on oocytes and ovarian material of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), and American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides)

The lack of information concerning the preservation of ovarian material of fish species inhibits standardization of methods for determining fecundity and measuring oocytes. The effects of four preservatives (10% phosphate-buffered formalin, modified Gilson’s solution, 70% ethanol, and freezing) on ovarian material weight and oocyte size were quantified for prespawning Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), and American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides). Effects of preservation were similar between Atlantic cod and haddock but different between Atlantic cod and American plaice for nearly all comparisons. Although all treatments affected the weight of ovarian material, freezing caused the most change and formalin caused the least. Such signif icant species-specific effects should be quantified in the calculation of life history characteristics, such as fecundity, to minimize error. This is one of few studies dedicated to evaluating the effects of preservation on oocytes and ovarian material and is the first to evaluate multiple preservatives on species.

Systematics of the North American menhadens: molecular evolutionary reconstructions in the genus Brevoortia (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae)

Evolutionary associations among the four North American species of menhadens (Brevoortia spp.) have not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, classifications separating the four species into small-scaled and large-scaled groups were evaluated by using DNA data, and genetic associations within these groups were explored. Specifically, data from the nuclear genome (microsatellites) and the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA sequences) were used to elicit patterns of recent and historical evolutionary associations. Nuclear DNA data indicated limited contemporary gene flow among the species, and also indicated higher relatedness within the small-scaled and large-scaled menhadens than between these groups. Mitochondrial DNA sequences of the large-scaled menhadens indicated the presence of two ancestral lineages, one of which contained members of both species. This result may indicate genetic diver-gence (reproductive isolation) followed by secondary contact (hybridization) between these species. In contrast, a single ancestral lineage indicated incomplete genetic divergence between the small-scaled menhaden. These results are discussed in the context of the biology and demographics of each species.

Use of endoparasitic helminths as tags in delineating stocks of American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and Cape Breton Shelf

Endoparasitic helminths were inventoried in 483 American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) collected from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, NAFO (North Atlantic Fisheries Organization) division 4T, and Cape Breton Shelf (NAFO subdivision 4Vn) in September 2004 and May 2003, respectively. Forward stepwise discriminant function analysis (DFA) of the 4T samples indicated that abundances of the acanthocephalans Echinorhynchus gadi and Corynosoma strumosum were significant in the classification of plaice to western or eastern 4T. Cross validation yielded a correct classification rate of 79% overall, thereby supporting the findings of earlier mark-recapture studies which have indicated that 4T plaice comprise two discrete stocks: a western and an eastern stock. Further analyses including 4Vn samples, however, indicated that endoparasitic helminths may have little value as tags in the classification of plaice overwintering in Laurentian Channel waters of the Cabot Strait and Cape Breton Shelf, where mixing of 4T and 4Vn fish may occur.

Geographical differences in the feeding patterns of red rockfish (Sebastes capensis) along South American coasts

Feeding habits and feeding strategy of red rockfish (Sebastes capensis) were studied from fish captured along most of the range of this species in coastal waters of South America. Stomach contents of 613 individuals, collected during 2003, were analyzed. Fish were obtained from six locations along the Chilean (23°S to 46°S) and Argentinian (43°S) coasts. The main prey items were Mysidacea (75.06% IRI), Osteichthyes (6.29% IRI),and Rhynchocinetes typus (6.03% IRI). Predator sex and size did not significantly affect the diet, but significant differences were found between locations. Four geographical areas, discriminated by prey occurrence and frequencies, were determined: three on the Pacific coast and one on the Atlantic coast. These areas correspond roughly with biogeographic zones described for the Chilean and southern Argentinian coasts. The feeding strategy index (FSI) indicated a specialized feeding strategy for S. capensis for most of its range. However, the FSI does not include the behaviour of a predator, and the FSI must be interpreted carefully for fishes like S. capensis that are passive ambush feeders. The abundance and availability of different prey may explain both the geographic differences in dietary composition and the specialized feeding strategy of S. capensis.

A comparison of two fishery-independent survey programs used to define the population structure of American lobster (Homarus americanus) in the Gulf of Maine

The population structure and abundance of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) stock in the Gulf of Maine are defined by data derived from a fishery-independent trawl survey program conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Few sampling stations in the survey area are located inshore, in particular along coastal Maine. According to statistics, however, more than two thirds of the lobster landings come from inshore waters within three miles off the coast of Maine. In order to include an inshore survey program, complementary to the NMFS survey, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) initialized an inshore survey program in 2000. The survey was modeled on the NMFS survey program, making these two survey programs comparable. Using data from both survey programs, we evaluated the population structure of the American lobster in the Gulf of Maine. Our findings indicate that lobsters in the Gulf of Maine tend to have a size-dependent inshore-off-shore distribution; smaller lobsters are more likely to stay inshore and larger lobsters are more likely to stay offshore. The DMR inshore and NMFS survey programs focused on different areas in the Gulf of Maine and likely targeted different segments of the stock. We suggest that data from both survey programs be used to assess the lobster stock and to describe the dynamics of the stock in the Gulf of Maine.

Building up a frequency stabilisation based on a wavemeter for a diode laser and characterisation for a digital mirror device for artificial potentials

It has built and characterised a laser and It has learned what each of the components does. It has been able to run the laser in single-mode and stabilised it around a desired setpoint thanks to a PID controller that It has programmed. It has established a communication between the PID controller programmed in LabVIEW and Arduino Due, the DAC that It has chosen after comparing it with another candidate. It has learned some basics of how the LightCrafter 4500 DMD works. The projected light is the composition of the lights of three LED’s, each of which has a certain on-time. The mirrors chose to be in on- or off-stages depending to the amount of intensity that we want for each colour.

River-based artificial propagation of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus: an option for the small fish farmer

A cheap method of propagating the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, by incubating the fertilized eggs in a cage placed directly in a flowing river is described. Hatching ranged between 39 and 70%. This is not significantly different from the commonly used water recirculating flow through system. The economic advantages of the river hatching method are discussed with special emphasis on the rural fish farmers.

Tracking Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in the northeastern Pacific with an automated algorithm that estimates latitude by matching sea-surface-temperature data from satellites with temperature data from tags on fish

Data recovered from 11 popup satellite archival tags and 3 surgically implanted archival tags were used to analyze the movement patterns of juvenile northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in the eastern Pacific. The light sensors on archival and pop-up satellite transmitting archival tags (PSATs) provide data on the time of sunrise and sunset, allowing the calculation of an approximate geographic position of the animal. Light-based estimates of longitude are relatively robust but latitude estimates are prone to large degrees of error, particularly near the times of the equinoxes and when the tag is at low latitudes. Estimating latitude remains a problem for researchers using light-based geolocation algorithms and it has been suggested that sea surface temperature data from satellites may be a useful tool for refining latitude estimates. Tag data from bluefin tuna were subjected to a newly developed algorithm, called “PSAT Tracker,” which automatically matches sea surface temperature data from the tags with sea surface temperatures recorded by satellites. The results of this algorithm compared favorably to the estimates of latitude calculated with the lightbased algorithms and allowed for estimation of fish positions during times of the year when the lightbased algorithms failed. Three near one-year tracks produced by PSAT tracker showed that the fish range from the California−Oregon border to southern Baja California, Mexico, and that the majority of time is spent off the coast of central Baja Mexico. A seasonal movement pattern was evident; the fish spend winter and spring off central Baja California, and summer through fall is spent moving northward to Oregon and returning to Baja California.

The Commercial, Subsistence, and Recreational Fisheries of American Samoa

Domestic fisheries in American Samoa landed 587,000 lb of fish and invertebrates in 1991 worth $993,000. Most of the catch (78%) and value (80%) was taken by the shoreline subsistence fishery that occurs on the coral reefs surrounding the islands. Artisanal fisheries for offshore pelagic fishes (primarily skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis; and yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares) and bottomfishes (snappers, emperors, groupers) accounted for 16% and 3%, respectively, of the domestic catch. Recreational tournament catches for pelagic fishes represented the remainder (3%). While sportfishing is becoming increasingly important, other domestic fisheries have declined in recent years. The shoreline subsistence fishery has dropped by about 25% over the past decade owing to socioeconomic factors and possibly overexploitation. Artisanal fisheries have also declined precipitously in recent years owing to hurricane-related damages, attrition of fishermen, and competition with imports. Artisanal fisheries show some potential for growth, but may be constrained by marketing issues, vessel capabilities, and limited stock sizes (for bottomfish) or local availability of high-value (pelagic) fishes. In contrast to the small-scale domestic fisheries, American Samoa is also homeport to a distant-water fleet of large purse seiners and longliners that fish beyond the EEZ and deliver about 160,000-220,000 short tons of tuna per year to local canneries.

Population Biology and Life History of the North American Menhadens, Brevoortia spp.

Four recognized species of menhaden, Brevoortia spp., occur in North American marine waters: Atlantic menhaden, B. tyrannus; Gulf menhaden, B. patronus; yellowfin menhaden. B. smithi; and finescale menhaden, B. gunteri. Three of the menhaden species are known to form two hybrid types. Members of the genus range from coastal waters of Veracruz, Mex., to Nova Scotia, Can. Atlantic and Gulf menhaden are extremely abundant within their respective ranges and support extensive purse-seine reduction (to fish meal and oil) fisheries. All menhaden species are estuarine dependent through late larval and juvenile stages. Depending on species and location within the range, spawning may occur within bays and sounds to a substantial distance offshore. Menhaden are considered to be filter-feeding, planktivorous omnivores as juveniles and adults. Menhaden eggs, immature developmental stages, and adults are potential prey for a large and diverse number of predators. North American menhadens, including two hybrids, are hosts for the parasitic isopod, Olencira praegustator, and the parasitic copepod, Lemaeenicus radiatus. Although the data are quite variable, a dome-shaped Ricker function is frequently used to describe the spawner-recruitment relationship for Atlantic and Gulf menhaden. Each of these species is treated as a single stock with respect to exploitation by the purse-seine reduction fishery. Estimates of instantaneous natural (other) mortality rates are O.45 for Atlantic menhaden and 1.1 for Gulf menhaden.

Artificial Habitats for Fisheries Enhancement in the Australian Region

This paper outlines developments over about 20 years in the construction of and ecological research on artificial reefs, fish aggregation devices (FAD's), and other artificial habitats designed to enhance fish populations and fisheries in the Australian region (including New Zealand and Papua New Guinea). Work was initially carried out on multicomponent reefs using a variety of waste materials, as well as some specially constructed concrete and steel structures. Later studies concentrated on single-component reefs, again mainly using waste materials. Although no definitive conclusions were reached on the relative effectiveness of the different materials used, waste motor vehicle tires and derelict ships were generally judged to be the best all-around materials for single-component reef construction in sheltered estuarine and offshore marine environments, respectively, in this region. FAD's comprising polyvinylchloride pipe sparbuoys (or in some areas polyurethane foam floats) attached to railroad car wheel anchors by polyethylene rope and chain, and supporting attractor drapes of synthetic mesh webbing, also provedtobegenerallysuccessfulin thisarea. Overall conclusions for the Australian region include the predominant use of waste materials in artificial reef construction, which has been primarily aimed at recreational fisheries enhancement; the successful use of FAD's for both recreational and commercial fisheries enhancement; the need for further and better planned research into and monitoring of the effectiveness of both of these enhancement methods; and the need for future research into the effectiveness of unfished "artificial habitat reserves" in enhancing fisheries production from surrounding fished areas.