Preliminary report on the photo-identification of blue whales off Isla de Chiloé, Chile from 2004 to 2006

Photo identification of individual blue whales during summer and autumn off the northwestern Isla de Chiloé, southern Chile, were collected from marine surveys conducted from 2004 to 2006. Re-sightings of individual whales both within and between years may provide evidence of residency and site fidelity by blue whales in the area. These records further document the importance of the northwestern Isla de Chiloé as a feeding area for blue whales. These records also highlight the necessity of further comparisons with photographic catalogues from other areas in southern Chile, off the northwestern coast of South America and the Pacific coast of Central America to better understand seasonal movements, distribution of individuals along the eastern South Pacific, and their wintering areas.

SCWDS BRIEFS: Volume 18, Number 3 (October 2002)

• Chronic Wasting Disease Update: Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado; National CWD Management – USDA & USDI National Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Free-ranging and Captive Cervids • West Nile virus (WNV) reaches the Pacific coast • West Nile Virus in Blue Jays • Idaho Brucellosis Linked to Wildlife: All of the epidemiological and laboratory information clearly indicates that brucellosis-infected elk transmitted the disease to the cattle herd. • Tularemia caused a die-off of captured wild prairie dogs this summer at a Texas commercial exotic animal facility that distributes the animals for sale as pets. • Raptors can acquire avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) via ingestion of other affected birds. • House Finch Mycoplasmosis: bacterial eye disease of house finches • Raccoon Rabies report • Toxoplasmosis – The newest finding regarding sea otters in California is the importance of toxoplasmosis as a mortality factor. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can invade visceral organs and the central nervous system to cause acute, disseminated tissue necrosis and fatal meningoencephalitis in susceptible animals. In recent years, 36% of dead sea otters examined have been infected. Another tissue-invading protozoan, Sarcocystis neurona, also was found in 4% of the otters. • Recovery of remnant populations of the endangered black-footed ferret have been hampered by sylvatic plague, which is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. • Dr. Samantha Gibbs received the Wildlife Disease Association’s Student Research Recognition Award. Dr. Cynthia Tate was selected by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists to receive the Best Student Presentation Award. Dr. Andrea Varela won second place in the Student Presentation Award for her presentation at the meeting of the American Association Veterinary Parasitologists. Mr. Michael Yabsley received the Wildlife Disease Association Student Scholarship and the S.A. Ewing Vectorborne Parasitology Award from the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

A new species of Chlamydoconcha Dall, 1884, from southeastern Brazil (Bivalvia: Chlamydoconchidae)

The second species in the genus Chlamydoconcha is described. Chlamydoconcha avalvis new species, occurs off the coast of Rio de Janeiro coast, in southeastern Brazil. The new species has very reduced valves acid a mantle surrounding the entire body, two features of the genus. The outer surface of the mantle lacks papillae except for a single cite located close to the excurrent siphon. These are distinctive characters of Chlamydoconcha orcutti Dall, 1884, from the eastern Pacific coast of North America, the single other known species of the genus. Some of the more interesting anatomical characters of the new species are: posterior pair of retractor muscles Of foot free front valves, absence of adductor muscles, gastric style sac totally separated from intestine, and the presence of a single (excurrent) siphon.

A new species of Novantinoe Santos-Silva & Hovore 2007 from Panama (Coleoptera: Disteniidae)

A new species of Novantinoe Santos-Silva & Hovore 2007 is described from Panama. Modified key couplets including the new species are included.

Reproductive biology of the ghost shrimp Lepidophthalmus bocourti (A. Milne-Edwards, 1870) (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae): A tropical species with a seasonal reproduction

Based on the hypothesis that reproduction is a continuous process in tropical habitats, we analysed reproductive periodicity and egg production in the callianassid ghost shrimp Lepidophthalmus bocourti, one of the most common species in mangrove systems along the Pacific coast of Central America. During one year (May 2008 to April 2009), individuals of L. bocourti (N = 499) were collected nearshore Gulf of Nicoya, Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Observations were made on presence or absence of incubated embryos, and gonad activity of females was analysed as gonadosomatic index (GSI). Our results revealed that L. bocourti has a marked seasonal breeding period, which contradicts previous reports regarding coastal marine decapods from the tropics. Ovigerous females were found only from June to August, while high GSI values were obtained from March to July. The increase of GSI and appearance of ovigerous females were associated with a concomitant decrease of salinity, but not with temperature. We assume that reproduction of L. bocourti is adapted to local changes of environmental conditions, and that a decrease in salinity during rainy season may serve as a triggering factor for ovarian development. Compared to other ghost shrimps, L. bocourti produced on average more (2002 +/- 1365) and smaller (0.87 +/- 0.109 mm) eggs, which seems to suggest that this species does not have an abbreviated larval development as reported for other species of genus. The deviation from the generalization of constant reproduction in the tropics for shallow water marine invertebrates and its probable cause are adequately discussed.

On some species of Taeniotes Audinet-Serville, 1835 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae)

Taeniotes farinosus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a species that has been confused with other species during the past two centuries. In this work we demonstrate that Taeniotes farinosus sensu auctorum is not the species described by Linnaeus and designate a lectotype to establish its identity. Taeniotes pulverulentus (Olivier, 1790), currently synonymous with T. farinosus, is revalidated. Taeniotes guttullaris Schwarzer, 1929 and T parafarinosus Breuning, 1971 are junior synonyms of T. pulverulentus; Lamia subocellata Olivier, 1792 (= Taeniotes subocellatus) is a junior synonym of Cerambyx farinosus (= T farinosus). Additionally we monnei, a new species from Brazil and Argentina, is described and figured. Taeniotes peruanus provide annotated bibliographic references to T. farinosus and T pulverulentus. Taeniotes Breuning 1971 is figured for the first time.

Structural and strain analysis in the Late Paleozoic coastal accretionary wedge of central Chile

Abstract In this study structural and finite strain data are used to explore the tectonic evolution and the exhumation history of the Chilean accretionary wedge. The Chilean accretionary wedge is part of a Late Paleozoic subduction complex that developed during subduction of the Pacific plate underneath South America. The wedge is commonly subdivided into a structurally lower Western Series and an upper Eastern Series. This study shows the progressive development of structures and finite strain from the least deformed rocks in the eastern part of the Eastern Series of the accretionary wedge to higher grade schist of the Western Series at the Pacific coast. Furthermore, this study reports finite-strain data to quantify the contribution of vertical ductile shortening to exhumation. Vertical ductile shortening is, together with erosion and normal faulting, a process that can aid the exhumation of high-pressure rocks. In the east, structures are characterized by upright chevron folds of sedimentary layering which are associated with a penetrative axial-plane foliation, S1. As the F1 folds became slightly overturned to the west, S1 was folded about recumbent open F2 folds and an S2 axial-plane foliation developed. Near the contact between the Western and Eastern Series S2 represents a prominent subhorizontal transposition foliation. Towards the structural deepest units in the west the transposition foliation became progressively flat lying. Finite-strain data as obtained by Rf/Phi and PDS analysis in metagreywacke and X-ray texture goniometry in phyllosilicate-rich rocks show a smooth and gradual increase in strain magnitude from east to west. There are no evidences for normal faulting or significant structural breaks across the contact of Eastern and Western Series. The progressive structural and strain evolution between both series can be interpreted to reflect a continuous change in the mode of accretion in the subduction wedge. Before ~320-290 Ma the rocks of the Eastern Series were frontally accreted to the Andean margin. Frontal accretion caused horizontal shortening and upright folds and axial-plane foliations developed. At ~320-290 Ma the mode of accretion changed and the rocks of the Western Series were underplated below the Andean margin. This basal accretion caused a major change in the flow field within the wedge and gave rise to vertical shortening and the development of the penetrative subhorizontal transposition foliation. To estimate the amount that vertical ductile shortening contributed to the exhumation of both units finite strain is measured. The tensor average of absolute finite strain yield Sx=1.24, Sy=0.82 and Sz=0.57 implying an average vertical shortening of ca. 43%, which was compensated by volume loss. The finite strain data of the PDS measurements allow to calculate an average volume loss of 41%. A mass balance approximates that most of the solved material stays in the wedge and is precipitated in quartz veins. The average of relative finite strain is Sx=1.65, Sy=0.89 and Sz=0.59 indicating greater vertical shortening in the structurally deeper units. A simple model which integrates velocity gradients along a vertical flow path with a steady-state wedge is used to estimate the contribution of deformation to ductile thinning of the overburden during exhumation. The results show that vertical ductile shortening contributed 15-20% to exhumation. As no large-scale normal faults have been mapped the remaining 80-85% of exhumation must be due to erosion.

Paleo erosion rates and climate shifts recorded by Quaternary cut-and-fill sequences in the Pisco valley, central Peru

Fluvial cut-and-fill sequences have frequently been reported from various sites on Earth. Nevertheless, the information about the past erosional regime and hydrological conditions have not yet been adequately deciphered from these archives. The Quaternary terrace sequences in the Pisco valley, located at ca. 13°S, offer a manifestation of an orbitally-driven cyclicity in terrace construction where phases of sediment accumulation have been related to the Minchin (48–36 ka) and Tauca (26–15 ka) lake level highstands on the Altiplano. Here, we present a 10Be-based sediment budget for the cut-and-fill terrace sequences in this valley to quantify the orbitally forced changes in precipitation and erosion. We find that the Minchin period was characterized by an erosional pulse along the Pacific coast where denudation rates reached values as high as 600±80 mm/ka600±80 mm/ka for a relatively short time span lasting a few thousands of years. This contrasts to the younger pluvial periods and the modern situation when 10Be-based sediment budgets register nearly zero erosion at the Pacific coast. We relate these contrasts to different erosional conditions between the modern and the Minchin time. First, the sediment budget infers a precipitation pattern that matches with the modern climate ca. 1000 km farther north, where highly erratic and extreme El Niño-related precipitation results in fast erosion and flooding along the coast. Second, the formation of a thick terrace sequence requires sufficient material on catchment hillslopes to be stripped off by erosion. This was most likely the case immediately before the start of the Minchin period, because this erosional epoch was preceded by a >50 ka-long time span with poorly erosive climate conditions, allowing for sufficient regolith to build up on the hillslopes. Finally, this study suggests a strong control of orbitally and ice sheet forced latitudinal shifts of the ITCZ on the erosional gradients and sediment production on the western escarpment of the Peruvian Andes at 13° during the Minchin period.

(Table 1) Species abundance at DSDP Hole 63-467

Neogene palynofloras of southern California have been all too infrequently studied. Previous investigations of Pacific Coast sediments have been largely restricted to Pacific Northwest locales. Some important studies include those by Gray (1964), Wolfe, Hopkins, and Leopold (1966), Wolfe and Leopold (1967), Hopkins (1968), Piel (1969, 1977), Ballog, Sparks, and Waloweek (1972), and Musich (1973). The only published study of southern California materials is that of Heusser (1978) on Holocene sediments of the Santa Barbara basin. Most of these studies are concerned with the microflora from a particular formation; thus they have limited stratigraphic value and in most cases involve nonmarine to marginal marine rocks where no planktonic zonation was available. Musich's (1973) study was the first attempt at tying pollen assemblages to a planktonic zonation over an extended stratigraphic interval (Miocene to Pleistocene).Its location in the southern California Borderland and the sedimentary sections sampled make Leg 63 extremely valuable in deciphering the palynologic history of the Pacific Coast Neogene. Site 467 was chosen for our initial detailed study, because the relatively slow sedimentation rate provides an almost complete Neogene sequence of mainly terrigenous sediments and reliable planktonic age control is available.The goals of this study were to: (1) establish a reference section of Neogene palynomorph assemblages; (2) develop biostratigraphic criteria for use in correlation with other localities; (3) correlate the palynologic assemblages with the planktonic zonations; and (4) study the paleoenvironmental history in the southern California Neogene.

Age determination of sediments and biomarkers of ODP Hole 169-1034C

The radiocarbon contents of various biomarkers extracted from the varve-counted sediments of Saanich Inlet, Canada, were determined to assess their applicability for dating purposes. Calibrated ages obtained from the marine planktonic archaeal biomarker crenarchaeol compared favorably with varve-count ages. The same conclusion could be drawn for a more general archaeal biomarker (GDGT-0), although this biomarker proved to be less reliable due to its less-specific origin. The results also lend support to earlier indications that marine crenarchaeota use dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) as their carbon source. The average reservoir age offset DR of 430 years, determined using the crenarchaeol radiocarbon ages, varied by ±110 years. This may be caused by natural variations in ocean-atmosphere mixing or upwelling at the NE Pacific coast but variability may also be due to an inconsistency in the marine calibration curve when used at sites with high reservoir ages.

Physical properties and geochemical pore-water analysis of sediment core GeoB16423-1

Several studies indicate that the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) off the Pacific coast of Japan has induced slip to the trench and triggered landslides in the Japan Trench. In order to better understand these processes, detailed mapping and shallow-coring landslides at the trench as well as Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) deep drilling to recover the plate boundary décollement (Japan Trench Fast Earthquake Drilling Project, JFAST) have been conducted. In this study we report sediment core data from the rapid response R/V SONNE cruise (SO219A) to the Japan Trench, evidencing a Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) in the uppermost section later drilled at this JFAST-site during IODP Expedition 343. A 8.7 m long gravity core (GeoB16423-1) recovered from ~7,000 m water depth reveals a 8 m sequence of semi-consolidated mud clast breccias embedded in a distorted chaotic sediment matrix. The MTD is covered by a thin veneer of 50 cm hemipelagic, bioturbated diatomaceous mud. This stratigraphic boundary can be clearly distinguished by using physical properties data from Multi Sensor Core Logging and from fall-cone penetrometer shear strength measurements. The geochemical analysis of the pore-water shows undisturbed linear profiles measured from the seafloor downcore across the stratigraphic contact between overlying younger background-sediment and MTD below. This indicates that the investigated section has not been affected by a recent sediment destabilization in the course of the giant Tohoku-Oki earthquake event. Instead, we report an older landslide which occurred between 700 and 10,000 years ago, implying that submarine mass movements are dominant processes along the Japan Trench. However, they occur on local sites and not during each megathrust earthquake.

Interview forms for integrating education for conservation in marine protected areas management in Colombia

Environmental Education (EE) is a key component in any marine protected area management. However, its visibility and action plans are still poorly developed and structured as a clear element in management procedures. The objective of this study is to contribute with a methodological route that integrates EE to the existing model of management planning and strategies, taking the Colombian National Natural Parks System as a case study. The creation of the route is proposed as a participatory research with different stakeholders in order to respond to the specific conservation needs and goals for the National Parks System. The EE national diagnosis has shown that its integration within the parks management structure is a first priority need, being a converging result on the two case studies on National Parks from the Pacific Coast of Colombia. The diagnosis also demonstrates that communication, participation, training and evaluation have to be reinforced, linking the community and stakeholders involved in the park management to the whole EE process. The proposed methodology route has been agreed upon by the National Parks staff and incorporates advice and recommendations from different stakeholders, in order to better include the park users. This step will help us to advance toward sustainable management in marine and coastal protected areas elsewhere, taking into account not only the biological but also the social-cultural prism. The main challenges in the management and conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems today are discussed.

Consolidation properties and permeability values of sediments from three ODP Leg 205 sites

Vertical permeability and sediment consolidation measurements were taken on seven whole-round drill cores from Sites 1253 (three samples), 1254 (one sample), and 1255 (three samples) drilled during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 205 in the Middle America Trench off of Costa Rica's Pacific Coast. Consolidation behavior including slopes of elastic rebound and virgin compression curves (Cc) was measured by constant rate of strain tests. Permeabilities were determined from flow-through experiments during stepped-load tests and by using coefficient of consolidation (Cv) values continuously while loading. Consolidation curves and the Casagrande method were used to determine maximum preconsolidation stress. Elastic slopes of consolidation curves ranged from 0.097 to 0.158 in pelagic sediments and 0.0075 to 0.018 in hemipelagic sediments. Cc values ranged from 1.225 to 1.427 for pelagic carbonates and 0.504 to 0.826 for hemipelagic clay-rich sediments. In samples consolidated to an axial stress of ~20 MPa, permeabilities determined by flow-through experiments ranged from a low value of 7.66 x 10**-20 m**2 in hemipelagic sediments to a maximum value of 1.03 x 10**-16 m**2 in pelagic sediments. Permeabilities calculated from Cv values in the hemipelagic sediments ranged from 4.81 x 10**-16 to 7.66 x 10**-20 m**2 for porosities 49.9%-26.1%.

Pollen record from sediment core M77/2_056-3 (Bay of Guayaquil, Peru)

We analyzed the pollen content of a marine core located near the bay of Guayaquil in Ecuador to document the link between sea surface temperatures (SST) and changes in rainfall regimes on the adjacent continent during the Holocene. Based on the expansion/regression of five vegetation types, we observe three successive climatic patterns. In the first phase, between 11,700 and 7700 cal yr BP, the presence of a cloud (Andean) forest in the mid altitudes and mangroves in the estuary of the Guayas Basin, were associated with a maximum in boreal summer insolation, a northernmost position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a land- sea thermal contrast, and dryness. Between 7700 and 2850 cal yr BP, the expansion of the coastal herbs and the regression of the mangrove indicate a drier climate with weak ITCZ and low ENSO variability while austral winter insolation gradually increased. The interval between 4200 and 2850 cal yr BP was marked by the coolest and driest climatic conditions of the Holocene due to the weak influence of the ITCZ and a strengthening of the Humboldt Current. After 2850 cal yr BP, high variability and amplitude of the Andean forest changes occurred when ENSO frequency and amplitude increased, indicating high variability in land-sea connections. The ITCZ reached the latitude of Guayaquil only after 2500 cal yr BP inducing the bimodal precipitation regime we observe today. Our study shows that besides insolation, the ITCZ position and ENSO frequency, changes in eastern equatorial Pacific SSTs play a major role in determining the composition of the ecosystems and the hydrological cycle of the Ecuadorian Pacific coast and the Western Cordillera in Ecuador.

Heat shock resistance traits in specimens of the seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla originating from native and non-native populations

We compared the responses of native and non-native populations of the seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla to heat shock in common garden-type experiments. Specimens from six native populations in East Asia and from eight non-native populations in Europe and on the Mexican Pacific coast were acclimated to two sets of identical conditions before their resistance to heat shock was examined. The experiments were carried out twice - one time in the native range in Qingdao, China and one time in the invaded range in Kiel, Germany - to rule out effects of specific local conditions. In both testing sites the non-native populations survived heat shock significantly better than the native populations, The data underlying this statement are presented in https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.859335. After three hours of heat shock G. vermiculophylla exhibited increased levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and of a specific isoform of haloperoxidase, suggesting that both enzymes could be required for heat shock stress management. However, the elevated resistance toward heat shock of non-native populations only correlated with an increased constitutive expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). The haloperoxidase isoform was more prominent in native populations, suggesting that not only increased HSP70 expression, but also reduced allocation into haloperoxidase expression after heat shock was selected during the invasion history. The data describing expression of HSP70 and three different isoforms of haloperoxidase are presented in https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.859358.