Marine gammarids (Crustacea: Amphipoda): a new live prey to culture Octopus maya hatchlings

The effects of feeding two alternative live prey Hyalella azteca (freshwater gammarids) and Hyale media (marine gammarids) to Octopus maya hatchlings were compared with feeding adult Artemia sp., traditionally used during the first weeks of the life cycle. Hatchlings were fed ad libitum these three live preys during the first 15 days, and a paste elaborated with fresh squid and shrimp during the next 15 days when hatchling can be fed prepared diets. Weight (g) and specific growth rates (% day^?1) were determined every 15 days. Octopus maya hatchlings fed with marine gammarids grew larger (6.9 ± 0.2% day^?1) compared with hatchlings fed Artemia sp. or freshwater gammarids (4.8 ± 0.2% and 5.0 ± 0.3% day^?1 respectively). Survival was also higher (92.2 ± 6.8%) for hatchlings fed marine gammarids, than for those fed Artemia sp. (74.5 ± 23.8%) or freshwater gammarids (41.2 ± 21.2%). The content of acylglycerides, cholesterol and proteins in O. maya fed marine gammarids suggested a better nutrient assimilation by the hatchlings. Also, polyunsaturated fatty acids levels (EPA and DHA) were more abundant in marine gammarids, possibly contributing to the higher growth rates observed. This is the first study revealing a successful use of marine gammarids as alternative prey for octopus hatchlings culture.     

Feeding ecology of dominant demersal fish species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Favonigobius gymnauchen,Repomucenus</Emphasis> spp. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tarphops oligolepis</Emphasis> at a sandy beach where larval Japanese flounder settle in the Seto Inland Sea,Japan

ABSTRACT:   Feeding habits of Favonigobius gymnauchen , Repomucenus spp. and Tarphops oligolepis were examined during the period from May to August in 1999, 2000 and 2001 at a sandy beach in the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The three species of fish accounted for more than 60% of all fish collected in terms of number of individuals. All three species mainly consumed small crustaceans. However, the major prey of F .  gymnauchen and Repomucenus spp. differed from that of T .  oligolepis . F .  gymnauchen and Repomucenus spp. mainly consumed mysids and small crangonid shrimp (<12 mm in body length), which predominated in the study area. T .  oligolepis actively selected only epifaunal mysids Nipponomysis ornata and avoided crangonid shrimp and gammarids . The frequencies of occurrence of fish in the guts of the three dominant species were very low, and larval and juvenile Japanese flounder were not observed in any of the three fish species. The diet of juvenile Japanese flounder was similar to that of the three species. From these results, it appears that these three fish are competing species for the flounder.     

Food organisms and feeding habits of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus at Ohama Beach in Hiuchi-Nada, the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan

ABSTRACT:   The abundance of food organisms and feeding habits of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder were examined during the period from May to August in 1999, 2000 and 2001 at the sandy Ohama beach, the central Seto Inland Sea. The food organisms collected with a sledge net consisted of 40 families from 18 orders, dominated by mysids, crangonids and gammarids. The mean densities of mysids, crangonid shrimp ( Crangon spp.), gammarids and fish were 2.74, 6.74, 2.91 and 0.15 individuals/m², respectively. The main prey of the flounder ( n  = 202; range of total length 9.80–75.95 mm) was mysids and small crangonid shrimp (<14 mm in body length). Prey fish availability was low, as the density of fish was low. The small crangonid shrimp was abundant, and the large crangonid shrimp, which could prey on larval flounder, was not abundant. The crangonid shrimp was important not as a predator for the flounder but as prey. The flounder preferred epifaunal mysids, Nipponomysis ornata and Anisomysis ijimai , to sand-burrowing mysids, Iiella oshimai , and avoided crangonid shrimp.     

Diet shift of larval and juvenile landlocked Ryukyu-ayu <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis</Emphasis> in the Fukuji Reservoir,Okinawa Island,Japan

ABSTRACT:   The diet shift of larval and juvenile Ryukyu-ayu Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis was investigated for the landlocked population stocked in the Fukuji Reservoir, Okinawa Island. Gut contents of 274 specimens (5.1–31.4 mm in body length) including 31 yolk-sac larvae (5.7–8.0 mm) were examined. The diet of larval and juvenile landlocked P. a. ryukyuensis was mainly composed of zooplankton such as dinoflagellates, rotifers, copepods, and cladocerans. Feeding incidence was 48% in total and it gradually increased with growth. Diet analysis clearly demonstrated a diet shift during the larval and juvenile periods. For yolk-sac larvae and 5.0–19.9 mm fish, the diet was dominated by dinoflagellates Gymnodinium sp., and Peridinium sp., both numerically and by frequency, followed by rotifers that mainly consisted of Polyarthra spp. Diet breadth (Levin's standardized index B_A) diversified with growth, and feeding on copepods and cladocerans gradually increased in 10.0–14.9 mm fish. Diet overlap (Morisita's index: C) showed that diet drastically changed in 20.0–24.9 mm fish with a specialization on cladocerans Bosminopsis deitersi and Diaphanosoma brachyurum . This diet shift probably corresponded with an increase of feeding ability resulting from an enlargement of the mouth, increased swimming ability, and the development of sense organs.     

基于围隔实验研究虾夷扇贝与龙须菜养殖对浮游植物群落结构的影响

2015年秋季在桑沟湾开展围隔实验,研究了60 h内高容量虾夷扇贝(Patinopecten yessoensis)和龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneiformis)养殖对水体中物理、化学和生物(浮游植物群落)等因素的影响。结果显示,养殖的虾夷扇贝和龙须菜在60 h内能显著改变水体中的溶解氧(DO)和溶解态无机氮(DIN)的浓度,同时,能显著影响浮游植物种群丰度和组成特征。从各实验组来看,12 h后,虾夷扇贝和龙须菜实验组浮游植物丰度显著低于空白实验组。虾夷扇贝对水体中4种硅藻优势种[包括柔弱拟菱形藻(Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima)、双菱藻(Surirella sp.)、菱形藻(Nitzschia spp.)、针杆藻(Synedra spp.)]的滤除效应存在较大差异,即对柔弱拟菱形藻和双菱藻有较大的滤除效应,但对菱形藻和针杆藻却影响不大。基于水体中的光合色素变化特征也揭示了虾夷扇贝对浮游植物的选择性摄食效应,即虾夷扇贝能显著滤除水体中的岩藻黄素(fucoxanthin,硅藻特征色素)、别藻黄素(alloxanthin,隐藻特征色素)。与此相反,青绿藻素(prasinoxanthin,微微型藻类的特征色素)在48 h后,虾夷扇贝实验组显著高于空白实验组和大型藻实验组,说明龙须菜养殖对微微型青绿藻生物量无显著影响。     

Habitat utilization,feeding, and growth of wild spotted halibut <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verasper variegatus</Emphasis> in a shallow brackish lagoon: Matsukawa-ura,northeastern Japan

Habitat utilization, feeding, and growth of a rare pleuronectid flatfish, spotted halibut Verasper variegatus, were examined in a brackish lagoon in northeastern Japan: Matsukawa-ura. The distribution and date–length data of spotted halibut collected mainly from beam-trawl samplings during 1983–2008 indicated that age-0 juveniles [n = 25, 6.0–18.0 cm total length (TL)] and older spotted halibut (n = 71, 13.8–43.0 cm TL) inhabited almost the entire northern part of Matsukawa-ura. Comparative distribution surveys of spotted halibut, stone flounder, and marbled flounder during 1985–1989 revealed similar distribution patterns of these flatfishes; the highest densities were found around the central part of Matsukawa-ura, although significantly lower abundance was detected for spotted halibut. Linear growth equations of age-0 juveniles demonstrated that spotted halibut were able to achieve high growth after June, probably because abundant prey (e.g., mysids and gammarids) and suitable physical conditions (warmer water temperature and lower salinity) were present. The main prey items shifted from various crustaceans including mysids, caridean shrimps, and anomurans to brachyura Hemigrapsus spp. (≥20 cm TL). Our study shows that spotted halibut use the shallow brackish lagoon as an important nursery for juveniles, and also as a feeding ground for young and adults.     

Effect of the addition of Chaetoceros calcitrans,Navicula sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (diatoms) on phytoplankton composition and growth of Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) postlarvae reared in a biofloc system

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of Chaetoceros calcitrans, Navicula sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (diatoms) on phytoplankton composition and the growth of Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae reared in a biofloc system . Four treatments were used: BFT (biofloc system without feed and no addition of diatoms); BFT‐F (biofloc system with feed and no addition of diatoms); BFT‐D (biofloc system with the addition of diatoms and no feed); and BFT‐FD (biofloc system with the addition of feed and diatoms), all in triplicate. The shrimp (16 ± 0.02 mg) were stocked at 2500 postlarvae m^?3 and fed a commercial feed. Diatoms were added on the 1st, 5th, 10th and 15th day at a density of 5 × 10⁴ cells mL^?1 for each species. No significant differences (P > 0.05) between treatments were observed for gross primary production, net ecosystem production and water column respiration rate. However, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed for nitrite, orthophosphate, alkalinity, final weight, weight gain, yield, feed conversion ratio (FCR), phytoplankton and cyanobacteria composition. The BFT‐FD treatment had better performance parameters for final weight (270 mg), weight gain (254 mg), yield (0.67 Kg m^?3) and FCR (0.61), indicating the benefits of the diatoms C. calcitrans, Navicula sp. and P. tricornutum for decreasing cyanobacteria and improving growth of L. vannamei postlarvae reared in biofloc systems.     

Seasonal dynamics and age structure of drifting cyprinid fishes: an interspecific comparison

Abstract –  We investigated interspecific differences in the downstream drift of seven species of young-of-the-year cyprinids over a 2-year period in two central European rivers, using a comparison of drifting fish with fish collected from nurseries at the same time and the same site as the drift samples. Species varied in the utilisation of the drift; Rutilus rutilus , Gobio spp., Abramis brama and Carassius auratus gibelio drifted abundantly, while Leuciscus cephalus and Alburnus alburnus were abundant in nurseries, but drifted at low densities. Abramis bjoerkna was equally represented among drifting and resident fish. Generally, fish drifted at two major developmental intervals; L3 stage and the stage at transition between larval and juvenile periods (L6/Juv), with interspecific differences in the ontogenetic timing of drifting. The propensity to drifting of certain developmental stages was also reflected in body size comparisons between drifting and resident fish. The stage-dependent drifting may be attributed to major changes in fish morphology, behaviour and swimming ability.     

Some Protozoan and Metazoan Parasites of the Amberjack From the Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean)

A survey of protozoan and metazoan parasites of wild amberjack (Seriola dumerili) from the Balearic Sea revealed one myxozoan (Myxobolus sp.), one monogenean (Heteraxine heterocerca), 10 trematodes (Bucephalus polymorphus, Prosorhynchus crucibulum, Bucephalopsis sp., Hemiurus communis, Aponurus sp., Acanthocolpus Iiodorus, Stephanozostomum pristis, Nematobothrium scombri, Wedlia bipartita, Paradeontacylix sp.), one nematode (Philometra globiceps), one copepod (Caligus curtus) and one isopod (Gnathia vorax larva) species to be present. The prevalence and intensity of infection and the distribution of each species is described. Their possible interactions with farmed amberjack are discussed.     

On amphidromy, a distinct form of diadromy in aquatic organisms

Amphidromy is a distinctive form of diadromy that involves some fish, decapod crustaceans and gastropod molluscs. Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well‐grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there. This life‐history strategy is observed in numerous fish species, primarily in islands of the tropics and subtropics (probably more than 75 species, especially sicydiine gobies), and extends to temperate countries as far as Japan in the north and New Zealand in the south. There has been considerable confusion about the nature of amphidromy and its distinctiveness from anadromy, another category of diadromy. The return to freshwater of small juveniles of amphidromous fishes is functionally and strategically different from the return of large mature adults, as happens in anadromy. The strategy is recognized as distinctive by numerous fish biologists who work with amphidromous fishes, although it has tended to be rejected or ignored by others, typically those who have no personal experience with them.     

Feeding habits of the darkfin hind Cephalopholis urodeta (Serranidae) at Iriomote Island, southern Japan

ABSTRACT: The feeding habits of the serranid fish Cephalopholis urodeta were examined on the basis of 204 adult specimens collected from coral reef areas at Iriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Sampling was conducted in November 1997 and February, May, and August 1998. Among the specimens, 95 (46.6%) had empty stomachs, the mean Stomach Fullness Index of the specimens overall being extremely low (0.6). Over a 1-year period, the most important prey of this species were small fishes and decapod crustaceans, the two categories together constituting 73.4% of stomach contents by weight. However, seasonal differences in basic dietary composition were apparent. Fishes were abundant in the diet in May and November, whereas the proportion of hermit crabs in the diet was higher in February compared to other months.     

Variability in conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox in the western Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT:   Conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox was investigated in four spatio-temporal strata of the western Indian Ocean. The cannibalism level varied from 0 to 45.5% by frequency of occurrence and was negatively related with abundance of non-evasive prey (such as crustaceans Charybdis smithii and Natosquilla investigatoris ) and foraging success. Predation by lancetfish is often described as a non-selective process, constrained by local prey availability and by its feeding speed during an attack of prey. Our results show that lancetfish may adapt its opportunistic foraging behavior, feeding on non-conspecific abundant prey such as crustaceans when available, and switching to a high level of conspecific predation in poor waters.     

长江口近海小黄鱼食性及营养级分析

根据2003年3~12月东海区渔业资源监测调查的渔获样品,对小黄鱼胃含物进行分析。结果表明:小黄鱼食物组成以甲壳类为主(IRI=8583.10),重量所占比例为43.37%,尾数所占比例为79.66%,出现率为69.77%,其次为鱼类(IRI=1554.87),重量所占比例为55.26%,尾数所占比例为13.91%,出现率为22.48%;优势种类为糠虾、磷虾、七星底灯鱼、脊腹褐虾和鹰爪虾等。摄食强度存在季节变化,空胃率春季最高,达78.50%,其余依次为冬季(58.70%)、秋季(42.50%)和夏季(33.33%)。食物组成也存在季节变化,根据出现率,各个季节均主要摄食甲壳类;根据重量百分比,春季以甲壳类为主食,其余季节均以鱼类为主食。根据小黄鱼摄食饵料的类群组成变化,长江口近海小黄鱼的营养级为2.72级,属于第三营养级中的低级肉食性动物。     

Cryopreservation of aquatic invertebrate semen: a review

Research on cold storage and cryopreservation of aquatic invertebrate spermatozoa is reviewed in this paper. A few studies are available on the cryopreservation of aquatic invertebrate semen. These have been limited to echinoderms (sea urchin, sand dollar and starfish), molluscs (oyster and abalone), polychaetes and crustacea (shrimp and crab). In fact, only about 30 species have been investigated to date, and research has been primarily concentrated on the spermatozoa of the oyster. Although aquaculture of decapod crustaceans has become very important, information on sperm biology is limited, and sperm preservation techniques are sparse. The sperm of decapod (shrimp and crab) crustaceans are aflagellate and non‐motile, and eggs are not readily available. One of the main reasons for the problems in the cryopreservation of crustacean sperm is considered to be the lack of reliable viability evaluation. Conclusions and new avenues of future research are proposed.     

Fish fauna associated with drifting sea weeds in the Chikuzen Sea,northern Kyushu,Japan

ABSTRACT:   From 2002 to 2006, the fish fauna associated with sea weeds drifting in the Chikuzen Sea, northern Kyushu, Japan, was examined. The total numbers of species and individuals collected were 51 and 5475, respectively. The five dominant species, accounting for approximately 80% of the total individuals, were Rudarius ercodes , Stephanolepis cirrhifer , Petroscirtes breviceps , Sebastes thompsoni and Paramonacanthus japonicus . The number of species and individuals increased significantly with the increase in water temperature, reaching maxima during early summer and autumn, respectively. Combining the present and previous data (∼50 years ago), the appearance patterns of the fishes associated with drifting sea weed were classified into the following four types: (i) long periods (continuously for 3 months or more) and autumn (LA); (ii) spring (SP); (iii) summer (SU); and (iv) rare (R). In more than half of the species, there were no changes in the appearance patterns between the present and previous studies. However, in the present study, the appearance patterns of several species changed from LA to R ( Oplegnathus punctatus and Kyphosus cinerascens ) and from R to LA and SU ( Abudefduf vaigiensis and Hyperoglyphe japonica , respectively).     

Experimental host range and histopathology of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in shrimp, prawns, crabs and lobsters from India

Experimental studies were conducted by injecting or feeding white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) derived from infected shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), collected from the south-east coast of India, to five species of shrimp, two species of freshwater prawns, four species of crabs and three species of lobsters. All species examined were susceptible to the virus. Experimental infections in the shrimp had the same clinical symptoms and histopathological characteristics as in naturally infected P. monodon . A cumulative mortality of 100% was observed within 5–7 days in shrimp injected with WSSV and 7–9 days in shrimp fed with infected tissue. Two species of mud crab, Scylla sp., survived the infection for 30 days without any clinical symptoms. All three species of lobsters, Panulirus sp., and the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man), survived the infection for 70 days without clinical symptoms. However, bioassay and histology using healthy P. monodon revealed that crabs, prawns and lobsters may act as asymptomatic carriers/reservoir hosts of WSSV. This is the first report to suggest the carrier/reservoir capacity of these hosts through histological and bioassay evidences. Ultrastructural details of the virus in experimentally infected shrimp, P. vannamei , (Boone), were also studied.     

Occurrence of postmortem myoliquefactive kudoosis in Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus L., from the North Sea

Members of the myxosporean genus Kudoa occur in various marine teleosts worldwide. Several species are of concern to the fishery and aquaculture industries as they may produce unsightly cysts in the fish host's musculature or are associated with postmortem myoliquefaction of the fish muscle, commonly referred to as 'soft flesh'. This study describes the occurrence and effects on a host of a Kudoa species in Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus , from the northern North Sea. Generalized postmortem myoliquefaction associated with Kudoa sp. occurred in 0.8% of the examined fish, i.e. 11 of 1339 mackerel developed 'soft flesh'. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of myoliquefaction between medium sized (400–600 g) and large mackerel (>600 g). The prevalence reached 8.9% in the latter host size group. No subclinical infections of Kudoa sp. were detected when examining fresh muscle ( n  = 103) and blood ( n  = 165) samples for spores using light microscopy. Affected mackerel developed generalized myoliquefaction after 38–56 h post-catch. No inflammatory host response was associated with the presence of plasmodia within single body muscle fibres of 'soft flesh' affected fish. Based on comparison of myxospore dimensions and analysis of the nuclear small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA, the present Kudoa species is assigned to Kudoa thyrsites . However, due to the species' apparently very wide geographical distribution and host range, its varying effect on different fish host species, together with the still unknown life cycle of Kudoa spp., the taxonomic status of K. thyrsites appears not to be fully resolved.     

Protozoan parasites of wild and cultured sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), from the Mediterranean area

Abstract. In a parasitic survey of wild and cultured sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), thirteen protozoan species were found. Ectoparasites included two ciliates ( Trichodina spp.), one dinoflagellate ( Amylodinium sp.) and one zooflagellate ( Cryptobia sp.). Endoparasites were represented by members of Apicomplexa ( Hemogregarina sp., Eimeria spp.). Microsporea (unidentified species) and Myxosporea ( Myxobilatus sp., Ceratomyxa spp., Sphaerospora dicentrarchi, Sphaerospora testicularis). Myxobilatus sp., Eimeria spp. and the microsporean were exclusively found in wild fish, whereas Amyloodinium sp. and Hemogregarina sp. were only detected in cultured fish. Data on prevalence and intensity of infections and on the location in the host are provided. The potential importance of protozoan parasites for sea bass culture is discussed.     

Food habits of small fishes in seagrass habitats in Trang,southern Thailand

To clarify the feeding habits of seagrass fishes, we examined the gut contents from 42 fish species collected in seagrass habitats in Trang. Thirteen species showed ontogenetic and/or seasonal changes in food-use patterns. Smaller individuals generally preyed on small planktonic items (e.g., copepod larvae) or small benthic/epiphytic crustaceans (e.g., harpacticoid copepods), with subsequent changes to other prey items (e.g., shrimps, crabs, detritus and filamentous algae) with growth. The most important dietary items for the seagrass fish assemblages comprised benthic/epiphytic crustaceans, detritus, and planktonic copepods. Cluster analysis based on dietary overlaps showed that the seagrass fishes comprised eight feeding guilds (large benthic/epiphytic crustacean, detritus, planktonic animal, small benthic/epiphytic crustacean, mollusc, invertebrate egg, polychaete, and fish feeders). Of these, the first three guilds were the most abundantly represented, whereas the last three were each represented by only a single species.