Referees of articles submitted to the journal between October 1995 and October 1996

Referees of articles submitted to the journal between October 1995 and October 1996     

Surface disinfection of Pacific threadfin, Polydactylus sexfilis, and amberjack, Seriola rivoliana, eggs

The effects of exposing the eggs of Pacific threadfin and amberjack eggs (AEs) to different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for 5 min on hatch rate and survival were assessed in a series of experiments using a petri dish model rearing system. Despite significant inter‐batch variation in hatch rate, it was shown that eggs of both species could be safely exposed to up to 11 340 mg L⁻¹ H₂O₂ for 5 min. Exposure to 34 230 mg L⁻¹ H₂O₂ for 5 min was shown to be lethal to AEs at a late stage of development. In two further experiments, it was demonstrated that Pacific threadfin eggs were resistant to all tested concentrations of a range of polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (PVP‐I) concentrations and contact times (up to 1000 mg L⁻¹ PVP‐I for 10 min). The level of bacteria adhering to the eggs of both species was highly variable. Where eggs were heavily colonized (>10⁴ cfu egg⁻¹), hydrogen peroxide concentrations of at least 11 340 mg L⁻¹, or PVP‐I concentrations higher than 500 mg L⁻¹ for 10 min, were required for effective sterilization. In less colonized batches, rinsing in sterile seawater or exposure to lower (550 mg L⁻¹) concentrations of H₂O₂ was sufficient to result in high apparent levels of surface sterility (<1 cfu egg⁻¹).     

Anguilla huangi Teng, Lin, and Tzeng, 2009, is a junior synonym of Anguilla luzonensis Watanabe, Aoyama, and Tsukamoto, 2009

Anguilla luzonensis and A. huangi were each described in 2009 using eels obtained from northern Luzon Island. We examined the taxonomic status of these two groups of eels using morphological and molecular genetic characters. There were no significant differences in two vertebrae counts between eels of A. luzonensis and A. huangi. Mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome b genes sequences were obtained and compared among 28 specimens of A. luzonensis, the holotypes of A. luzonensis and A. huangi, and one specimen of the other 15 anguillid species. The specimens of A. luzonensis exhibited almost identical sequences, including the holotype, with only a few site differences, and the genetic difference between the holotypes of A. luzonensis and A. huangi was within the range of differences of specimens of A. luzonensis. The other anguillid species were genetically very different from A. luzonensis and A. huangi, although A. interioris is a closely related species. It is clear that A. luzonensis and A. huangi are the same species, and according to the principle of priority in zoological nomenclature, A. luzonensis Watanabe, Aoyama, and Tsukamoto, 2009 is the valid species name, and A. huangi Teng, Lin, and Tzeng, 2009 is a junior synonym of A. luzonensis.     

驼背鲈(Chromileptes altivelis)的胚胎发育及仔、稚、幼鱼形态观察

对驼背鲈(Chromileptes altivelis)的胚胎发育及仔、稚、幼鱼的形态特征进行了详细的观察与研究,描述了从受精卵到仔、稚、幼鱼各发育期的时间和形态特征变化。结果表明,在水温25-26℃、盐度30的海水中,受精卵历时27 h 25 min完成整个胚胎发育过程,经历从卵裂、囊胚、原肠、神经胚到肌节形成、各器官的逐渐形成、变化、完善等一系列的胚胎发育和变化过程;根据其卵黄囊消长情况、鳞片的覆盖状态、体色发生的不同变化以及第二背鳍和腹鳍的消长,将胚后发育分为仔、稚、幼鱼3个阶段。在水温22-26℃、盐度29-31、DO≥5 mg/L的条件下,2-3 d仔鱼卵黄囊消失,开口摄食;生长发育至31 d,仔鱼已变态进入稚鱼期;培育至57 d,稚鱼完成变态,成为幼鱼。第二背鳍棘和腹鳍棘的生长与收缩等石斑鱼类早期发育的共性生长特征及其体表特性体色变化特征为驼背鲈胚后发育过程中最明显的特征。     

Effect of Temperature on Growth,Energy Budget,and Physiological Performance of Green,White, and Purple Color Morphs of Sea Cucumber,Apostichopus japonicus

As an intertidal species, Apostichopus japonicus is subject to diel and seasonal temperature fluctuations. Color variation is a distinct characteristic of A. japonicus, and a new color morph, purple A. japonicus, was recently found on the coast of Rushan, Weihai City. This study was conducted to compare the performance of green, white, and purple color morphs of A. japonicus at different water temperatures to help improving aquaculture technology and management. In this study, green, white, and purple color morphs of juvenile A. japonicus (1.5 ± 0.1 g) were cultured at 10, 14, 18, 22, and 26 C for 60 d, according to the suitable temperature range for sea cucumber growth. Temperature was shown to have a significant effect on growth, energy budget, and physiology of sea cucumbers (P < 0.05). Specific growth rates, feed conversion efficiencies, and the proportion of energy allocated to growth of all three color morphs were optimal at 18 C. Activities of the enzymes related with oxidative stress, immune response, and digestion were determined. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and trypsin activities generally reached a maximum in all three color morphs at 18 C. The purple color morph of A. japonicus was higher in growth rate, food conversion efficiency, and proportion of energy allocated to growth than green and white color morphs at 18 and 22 C, consistent with its higher trypsin and SOD activity, indicating the mutual effect of growth and physiology. At 18, 22, and 26 C, the green color morph had the highest level of lysozyme activity and purple color morph had the lowest, indicating possible infection by external pathogens of green color morph, which might be caused by high temperature. These results suggested that the optimum temperature for culture of the three color morphs was approximately 18 C, the purple had a better adaption to high temperature, and the green and white color morphs may be more susceptible to thermal stress than the purple color morph.     

Age,growth, maturity and the overfishing of the iconic sciaenid,Argyrosomus japonicus,in south-eastern,Australia

Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) occur in estuarine and coastal waters surrounding Australia, Africa, India, Pakistan, China, Korea and Japan, where they are important in fisheries. This study identified that mulloway in south-eastern Australia had similar growth rates, but matured at smaller lengths and younger ages, to those in South Africa and Western Australia. Growth of both sexes was similar to about 5 years, after which females grew faster and attained a greater maximum length than males. Female mulloway matured at 4–5 years of age with a L₅₀ of 68 cm, whereas males matured at 2–3 years of age with a L₅₀ of 51 cm. The commercial fishery in New South Wales was characterised by declining catches and a reduction in the proportion of mulloway of mature lengths in landings. During 2002–2005 commercial landings were dominated (83%) by fish within 15 cm of the current minimum legal total length of 45 cm and aged 2 and 3 years (>80%), even though mulloway can attain lengths of 200 cm and live >30 years. Estimates of the rates of instantaneous total mortality ranged between 0.34 and 0.45, whilst the rate of instantaneous natural mortality (M) was estimated to be approximately 0.12. Yield-per-recruit analyses indicated that mulloway in New South Wales are being growth overfished and substantial increases in yield could be achieved by increasing the length at first harvest. Values of the spawning potential ratio were below 0.2 under a range of mortality estimates, suggesting that mulloway are at risk of recruitment overfishing. These results suggest that the spawning stock of mulloway in south-eastern Australia has been depleted and that remedial management action is required to protect this iconic species.