黄渤海常见鱼类鳞片的形态特征

本研究选取黄渤海28种常见鱼类为研究对象,描述不同部位鱼鳞的形态特征。结果显示,鲱形目鱼鳞鳞焦不明显,辐射沟呈横向或波纹状分布;鳕形目鱼鳞密布小方块状特殊结构;灯笼鱼目鱼鳞辐射沟数目少;鲈形目和鲉形目鱼鳞呈卵圆形或矩形,前区边缘有不规则钝齿结构;鲽形目鱼鳞前区辐射沟多而密集。不同科属鱼鳞在形状、鳞焦位置、环片形状、辐射沟特征、栉齿分布和侧线管形状等形态特征上有明显差异,可用于不同分类阶元的鉴定。本研究构建的鱼鳞形态信息库为鱼鳞沉积信息分析等基于鱼鳞形态的种类鉴别提供了基础资料。     

中国鲷科鱼类骨骼系统比较及属种间分类地位探讨

为进一步探讨鲷科鱼类分类和系统进化关系长期存在的争议问题,实验采用常规方法制备采自中国近海鲷科5属8种(亚种)鱼类的骨骼标本,并对头骨进行比较分析。结果显示,依据尾舌骨腹缘是否分叉、前颌骨犬齿数目、中筛骨背面中央为纵嵴或为凹窝、蝶耳骨后侧缘是否与额骨相连、围眶骨形态、腭骨后支是否发达等特征,将中国鲷科鱼类分为2个类群:平鲷属和棘鲷属为一类;赤鲷属、犁齿鲷属和牙鲷属为另一类。犁齿鲷属和赤鲷属在前颌骨和齿骨的臼齿列数、第三围眶骨、后耳骨以及腭骨等骨骼特征差异较小。金赤鲷与真赤鲷之间、黑棘鲷与切氏黑棘鲷之间骨骼特征差异较小,支持真赤鲷与金赤鲷、黑棘鲷与切氏黑棘鲷为同一物种的观点。研究表明,鲷科鱼类各属种间在尾舌骨、前颌骨、围眶骨、中筛骨、蝶耳骨、腭骨上表现出明显的形态差异,这些特征可以作为属间、种间的鉴别特征。     

Fluctuating asymmetry, abnormalities and parasitism as indicators of environmental stress in cultured stocks of goldfish and carp

Knowledge about the effects of captivity and environmental stress on fish populations is basic to culture them for ornamental, conservation or exploitation purposes. The aim of this study was to test how captivity affect morphological development of bilateral characters and whether levels of fluctuating asymmetry, morphological abnormalities and ectoparasites reflect developmental stress caused by adverse environmental conditions in two species of cyprinids, goldfish Carassius auratus and two varieties of carp Cyprinus carpio, scale and mirror carp. Samples from captivity were caught in an artificial pond (Madrid City, Spain), which presents poor environmental conditions; while samples from nature were captured in the Ebro River basin (NE Spain). Six meristic and four morphometric bilateral characters were measured and compared between the two samples. Additionally, the incidence of morphological abnormalities and ectoparasites was also recorded. Captive goldfish presented significant lower number of scales of the lateral line, scale rows above lateral line and length of pectoral and ventral fins. Captive carps showed significant shorter first barbels and longer ventral fins. Ornamental goldfish showed significant higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry than wild samples for number of branched rays of pectoral fin, lateral line, scale rows below lateral line and length of pectoral and ventral fins. Ornamental carps presented a similar trend for the same characters, except for branched rays and length of pectoral fins, together with the length of second barbels. In the artificial pond, the incidence of abnormalities was higher in carp, whereas goldfish showed a higher occurrence of ectoparasites. These facts support the hypothesis of a different species response to environmental stress. The overall results indicate that fish from the artificial pond are subjected to environmental stress caused by adverse conditions such as overcrowding and lower water quality. Moreover, estimated parameters in this study mean a useful tool to detect developmental instability in confined fish.     

Morphometric and meristic characters in salmon, Salmo salar L., trout, Salmo trutta L., and their hybrids

Abstract. Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., brown trout, S. trutta L. and their hybrids are normally identified in the field by empirical differences in maxilla length, thickness of the caudal peduncle, degree of forking of the tail and overall body conformation. This study quantifies these characters and analyses their variations in electrophoretically identified hatchery-reared individuals. Means and variances of the various measures are presented for salmon, trout and hybrids separately. The morphometric characters do not satisfactorily distinguish hybrids from the pure species, and even within samples of the pure species, some individuals will be misclassified as hybrids, or as members of the opposite species, if single characters are used on their own. Hybrids often resemble one or other parent species in one or more characters and are less often intermediate in phenotype. Triploidized hybrids are more like salmon than diploid hybrids are, and triploidized salmon are not different from diploid salmon. The results confirm that frequencies of hybrids of these species cannot be reliably assessed by morphological characters alone, and even for individuals of the pure parental species, independent confirmation of species status is advisable. Early reports of hybrid frequencies in wild stocks should be treated with caution, and apparently higher levels of hybridization in more recent studies compared with older, traditional surveys may simply reflect the greater precision of electrophoretic identification.     

Using phenotypic variation to determine conservation value: application of a novel approach to Arctic charr

Abstract –  There is a very high degree of discrete variation in phenotype between populations of Arctic charr. This takes the form of variation not only in morphometric and meristic characters traditionally used to distinguish species, but also in characteristics of life-history, behaviour, coloration and ecology. This variability has a number of consequences, one of these is that there is a strong case for the conservation of populations with extreme phenotypes. However, if variation is discrete between populations but continuous across many populations, this poses difficulties in separating those populations of high conservation value from those of lower conservation value. In this paper we describe a statistical technique which enables populations on the extreme edges of the range of phenotypic variation to be identified and apply this to the morphometric characters of charr from 25 populations from across Scotland and Ireland. The technique enables the identification of any proportion of the most extreme phenotypes. When applied to our data, one population (Loch More) was in the top 2 percentile of the most extreme phenotypes from across the range of all populations included. Three populations were within the top 10% most extreme phenotypes (Lochs More, Uaine and Earn) and a further five within the top 20% (previously mentioned lochs plus Lochs Eck, Merkland, Uaine, Talla and Lough Nalughraman). This technique can potentially be used on any species and on any suite of characteristics as an objective measure of conservation value of a population within a continuous phenotypic range.     

高雅海神蛤的研究现状及展望

对国内外不同学者有关高雅海神蛤的生态习性、繁殖与生长、人工育苗、养殖等研究现状进行了简要评述，同时提出了目前需要解决的问题，并对今后的发展趋势作了分析和展望。     

Evaluation of larval quality of viviparous scorpionfish Sebastiscus marmoratus

The aim of this study was to develop an acute test for larval quality in the viviparous scorpionfish Sebastiscus marmoratus. Rearing experiments until day 13 post parturition were conducted to investigate the survival of larvae for 13 different batches, and tolerance to starvation of larvae was examined and expressed by the survival activity index (SAI). The morphological characters, enzyme activity, and swimming behavior of larvae on day 0 and 1 were also observed, followed by the correlation analysis between SAI. Larvae with high SAI (≥26) showed significantly higher survival on day 13 than larvae with low SAI, which confirmed that SAI is a reliable index that can be used to evaluate larval quality, similar to the former findings. The esterase activity (r=−0.713, P<0.01), swim frequency (r=−0.735, P<0.01) and swimming speed (r=−0.588, P<0.05) of larvae on day 0 were significantly and negatively correlated with SAI. It was concluded that enzyme activity and behavioral characters of larvae just after parturition can be a real-time index for evaluating the larval quality of this species.     

鲂属鱼类形态差异分析

为探讨鲂属鱼类种内及种间形态差异,采用单因素方差分析及主成分分析对厚颌鲂(Megalobrama pellegrini)、广东鲂(M.hoffmanni)、鲂(M.skolkovii)和团头鲂(M.amblycephala)共382尾样本的23个可数性状和24个可量性状进行分析和比较。结果表明,4种鲂的可数性状(尾部脊椎数),可量比例性状(口宽/头长、眼径/头长、腹鳍棘长/头长、肠长/体长、尾柄高/体长、第一鳔室长/体长、第二鳔室长/第一鳔室长、尾柄长/尾柄高)存在显著性差异,可作为4种鲂的判别性状。通过主成分分析法对可数性状(可量比例性状)构建了3个主成分,其贡献率分别为:26.28%(26.01%)、19.92%(12.05%)和8.04%(10.18%),累计贡献率54.24%(48.24%)。主成分散点图显示,4种鲂聚为4簇,广东鲂、团头鲂区分明显。     

On biological species, species concepts and individuation in the natural world

I am a realist and argue that biological species exist in nature. I also argue that the validity of findings of the many disciplines within the natural sciences employing biological species in their endeavours of inquiry are unequivocally linked to the accuracy of the species used in experiments. Few scientists today see the fundamental importance of taxonomic and systematic studies in both addressing accuracy of diversity and the delineation of species diversity for other areas of science. The basic controversial issues in the debate revolve around opinions regarding the nature of species as either Individuals or Classes, confusion of Species as a taxonomic category and as entities in nature, the varied practitioners studying diversity, a general lack of a Lineage perspective and a gross chauvinistic perspective on the types of data worthy of exposing and delineating diversity. I argue that species in nature are Individuals and form Lineages. As Individuals, they cannot be defined but can only be diagnosed in time. The category Species is a Class with a definition. The difficulties realised by scientists studying biodiversity in ‘defining’ a species hinges upon the fact that as natural entities they cannot be defined. Recognizing and understanding the origins of characters in species is further complicated if one views species in nature as Classes and lacks an appreciation for the Lineage and the origin and retention of traits through time. This forms an interesting paradox that many scientists have fallen victim to wherein species are viewed as Classes (hence definable, but immutable) yet are used to understand the process of descent that involves lineages and Individuals! The pre‐Darwinian Class perspective of species, combined with a common chauvinistic perspective on characters ultimately delays progress and places a ‘glass ceiling’ on species diversity for planet Earth. One resolution to the species and species concept issue is to view the concepts in a hierarchical manner of primary (theoretical) and secondary (operational) concepts. Interestingly, the issue of Individuals versus Classes for naturally occurring entities is much more widespread and exists in many other scientific fields. Thus, a hierarchical perspective of having a primary, nonoperational concept for natural entities and multiple operational concepts serving as ‘tools’ for discovering natural things consistent with the primary concept is a heuristic methodology that is applicable to the advancement of many areas of science.     

中国东南沿海青蟹属（Scylla）的种类组成

为调查青蟹属在中国大陆东南沿海的种类组成及明确优势种的种类，采集了13个地区共413只青蟹。通过形态比较，确认有4个种，它们是：锯缘青蟹（Scylla serrata）, 紫螯青蟹(Scylla tranquebarica), 拟穴青蟹（Scylla paramamosain），榄绿青蟹（Scylla olivacea）。这4个种类可以从头胸甲额缘4齿的长度（FMSH/DFMS）、形状，螯足腕节内刺的有无、螯足及步足斑纹来区分。其中拟穴青蟹在中国大陆东南沿海分布最广，数量最多，其他3个种仅在海南和北部湾被发现。在拟穴青蟹中有9.7%的成熟个体和33.3%未成熟个体具有螯足内刺，因此不能仅凭借这个特征来鉴别拟穴青蟹。本文对青蟹属4个种的特征进行了描述并编制分种检索表。图2表4参26