Interspecific differences in early life‐history traits in a species complex of stream‐resident galaxiids

Fish differentially provision resources to eggs and larvae to optimise survival during the critical early life‐history period. Resource allocation is limited by a trade‐off between egg size and fecundity, and the optimal strategy varies with habitat type. This study examines the consequences of egg size differences for the early life‐histories of four closely related galaxiid species which occur in contrasting habitat types on the South Island, New Zealand. Headwater species had substantially larger water‐hardened eggs, longer incubation times, and newly hatched larvae were on average up to 41% longer than lower catchment species. Significant interspecific differences in gape diameter, eye diameter and myomere depth were also observed. Swimming ability was positively associated with larval length at hatch. Interspecific differences in length and swimming ability were generally maintained throughout the larval period, despite larvae being reared under relatively benign conditions where many other studies suggest initial differences should disappear. These results demonstrate the consequences of differential maternal provisioning to the egg for larval traits. The larger larvae of headwater species are likely to be more resistant to starvation and have improved foraging ability compared to lower catchment species; traits which are likely to confer them survival advantages in the low productivity, food‐scarce environments they occupy. The smaller larvae of lower catchment species are likely to be a consequence of females investing in fecundity in these relatively resource‐rich streams.     

Preliminary telemetry data on the movement patterns and habitat use of European catfish (Silurus glanis) in a reservoir of the River Ebro, Spain

Abstract –  Knowledge of the movements and diel behaviour of the European catfish ( Silurus glanis ), the largest European freshwater fish, is limited to anecdotal information. In a preliminary telemetry study of European catfish, the spring diel movement patterns of five adult catfish were examined. After intraperitoneal insertion of the acoustic tags, the positions of the fish were recorded automatically in the Flix Reservoir (River Ebro, NE Spain). A marked nocturnal mobility pattern was observed throughout the study. During daytime, the catfish were consistently located in the littoral zone and spent extended periods of the day hidden in concealed habitats. Catfish movements were in a radial pattern, with upstream and downstream excursions followed by returns to a previously occupied location. Significant individual variations in movement pattern were observed among the tagged fish and within the 24 h cycle for each fish. Mean instantaneous swimming speed was 0.17 body lengths per second (BL·s⁻¹) at night but 0.09 BL·s⁻¹ during the daytime.     

Comparative functional anatomy of hindlimb muscles and bones with reference to aquatic adaptation of the sea otter

Although the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a complete aquatic species, spending its entire life in the ocean, it has been considered morphologically to be a semi-aquatic animal. This study aimed to clarify the unique hindlimb morphology and functional adaptations of E. lutris in comparison to other Mustelidae species. We compared muscle mass and bone measurements of five Mustelidae species: the sea otter, Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra), American mink (Neovison vison), Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) and Siberian weasel (M. sibirica). In comparison with the other 4 species, E. lutris possessed significantly larger gluteus, popliteus and peroneus muscles, but smaller adductor and ischiopubic muscles. The popliteus muscle may act as a medial rotator of the crus, and the peroneus muscle may act as an abductor of the fifth toe and/or the pronator of the foot. The bundles of the gluteus superficialis muscle of E. lutris were fused with those of the tensor fasciae latae muscle and gluteofemoralis muscles, and they may play a role in femur abduction. These results suggest that E. lutris uses the abducted femur, medially rotated crus, eversion of the ankle and abducted fifth digit or extended interdigital web as a powerful propulsion generator. Therefore, we conclude that E. lutris is a complete aquatic animal, possessing differences in the proportions of the hindlimb muscles compared with those in other semi-aquatic and terrestrial mustelids.     

嗜水气单胞菌双组分系统FlrBC的功能探究

为明确双组分系统FlrBC在嗜水气单胞菌极生鞭毛合成、生物被膜形成及致病机制中的作用,通过同源重组法,以嗜水气单胞菌ZYAH72为野生菌株构建双组分系统FlrBC缺失株ΔflrB和ΔflrC,比较不同菌株鞭毛合成及游动性、生物被膜形成、胞外多糖分泌、细胞黏附以及抗全血杀伤能力差异。结果显示:与野生株相比,ΔflrB和ΔflrC仍能形成极生鞭毛,细菌游动能力无显著差异;而结晶紫染色发现ΔflrB和ΔflrC相较于野生株的生物被膜形成能力分别下降了27.2%和22.3%;刚果红检测结果显示,与野生株相比,ΔflrB和ΔflrC的胞外多糖分泌分别下降了18.4%和14.2%;实时荧光定量PCR的结果显示,flrB和flrC的缺失不同程度抑制了鞭毛合成、生物被膜相关通路基因的表达;与草鱼肾细胞共孵育后,ΔflrB和ΔflrC的细胞黏附率与野生株相比分别下降了23.2%和18.2%;全血杀伤实验结果显示,ΔflrB和ΔflrC抗全血杀伤能力均显著减弱。以上结果表明,双组分系统FlrBC不是嗜水气单胞菌极生鞭毛形成所必需,但在细菌鞭毛形成组装和生物被膜形成中发挥调控作用,并且影响嗜水气单胞菌致病性...     

Active metabolism in larval and juvenile fish: ontogenetic changes,effect of water temperature and fasting

Oxygen consumption, ammonia excretion and fish swimming speed were measured in fish induced to swim by optomotor reaction in a circular metabolism chamber. The relationship between the swimming speed and fish metabolism described by exponential equations allowed the extrapolation to the standard metabolism, i.e. at zero swimming speed. The partitioning of the catabolised protein in the energy supply was estimated based on AQ (volume of ammonia/ volume of oxygen) values. Weight specific standard metabolism, as expressed by the ammonia excretion rate, decreased by one order of magnitude in coregonids as the fish grew from 20 to 780 mg body weight. The slope of the relationship between oxygen uptake and swimming speed decreased in coregonid ontogenesis. In salmon, after 12 days of fasting 28% of energy used was derived from protein, whilst coregonid juveniles utilized mostly lipid. Active swimming in fasted juveniles of coregonid, as well as in salmon, led to the accelerated utilization of protein as a source of energy, based on AQ coefficients. In juveniles acclimated to a range of water temperatures from 14 to 26°C, the changes in standard or active metabolic rate (expressed as oxygen uptake or ammonia excretion) were described by Q₁₀ coefficients. They were generally higher for the ammonia excretion rate than for the oxygen uptake rate and for active metabolism than for standard metabolism. Utilization of protein as energy for swimming differed significantly between the species, being in general one order of magnitude higher in coregonids than in salmon. The use of protein for swimming activity tended to decrease during coregonid ontogenesis.     

海鲈游泳续航时间和运动代谢规律研究

为研究海鲈(Lateolabrax japonicus)的游泳续航能力和游泳过程中的物质代谢规律,以深水网箱养殖的3月龄海鲈为研究对象,采用游泳续航时间和生化指标作为评测海鲈游泳能力和代谢规律的方法进行了试验。结果显示,海鲈的游泳续航时长为200 min,其续航能力强于大黄鱼而弱于美国红鱼。在游泳过程中,海鲈血糖浓度升高,但差异性不显著(P＞0.05),肌糖原随着时间的增加显著减少(P＜0.05),且肌糖原浓度在海鲈疲劳时接近于0。当鱼接近100%疲劳时,其肝糖原浓度也接近于0;当海鲈以不同疲劳程度游泳时,其肌肉乳酸脱氢酶浓度会显著升高(P＜0.05)。表明海鲈的续航游泳过程伴随着无氧呼吸和有氧呼吸。     

基于Ecopath模型的海州湾三疣梭子蟹增殖生态容量研究

为科学开展生态型增殖放流,对海州湾海域三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)开展生态容量评估。根据2018-2019年海州湾渔业资源调查数据,构建了由20个功能群组成的海州湾生态系统Ecopath模型,并对模型进行了不确定性及参数敏感性分析检验,系统分析了生态系统的总体特征、功能群间的营养关系和关键功能群,并评估了三疣梭子蟹的增殖生态容量。结果表明,Ecopath模型可信度Pedigree指数为0.482。三疣梭子蟹目前不是海州湾生态系统的关键功能群,其他底层鱼类、软体动物(Molluscs)以及底栖甲壳类(Benthic crustaceans)是海州湾生态系统的关键功能群。三疣梭子蟹生物量的增加对棘头梅童鱼(Collichthys lucidus)以及其他中上层鱼类产生正影响,对底层鱼类以及小黄鱼(Larimichthys polyactis)产生负影响;虾虎鱼科(Gobiidae)、口虾蛄(Oratosquilla oratoria)生物量的增加对三疣梭子蟹有较大负影响,多毛类(Polychaetes)生物量的增加对三疣梭子蟹有较大正影响。三疣梭子蟹的增殖生态容量为3.0236 t/km2,其现存生物量仅0.0681 t/km2,具有较大的增殖潜力;当三疣梭子蟹生物量增长44.4倍时,仍不会超过其生态容量。研究结果可为海州湾渔业资源增殖养护提供指导性建议。     

The effect of demand feeding on swimming speed and feeding responses in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata L. and European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L. in sea cages

Abstract Using underwater cameras, data were collected on the feeding behaviour and swimming speeds of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata L. and European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L. in sea cages. Comparisons were made between the behaviours of fish fed on demand using interactive feedback systems and those of fish fed under the standard feeding practice of each farm (control). In all three species, swimming speeds were similar before feeding , but they were significantly higher in the control regimes during feeding. When fed on demand, sea bass had reduced swimming speed just before and during feeding compared with that observed during the non‐feeding periods. Higher proportions of feeding fish were observed in the control regime cages than in fish fed on demand for all three species, indicating a greater feeding intensity during meals in the control regimes. This was further supported by observations of an increase in the density of sea bass in the upper water in the control cages during feeding. The results suggest decreased levels of competition between the on demand‐fed fish during feeding, which might be hypothesized to lead to improved growth and production efficiency in aquaculture.     

Swimming performance,whole body ions,and gill Al accumulation during acclimation to sublethal aluminium in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Juvenile rainbow trout (2–5 g) were chronically exposed (for 22 days) to acidified softwater (Ca²⁺ = 25 Eq/l, pH 5.2) in the presence or absence sublethal Al (30 g/l). Al-exposed fish (5.2/Al group) suffered 20% whole body Na⁺ and Cl^– losses and a 30% reduction in the maximum sustainable swimming speed (U_crit) over the initial 7 days. These disturbances were approximately 2 fold greater than those observed in the fish exposed to low pH alone (5.2/0 group). However, whole body ion levels were completely restored in the 5.2/Al fish by day 22, whereas they merely stabilized at a new reduced level in the 5.2/0 group. Increased resistance to acutely lethal Al (200 g/l at pH 5.2) was observed from day 17 onwards in the 5.2/Al fish. Despite this acclimation and recovery of whole body ions, U_crit remained significantly lower than in the 5.2/0 group throughout. Growth on a restricted diet of 1% body wt. /day was normal in the 5.2/0 group compared with controls maintained in pH 6.5 softwater, whereas 5.2/Al fish suffered a 50% reduction in growth rate on the same diet. The 5.2/Al fish accumulated large amounts of Al on the gills, reaching an initial peak after 4 days, followed by a decline at 7 days, and a secondary rise thereafter. Therefore acclimation and recovery of whole body ionic status was not associated with a reduction in the gill Al burden. Some of the metabolic costs of acclimation to Al, namely a continued impairment of swimming speed and growth, are discussed in light of the physiological and structural changes reported to occur at the gills.     

Recording cerebellar neuron activities in swimming goldfish

ABSTRACT:   Neuronal activities were investigated in the cerebellum of immobilized and swimming goldfish Carassius auratus . Extracellularly recorded neural activities of the cerebellum in immobilized goldfish were characterized and classified into five types. Based on the waveforms and recording depths, these five neural activity types were estimated to originate from three identified classes of cerebellar neurons: Purkinje cells, eurydendroid cells, and granule cells. Chronic recording of cerebellar neuron activities in unrestrained goldfish was performed for more than 100 h. During the chronic recordings, a submersible amplifier attached to the goldfish head, and a multielectrode array developed for the present study were used. Neuronal activities in the cerebellum of free-swimming fish could also be classified into five types as in the immobilized condition. Firing patterns of two neurons identified as Purkinje cells and eurydendroid cells were analyzed during turning movements of the goldfish. The firing patterns of these neurons changed in relation to turning movements. Although some improvements are required, the chronic recording method developed in the present study can be applied to further investigations concerning the direct relationship between brain neural activities and certain behavior.