Effect of diets containing low levels of methionine and oxidized oil on body composition, retina structure and pigmentation success of Japanese flounder

Diets reduced in methionine (Met) and with oxidized oil were formulated to induce visual deficiencies in Japanese flounder, Paralichthys alivaceus (T. & S.), in an attempt to link vision with pigmentation development. Even though Met-deficient diets have proved to be cataractogenic in salmonids, no cataracts were formed in flounder eye. However, both diets produced an abnormal morphology in the retinal pigment epithelium and the photoreceptor outer segments of the fish retina. The high presence of dead nuclei in the photoreceptor inner segment suggests a loss in the visual capability of fish fed these two diets, which produced lower pigmentation success than the control. A significant correlation was also found between pigmentation success and fatty acid composition (docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid) of the head polar lipid fraction. The results suggest that a deficient intake of amino acids and fatty acids produces a change in retinal structure and composition, leading to reduced visual capability and suppression of the development of normal pigmentary pattern in flatfish.     

主成分分析对黄海6种主要饵料鱼类的质量分析评价

根据黄海6种饵料鱼类的碳氮比、脂肪含量、蛋白质含量、碳含量及非水分含量5个指标,采用主成分分析法对其进行质量排序。结果表明,依代表生物基本能量的第1主成分,6种鱼的质量顺序为鳀Engraulis japonicus、凤鲚Coilia mystus、黄鲫Setipinna taty、赤鼻棱鳀Thryssa kammalensis、细条天竺鲷Apogonichthys lineatus和黑鳃梅童鱼Collichthys niveatus;依代表营养价值的第2主成分,6种鱼的质量顺序为黄鲫、凤鲚、黑鳃梅童鱼、赤鼻棱鳀、鳀和细条天竺鲷;营养质量的综合排序为凤鲚、黄鲫、鳀、赤鼻棱鳀、细条天竺鲷和黑鳃梅童鱼。结果表明,单一营养质量指标或同类营养质量指标都不能完全代表整个饵料鱼类的质量。     

Importance of the Shatsky Rise Area in the Kuroshio Extension as an offshore nursery ground for Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and sardine (Sardinops melanostictus)

Recent findings suggest that recruitment of Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) depends on survival during not only the first feeding larval stage in the Japanese coastal waters and the Kuroshio front but also during the post‐larval and juvenile stages in the Kuroshio Extension. Spatial distributions of juvenile anchovy and sardine around the Shatsky Rise area in the Kuroshio Extension region and the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition region are described, based on a field survey in the late spring using a newly developed mid‐water trawl for sampling juveniles. All stages of anchovy from post‐larvae to juveniles were obtained in the northern Shatsky Rise area. The Kuroshio Extension bifurcates west of the Shatsky Rise area and eddies are generated, leading to higher chlorophyll concentrations than in the surrounding regions in April and May. When Japanese anchovy and sardine spawn near the Kuroshio front or the coastal waters south‐east of Japan, their larvae are transported by the Kuroshio Extension and are retained in the Shatsky Rise area, which forms an important offshore nursery ground, especially during periods of high stock abundance.     

Feeding habits of albacore Thunnus alalunga in the transition region of the central North Pacific

ABSTRACT:   The feeding habits of albacore Thunnus alalunga (fork length: 48.9–76.2 cm, n  = 132) were examined from late spring to early autumn in relation to its northward migration in the transition region between the subtropical and subarctic fronts in the central North Pacific. Samples were collected at night using surface gill nets or during daytime pole-and-line surveys in 2001 and 2002. During May and June, albacore fed mainly on Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus , which accounted for 27.2%, 67.0%, and 45.5% of the total stomach contents by number ( Cn ), wet weight ( WW ), and frequency of occurrence ( F ), respectively, and secondarily on the subarctic gonatid squid Gonatopsis borealis ( Cn , 15.8%; WW , 10.8%; F , 28.8%). From July to September, albacore continued to depend on Japanese anchovy ( Cn , 48.2–52.8%; WW , 79.9–95.2%; F , 27.8–85.4%). These results corresponded well with the remarkable rebound of the Japanese anchovy stock since the 1990s. Gonatopsis borealis , the main squid prey from May to June, almost disappeared from the stomachs of albacore from July to September, probably due to the northward migration of this squid to subarctic waters in summer. The feeding impact of albacore on the Japanese anchovy stock in the transition region was conservatively estimated to be from 1400 to 2100 tons per day from late spring to early autumn.     

Transport and environmental temperature variability of eggs and larvae of the Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) in the western North Pacific estimated via numerical particle-tracking experiments

Numerical particle-tracking experiments were performed to investigate the transport and variability in environmental temperature experienced by eggs and larvae of Pacific stocks of the Japanese anchovy ( Engraulis japonicus ) and Japanese sardine ( Sardinops melanostictus ) using high-resolution outputs of the Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator (OFES) and the observed distributions of eggs collected from 1978 to 2004. The modeled anchovy individuals tend to be trapped in coastal waters or transported to the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition region. In contrast, a large proportion of the sardines are transported to the Kuroshio Extension. The egg density-weighted mean environmental temperature until day 30 of the experiment was 20–24°C for the anchovy and 17–20°C for the sardine, which can be explained by spawning areas and seasons, and interannual oceanic variability. Regression analyses revealed that the contribution of environmental temperature to the logarithm of recruitment per spawning (expected to have a negative relationship with the mean mortality coefficient) was significant for both the anchovy and sardine, especially until day 30, which can be regarded as the initial stages of their life cycles. The relationship was quadratic for the anchovy, with an optimal temperature of 21–22°C, and linear for the sardine, with a negative coefficient. Differences in habitat areas and temperature responses between the sardine and anchovy are suggested to be important factors in controlling the dramatic out-of-phase fluctuations of these species.     

Biological investigations of anchovy and some selected fish species caught during the R／V “Bei Dou”surveys 1984—1999

IntroductionProductivity of an ecosystem may be measured in terms of structure,abundance and growth of keyspecies.Stock structure,measured as age or size composition in a given stock may indicate whether the stockis in a state of growing,stable or declining.Individual growth may be measured in terms of annual growth ofindividual age groups and maturity of key species will similarly reflect the potential of the species to copewith the influence of a changing environment of predators and human i…     

鳀鱼及其他重要经济鱼类生物学特征的研究

The paper deals with growth of Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and variations in length by area and maturity of anchovy and some selected fish species obtained during surveys with R/V “Bei Dou” in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea,in 1984-1999.Demersal trawl catch rates for some selected fish species from the same surveys are also included.No density-dependent growth in length or weight of anchovy was found.Reduced length at maturity of small yellow croaker was apparent from 1986 to 1994.     

黄海南部不同体长鳀对食物粒级的选择

基于2000年6月和2014年11月黄海南部采集的浮游动物和不同生长阶段鳀(Engraulis japonicus)的胃含物(饵料)组成分析资料,研究鳀的饵料粒级分布与摄食粒级选择性及其与环境生物组成的关系,旨在推进粒级在传统摄食生态分析中的应用。结果显示:黄海南部鳀的饵料种类组成与环境中生物种类组成有关;各体长组中,鳀的饵料粒级多样性与种类多样性分布趋势相似;体长为110 mm左右的鳀的饵料种类多样性和粒级多样性水平最高;鳀的饵料粒级均值随鱼体体长增加而增加;体长约为30 mm和≥70 mm的鳀有明显的饵料粒级转换。根据上述结果,认为在鳀胃含物分析过程中,整合环境中饵料生物的相对组成和粒级大小,可有效评价鱼类对饵料的粒级选择性。     

Time series analyses reveal transient relationships between abundance of larval anchovy and environmental variables in the coastal waters southwest of Taiwan

We investigated environmental effects on larval anchovy fluctuations (based on CPUE from 1980 to 2000) in the waters off southwestern Taiwan using advanced time series analyses, including the state-space approach to remove seasonality, wavelet analysis to investigate transient relationships, and stationary bootstrap to test correlation between time series. For large-scale environmental effects, we used the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) to represent the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO); for local hydrographic conditions, we used sea surface temperature (SST), river runoff, and mixing conditions. Whereas the anchovy catch consisted of a northern species ( Engraulis japonicus ) and two southern species ( Encrasicholina heteroloba and Encrasicholina punctifer ), the magnitude of the anchovy catch appeared to be mainly determined by the strength of Eng. japonicus (Japanese anchovy). The main factor that caused the interannual variation of anchovy CPUE might change through time. The CPUE showed a negative correlation with combination of water temperature and river runoff before 1987 and a positive correlation with river runoff after 1988. Whereas a significant negative correlation between CPUE and ENSOs existed, this correlation was driven completely by the low-frequency ENSO events and explained only 10% of the variance. Several previous studies on this population emphasized that the fluctuations of larval anchovy abundance were determined by local SST. Our analyses indicated that such a correlation was transient and simply reflected ENSO signals. Recent advances in physical oceanography around Taiwan showed that the ENSOs reduced the strength of the Asian monsoon and thus weakened the China Coastal Current toward Taiwan. The decline of larval anchovy during ENSO may be due to reduced China Coastal Current, which is important in facilitating the spawning migration of the Japanese anchovy.     

Three cone opsin genes and cone cell arrangement in retina of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus orientalis</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   In bluefin tuna aquaculture, collision of juveniles with the tank or net walls is a major cause of high mortality. This problem may be related to color sensibility of the visual mechanisms of this species. As a first step in understanding of color vision of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis , we applied a molecular technique and histology to study cone cell distribution in the retina of juvenile fish. We isolated three cone opsin genes encoding one blue-sensitive ( SWS2 ) and two green-sensitive ( RH2 ) visual pigments. In situ hybridization revealed that SWS2 mRNA is localized in the single-cone photoreceptors. The localization of the two RH2 signals in distinct cone cells was not determined, probably because of the high homology between the two RH2 genes. Single-cone photoreceptors appeared frequently in the ventral–temporal retina in approximately 80-mm fish and in the temporal retina in approximately 230-mm fish. These cone distributions may define a visual field with best color contrast vision in front and above the fish with a short wavelength (blue) reflecting target (sensed by single cones), and may be enhanced against the longer wavelength (green) background when fish see a target below them (sensed by double cones).     

Effect of wind stress on the catch of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus off northwestern Kyushu, Japan

Effect of wind stress on the annual catch of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus off northwestern Kyushu for the period between 1963 and 2009 was investigated. Regime shift analysis detected several step changes in catch and environmental variables. Since the mid-1980s, the anchovy catch in the coastal fishery zones has declined, while the catch in the offshore zone has increased. The decline of catch in the coastal zones showed a significant correlation with the long-term variations in prevailing north-northeastward wind stress over the Goto-Nada Sea during spring spawning season. The results indicated that weakened north-northeastward winds caused the recent low recruitment of anchovy through low levels of wind-induced eggs and larval transport from the offshore spawning ground to the coastal nursery areas, resulting in the potential shift of nursery area to the northwestern offshore region. Thus, as well as the growth-favorable ambient temperature, transport process would play a key role on long-term fluctuations in anchovy abundance in these coastal seas.     

刀鲚两种生态类群-“江刀”和“海刀”鱼肉营养组成的比较及品质的评价

采用常规方法对刀鲚两种生态类群("江刀"和"海刀")的鱼肉营养成分进行了分析比较并评价了鱼肉品质。结果表明,"江刀"鱼肉粗脂肪含量显著高于"海刀"(P<0.01),是"海刀"的2.03倍,而粗蛋白、水分、灰分含量则低于"海刀"。"江刀"和"海刀"鱼肉的水解氨基酸组成基本一致,均含有18种氨基酸,总量分别占鱼肉鲜样的11.55%和15.37%,其中7种EAA(Leu、Ile、Phe、Try、Thr、Val、Lys)、1种HEAA(Arg)和4种NEAA(Glu、Ser、Tyr、Pro)的含量在"江刀"与"海刀"间存在显著性差异(P<0.05),8种人体必需氨基酸含量分别占鲜样的4.87%和6.4%,与非必需氨基酸的比值分别为85.59%、83.44%,其必需氨基酸构成比例符合FAO/WHO的标准。另外,必需氨基酸指数(EAAI)分别为22.32、41.82,支链氨基酸与芳香族氨基酸的比值(F值)分别为2.43、2.49,4种鲜味氨基酸含量分别占鲜样的4.59%、6.12%;"江刀"鱼肉鲜样中牛磺酸含量(265.43 mg/100 g)显著高于"海刀"(200.93 mg/100 g)。采用甲酯化法衍生化"江刀"、"海刀",再经GC/MS分析鉴定出20种脂肪酸,其中饱和脂肪酸(SFA)9种,单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)5种,多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)6种。"江刀"多不饱和脂肪酸(9.05%)显著低于"海刀"(13.20%),其中"江刀"EPA与DHA(4.21%、2.26%)显著低于"海刀"(6.71%、2.92%),但绝对含量显著高于"海刀"(P<0.05);ω3PUFA/ω6PUFA值分别为2.67和2.87。全鱼肉中矿物质含量丰富,尤其是Se,Na、Mg、Se的含量在"江刀"和"海刀"之间均存在明显的差异。本研究结果将为刀鲚种质标准的建立和两种生态类群的鉴别提供科学依据。     

Prey selection of common minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Bryde's (Balaenoptera edeni) whales in the western North Pacific in 2000 and 2001

A study of common minke and Bryde's whales was conducted in the western North Pacific in the 2000 and 2001 summer seasons to estimate prey selection of cetaceans as this is an important parameter in ecosystem models. Whale sighting and sampling surveys and prey surveys using quantitative echosounder and mid‐water trawl were carried out concurrently in the study. Biomasses of Japanese anchovy, walleye pollock and krill, which were major prey species of common minke and Bryde's whales, were estimated using an echosounder. The results suggested that common minke whale showed prey selection for Japanese anchovy while they seemed to avoid krill in both the offshore and coastal regions and walleye pollock in the continental shelf region. Selection for shoaling pelagic fish was similar to that in the eastern North Atlantic. Bryde's whale showed selection for Japanese anchovy in August 2000 and July 2001, while it showed prey selection for krill in May and June in 2001.     

Pathology of the retina]

Degenerations (atrophies) of the retina are divided into primary (hereditary) and secondary forms including glaucomatous retinopathy of retinal atrophy. The pathogenesis of inflammation of the retina is considered. This condition generally appears in association with inflammation of the choroid (chorioretinitis), but can also occur as an isolated inflammatory condition during infectious disease (distemper). The functional conditions for retinal detachment, its rhegmatogenous and nonrhegmatogenous types, as well as the consequences of retinal detachment are described. Comparison of the pathology of retinal tumors shows that retinoblastoma is not known in animals. However, neuroepithelial tumors like the so-called acquired adenoma and adenocarcinoma of the mature ciliary epithelium as well as the rare congenital tumors of the embryonic neuroepithelium i.e. the medulloepithelioma and the ganglioneuroma are seen in animals. Finally, the rare but not unusual parasitic retinopathies are mentioned.     

The eyes of the common carp and Nile tilapia are sensitive to near-infrared

Fish biologists have shown little interest in near-infrared (NIR) sensitivity because water absorbs light in the red and near-infrared and because downward irradiance in clear ocean water is mostly blue light. In recent years, however, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus was shown to be NIR sensitive by behavioral techniques. This study confirmed NIR sensitivity in the common carp Cyprinus carpio and Nile tilapia by using a more sensitive technique than a behavioral one. Cardiac conditioning experiments showed that both fishes are sensitive to 865 nm NIR. The conditioned response to 865 nm NIR was observed in Nile tilapia when the eyes were not covered and the pineal window was covered, but not when the same fish had its eyes covered and the pineal window exposed to the NIR. The eyes are thus, the NIR-sensitive organs in Nile tilapia. To identify the NIR photoreceptor, the retina was examined by histology. The retina exposed to 865 nm NIR showed incomplete dark adaptation with rods exposed from retinal epithelial pigment. Though the reaction to NIR seemed to be mediated mainly by the red cone, the involvement of the rod could not be ruled out.     

Putative ultraviolet-photosensitivity in the retina of 1-year-old nibbler <Emphasis Type="Italic">Girella punctata</Emphasis>: Based on molecular and histological evidences

ABSTRACT:   Ultraviolet (UV) photosensitivity in 1-year-old nibbler Girella punctata , which inhabits the coastal reefs of Japan, was investigated, based on retinal histology and visual pigment cDNA cloning. The retinal cone mosaic of the nibbler showed a square-shaped arrangement of double cones with a central single cone and accessory corner cones, which are representative putative UV-photoreceptors, at each corner of the square. Six cDNA fragments encoding putative visual pigment of nibbler were isolated and sequenced. Its deduced amino acid sequences were classified into five classes of opsin: UV, blue, green (one gene each), red (two genes), and rod (one gene) by comparison with other teleost opsins and phylogenetic analysis. Possible contributions of UV-sensitivity in nibbler was discussed regarding homing, feeding, and schooling.     

Growth effect on the otolith and somatic size relationship in Japanese anchovy and sardine larvae

ABSTRACT:   Relationships between otolith and somatic sizes were examined for Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus and sardine Sardinops melanostictus larvae collected broadly in the western North Pacific, based on a substantial data set derived from a previous paper. Allometric formulae showed close fits to the relationships between otolith radius and standard length, and the formulae differed between anchovy and sardine larvae. Despite the high correlations, the effect of somatic growth rate on the otolith and somatic size relationship (the 'growth effect') was significantly detected for both anchovy and sardine larvae. Slower growing larvae tended to have larger otoliths than faster growing conspecifics at the same somatic size. This growth effect was more obvious for sardine larvae than for anchovy larvae, probably because of their differential responses of somatic growth to temperature shifts. The growth effect could lead to the possibility of biases in the back-calculation and size estimation processes. As the growth effect is considered to be a general phenomenon and its extent to be species-specific, the relationship between otolith and somatic size and its uncoupling should be scrutinized before application of techniques based on the otolith and somatic size correlation.     

Retinal ganglion cell topography in juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis (Temminck and Schlegel)

The retinal ganglion cell distribution, which is known to reflect fish feeding behavior, was investigated in juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis. During the course of examination, regularly arrayed cells with a distinctive larger soma, which may be regarded as motion-sensitive cells, were found. The topographical distribution of ordinary-sized ganglion cells, which is usually utilized to estimate fish visual axis and/or visual field characteristics, showed that the highest-density area, termed the area centralis, was localized in the ventral-temporal retina. The retinal topography of ordinary-sized ganglion cells seems to reflect the bluefin tuna’s foraging behavior; while cruising, cells in the area centralis may signal potential prey, such as small schooling pelagic fishes or squids, that are present in the upward-forward direction. Judging from morphological characteristics, the large ganglion cells localized in the small temporal retinal area seem to be equivalent to physiologically categorized off-center Y-cells of cat, which are stimulated by a transient dark spot in a bright visual field. It was inferred that presumed large off-center cells in the temporal retina detect movements of agile prey animals escaping from bluefin tuna as a silhouette against environmental light.     

莱州湾春季渔业资源及生物多样性的年间变化

通过１９８２、１９９３年和１９９８年春季在莱州湾基本相同站位的镀拖网渔业生产调查,分析了生殖群体的生物量,渔获物组成及生物多样性的年间变化。结果表明,生物量呈大幅度下降趋势,１９９８年分别为１９８２年和１９９３年的２．８％和１１．０％,特别是黄鲫和枪乌贼等     

Basin-scale distribution pattern and biomass estimation of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus in the western North Pacific

The distribution pattern and biomass of the Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus in the offshore region of the western North Pacific (north of 35°N and west of 170°E) were studied using a quantitative echosounder. This is the first attempt at such a study in this region. Data were collected in summer from 2004 to 2007. The biomass was estimated using data collected at 38?kHz. Species compositions in the backscatterings from pelagic fish were assigned based on the results of trawl hauls taking account of sea surface temperature (SST). Japanese anchovy tended to be high density to the west of 153°E and were distributed in an SST range of 9?C24?°C. Although the temporal and spatial coverage of the survey differed each year, at least 1.5?C3.4 million tons of Japanese anchovy were present in the survey area between 2004 and 2007. To take account of the spatial coverage of the survey each year, the most reliable biomass estimate for this region in the time period was 3.4 million tons (coefficient of variation?0.22).