The isolation of a rickettsia-like organism causing disease and mortality in Chilean salmonids and its confirmation by Koch's postulate

Abstract. A rickettsia-like organism (RLO) was isolated from infected coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), in cultures from six fish cell lines, but could not be cultured on 41 artificial media. The organism was confirmed by Koch's postulates as the aetiological agent of a systemic disease causing signifieant mortality among coho in Chile. The organism was a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen frequently observed within intracyto-plasmic vacuoles or inclusions of host cells, and appears to belong to the order Rickettsiales, family Rickettsiaceae and possibly the tribe Ehrlichiae. The organism, as well as the clinical signs and pathology it produces, is described. The disease, originally observed only in coho raised in seawater net pens, was reproduced experimentally in fish in both freshwater and seawater aquaria. Horizontal transmission without parasite vectors was observed in fish in both aquaria. The organism was shown, for the first time, to cause disease and mortality in Atlantic, Salmo salar L., and Chinook, O. tshawytscha (Walbaum), salmon and rainbow trout, O. mykiss (Walbaum). Because of the systemic nature of the disease, it is proposed that it be called 'salmonid rickettsial septicaemia'.     

Combined effects of temperature and diet on growth and biochemical composition of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) spat

Temperature and quality of the available food are important factors that influence the physiology of oysters; however, the combined effects have not been well studied. We evaluated the impacts of the temperature and diet on the growth, survival and biochemical composition in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas spat, cultured in the laboratory for 8 weeks at 23, 26, 29 and 32°C and fed Isochrysis sp.‐Pavlova lutheri (IP) and Dunaliella tertiolecta (Dt). The growth and biochemical composition showed a pattern, which changed in response to rising temperature. The shell length was significantly longer, in spat fed the IP diet, except at 32°C, where both diets produced poor growth results. The survival was <50% after 5 weeks at 32°C, whereas at all other temperatures it was >88%. High temperatures directly increased lipids and saturated fatty acids, while the proteins, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids decreased. High temperatures achieved in the environment, as those reached on clear summer days during low tides, are an important stressor in oyster spat, especially when the quality of the available food is poor.     

Notes on the occurrence of two tropical species of Anguilla in reservoirs in south-eastern Sri Lanka and preliminary data on the populations

Abstract. The occurrence and abundance of eels were investigated in five lowland reservoirs in south-eastern Sri Lanka. Paired fyke nets and longlines were used for sampling eels. Two tropical species of eel. Anguilla bicolor McClelland and Anguilla nebulosa McClelland, were caught. In two of the five reservoirs investigated only A. bicolor was found and in another two reservoirs both species were caught. Eels seemed to be absent from one reservoir. The CPUE in reservoirs with eel was between 0·13 and 2·60 eels of both species per fyke net and night, and the total weight was between 81 and 814g. A small capture-recapture experiment in Badagiriya, where eels seemed to be most plenliful, gave a population estimate of only six eels or 1·2 kg per ha (eels longer than 40cm). Such a low abundance was regarded as unrealistic. Stocks of eel could presumably, at least in some reservoirs, withstand commercial exploitation but more information is needed on recruitment, growth and migration before any advice can be given on the management of stocks.     

Effects of oxygen supersaturation and temperature on juvenile greenlip, Haliotis laevigata Donovan, and blacklip, Haliotis rubra Leach, abalone

Growth and survival of juvenile greenlip (39.03 (SD 3.80) mm (n=524)) and blacklip (31.92 (SD 4.19) mm (n=531) abalone were investigated at high dissolved oxygen levels (95–120% saturation) between 17 and 19°C. Abalone were fed the same artificial diet and each species was contained in groups of approximately 30 individuals within triplicate tanks for each of six treatments and were exposed to flow through water adjusted to give experimental conditions for up to 75 days. Blacklip abalone held at 16.9°C and 97% oxygen saturation grew in shell length significantly faster than all other treatments of blacklip abalone held at 19°C, and significantly faster than blacklip abalone maintained at 111% oxygen saturation and 17.5°C. Both temperature and oxygen saturation significantly affected the survival of this species. Blacklip abalone held at 19°C had significantly lower survival for both 96% oxygen saturation and 120% oxygen saturation, compared with blacklip abalone maintained at either 110% oxygen saturation and 19°C, or for any 17°C treatment. No significant differences were noted for greenlip abalone within the range tested in terms of growth rate, food consumption rate or survival, indicating that greenlip abalone tolerated these conditions better than did blacklip abalone.     

Retention of sperm motility in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus L.: the effects of time from activation, thermal shock and adenosine triphosphate levels

Abstract Four parameters were examined in order to define sperm quality in turbot Scophthalmus maximus L., sperm: (1) sperm motility, measured by direct counts of the number of active spermatozoa, expressed as % of total spermatozoa; (2) retention of motility after activation, measured by direct counts, 0–60min after activation, expressed as a % of the initial level of activity; (3) resistance to thermal stress, measured as change in retention of motility, and (4) adenosine phosphate (ATP) concentration, determined for samples of non-activated sperm. The proportion of motile spermatozoa at activation ranged from 34·8% to 97·6% (mean 76·3%) for the individual males tested. Turbot sperm retained on average 52% (range 27–90%) of its initial activity one hour after activation. Sperm samples which were stressed by cooling to –27°C retained only 8·6% (range 0–25%) of initial activity, compared to control samples which retained 49% (range 38–63%) of initial activity. The retention of motility after activation was not significantly related to the initial motility or the levels of ATP. Concentrations of ATP in turbot sperm (mean 0·46mg ATP/10⁶ spermatozoa, equivalent to 9·2nmol ATP/10⁸ spermatozoa) were comparable to those measured in mammals.     

Mass mortality of short-tailed shearwaters in the south-eastern Bering Sea during summer 1997

During summer 1997, hundreds of thousands of emaciated short-tailed shearwaters ( Puffinus tenuirostris ) died in the south-eastern Bering Sea. Using strip transect methodology, we documented the distribution and abundance of short-tailed shearwaters during cruises conducted prior to, during, and after the die-off, as well as the distributions and abundances of floating carcasses. The distributions and abundances of short-tailed shearwaters in 1997 were similar to those found during the 1970s and early 1980s. In August–September 1997, we observed 163 floating shearwater carcasses, most of which were between St Paul Island and Nunivak Island. We estimated ≈ 190 000 carcasses were afloat in the study area, about 11% of the surveyed population. Between spring (June) and autumn (August/September), mean net body mass of shearwaters decreased by 19%, mean pectoral muscle mass decreased by 14%, and mean percentage body lipid content decreased by 46%, from 15.6% in spring to 8.4% in autumn. Compared with spring, short-tailed shearwater diets broadened in autumn 1997, to include, in addition to adult euphausiids Thysanoessa raschii, juveniles of T. inermis, T. raschii and T. spinifera, crab megalops, fish and squid. We discuss how the ecosystem anomalies in the south-eastern Bering Sea during spring and summer 1997 relate to the mortality event and suggest possible implications of long-term climate change for populations of apex predators in the south-eastern Bering Sea.     

Epidermal hyperplasia of walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill), associated with retrovirus-like type-C particles: prevalence, histologic and electron microscopic observations

Epidermal hyperplasia consisting of discrete translucent raised outgrowths of cells were observed on the skin of walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill), during their spawning period in the spring. The cells constituting the hyperplastic growths were limited to the epidermal layer, and were associated with surface budded, 120-nm-diameter, retrovirus-like particles located in the expanded intercellular spaces. These tumour-like growths were distinct from the other virus-associated skin lesions of walleye including dermal sarcoma, lymphocystis disease and herpesvirus-associated hyperplasia. Lesions could be differentiated by careful observation in the field and comparison of portions of each growth by histologic and electron microscopic observations.     

Effect of varying density and water level on the spawning response of African catfish Clarias gariepinus: Implications for seed production

The development of a reliable methodology for spawning of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus without the use of hormone injections would greatly improve the prospects of aquaculture in Africa. Earlier work has shown that it is possible to produce C. gariepinus fingerlings by subjecting the broodfish to a physical stress of reduced water depth and/or increased temperature. The hypothesis that C. gariepinus could be induced to spawn through a combined physical stress of lowered water level and increased stocking density was tested in concrete tanks. Three water levels (25, 50 and 75 cm) and three stocking densities (2, 4 and 6 pairs of broodfish at a 1:1 sex ratio in each hapa) were tested. Water depth in the tanks and brood fish density in the hapas affected spawning success. The percentage of spawning females was significantly higher when broodfish were stocked at 2 and 4 pairs in each hapa at water levels of 25 cm or 50 cm. There was no significant difference in spawning response between the 25 and 50 cm depths while a significant difference was seen between the 75 cm and both 25 and 50 cm depths. The results indicate optimum levels and densities for enhancing spawning success in C. gariepinus.