Site fidelity,size, and spatial arrangement of daytime home range of thumbprint emperor <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lethrinus harak</Emphasis> (Lethrinidae)

Although emperors (Lethrinidae) are commercially important fisheries resources in tropical and subtropical waters, their home range size and its spatial arrangement have not been sufficiently clarified. In the present study, the size and spatial arrangement of the daytime home range of the thumbprint emperor Lethrinus harak were investigated by using a portable GPS receiver. In a 150 m × 200 m quadrat, 21 individuals of the species were identified by their color pattern, and individuals were divided into four arbitrary size classes (class 1 < 20 cm TL ≤ class 2 < 25 cm TL ≤ class 3 < 30 cm TL ≤ class 4). Fish tracking by snorkeling was conducted with the portable GPS receiver. Daytime site fidelity of this species was high and there was a significant positive correlation between the home range size and fish total length. Home ranges of same-sized individuals abutted each other (20.3% area overlap), whereas those of different-sized individuals overlapped (48.3% area overlap). Agonistic behavior (attacking) occurred significantly more frequently between same-sized individuals than between different-sized individuals. These results suggest that daytime home ranges of Lethrinus harak can be regarded as territories against same-sized individuals, but not different-sized individuals.     

Growth of juvenile chub mackerel Scomber japonicus in the western North Pacific Ocean: with application and validation of otolith daily increment formation

The growth of juvenile chub mackerel Scomber japonicus collected in the western North Pacific Ocean in 2007 and 2009 was examined based on the evidence of otolith daily increment formation in captive specimens. There was a significant difference in the relationship between known age and number of increments in the frontal and sagittal planes. Repeated markings on the otolith using Alizarin complexone and the coefficient of variation in number of increments suggest that the increments in the frontal plane of the otolith are more suitable for age estimation than those in the long and short axes of the sagittal plane. The increments in the frontal plane formed daily, and the first ring was usually deposited 3 days after hatch. Age of wild juveniles ranged from 24 to 211 days after hatch based on the frontal plane method. The estimated hatching periods of specimens ranged from February to June, but the April-hatched specimens were collected throughout the sampling periods of 2007 and 2009. The Gompertz growth model showed a difference in growth pattern in specimens between 2007 and 2009. The juveniles in 2009 appeared to grow more quickly than those in 2007 until summer, but thereafter the 2009 specimens seemed to grow more slowly.     

Removal of cadmium from scallop processing waste by washing with weak acid solution and utilization of useful constituents for organic fertilizer manufacturing

ABSTRACT:   Hepatopancreases were washed four times with 2% acetic acid solution. In both the washed hepatopancreases and the supernatant of the washing solution, the residual cadmium (Cd) concentration was in accordance with the required standard for organic fertilizers. Hepatopancreases do not naturally contain high levels of nitrogen, but they do contain several amino acids which are useful for cultivation, and these were retained during the washing process. Although the condensed precipitate of the washing solution contained a considerable amount of Cd, Cd elution levels at the time of final disposal met judgment standard for special management industrial waste as a result of kneading and immobilizing with chelating adsorbent for treatment of contaminated soil. The volume of the precipitate of the washing solution was one-fifth of the original hepatopancreas, and the solid waste was suitable for burial at a final disposal site without further treatment.     

Species identification of Alaska pollock,Gadus spp., and Micromesistius spp. in cod roe products using a PCR-based method

Fish species identification techniques for authentic food labeling were developed using species-specific PCR primers for cod roe products. A salted, seasoned fish roe product, karashimentaiko (chilli cod roe), is produced from the eggs of Alaska pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, according to the fair trade competition agreement authorized by the Fair Trade Commission of the Japanese government. To examine whether Alaska pollock ovaries or those of other fish species are being used as raw materials for the fish roe products, we developed species identification techniques using PCR amplification of a 255-bp fragment encoding the mitochondrial ATP synthase Fo subunit 6 (ATP6) gene with a species-specific primer set for Alaska pollock mitochondrial DNA. We also designed two species-specific primer sets corresponding to the mitochondrial ATP6 and cytochrome b (cytb) for Gadus spp. and Micromesistius spp. by PCR amplification of 332- and 223-bp fragments, respectively. We examined the species specificity of these PCR-based methods among nine commercially important Gadidae species.     

Evaluation of recycled food waste as a partial replacement of fishmeal in diets for the initial feeding of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

A 70-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the suitability of recycled food wastes [food industry waste (FIW) and soy sauce waste (SSW)] as protein sources in the diet of Oreochromis niloticus fry. Diets were formulated that contained 0 and 20–22%, respectively, recycled food wastes, namely D1 (0% recycled food waste), D2 (20% FIW), D3 (10% FIW and SSW, respectively), D4 (20% FIW and tryptophan), and D5 (22% SSW). Although feed efficiency, net protein retention, and protein efficiency were not significantly different among fish on the different diets (p > 0.05), those on D3 had a better growth performance than the controls (D1). Fish fed diet D4 (tryptophan supplement) had a higher final weight gain than those fed D2, in addition to the other growth parameters, but these differences were not significant (p > 0.05), with the exception of total feed intake. D1 produced fish with higher carcass protein, while fish fed on D3 had the highest lipid content. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of carcass moisture and ash contents. These findings show that the proper combination of recycled food waste is suitable for use in the production of fish feed and may ultimately result in reductions in the level of fishmeal in aquafeeds.     

Growth hormone-like substance in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

ABSTRACT:   A growth hormone (GH)-like substance was extracted from the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and subsequently purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The GH-like substance had a molecular weight of approximately 28 kDa and had cross-reactivity with salmon GH antibody. In vivo bioassay showed a higher intrinsic rate of increase and net reproduction rate of B. plicatilis treated with the GH-like substance.     

Otolith development and daily increment formation in laboratory-reared larval and juvenile black-spot tuskfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Choerodon schoenleinii</Emphasis>

Microstructures of lapilli were examined for reared larvae and juveniles of black-spot tuskfish Choerodon schoenleinii. Lapilli of larvae at 1 day after hatching have one diffuse and obscure ring with an otolith radius of 4.3 ± 0.50 μm (mean ± SD, N = 8). The slope and intercept of the regression between the number of days after hatching and increment counts did not differ significantly from one and zero, respectively, indicating that lapillus increments were formed on a daily basis after hatching. There was an ontogenetic shift in the relative values of somatic and otolith growth, which corresponded to the transition from pelagic larvae to settlement stage. Simultaneously, the daily increment width reached the maximum value. These findings suggest that age at maximum value of increment width can be used as an indicator of the planktonic larval duration while settlement mark is not found. Since ontogenetic shift in the relationship between otolith radius and body size was observed, back-calculation of somatic growth in black-spot tuskfish using the otolith radius during the early life stages should be analyzed with caution, and the method requires further validation.     

Gibberella ear rot of corn caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium asiaticum</Emphasis> in Japan

Ear rot with white or pink mold was found on corn (Zea mays L.). A species of Fusarium, not registered previously as a pathogen causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan, was isolated from the rotted ear. The isolates, identified as F. asiaticum based on morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequences, caused white or pink mold on corn ear after inoculation. Moreover, the 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol chemotype and the nivalenol chemotype were found in the isolates. We propose to include F. asiaticum as one of the pathogens causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan.     

Effects of hypothyroidism on gonadal function after transition of short day photoperiod in male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Thyroid hormones permit the annual reproductive transition of seasonal breeders. Although, precise function of thyroid hormones in seasonal breeding is not well understood. In the present study, we examined effects of hypothyroidism on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis in adult male golden hamsters after transition of the short-day photoperiod (SD; 8 h light: 16 h dark) condition. We confirmed that hypothyroid, which had been induced by administration of thiouracil in drinking water for 4 weeks, did not have direct effects on testes in male hamsters under the long-day photoperiod. Plasma concentrations of free T3 and T4 decreased 15 weeks after transition of SD condition. Plasma concentrations of testosterone in the hypothyroid group decreased earlier than in the control group after the transition from LD to SD. In animals treated with testosterone after castration, plasma concentrations of LH in the hypothyroid group decreased earlier than in the control group after the transition of SD. On the other hand, pituitary response to GnRH for LH release did not change in castrated hamsters as a result of hypothyroidism. These results suggest that thyroid hormones act the hypothalamus and might be required to maintain GnRH secretion in male golden hamsters.