Pigmentation and eye migration in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) larvae: new findings and hypotheses

Atlantic halibut juveniles, which have been fed Artemia during larval development, frequently demonstrate malpigmentation and impaired eye migration. This is in contrast to the high percentage of normally developed larvae fed copepods, reared under similar conditions. Nutrition is therefore an important component influencing larval development. Analyses of the nutrient composition of Artemia and copepods show that Atlantic halibut larvae fed Artemia probably receive sufficient amounts of vitamin A by converting canthaxanthin, while iodine may be deficient, possibly leading to interrupted thyroid hormone synthesis. An unbalanced fatty acid composition, such as high levels of arachidonic acid and low levels of docosahexaenoic acid, can be another limiting factor in Artemia. Vitamin A, fatty acids and thyroid hormones have all been shown to affect pigmentation in flatfish. They are ligands to nuclear receptors, thyroid hormone receptors, retinoic acid receptors, retinoic X receptors and peroxisomal proliferator‐activated receptors, which are members of the superfamily of steroid hormone receptors. The receptors interact with each other to promote gene expression that modulates proliferation and differentiation of cells. Our hypothesis is that these interactions are important for development during flatfish metamorphosis. Very little data exist on the topic of impaired eye migration. However, energy limitation, iodine deficiency and an unbalanced fatty acid composition have been proposed as possible explanations. Here, we review the literature on development of pigment cells and the possible mechanisms behind the effects of vitamin A, fatty acids and thyroid hormone on pigmentation and eye migration during development of Atlantic halibut larvae.     

Influences of El Niño on assemblages of mesopelagic fish larvae along the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur

Seasonal assemblages of mesopelagic fish larvae and changes related with environmental factors (plankton biomass, sea surface temperature anomaly, upwelling, and the multivariate El Niño index) were investigated. From 1982 to 1987, 16 oceanographic cruises were carried out along the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Larvae of 42 mesopelagic fish taxa were collected. Larval abundance was highly variable during the studied period, but summer months coincided with higher abundance (>200 larvae under 10 m²). Larval assemblages were dominated by three of the most common species of tropical (Vinciguerria lucetia, Diogenichthys laternatus) and subtropical affinity (Triphoturus mexicanus). A group of species of tropical affinity (Diplophos proximus, Diaphus pacificus, Benthosema panamense) was useful for distinguishing the 1982–84 El Niño event, and an assemblage of larvae of temperate affinity (Symbolophorus californiensis, Melamphaes lugubris, Bathylagus ochotensis, Leuroglossus stilbius, Protomyctophum crockeri) characterized ‘normal’ years (mid‐1984 to mid‐1987).     

Effects of four egg desticking procedures on hatching rate and further survival and growth of larvae in the tench (Tinca tinca L.)

Four desticking procedures for tench eggs (A: tannic acid solution (1 g L⁻¹) for 15 s; B: alcalase enzyme solution (8 mL L⁻¹) for 60 s; C: alcalase enzyme solution (15 mL L⁻¹) for 120 s; D: Woynarovich and Woynarovich (1980) solution for 58 min followed by tannic acid solution (1 g L⁻¹) for 15 s) were tested to obtain data about influence on embryo survival to hatching stage and further survival and growth of the larvae. In the tannic acid and Woynarovich and Woynarovich (1980) treatment (A and D) few eggs stuck together and some were adhered to the incubator walls, whereas in the alcalase treatments (B and C) eggs neither stuck together nor adhered to the incubator walls. Percentages of hatched larvae did not show significant differences (mean values ranged between 47.4% in treatment A to 37.0% in treatment C). Larvae deformities observed were <0.5% in all cases. There were no significant differences among survival and growth rates of the larvae from different egg desticking origin, reaching, after 30 days, mean survival values around 90% and total length and weight of 12.5 mm and 19 mg respectively.     

盐度对真鲷受精卵发育及仔稚鱼生长的影响

在室内水池以溢水法收集真鲷 (Pagrosomusmajor)受精卵 ,并置于不同盐度海水中静水孵化 ,孵出仔鱼以流水培育。设置盐度梯度为 17.0、2 2 .0、2 7.0及自然盐度 3 3 .0 ,水温分别为 19.5～ 2 1.5℃ (孵化 )、2 0 .5～ 2 3 .5℃(培育 )。结果表明∶①真鲷受精卵在自然盐度海水中发育很好 ,孵化率较高 ( 85 .0 %～ 97.0 % ) ,畸形率较低 ( 3 .2 %～ 2 3 .7% ) ;在低盐度条件下静水孵化 ,发育不好 ,孵化率为 4 8.0 %～ 1.0 % ,且盐度越低 ,孵化率也越低。充气孵化时 ,盐度低至 17.0 ,孵化率有时也可达 97.1% ,但畸形率高达 85 .7%～ 10 0 %。②孵化仔鱼中有 2类畸形 ,第 1类畸形表现为身体或尾部弯曲 ,油球位于卵黄囊中部或前部 ,油球数多于 1个 ,盐度越低 ,畸形率越高 ;第 2类畸形表现为仔鱼膜膨大、围心腔扩大 ,这类畸形只出现于低盐度条件下 ,盐度越低 ,畸形率越高 ,且往往与第 1类畸形症状并发。③不同盐度对真鲷仔稚鱼的生长速度没有显著影响 ,各盐度条件仔稚鱼经 3 1d的培养 ,其平均全长为 19.6～ 2 0 .7mm( P >0 .0 5 ) ,没有显著的差别。④海水盐度越低 ,仔稚鱼的存活率越高 ,各组的平均存活率为 ,盐度17.0时 ,3 6.3 % ;盐度 2 2 .0时 ,3 6.2 % ;盐度 2 7.0时 ,2 7.1% ;盐度 3 3 .0时 ,16.3 %。     

Active habitat selection by pre-settlement reef fishes

Our understanding of habitat selection by reef fish larvae has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Fish larvae have long been considered passive particles at the mercy of ocean currents, tides and weather events. For reef fishes, ecological evidence has shown that passive dispersal alone often cannot explain larval distributions, suggesting active behaviour by reef fish larvae. While behaviourally modified passive transport may be important, recent work demonstrates that some reef fish larvae have the capability to actively swim to settlement habitat. They can orientate to reefs from distances of at least 1 km and can swim at speeds of 13.5 cm s^?1 for several days. The question then becomes, what are the cues that fish larvae use to orientate to reefs? Ambient reef sound has been shown to be attractive to reef fish larvae, and current research aims to understand better the nature and use of these acoustic cues. Other potential cues include chemoreception/olfaction, wave cues and visual location of reefs. A better understanding of active habitat selection and the underlying sensory and behavioural mechanisms will improve our knowledge of recruitment processes in reef fish ecology, and may have implications for active management of reef fish populations.     

Characterization of chymotrypsin activity during early ontogeny of larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)

The temporal evolution of chymotrypsin activity during early ontogeny of laboratory reared red drum larvae was accomplished using a combination of biochemical assays and electrophoretic methods (substrate SDS-PAGE). Optimal functional conditions for chymotrypsin were also determined. Chymotrypsin activity was first detected prior to the onset of exogenous feeding. Total chymotrypsin activity increased with age and standard length. Specific activity was greatest on day 10 post-hatch. Maximal chymotrypsin activity was observed at 50 °C, pH 7.8, and Ca²⁺ concentration of 25 mM. Using substrate gel electrophoresis and specific inhibitors the molecular weight of red drum chymotrypsin was estimated to be 26–27 kD. Our results indicate that the digestive system of red drum larvae is capable of alkaline proteolysis before first feeding and suggest that chymotrypsin may have potential as an indicator of nutritional condition.     

育苗水中添加微生物对河蟹苗成活率的影响

在中华绒螯蟹的育苗过程中，采用添加微生物的方法调节育苗水体的水质，结果表明：与对照池相比，试验池中的氨氮明显下降，溶氧量增加，pH值变化不大；河蟹各期幼体的成活率提高，从SouⅠ期幼体至大眼幼体，试验池的成活率为13.9%，对照池仅8.1%。因此，在河蟹的育苗生产上，利用添加有益微生物的水质循环装置，能有效地提高育苗产量，节约成本。     

中国对虾幼体发育阶段氨基酸组成的研究

中国对虾幼体发育阶段氨基酸组成的研究马英杰，张志峰，廖承义，马爱军，孙谧（青岛海洋大学，青岛２６６００３）（黄海水产研究所，青岛２６６０７１）关键词中国对虾，幼体发育，氨基酸ＴＨＥＳＴＵＤＹＯＮＴＨＥＣＯＭＰＯＳＩＴＩＯＮＯＦＡＭＩＮＯＡＣＩＤＩＮＬ...     

陆封型大西洋鲑发眼卵孵化及苗种培育试验

本首次报道了陆封型大西洋鲑发眼卵孵化技术，孵化水温3－11℃，积温达到140－221度日破膜孵出稚鱼，孵化率北京房山87．6％，黑龙江渤海81．9％，经21－28d胚后发育上浮平游开食。同时介绍了苗种培育技术和管理方法。     

Variation in clearance and ingestion rates by larvae of the black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera, L.) feeding on various microalgae

Clearance rate (CR) and ingestion rate (IR) of different sizes (89, 125 and 188 μm shell length) of Pinctada margaritifera larvae were determined when feeding on various microalgae. The microalgae tested were the diatoms, Chaetoceros muelleri and C. simplex, and flagellates, Tahitian Isochrysis aff. galbana, Pavlova lutheri and P. salina at 5 or 10 cells μL^–1. Both CR and IR of microalgae tested in this study increased with increasing larval size; but at all larval sizes, diatoms resulted in lower CR and IR. Of the microalgae tested, P. margaritifera larvae showed greatest CR and IR with the two Pavlova spp. Maximum CR for P. salina was 10.5, 21.2 and 29.7 μL h^–1 for larvae with shell lengths of 89, 125 and 188 μm, respectively. The highest IR values for P. margaritifera larvae with shell lengths of 89, 125 and 188 μm were 8.7, 81.0 and 165.7 cells·larva^–1 h^–1, respectively. CR and IR of P. salina were approximately five times higher than those recorded for C. muelleri and C. simplex.