DOCSLIB.ORG

Anguilliform Larvae Collected Off North Carolina

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Anguilliform Larvae Collected Off North Carolina University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research US Geological Survey 7-12-2006 Anguilliform larvae collected off orN th Carolina Steve W. Ross Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina, [email protected] Tara L. Casazza Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Andrea M. Quattrini Florida Integrated Science Center, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, United States Geological Survey, Kenneth J. Sulak Florida Integrated Science Center, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, United States Geological Survey Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub Part of the Geology Commons, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, and the Other Environmental Sciences Commons Ross, Steve W.; Casazza, Tara L.; Quattrini, Andrea M.; and Sulak, Kenneth J., "Anguilliform larvae collected off orN th Carolina" (2006). USGS Staff -- Published Research. 1063. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub/1063 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the US Geological Survey at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Mar Biol (2007) 150:681–695 DOI 10.1007/s00227-006-0388-z RESEARCH ARTICLE Anguilliform larvae collected off North Carolina Steve W. Ross Æ Tara L. Casazza Æ Andrea M. Quattrini Æ Kenneth J. Sulak Received: 17 February 2006 / Accepted: 18 May 2006 / Published online: 12 July 2006 Ó Springer-Verlag 2006 Abstract The distinctive larval stage of eels (lepto- individuals, ten species). Nine taxa accounted for 70% cephalus) facilitates dispersal through prolonged life in of the overall leptocephalus catches (in order of the open ocean. Leptocephali are abundant and di- decreasing abundance): Paraconger caudilimbatus verse off North Carolina, yet data on distributions and (Poey), Gymnothorax ocellatus Agassiz complex, biology are lacking. The water column (from surface to Ariosoma balearicum (Delaroche), Ophichthus gomesii 1,293 m) was sampled in or near the Gulf Stream off (Castelnau), Callechelys muraena Jordan and Ever- Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, and Cape Fear, North mann, Letharchus aliculatus McCosker, Rhynchocon- Carolina during summer through fall of 1999–2005, and ger flavus (Goode and Bean), Ophichthus cruentifer leptocephali were collected by neuston net, plankton (Goode and Bean), Rhynchoconger gracilior (Gins- net, Tucker trawl, and dip net. Additional samples burg). The top three species represented 52% of the were collected nearly monthly from a transect across total eel larvae collected. Most leptocephali were col- southern Onslow Bay, North Carolina (from surface to lected at night (79%) and at depths > 45 m. Eighty 91 m) from April 2000 to December 2001 by bongo percent of the eels collected in discrete depth Tucker and neuston nets, Methot frame trawl, and Tucker trawls at night ranged from mean depths of 59–353 m. trawl. Overall, 584 tows were completed, and 224 of A substantial number (38% of discrete depth sample these yielded larval eels. The 1,295 eel leptocephali total) of larval eels were also collected at the surface collected (combining all methods and areas) repre- (neuston net) at night. Daytime leptocephalus distri- sented at least 63 species (nine families). Thirteen butions were less clear partly due to low catches and species were not known previously from the area. lower Tucker trawl sampling effort. While net avoid- Dominant families for all areas were Congridae (44% ance may account for some of the low daytime catches, of individuals, 11 species), Ophichthidae (30% of an alternative explanation is that many species of larval individuals, 27 species), and Muraenidae (22% of eels occur during the day at depths > 350 m. Larvae of 21 taxa of typically shallow water eels were collected at depths > 350 m, but additional discrete depth diel Communicated by J.P. Grassle, New Brunswick sampling is needed to resolve leptocephalus vertical distributions. The North Carolina adult eel fauna S. W. Ross (&) Æ T. L. Casazza Æ A. M. Quattrini (estuary to at least 2,000 m) consists of 51 species, 41% Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington of which were represented in these collections. Many NC 28409, USA species of leptocephali collected are not yet known to e-mail: [email protected] have juveniles or adults established in the South Atlantic Bight or north of Cape Hatteras. Despite Gulf K. J. Sulak Æ S. W. Ross Florida Integrated Science Center, Center for Aquatic Stream transport and a prolonged larval stage, many of Resource Studies, United States Geological Survey, these eel leptocephali may not contribute to their 7920 Northwest 71st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA respective populations. 123 682 Mar Biol (2007) 150:681–695 Introduction 2005). The lack of species level identifications and detailed distribution data hamper assessments of the The larval stage of Anguilliformes, the leptocephalus, complete life history of most eel species, including the is among the most morphologically and physiologically role of leptocephali in the oceanic plankton. distinct of all larval fishes. The most striking features of During recent cruises off North Carolina, we col- leptocephali are laterally compressed, transparent lected a large diversity of anguilliform larvae. Our bodies, fang-like teeth, well developed eyes, and large objectives were to: (1) describe the taxonomic com- sizes (50–100 mm total lengths common). All An- position of anguilliform larvae collected off North guilliformes spawn in oceanic waters and exhibit a Carolina, (2) document their relative abundances, size prolonged larval period, lasting several months to years structures, and depth distributions, and (3) compare (Smith 1989a). Although eel leptocephali are unlike the taxonomic composition of the oceanic larval pool adult eels, they can be readily identified to species with in this region to that of the known adult eel popula- the exceptions of very small ( < 10 mm TL) and tions. metamorphic specimens. Even so, many leptocephali await taxonomic treatment, several described larval types cannot yet be matched to adults, and their biol- Materials and methods ogy and ecology remain poorly known (Smith 1989a). Leptocephali are often transported great distances The water column in or near the Gulf Stream off Cape from spawning sites to habitats suitable for recruitment Hatteras, Cape Lookout, and Cape Fear, North Caro- of juveniles. These movements are difficult to track, lina (Fig. 1 and Table 2) was sampled during annual partly because exact spawning localities of most eel summer or fall cruises (August 1999, July 2000, August species are unknown. Eleven mesopelagic and coastal 2001, September 2001, August 2002, August 2003, June benthic anguilliform species may spawn in the Sargasso 2004, and October 2005). As part of a larger study, an Sea (Schmidt 1922; Kleckner and McCleave 1982; overall objective was to sample diverse fish and Wippelhauser et al. 1985; McCleave 1993; McCleave invertebrate taxa in many habitats; thus, eel lepto- and Miller 1994; Miller and McCleave 1994; Miller cephali were opportunistically collected during day- 1995, 2002). Other species (e.g., ophichthids) may light and at night using a variety of nets targeting spawn at the surface over the continental shelf off the depths from the surface to 1,293 m (Table 2). We also southeastern United States (Ross and Rohde 2003). incorporated leptocephalus data from a separate study Leptocephali can also be transported to areas where which sampled an inshore to offshore transect across recruitment is apparently unsuccessful, as evidenced by southern Onslow Bay, April 2000–December 2001 the lack of adult populations (Richardson and Cowen (Quattrini et al. 2005). Generally, all gears were towed 2004). Regardless of future recruitment success, the against the current at approximately 3.7 km h–1 ground combination of an extended larval period and the speed. northward flow of the Gulf Stream facilitates dispersal Several methods were used to sample surface wa- of leptocephali along the East Coast of the United ters. Frequent occurrences of Sargassum spp. in surface States and beyond. waters interfered with flow meters, preventing accurate Eel populations are extensive and diverse in coastal measures of water volume sampled and catch density and offshore waters of North Carolina. Fifty-one spe- calculations. A 1 · 3-m neuston net (6.4-mm mesh cies of adult eels from 12 families occupy a wide range body, 3.2-mm mesh tailbag), NN1, was towed in the of habitats from rivers to the continental slope in this upper meter of the water column for 30 min in 1999 area (S.W. Ross, unpublished data), and 15 of these and 15 min during all other years. This gear effectively species are restricted to depths > 200 m as adults collected larger leptocephali, but the mesh size of this (Table 1). Although eel leptocephali have been col- net eliminated smaller leptocephali ( < 25 mm). To lected frequently in ocean waters off North Carolina determine the extent to which smaller leptocephali and/or in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) (Powles and may be missed in surface waters, we conducted limited Stender 1976; Powell and Robbins 1994, 1998; Govoni sampling off Cape Lookout during October 2005 using and Spach 1999; Powell et al. 2000; Quattrini et al. the NN1 frame fitted with a Tucker trawl net (1.59-mm 2005), they were often not identified to species. Data mesh net), designated NN3. A 1-m diameter plankton on vertical distributions and distributions relative to net (505-lm mesh), PN, was towed for 30 min on the water masses (e.g., Gulf Stream) are also lacking for surface during 2002–2004 cruises. One metamorphic larval eels in this area or have been noted only at the specimen was collected at the surface by dip net during family level (Govoni and Spach 1999; Quattrini et al.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fao/Government Cooperative Programme Scientific Basis
    FI:GCP/RLA/140/JPN TECHNICAL DOCUMENT No. 4 FAO/GOVERNMENT COOPERATIVE PROGRAMME SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT IN THE LESSER ANTILLES INCLUDING INTERACTIONS WITH MARINE MAMMALS AND OTHER TOP PREDATORS CRUISE REPORT FOR THE LAPE ECOSYSTEM SURVEY ON RV CELTIC EXPLORER (CE0607) FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Barbados, 2006 FI:GCP/RLA/140/JPN TECHNICAL DOCUMENT No. 4 FAO/GOVERNMENT COOPERATIVE PROGRAMME SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT IN THE LESSER ANTILLES INCLUDING INTERACTIONS WITH MARINE MAMMALS AND OTHER TOP PREDATORS CRUISE REPORT FOR THE LAPE ECOSYSTEM SURVEY ON RV CELTIC EXPLORER (CE0607) Lesser Antilles Pelagic Ecosystem Project (GCP/RLA/140/JPN) Bridgetown, Barbados FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Barbados, 2006 This technical report is one of a series of reports prepared during the course of the project identified on the title page. The conclusions and recommendations given in the report are those considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean Volume
    ISBN 0-9689167-4-x Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean (Davis Strait, Southern Greenland and Flemish Cap to Cape Hatteras) Volume One Acipenseriformes through Syngnathiformes Michael P. Fahay ii Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean iii Dedication This monograph is dedicated to those highly skilled larval fish illustrators whose talents and efforts have greatly facilitated the study of fish ontogeny. The works of many of those fine illustrators grace these pages. iv Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean v Preface The contents of this monograph are a revision and update of an earlier atlas describing the eggs and larvae of western Atlantic marine fishes occurring between the Scotian Shelf and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Fahay, 1983). The three-fold increase in the total num- ber of species covered in the current compilation is the result of both a larger study area and a recent increase in published ontogenetic studies of fishes by many authors and students of the morphology of early stages of marine fishes. It is a tribute to the efforts of those authors that the ontogeny of greater than 70% of species known from the western North Atlantic Ocean is now well described. Michael Fahay 241 Sabino Road West Bath, Maine 04530 U.S.A. vi Acknowledgements I greatly appreciate the help provided by a number of very knowledgeable friends and colleagues dur- ing the preparation of this monograph. Jon Hare undertook a painstakingly critical review of the entire monograph, corrected omissions, inconsistencies, and errors of fact, and made suggestions which markedly improved its organization and presentation.
    [Show full text]
  • Sharkcam Fishes
    SharkCam Fishes A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower By Erin J. Burge, Christopher E. O’Brien, and jon-newbie 1 Table of Contents Identification Images Species Profiles Additional Info Index Trevor Mendelow, designer of SharkCam, on August 31, 2014, the day of the original SharkCam installation. SharkCam Fishes. A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower. 5th edition by Erin J. Burge, Christopher E. O’Brien, and jon-newbie is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. For questions related to this guide or its usage contact Erin Burge. The suggested citation for this guide is: Burge EJ, CE O’Brien and jon-newbie. 2020. SharkCam Fishes. A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower. 5th edition. Los Angeles: Explore.org Ocean Frontiers. 201 pp. Available online http://explore.org/live-cams/player/shark-cam. Guide version 5.0. 24 February 2020. 2 Table of Contents Identification Images Species Profiles Additional Info Index TABLE OF CONTENTS SILVERY FISHES (23) ........................... 47 African Pompano ......................................... 48 FOREWORD AND INTRODUCTION .............. 6 Crevalle Jack ................................................. 49 IDENTIFICATION IMAGES ...................... 10 Permit .......................................................... 50 Sharks and Rays ........................................ 10 Almaco Jack ................................................. 51 Illustrations of SharkCam
    [Show full text]
  • Nettastomatidae
    FAMILY Nettastomatidae Kaup, 1859 - duckbill eels [=Nettastominae, Saurenchelidae] GENUS Facciolella Whitley, 1938 - duckbill eels [=Nettastomella] Species Facciolella castlei Parin & Karmovskaya, 1985 - Castle's witch eel Species Facciolella equatorialis (Gilbert, 1891) - dogface witch eel [=gilberti] Species Facciolella karreri Klausewitz, 1995 - Red Sea duckbill eel Species Facciolella oxyrhynchus (Bellotti, 1883) - Facciola's sorcerer [=physonima] Species Facciolella saurencheloides (D'Ancona, 1928) - Kamaran witch eel GENUS Hoplunnis Kaup, 1859 - duckbill eels Species Hoplunnis diomedianus Goode & Bean, 1896 - blacktail pike-conger Species Hoplunnis macrura Ginsburg, 1951 - freckled pike-conger, silver conger Species Hoplunnis megista Smith & Kanazawa, 1989 - megista duckbill eel Species Hoplunnis pacifica Lane & Stewart, 1968 - Pacific duckbill eel Species Hoplunnis punctata Regan, 1915 - slender duckbill eel Species Hoplunnis schmidti Kaup, 1859 - Schmidt's duckbill eel Species Hoplunnis sicarius (Garman, 1899) - Garman's hoplunnis Species Hoplunnis similis Smith, 1989 - Bahamian hoplunnis Species Hoplunnis tenuis Ginsburg, 1951 - spotted pike-conger GENUS Nettastoma Rafinesque, 1810 - sorcerers [=Hyoprorus, Metopomycter, Muraenosaurus, Osorina] Species Nettastoma falcinaris Parin & Karmovskaya, 1985 - Nazca sorcerer Species Nettastoma melanurum Rafinesque, 1810 - blackfin sorcerer [=guentheri, longirostris, mendax, messanensis, saga, urosema] Species Nettastoma parviceps Günther, 1877 - smallhead duckbill eel [=denticulatus] Species
    [Show full text]
  • Hotspots, Extinction Risk and Conservation Priorities of Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes
    Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations Biological Sciences Summer 2016 Hotspots, Extinction Risk and Conservation Priorities of Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes Christi Linardich Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_etds Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Biology Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, and the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Linardich, Christi. "Hotspots, Extinction Risk and Conservation Priorities of Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes" (2016). Master of Science (MS), Thesis, Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/hydh-jp82 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_etds/13 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Biological Sciences at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HOTSPOTS, EXTINCTION RISK AND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES OF GREATER CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO MARINE BONY SHOREFISHES by Christi Linardich B.A. December 2006, Florida Gulf Coast University A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE BIOLOGY OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY August 2016 Approved by: Kent E. Carpenter (Advisor) Beth Polidoro (Member) Holly Gaff (Member) ABSTRACT HOTSPOTS, EXTINCTION RISK AND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES OF GREATER CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO MARINE BONY SHOREFISHES Christi Linardich Old Dominion University, 2016 Advisor: Dr. Kent E. Carpenter Understanding the status of species is important for allocation of resources to redress biodiversity loss.
    [Show full text]
  • FISHES (C) Val Kells–November, 2019
    VAL KELLS Marine Science Illustration 4257 Ballards Mill Road - Free Union - VA - 22940 www.valkellsillustration.com [email protected] STOCK ILLUSTRATION LIST FRESHWATER and SALTWATER FISHES (c) Val Kells–November, 2019 Eastern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico: brackish and saltwater fishes Subject to change. New illustrations added weekly. Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa Sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus Deepwater chimaera, Hydrolagus affinis Atlantic spearnose chimaera, Rhinochimaera atlantica Nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum Whale shark, Rhincodon typus Sand tiger, Carcharias taurus Ragged-tooth shark, Odontaspis ferox Crocodile Shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai Thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus Basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus White shark, Carcharodon carcharias Shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus Longfin mako, Isurus paucus Porbeagle, Lamna nasus Freckled Shark, Scyliorhinus haeckelii Marbled catshark, Galeus arae Chain dogfish, Scyliorhinus retifer Smooth dogfish, Mustelus canis Smalleye Smoothhound, Mustelus higmani Dwarf Smoothhound, Mustelus minicanis Florida smoothhound, Mustelus norrisi Gulf Smoothhound, Mustelus sinusmexicanus Blacknose shark, Carcharhinus acronotus Bignose shark, Carcharhinus altimus Narrowtooth Shark, Carcharhinus brachyurus Spinner shark, Carcharhinus brevipinna Silky shark, Carcharhinus faiformis Finetooth shark, Carcharhinus isodon Galapagos Shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis Bull shark, Carcharinus leucus Blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus Oceanic whitetip shark,
    [Show full text]
  • Sharkcam Fishes a Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower by Erin J
    SharkCam Fishes A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower By Erin J. Burge, Christopher E. O’Brien, and jon-newbie 1 Table of Contents Identification Images Species Profiles Additional Information Index Trevor Mendelow, designer of SharkCam, on August 31, 2014, the day of the original SharkCam installation SharkCam Fishes. A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower. 3rd edition by Erin J. Burge, Christopher E. O’Brien, and jon-newbie is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. For questions related to this guide or its usage contact Erin Burge. The suggested citation for this guide is: Burge EJ, CE O’Brien and jon-newbie. 2018. SharkCam Fishes. A Guide to Nekton at Frying Pan Tower. 3rd edition. Los Angeles: Explore.org Ocean Frontiers. 169 pp. Available online http://explore.org/live-cams/player/shark-cam. Guide version 3.0. 26 January 2018. 2 Table of Contents Identification Images Species Profiles Additional Information Index TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD AND INTRODUCTION.................................................................................. 8 IDENTIFICATION IMAGES .......................................................................................... 11 Sharks and Rays ................................................................................................................................... 11 Table: Relative frequency of occurrence and relative size ....................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for the Capture and Management of Digital Zoological Names Information Francisco W
    Guidelines for the Capture and Management of Digital Zoological Names Information Francisco W. Welter-Schultes Version 1.1 March 2013 Suggested citation: Welter-Schultes, F.W. (2012). Guidelines for the capture and management of digital zoological names information. Version 1.1 released on March 2013. Copenhagen: Global Biodiversity Information Facility, 126 pp, ISBN: 87-92020-44-5, accessible online at http://www.gbif.org/orc/?doc_id=2784. ISBN: 87-92020-44-5 (10 digits), 978-87-92020-44-4 (13 digits). Persistent URI: http://www.gbif.org/orc/?doc_id=2784. Language: English. Copyright © F. W. Welter-Schultes & Global Biodiversity Information Facility, 2012. Disclaimer: The information, ideas, and opinions presented in this publication are those of the author and do not represent those of GBIF. License: This document is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. Document Control: Version Description Date of release Author(s) 0.1 First complete draft. January 2012 F. W. Welter- Schultes 0.2 Document re-structured to improve February 2012 F. W. Welter- usability. Available for public Schultes & A. review. González-Talaván 1.0 First public version of the June 2012 F. W. Welter- document. Schultes 1.1 Minor editions March 2013 F. W. Welter- Schultes Cover Credit: GBIF Secretariat, 2012. Image by Levi Szekeres (Romania), obtained by stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1389360). March 2013 ii Guidelines for the management of digital zoological names information Version 1.1 Table of Contents How to use this book ......................................................................... 1 SECTION I 1. Introduction ................................................................................ 2 1.1. Identifiers and the role of Linnean names ......................................... 2 1.1.1 Identifiers ..................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Copyrighted Material
    06_250317 part1-3.qxd 12/13/05 7:32 PM Page 15 Phylum Chordata Chordates are placed in the superphylum Deuterostomia. The possible rela- tionships of the chordates and deuterostomes to other metazoans are dis- cussed in Halanych (2004). He restricts the taxon of deuterostomes to the chordates and their proposed immediate sister group, a taxon comprising the hemichordates, echinoderms, and the wormlike Xenoturbella. The phylum Chordata has been used by most recent workers to encompass members of the subphyla Urochordata (tunicates or sea-squirts), Cephalochordata (lancelets), and Craniata (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). The Cephalochordata and Craniata form a mono- phyletic group (e.g., Cameron et al., 2000; Halanych, 2004). Much disagree- ment exists concerning the interrelationships and classification of the Chordata, and the inclusion of the urochordates as sister to the cephalochor- dates and craniates is not as broadly held as the sister-group relationship of cephalochordates and craniates (Halanych, 2004). Many excitingCOPYRIGHTED fossil finds in recent years MATERIAL reveal what the first fishes may have looked like, and these finds push the fossil record of fishes back into the early Cambrian, far further back than previously known. There is still much difference of opinion on the phylogenetic position of these new Cambrian species, and many new discoveries and changes in early fish systematics may be expected over the next decade. As noted by Halanych (2004), D.-G. (D.) Shu and collaborators have discovered fossil ascidians (e.g., Cheungkongella), cephalochordate-like yunnanozoans (Haikouella and Yunnanozoon), and jaw- less craniates (Myllokunmingia, and its junior synonym Haikouichthys) over the 15 06_250317 part1-3.qxd 12/13/05 7:32 PM Page 16 16 Fishes of the World last few years that push the origins of these three major taxa at least into the Lower Cambrian (approximately 530–540 million years ago).
    [Show full text]
  • Training Manual Series No.15/2018
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by CMFRI Digital Repository DBTR-H D Indian Council of Agricultural Research Ministry of Science and Technology Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Department of Biotechnology CMFRI Training Manual Series No.15/2018 Training Manual In the frame work of the project: DBT sponsored Three Months National Training in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology for Fisheries Professionals 2015-18 Training Manual In the frame work of the project: DBT sponsored Three Months National Training in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology for Fisheries Professionals 2015-18 Training Manual This is a limited edition of the CMFRI Training Manual provided to participants of the “DBT sponsored Three Months National Training in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology for Fisheries Professionals” organized by the Marine Biotechnology Division of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), from 2nd February 2015 - 31st March 2018. Principal Investigator Dr. P. Vijayagopal Compiled & Edited by Dr. P. Vijayagopal Dr. Reynold Peter Assisted by Aditya Prabhakar Swetha Dhamodharan P V ISBN 978-93-82263-24-1 CMFRI Training Manual Series No.15/2018 Published by Dr A Gopalakrishnan Director, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute PB.No:1603, Ernakulam North P.O, Kochi-682018, India. 2 Foreword Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi along with CIFE, Mumbai and CIFA, Bhubaneswar within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Department of Biotechnology of Government of India organized a series of training programs entitled “DBT sponsored Three Months National Training in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology for Fisheries Professionals”.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Assemblages of Leptocephali in the Sargasso Sea and Florida Current
    MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published May 25 Mar Ecol Prog Ser l Species assemblages of leptocephali in the Sargasso Sea and Florida Current M. J. Miller * Department of Zoology, 5751 Murray Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5751, USA ABSTRACT: Regional assemblages of leptocephali of 5 families of shelf eels (Chlopsidae, Congridae, Moringuldae, Muraenidae and Ophichthidae) from the Sargasso Sea and Florida Current were com- pared with hydrographic features and adult distributions. There were 2 major patterns in the distribu- tions of the >37 species of leptocephali that were collected. First, more species and greater abundances were found at or south of fronts in the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) of the Sargasso Sea, with the most diverse assemblages at stations closest to fronts in the west. Second, the smallest leptocephali of all species were located close to the Bahama Banks, in the Florida Current and in stations close to southerly fronts in the western STCZ. The most distinct discontinuities in numbers of species occurred at fronts at the boundary between southern Sargasso Sea surface water and mixed convergence zone water Impoverished assemblages were found north of these fronts and in the eastern STCZ. Species richness was highest in the Florida Current and at the westernmost frontal station in the STCZ. Anticyclonic circulation northeast of the northern Bahamas may facilitate entrainment of leptocephali from the Bahamas and Florida Current into fronts in the STCZ, which appear to transport leptocephali eastward. The circulation patterns of the region are hypothesized to influence both the regional assem- blage structure and the diversity of life history strategies that may be used by eels inhabiting the region.
    [Show full text]
  • <I>Moringua Edwardsi</I>
    BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 29(1): 1-18, 1979 EARLY LIFE-HISTORY OF THE EEL MORINGUA EDWARDSI (PISCES, MORINGUIDAE) IN THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC P. H. J. Castle ABSTRACT The eel Morillgua edwardsi (Jordan and Bollman, 1889) is known principally from immature specimens in the western North Atlantic from Bermuda southwards to Atlantic Panama and Colombia. Its distinctive larva, earlier recognized as Leptocephalus diptychus Eigenmann, 1900, has about seven alternating, midlateral melanophores and also one in front of the anus. Larvae have 110-124 myomeres, hatch at about 5 mm TL and reach full growth at 50 mm TL, a process which takes 3-5 months, before metamorphosis begins. They live in the upper 35 ill and occur over a broad area of the western North Atlantic encompassing 1O°-40oN and 40o_88°W but those of about 10 mm TL occur only near the Caribbean Islands. Spawning is suggested to occur in the Caribbean the year round but principally at monthly intervals from November to April. Some larvae are dispersed out into the Atlantic by the Gulf Stream. This pattern of distribution and dispersal is similar to that of the only other Atlantic moringuid Neoconger mucronatus Girard, 1859. At a time when the classification of the 1968) to clarify the nomenclature of the eels is undergoing critical scrutiny, major Moringuidae pointed out that at least one difficulties are still being presented by the character (number of vertebrae) would family Moringuidae. Moringuid eels are need to be considered in any re-appraisal readily captured with piscicides in many of moringuid classification.
    [Show full text]