DOCSLIB.ORG

(Panulirus Argus) Phyllosoma in the Sargasso Sea Jody Daniel1,2, Jeremy Pivor1,3 1 Sea Education Association, 2 St

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
(Panulirus Argus) Phyllosoma in the Sargasso Sea Jody Daniel1,2, Jeremy Pivor1,3 1 Sea Education Association, 2 St Population Genetics and Dynamics of Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Phyllosoma in the Sargasso Sea Jody Daniel1,2, Jeremy Pivor1,3 1 Sea Education Association, 2 St. George’s University, St. Georges, Grenada, 3 Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri Abstract: Results/Discussion Continued: The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulrius argus, is widely distributed across the Atlantic Ocean and its Results/Discussion: fishery is ranked as the second most economically important in the Central Atlantic region. Stocks have been decreasing since the early 21st century. Management of the fishery has been difficult given the wide Puerulus 4 Fig. 8: Life stages and genetic uncertainty regarding Spiny Lobster population dynamics. The long-range dispersal of the planktonic 4% lineages of phyllosoma collected larvae, called phyllosoma, makes it difficult to determine P. arg us population structuring. Uncertainty X V at each station across latitude regarding local or distant recruitment of lobster stocks has made it difficult to create management IX 3% 7% 18% 3 from St. Croix to Bermuda during strategies. The Sargasso Sea may serve as critical habitat for phyllosoma in acting as a corridor between cruise C241. Highest life stages 19851991 stocks in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, South America, and the Caribbean. In our study we have explored the (9 and 10) were collected in influence of selected environmental parameters on phyllosoma distribution, as well as genetic and life stage 2 19921998 VI northern latitudes. Life stage structuring in the Sargasso Sea in order to understand Panulirus argus population dynamics. We found no VIII 14% 19992005 structuring was relatively significance between phyllosoma abundance and temperature, salinity, or chlorophyll a concentration. 25% 20062012 heterogeneous across the Examination of historical records from Sea Education Association 1979-2012 cruises and our data in the 1 CollectedperStation transect. Station 012 contained o o Average#ofPhyllosoma Sargasso Sea revealed a narrow temperature range in which phyllosoma were found (18.0 -28.3 C). the greatest heterogeneity in life Additionally, the temporal variations of phyllosoma abundance from Sea Education Association archived VII 0 stages. The figure shows that data from 1985-2012 in the North and South Sargasso Sea was relatively variable. Life stage structuring 29% South North 75% were associated with and genetic analysis of the phyllosoma collected, and previously sequenced adults from Diniz et. al. 2005, evolutionary linage 1 and 25% (357bp) supports the Pan-Caribbean Panmictic theory of distant recruitment. This suggests the need for Fig. 3: Proportion of phyllosoma P. argus Fig. 4: Average phyllosoma collected at each were related to evolutionary regional management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster. life stages collected from St. Croix to station between 1985-2012 in the South and North linage 2. Station 012 contained Bermuda (n=27). Figure shows that life Sargasso Sea. Figure shows that the average phyllosoma of both lineages 1 stages 8 and 7 constituted 54% of the P. abundance of phyllosoma collected is highly and 2. There were no genetic Background: argus collected, while no phyllosoma below variable. patterns found with increasing life stage 5 were found latitude. •The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, population structuring is complicated by the long-range dispersal of the planktonic larvae, called 50 500 phyllosoma. 45 450 •Two theories of recruitment have been postulated, the Pan-Caribbean 40 400 35 350 Panmictic theory (Lyons 1980) and the Closed System Theory (Menzies et 30 300 25 y=1.6286xR 30.666 250 al. 1979). R²=0.0617 •The Sargasso Sea may serve as critical habitat in acting as a corridor 20 p=0.1447 200 15 150 NumberofPhyllosoma NumberofPhyllosoma between distant populations. 10 100 5 50 0 0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 Purpose: Seasurfacetemperature(°C) SeaSurfaceTemperature(°C) SSV To investigate the influence of selected environmental parameters on Fig. 5: Number of phyllosoma collected along Fig. 6: Number of phyllosoma collected along Corwith Cramer phyllosoma distribution, as well as genetic and life stage structuring in the Sea Education Association cruises from 2010- SEA Education Association cruises from 1979- Sargasso Sea in order to understand Panulirus argus population dynamics. 2012 (diamond) in the Sargasso Sea, including P. 2012 in the Sargasso Sea with respect to sea argus from cruise C241 (St. Croix to Bermuda) surface temperature. Figure shows an (square), with respect to sea surface temperature. observed ecological trend of greater Figure shows that phyllosoma abundance from phyllosoma abundance within a narrow Methods: C241 was observed to peak at 26.3oC and temperature range of 18.0o-28.3oC. Conclusions: o •Phyllosoma were collected aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer research cruise ranged from 24.2-26.4 C •Distribution of phyllosoma may be limited or impacted by sea surface temperature. between May 14th – June 17th 2012 from St. Croix to Woods Hole, •Further analysis on the possible impact of salinity and chlorophyll a concentration are Fig. 7: Maximum Likelihood tree Massachusetts via Bermuda. describing evolutionary relationships required. among 32 P. argus haplotypes from (24 •The temporal variations of phyllosoma abundance in the North and South Sargasso •A neuston net and meter net adults) Diniz et al 2005 and 8 phyllosoma (1 from C230A and 7 from C241) Sea may be related to adult population dynamics or distant spawning events during the (~10m below the surface) were deployed at (highlighted), resolved on the basis of reproductive season, but do not match the decreasing trend of adult stocks. 0000 daily along a 1 nautical mile transect (357bp) HV-CRd1. Bootstrap values •Genetic analysis and life stage structuring from our study supports the Pan-Caribbean Lineage 1 based on 1000 replicates representing all at 2 knots (Fig. 1). nodes. The tree shows that phyllosoma Panmictic theory versus the Closed System theory. collected had similar genetic structuring to •Temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a previously sequenced adults. No phyllosoma were genetically similar to the Policy Implications: fluorescence were measured Brazil population. The figure also shows Given the observed mixing of populations, and therefore support for the distant along the ship’s path. Fig. 1: Neuston net deployment indiscrete population structuring of phyllosoma within lineages 1 and 2. recruitment theory, a regional fisheries management approach may be a feasible option for the Caribbean Spiny Lobster fishery. Further research though is needed to •Phyllosoma were classified to species and determine stock origins in order to enable more specific regional collaboration. life stage using the body length (BL), cephalic shield length (CL), cephalic shield width (CW), thorax width (TW), and Acknowledgments: microscopy (Fig. 2). The authors are thankful to the Sea Education Association for providing the transportation and equipment needed to carry out this research. We are also grateful to Dr. Amy Suida, Dr. Erik Zettler, Dr. Linda Amaral-Zettler and Ms. Annie Scoffield for their insightful Lineage 2 advice and assistance during the study and data analysis period. We are also thankful to the crew of the SSV Corwith Cramer and the •Neural and muscle tissue were used for DNA C-241 class for their support during our project (especially the cool, calm, collected C watch). Lastly, we are grateful to Mr. Greg Boyd and the Bermuda Aquarium, Natural History Museum and Zoo for providing us with neural tissue samples from adult lobsters for genetic extraction and sequenced using the analysis. hypervariable domain of the mitochondrial DNA control region (HV-CRd1) with the References: primers CRL-F and CRL-R. •Diniz, F.M., N. Maclean, M. Ogawa, I.H.A. Cintra, AND P. Bentzen. 2005. The hypervariable domain of the mitochondrial control region in Atlantic spiny lobsters and its potential as a marker for investigating phylogeographic structuring. Mar. Biotech. Brazil 7: 462-473, doi: 10.1007/s10126-004-4062-5. •23 samples were sent for DNA sequencing, Fig. 2: Diagram showing •Goldstein, J. S., H. Matsuda, T. Takenouchi, AND M. J. Butler IV. 2008. The complete development of larval Caribbean spiny and consensus reeds with an 85% identity measurements of Panulirus argus lobster Panulirus argus in culture. J. Crustacean Biol. 28: 306-327. phyllosoma. (Goldstein et al. 2008) •Lyons, W. G. 1980. Possible sources of Florida’s spiny lobster population. Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. Inst. 33: 253-266. to P. argus were used for analysis. •Menzies, R.A., and, J.M, Kerrigan.1979. Implications of spiny lobster recruitment patterns of the Caribbean – A biochemical genetic approach. Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. Inst. 31: 164-178. Funding to support this work was provided by NSF-TUES grant DUE-1043468 Biodiversity of hydroid communities associated with pelagic Sargassum Kiah Walker1, 2 and Allison Work1, 3 1Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA, 2Williams College, Williamstown, MA, 3Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA Abstract Results and Discussion Marine hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) live in both coastal and open ocean regions throughout the world. In the Sargasso Sea, hydroids colonize the 100% two types of pelagic Sargassum, Sargassum fluitans and S. natans. This study assessed species diversity and geographic distribution of hydroids 90% living on these substrates. Hydroids were collected along a cruise track 80% from Puerto Rico to Bermuda and Bermuda to New York during April and 70% May 2014. Hydroids were identified morphologically, and forty samples A. latecarinata were analyzed using sequences from the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Hydroid 60% C. noliformis species composition differed between the two species of Sargassum, as 50% H. diaphana a b four hydroid species were found on both types of Sargassum, and two Occurred Occurred 40% L. flexuosa were exclusive to S. natans. Aglaophenia latecarinata was the dominant O. dichotoma species on S. fluitans, while Clytia noliformis was the dominant species on 30% P.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Digenetic Trematodes of Marine Teleost Fishes from Biscayne Bay, Florida Robin M
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Laboratory of Parasitology 6-26-1969 Digenetic Trematodes of Marine Teleost Fishes from Biscayne Bay, Florida Robin M. Overstreet University of Miami, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs Part of the Parasitology Commons Overstreet, Robin M., "Digenetic Trematodes of Marine Teleost Fishes from Biscayne Bay, Florida" (1969). Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. 867. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs/867 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. TULANE STUDIES IN ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY Volume 15, Number 4 June 26, 1969 DIGENETIC TREMATODES OF MARINE TELEOST FISHES FROM BISCAYNE BAY, FLORIDA1 ROBIN M. OVERSTREET2 Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida CONTENTS ABSTRACT 120 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 120 INTRODUCTION --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    [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]
  • The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2018
    Food and Agriculture General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Organization of the Commission générale des pêches United Nations pour la Méditerranée ISSN 2413-6905 THE STATE OF MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEA FISHERIES 2018 Reference: FAO. 2018. The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Rome, Italy. pp. 164. THE STATE OF MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEA FISHERIES 2018 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2018 Required citation: FAO. 2018. The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries. General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Rome. 172 pp. 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 (FAO) 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. The mention of specifc companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily refect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-131152-3 © FAO, 2018 Some rights reserved. This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/legalcode/legalcode).
    [Show full text]
  • Updated Checklist of Marine Fishes (Chordata: Craniata) from Portugal and the Proposed Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf
    European Journal of Taxonomy 73: 1-73 ISSN 2118-9773 http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2014.73 www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu 2014 · Carneiro M. et al. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Monograph urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9A5F217D-8E7B-448A-9CAB-2CCC9CC6F857 Updated checklist of marine fishes (Chordata: Craniata) from Portugal and the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf Miguel CARNEIRO1,5, Rogélia MARTINS2,6, Monica LANDI*,3,7 & Filipe O. COSTA4,8 1,2 DIV-RP (Modelling and Management Fishery Resources Division), Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Av. Brasilia 1449-006 Lisboa, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 3,4 CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] * corresponding author: [email protected] 5 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:90A98A50-327E-4648-9DCE-75709C7A2472 6 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:1EB6DE00-9E91-407C-B7C4-34F31F29FD88 7 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:6D3AC760-77F2-4CFA-B5C7-665CB07F4CEB 8 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:48E53CF3-71C8-403C-BECD-10B20B3C15B4 Abstract. The study of the Portuguese marine ichthyofauna has a long historical tradition, rooted back in the 18th Century. Here we present an annotated checklist of the marine fishes from Portuguese waters, including the area encompassed by the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf and the Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The list is based on historical literature records and taxon occurrence data obtained from natural history collections, together with new revisions and occurrences.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Congridae Congrios
    Revista de Biología Tropical ISSN: 0034-7744 [email protected] Universidad de Costa Rica Costa Rica Congridae congrios Revista de Biología Tropical, vol. 58, núm. 2, octubre, 2010, pp. 30-31 Universidad de Costa Rica San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica Disponible en: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44921017036 Cómo citar el artículo Número completo Sistema de Información Científica Más información del artículo Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal Página de la revista en redalyc.org Proyecto académico sin fines de lucro, desarrollado bajo la iniciativa de acceso abierto HETERENCHELYIDAE HETERENCHELYIDAE anguilas de fango mud eels Pythonichthys sanguineus, anguila del fango – Ojo diminuto; Pythonichthys sanguineus, atlantic mud eel – Eye minute; mandíbula inferior proyectándose hacia adelante de la supe- lower jaw projecting beyond upper; pectoral fins and lateral rior; aletas pectorales y línea lateral ausentes; aletas dorsal y line absent; dorsal and anal fins low and confluent with caudal anal bajas y confluentes con la aleta caudal (UCR 220-26). fin. MURAENESOCIDAE MURAENESOCIDAE congrios picudos pike congers Cynoponticus savanna, congrio espantoso – Morro se proyec- Cynoponticus savanna, conehead eel – Snout projects beyond ta hacia delante de la mandíbula inferior; aberturas branquiales lower jaw; large gill openings nearly meet ventrally; lateral grandes casi se juntan ventralmente; línea lateral completa; line complete; dorsal fin origin above pectoral fin; pectoral fin origen
    [Show full text]
  • C-247 Cruise Report
    Cruise Report C-247 SEA Semester: Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Scientific Data Collected Aboard SSV Corwith Cramer Christiansted, St. Croix, USA – St. George’s, Bermuda – New York, NY, USA – Woods Hole, MA, USA 14 May 2013 – 17 June 2013 Participants, Sargasso Sea Symposium – 27 June 2013 Sea Education Association Woods Hole, Massachusetts 1 This document should be cited as: Siuda, ANS and ER Zettler. 2013. Final report for S.E.A. cruise C247. Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA 02540. www.sea.edu. To obtain unpublished data, contact the Chief Scientists or SEA data archivist: Data Archivist Sea Education Association PO Box 6 Woods Hole, MA 02543 Phone: 508-540-3954 Fax: 508-457-4673 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.sea.edu 2 Table of Contents Ship’s Company . 4 Introduction . 5 Table 1. Student Research Projects, C-247 . 6 Data Description . 7 Figure 1. C-247 Cruise Track . 7 Table 2. Oceanographic Sampling Stations . 8 Table 3. Surface Sampling Station Data . 10 Figure 2. Surface current direction and velocity. 11 Figure 3. Surface Temperature and Salinity. 12 Figure 4. Cross Section of Temperature and Salinity . 13 Table 4. Neuston Net Data . 14 Table 5. Meter and 2-Meter Net Data . 16 Student Research Abstracts . 18 3 Ship’s Company, SSV Corwith Cramer, Cruise C-247 Faculty Tom Sullivan Captain Erik Zettler Chief Scientist – Leg 1 Amy Siuda Chief Scientist – Leg 2 John Jensen Policy Faculty Caleb McClennen Policy Faculty – Wildlife Conservation Society Linda Amaral-Zettler Biodiversity Faculty – Marine Biological
    [Show full text]
  • Marine Fishes of the Azores: an Annotated Checklist and Bibliography
    MARINE FISHES OF THE AZORES: AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. RICARDO SERRÃO SANTOS, FILIPE MORA PORTEIRO & JOÃO PEDRO BARREIROS SANTOS, RICARDO SERRÃO, FILIPE MORA PORTEIRO & JOÃO PEDRO BARREIROS 1997. Marine fishes of the Azores: An annotated checklist and bibliography. Arquipélago. Life and Marine Sciences Supplement 1: xxiii + 242pp. Ponta Delgada. ISSN 0873-4704. ISBN 972-9340-92-7. A list of the marine fishes of the Azores is presented. The list is based on a review of the literature combined with an examination of selected specimens available from collections of Azorean fishes deposited in museums, including the collection of fish at the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores (Horta). Personal information collected over several years is also incorporated. The geographic area considered is the Economic Exclusive Zone of the Azores. The list is organised in Classes, Orders and Families according to Nelson (1994). The scientific names are, for the most part, those used in Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (FNAM) (Whitehead et al. 1989), and they are organised in alphabetical order within the families. Clofnam numbers (see Hureau & Monod 1979) are included for reference. Information is given if the species is not cited for the Azores in FNAM. Whenever available, vernacular names are presented, both in Portuguese (Azorean names) and in English. Synonyms, misspellings and misidentifications found in the literature in reference to the occurrence of species in the Azores are also quoted. The 460 species listed, belong to 142 families; 12 species are cited for the first time for the Azores.
    [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]
  • Diet of a Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus Monachus in a Transitional Post-Weaning Phase and Its Implications for the Conservation of the Species
    Vol. 39: 315–320, 2019 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published August 22 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00971 Endang Species Res OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS NOTE Diet of a Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus in a transitional post-weaning phase and its implications for the conservation of the species Cem Orkun Kıraç1,*, Meltem Ok2 1Underwater Research Society - Mediterranean Seal Research Group (SAD-AFAG), 06570 Ankara, Turkey 2Middle East Technical University - Institute of Marine Science (METU-IMS), Erdemli, 33731 Mersin, Turkey ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus is the most endangered pin- niped in the world and is considered Endangered by the IUCN. Transition from suckling to active feeding is a critical time in the development of all mammal species, and understanding the dietary requirements of seals during this vulnerable period is of value in establishing conservation meas- ures, such as fishery regulations. This study provides unique information on the dietary habits of a moulted monk seal pup, through the opportunistic necropsy of a dead animal encountered at a very early age (5 mo). A total of 6 prey items from 2 families (Octopodidae, 90.8% and Congridae, 8.9%) were identified from stomach contents. The remaining stomach content mass consisted of fish bones from unidentified species (0.3%). The estimated age, low diversity and number of prey items in the stomach contents indicate that this individual may have been in a transition period from suckling to active feeding. The study confirms independent foraging in Mediterranean monk seals at about 5 mo of age. Given the importance of early life survival for maintaining stable Medi- terranean monk seal populations, and the occurrence of an ontogenetic shift in its close relative (Hawaiian monk seal), these findings contribute to the establishment and implementation of suc- cessful conservation and management strategies for this Endangered species.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventory and Atlas of Corals and Coral Reefs, with Emphasis on Deep-Water Coral Reefs from the U
    Inventory and Atlas of Corals and Coral Reefs, with Emphasis on Deep-Water Coral Reefs from the U. S. Caribbean EEZ Jorge R. García Sais SEDAR26-RD-02 FINAL REPORT Inventory and Atlas of Corals and Coral Reefs, with Emphasis on Deep-Water Coral Reefs from the U. S. Caribbean EEZ Submitted to the: Caribbean Fishery Management Council San Juan, Puerto Rico By: Dr. Jorge R. García Sais dba Reef Surveys P. O. Box 3015;Lajas, P. R. 00667 [email protected] December, 2005 i Table of Contents Page I. Executive Summary 1 II. Introduction 4 III. Study Objectives 7 IV. Methods 8 A. Recuperation of Historical Data 8 B. Atlas map of deep reefs of PR and the USVI 11 C. Field Study at Isla Desecheo, PR 12 1. Sessile-Benthic Communities 12 2. Fishes and Motile Megabenthic Invertebrates 13 3. Statistical Analyses 15 V. Results and Discussion 15 A. Literature Review 15 1. Historical Overview 15 2. Recent Investigations 22 B. Geographical Distribution and Physical Characteristics 36 of Deep Reef Systems of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands C. Taxonomic Characterization of Sessile-Benthic 49 Communities Associated With Deep Sea Habitats of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands 1. Benthic Algae 49 2. Sponges (Phylum Porifera) 53 3. Corals (Phylum Cnidaria: Scleractinia 57 and Antipatharia) 4. Gorgonians (Sub-Class Octocorallia 65 D. Taxonomic Characterization of Sessile-Benthic Communities 68 Associated with Deep Sea Habitats of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands 1. Echinoderms 68 2. Decapod Crustaceans 72 3. Mollusks 78 E.
    [Show full text]
  • Seamap Environmental and Biological Atlas of the Gulf of Mexico, 2014
    environmental and biological atlas of the gulf of mexico 2014 gulf states marine fisheries commission number 262 february 2017 seamap SEAMAP ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL ATLAS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO, 2014 Edited by Jeffrey K. Rester Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Manuscript Design and Layout Ashley P. Lott Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION FEBRUARY 2017 NUMBER 262 This project was supported in part by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, under State/Federal Project Number NA16NMFS4350111. GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS ALABAMA John Roussel N. Gunter Guy, Jr. 1221 Plains Port Hudson Road Alabama Department of Conservation Zachary, LA 70791 and Natural Resources 64 North Union Street MISSISSIPPI Montgomery, AL 36130-1901 Jamie Miller, Executive Director Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Steve McMillan 1141 Bayview Avenue P.O. Box 337 Biloxi, MS 39530 Bay Minette, AL 36507 Senator Brice Wiggins Chris Nelson 1501 Roswell Street Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc. Pascagoula, MS 39581 P.O. Box 60 Bon Secour, AL 36511 Joe Gill, Jr. Joe Gill Consulting, LLC FLORIDA 910 Desoto Street Nick Wiley, Executive Director Ocean Springs, MS 39566-0535 FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 620 South Meridian Street TEXAS Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600 Carter Smith, Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Senator Thad Altman 4200 Smith School Road State Senator, District 24 Austin, TX 78744 6767 North Wickham Road, Suite 211 Melbourne, FL 32940 Troy B. Williamson, II P.O. Box 967 TBA Corpus Christi, TX 78403 LOUISIANA Representative Wayne Faircloth Jack Montoucet, Secretary Texas House of Representatives LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 2121 Market Street, Suite 205 P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • Table S51. Average Net Primary Production Values Reported from Mangrove Forests of South Florida and Eastern Mexico
    Table S51. Average net primary production values reported from mangrove forests of south Florida and eastern Mexico. The values were obtained by several different methods of measurement and reported in different units, but for the table all values have been standardized as discussed in the text. (South Florida data from Odum, McIvor, and Smith 1982. Mexican data from Barriero-Gilemes and Balderas-Cortes 1991; Rico-Gray and Lot- Helgueras 1983.) Forest type g C/m2/yr g dry wt/m2/yr lb/A/yr South Florida Red mangroves 1,934.5 6,248 55,732 Black mangroves 1,533.0 4,952 45,172 Mixed forests 3,029.5 9,785 87,282 Eastern Mexico Red mangroves 153.6 496 4,424 Black mangroves 257.6 832 7,421 Table S52. Estimates of litter fall (as dry organic matter) in several types of mangrove forests of south Florida. Values given for red and black mangrove under “variety of types” include those for riverine, overwash, fringe, and “mature” forests. (Recalculated from data in Odum, McIvor, and Smith 1982.) Annual litter fall 2 Forest type Daily litter fall (g/m2/day) g/m /yr lb/A/yr Red mangrove -variety of types 2.8 1,022 9,116 -scrub forest 0.4 146 1,302 Black mangrove -variety of types 1.3 475 4,237 Mixed forests 2.3 840 7,493 Table S53. Brief sketches of important families of perciform fishes found in neritic or epipelagic waters of the Gulf of Mexico, giving information on recognition characters, habitats, and habits and listing important genera.
    [Show full text]