DOCSLIB.ORG

E3iology and Manage111ent of Mid-J~Tlantic Anadromous Fishes LJ Nder Extended Jurisdiction

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
E3iology and Manage111ent of Mid-J~Tlantic Anadromous Fishes LJ Nder Extended Jurisdiction E3iology and Manage111ent of Mid-J~tlantic Anadromous Fishes LJ nder Extended Jurisdiction COMPLETIOf\l REPORT, ANADROMOUS FISH PROJECT, 1977-1979 ~ ~ ~ fv'I, S° Q ~ ~] { Part I:, North Carolina Department of Natural RHsources and Community Development Morehead City, North C.3rolina 28557 Part II, Virginia Institute of Marine Science School of Marine Science College of William and Mary Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 BIOLOGY AND_ MANAGEMENT OF MID-ATLANTIC ANADROMOUS FISHES UNDER EXTENDED JURISDICTION Part I: North Carolina Prepared by Harrel B. Johnson, Sara E. Winslow, Douglas W. Crocker Benjamin F. Holland, Jr., John W. Gillikin and David L. Taylor North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Connnunity Development Division of Marine Fisheries Morehead City, North Carolina 28557 Special Scientific Report No. 36 Part II: Virginia Prepared by Joseph G. Loesch, William H. Kriete, Jr., Jack G. Travelstead, Eric J. Foell and Marion A. Hennigar Virginia Institute of Marine Science School of Marine Science College of William and Mary Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 Special Report No. 236 in Applied Marine Science and Ocean Engineering This project was funded, in part, by the US Department of CoDmlerce, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast and Southeast Regions, and the US Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, under the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act (PL 89-304, as amended), Project AFCS-9. i Part I Nortb Carolina Division of Marine F.isheries TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number Preface •.•••• V Acknowledgements X List of Tables xi List of Figures. xv Job 1. Catch - Effort Statistics, Inshore Alosine Fishery. Summary 1 Introduction 2 Materials and Methods. 2 Results and Discussion 2 Literature Cited 3 Job 2. Population Dynamics of Adults - Inshore Alosine Fishery. Sunnnary. 9 Introduction 11 Materials and Methods. 11 Results and Discussion 12 River Herring Composition 12 Sex Ratios - River Herring 13 Sex Ratios - American Shad 13 Sex Ratios - Hickory Shad 14 Mortality 14 Age and Spawning Class Composition. 16 Literature Cited 25 ii Table of Contents (continued) Page Number Job 3. Annual Index of Alosine Juvenile Abundance. Sunnnary • • • 49 Introduction 50 Materials and Methods. 50 Results and Discussion 50 Nursery Areas 52 Growth. 52 Movement. 52 Relative Abundance. 53 Literature Cited 54 Job 4. Assessment of Alosine Winter and Early Spring Fishery by Drift Net and Sport Fishermen - Pilot Program. 67 Job 5. The Ocean Phase of Anadromous Fishes - Pilot Program. Summary • • 68 Methods and Materials •. 69 Results and Discussion 91 Literature Cited 125 Job 6. Kepone Concentration in Anadromous Fishes and its Possible Function as a Chemical Tag ••. 126 Job 7. Sturgeon - A General Pilot Study. Summary ••• 127 Introduction 128 Materials and Methods •• 128 Results and Discussion 128 Literature Cited 129 iii Table of Contents (continued) Page Number Job 8. Anadromous Fish Tagging. Summary • • • • 133 Introduction 134 Materials and Methods • 134 Results and Discussion 134 Tagging 134 Literature Cited 137 Job 9. Spawning Area Survey. Summary ••• 139 Introduction 140 Materials and Methods. 140 Results and Discussion 140 Spawning Area Sampling. 140 Alligator River and Tributaries 141 Roanoke River and Tributaries 141 Chowan River and Tributaries. 141 Decline in Water Quality and Algal Blooms in Relation to Juvenile River Herring 143 Literature Cited 146 Job 10. De~elopment of Management Alternatives. Summary •• 166 Introduction 167 Discussion 167 Job 11. Report Publication. Introduction 170 Abstract 170 iv Table of Contents (continued) Page Number Literature Cited ••••• 172 Job 12. Analysis of the Historical Catch Data of Anagromous Juveniles in Virginia Nursery Area. 173 Job 13. Assessment of Racial Stocks of River ~erring 174 V PREFACE This is a joint presentation by the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) (Part I) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), Department of Ichthyology (Part II). It is for the period October 1, 1976 to September 30, 1979, and is the completion report for t:he P. L. 89-304 project "Biology and Management of Mid-Atlantic Anadromous Fishes Under Extended Jurisdiction." Species of concern are: alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), hickory shad (Alosa mediocris), American shad (Alosa sapidissima), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) and the shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). The following jobs were contracted by DMF and/or VIMS. Job 1. Catch-Effort Statistics - Inshore Alosine Fishery Objectives 1. Estimate catch-effort statistics of alosine spawning stocks. 2. Detect changes in the stocks and changes in the intetlLsity and success of the river fishery. 3. Initiate a catch-effort river herring program for thE! North Carolina pound net fishery. Agencies: DMF and VIMS Job 2. Population Dynamics of Adults - Inshore Alosine Fishe1~ Objective Determine mortality rates, age specific sizes, sex ratioe1, and ratios of abundance of alosine fishes from commercial fishery samples. Agencies: DMF and VIMS vi Job 3. Annual Index of Alosine Juvenile Abundance Objective Determine an index of abundance for each species of juvenile Alosa in Virginia and North Carolina. Agencies: DMF and VIMS Job 4. Assessment of the Alosine Winter and Early Spring Fishery by Drift Net and Sport Fishermen - Pilot Program Objectives 1. Measure fishing effort and catch of adult Alosa spp. by drift gill-netters and sport fishermen. 2. Estimate basic statistics (species composition, sex ratio, age composition, etc.) of the early spawning runs of alosine fishes. Agency: VIMS Job 5. The Ocean Phase of Anadromous Fishes - Pilot Program Objectives 1. Determine by inspection the species composition of the river herring catch by the foreign offshore fishery in divisions 6B and 6e of ICNAF statistical area 6. 2. Investigate by sampling: (a) the occurrence of anadromous fishes in the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Lookout, North Carolina to Little Machipongo Inlet, Virginia; (b) determine certain biological characteristics of the offshore stocks of anadromous species, sex, yea~-class composition, length, and weight; (c) investigate the offshore distribution of anadromous fishes in relation to temperature; and (d} sample among foreign vessels to investigate the species composition susceptible to the foreign fishery. Agency: DMF (VIMS participation dropped by admendment to the grant) vii Job 6. Kepone Concentration in Anadromous Alosine Fishes and its Possible Function as a Chemical Tag Objectives 1. Collect adult alosine fishes returning to spawn in the major rivers of Virginia for Kepone analysis. 2. Collect young-of-the-year alosine fishes in the James. River for Kepone analysis. Agency: VIMS Job 7. Sturgeon - A General Pilot Study Objectives 1. Determine fishing effort and catch of the Atlantic sturgeon in Virginia. 2. Determine age structure and sex ratio of the catch, fecundity, and time of spawning in Virginia. 3. Determine distribution and migration of sturgeon offs.bore Virginia and North Carolina. 4. Determine if shortnose sturgeon still exist inshore :1.n North Carolina and Virginia. Agencies: DMF and VIMS Job 8. Anadromous Fish Tagging Objective To determine migration and utilization and to make a population estimate of river herring in the Scuppernong River. Agency: DMF Job 9. Spawning Area Survey Objective To determine time and areas of spawning by anadromous fie:hes. Agency: DMF viii Job 10. Development of Management Alternatives Objective To develop, on a continuing basis, alternative management schemes to restore the anadromous fisheries and maintain them at the optimum level. Agencies: DMF and VIMS Job 11. Report Publication Objective To publish a report on comparison of methods and validity of ageing river herring using otoliths and scales. Agency: DMF Job 12. Analysis of the Historical Catch Data of Anadromous Juveniles in Virginia Nursery Areas Objectives 1. Determine nursery areas based on salinity and site of first­ capture data. 2. Recalculate catch-per-unit-of-effort and standing crop estimates. Agency : VIMS Job 13. As.sessment of Racial Stocks of River Herring Objective 1. Determine and classify racial stocks of river herring along the Atlantic coast. Agency: VIMS Appendices I, II, and III follow Job 12 in Part II (Virginia). Appendices I and II are manuscripts that were direct products of the ix funded research. These manuscripts were submitted to peer-review, scientific journals. Appendix III summarizes other activities conducted during the three years of research. Some of these activities were directly related to the research project while others were axillary to it. Examples of the latter were student theses. Students received financial support for assisting in project work (20/week); in turn, because of the financial support, the students were able to continue their studies and research. Their research was related to, but not part of, the contractual obligations. Appendices I and II and potential manuscripts from Appendix III data are subject to review and possible revision. Thus, inclusion of these data in this completion report does not constitute final publication. The Virginia contributors were as follows: Jobs 1, 4, and 7 by William H. Kriete, Jr., Jobs 2, 3, 6, and 10 by Joseph G. Loesch; Jobs 4 and 13 by Jack G. Travelstead; Jobs 6 and 12 by Eric J. Foell; and Job 12 by Marion A. Hennigar. The North Carolina contributors were as follows: Jobs 1, 2, 7 by Harrel B. Johnson and Sara E. Winslow; Job 3 by Sara E. Winslow and Douglas W. Crocker; Job 5 by Benjamin F. Holland, Jr., John W.. Gillikin and David L. Taylor; Job 8 by Harrel B. Johnson; Job 9 by Sara E. Winslow; Job 10 by Harrel B. Johnson. X ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Virginia Institute of Marine Science research was ably assisted by: J. Bristow, J. Davis, K. Friedland, J. Gourley, J. Johnson, D. Lipton, C. Leigh, D. Ludi, J. Millen, T. Mosca, C. Orselli, J. Owens, C. Peet, N. Peters, A. Polizos, T. Scott, D. Simmons, B. Taylor, J. Zernes and the personnel of the Potomac River Fisheries Conunisssion and NOAA Division of Statistics and Market News.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • Deep-Water Sinkholes and Bioherms of South Florida and the Pourtalès Terrace — Habitat and Fauna
    BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 77(2): 267–296, 2005 CORAL REEF PAPER DEEP-WATER SINKHOLES AND BIOHERMS OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE POURTALÈS TERRACE — HABITAT AND FAUNA John K. Reed, Shirley A. Pomponi, Doug Weaver, Charles K. Paull, and Amy E. Wright ABSTRACT Only a small percentage of deep-water reefs have had their benthic and fish re- sources characterized. This study surveyed eight deep-water, high-relief, hard-bot- tom sites off south Florida using human occupied submersibles to characterize habitat and describe the fish and macrobenthic communities: the Naples deep-water sink- hole on the southwest Florida shelf, Jordan and Marathon deep-water sinkholes on the Pourtalès Terrace, and five high-relief bioherms on the Pourtalès Terrace. These submersible dives were the first to enter and explore any of these features. The up- per sinkhole rims ranged from 175 to 461 m in depth and had a maximum relief of 180 m. The Jordan sinkhole may be one of the deepest and largest sinkholes known. The high-relief bioherms occurred at depths of 198–319 m, with a maximum height of 120 m. A total of 26 and 16 fish taxa were identified from the sinkhole and bio- herm sites, respectively. Species of potentially commercial importance included tilefish, sharks, speckled hind, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, snowy grouper, blackbelly rosefish, red porgy, drum, scorpionfish, amberjack, and phycid hakes. In total, 66 Porifera taxa were identified and four are possible new species. Twenty- one species of Cnidaria included Antipatharia (three spp.), stylasterid hydrocorals (five spp.), octocorals (11 spp.), and one scleractinian.
    [Show full text]
  • An Annotated Bibliography of Diet Studies of Fish of the Southeast United States and Gray’S Reef National Marine Sanctuary
    Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-05-2 An annotated bibliography of diet studies of fish of the southeast United States and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary U.S. Department of Commerce February 2005 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management Marine Sanctuaries Division About the Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Sanctuary Division (MSD) administers the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Its mission is to identify, designate, protect and manage the ecological, recreational, research, educational, historical, and aesthetic resources and qualities of nationally significant coastal and marine areas. The existing marine sanctuaries differ widely in their natural and historical resources and include nearshore and open ocean areas ranging in size from less than one to over 5,000 square miles. Protected habitats include rocky coasts, kelp forests, coral reefs, sea grass beds, estuarine habitats, hard and soft bottom habitats, segments of whale migration routes, and shipwrecks. Because of considerable differences in settings, resources, and threats, each marine sanctuary has a tailored management plan. Conservation, education, research, monitoring and enforcement programs vary accordingly. The integration of these programs is fundamental to marine protected area management. The Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series reflects and supports this integration by providing a forum for publication and discussion of the complex issues currently facing the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Topics of published reports vary substantially and may include descriptions of educational programs, discussions on resource management issues, and results of scientific research and monitoring projects. The series facilitates integration of natural sciences, socioeconomic and cultural sciences, education, and policy development to accomplish the diverse needs of NOAA’s resource protection mandate.
    [Show full text]
  • Constraints on the Timescale of Animal Evolutionary History
    Palaeontologia Electronica palaeo-electronica.org Constraints on the timescale of animal evolutionary history Michael J. Benton, Philip C.J. Donoghue, Robert J. Asher, Matt Friedman, Thomas J. Near, and Jakob Vinther ABSTRACT Dating the tree of life is a core endeavor in evolutionary biology. Rates of evolution are fundamental to nearly every evolutionary model and process. Rates need dates. There is much debate on the most appropriate and reasonable ways in which to date the tree of life, and recent work has highlighted some confusions and complexities that can be avoided. Whether phylogenetic trees are dated after they have been estab- lished, or as part of the process of tree finding, practitioners need to know which cali- brations to use. We emphasize the importance of identifying crown (not stem) fossils, levels of confidence in their attribution to the crown, current chronostratigraphic preci- sion, the primacy of the host geological formation and asymmetric confidence intervals. Here we present calibrations for 88 key nodes across the phylogeny of animals, rang- ing from the root of Metazoa to the last common ancestor of Homo sapiens. Close attention to detail is constantly required: for example, the classic bird-mammal date (base of crown Amniota) has often been given as 310-315 Ma; the 2014 international time scale indicates a minimum age of 318 Ma. Michael J. Benton. School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, U.K. [email protected] Philip C.J. Donoghue. School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, U.K. [email protected] Robert J.
    [Show full text]
  • Zoogeography of Digenetic Trematodes from West African Marine Fishes1
    192 PROCEEDINGS OF THE HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Zoogeography of Digenetic Trematodes from West African Marine Fishes1 JACOB H. FISCHTHAL Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13901. ABSTRACT: Of the 107 species of trematodes found in West African (Mauritania to Gabon) marine fishes, 100 are allocated to 64 genera in 24 families while seven are immature didymozoids. Many of these genera are located in most of the world's seas with the exception of the polar seas; only five are en- demic to West Africa. The data for the 41 species known from West Africa and elsewhere, and those morphologically closest to the 55 endemic species, indicate that they are very widely distributed, particularly in the Western and North Atlantic, and Mediterranean. Historical and present- day events concerning physical and biological environmental factors and their effects on actual and po- tential hosts as well as on life cycle stages of the trematodes have resulted in the geographical distribution reported. The distribution of marine fishes has been emphasized to explain in part the trematode distribu- tion. Studies on the geographical distribution of (Gulf of Guinea from 5° S to 15° N) and digenetic trematodes of marine fishes in various warm temperate Mauritania have been pre- seas have been presented by Manter (1955, sented by Ekman (1953), Buchanan (1958), 1963, 1967), Szidat (1961), and Lebedev Longhurst (1962), and Ingham (1970). (1969), but West African waters were not included as sufficient data were not available Zoogeographical Distribution until more recently. The digenetic trematodes Of the 107 species of trematodes found in of West African marine fishes (mainly shore West African fishes, 100 are allocated to 64 and shelf inhabitants) have been reported by genera in 24 families while seven are immature Dollfus (1929, 1937a, b, 1946, 1951, 1960), didymozoids of unknown generic status (Ap- Dollfus and Capron (1958), Thomas (1959, pendix I).
    [Show full text]
  • Order ZEIFORMES PARAZENIDAE Parazens P.C
    click for previous page Zeiformes: Parazenidae 1203 Order ZEIFORMES PARAZENIDAE Parazens P.C. Heemstra, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa iagnostic characters: Small to moderate-sized (to 30 cm) oblong fishes, the head and body com- Dpressed; body depth slightly less than head length, contained 2.6 to 2.9 times in standard length; head naked, the bones thin and soft; opercular bones weakly serrate; mouth large, terminal, the upper jaw extremely protrusile; maxilla widely expanded posteriorly, and mostly exposed when mouth is closed; no supramaxilla; jaws with 1 or 2 rows of small, slender, conical teeth; vomer with a few short stout teeth;gill rakers (including rudiments) 2 on upper limb, 8 on lower limb.Eye diameter about 1/3 head length and slightly less than snout length.Branchiostegal rays 7.Dorsal fin divided, with 8 slender spines and 26 to 30 soft rays; anal fin with 1 minute spine and 30 to 32 soft rays; dorsal-, anal-, and pectoral-fin rays un- branched; caudal fin forked, with 11 principal rays and 9 branched rays; pectoral fin with 15 or 16 rays, shorter than eye diameter; pelvic fins with 1 unbranched and 5 or 6 branched soft rays, but no spine, fin origin posterior to a vertical at pectoral-fin base. Scales moderate in size, weakly ctenoid, and deciduous; 2 lateral lines originating on body at upper end of operculum and running posteriorly about 4 scale rows apart, gradually converging to form a single line on caudal peduncle. Caudal peduncle stout, the least depth about equal to its length and slightly less than eye diameter.Vertebrae 34.Colour: body reddish or silvery; large black blotch on anterior margin of dorsal fin.
    [Show full text]
  • South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
    FOREWORD Abundant fish and wildlife, unbroken coastal vistas, miles of scenic rivers, swamps and mountains open to exploration, and well-tended forests and fields…these resources enhance the quality of life that makes South Carolina a place people want to call home. We know our state’s natural resources are a primary reason that individuals and businesses choose to locate here. They are drawn to the high quality natural resources that South Carolinians love and appreciate. The quality of our state’s natural resources is no accident. It is the result of hard work and sound stewardship on the part of many citizens and agencies. The 20th century brought many changes to South Carolina; some of these changes had devastating results to the land. However, people rose to the challenge of restoring our resources. Over the past several decades, deer, wood duck and wild turkey populations have been restored, striped bass populations have recovered, the bald eagle has returned and more than half a million acres of wildlife habitat has been conserved. We in South Carolina are particularly proud of our accomplishments as we prepare to celebrate, in 2006, the 100th anniversary of game and fish law enforcement and management by the state of South Carolina. Since its inception, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has undergone several reorganizations and name changes; however, more has changed in this state than the department’s name. According to the US Census Bureau, the South Carolina’s population has almost doubled since 1950 and the majority of our citizens now live in urban areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Percomorph Phylogeny: a Survey of Acanthomorphs and a New Proposal
    BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 52(1): 554-626, 1993 PERCOMORPH PHYLOGENY: A SURVEY OF ACANTHOMORPHS AND A NEW PROPOSAL G. David Johnson and Colin Patterson ABSTRACT The interrelationships of acanthomorph fishes are reviewed. We recognize seven mono- phyletic terminal taxa among acanthomorphs: Lampridiformes, Polymixiiformes, Paracan- thopterygii, Stephanoberyciformes, Beryciformes, Zeiformes, and a new taxon named Smeg- mamorpha. The Percomorpha, as currently constituted, are polyphyletic, and the Perciformes are probably paraphyletic. The smegmamorphs comprise five subgroups: Synbranchiformes (Synbranchoidei and Mastacembeloidei), Mugilomorpha (Mugiloidei), Elassomatidae (Elas- soma), Gasterosteiformes, and Atherinomorpha. Monophyly of Lampridiformes is justified elsewhere; we have found no new characters to substantiate the monophyly of Polymixi- iformes (which is not in doubt) or Paracanthopterygii. Stephanoberyciformes uniquely share a modification of the extrascapular, and Beryciformes a modification of the anterior part of the supraorbital and infraorbital sensory canals, here named Jakubowski's organ. Our Zei- formes excludes the Caproidae, and characters are proposed to justify the monophyly of the group in that restricted sense. The Smegmamorpha are thought to be monophyletic principally because of the configuration of the first vertebra and its intermuscular bone. Within the Smegmamorpha, the Atherinomorpha and Mugilomorpha are shown to be monophyletic elsewhere. Our Gasterosteiformes includes the syngnathoids and the Pegasiformes
    [Show full text]
  • Venom Evolution Widespread in Fishes: a Phylogenetic Road Map for the Bioprospecting of Piscine Venoms
    Journal of Heredity 2006:97(3):206–217 ª The American Genetic Association. 2006. All rights reserved. doi:10.1093/jhered/esj034 For permissions, please email: [email protected]. Advance Access publication June 1, 2006 Venom Evolution Widespread in Fishes: A Phylogenetic Road Map for the Bioprospecting of Piscine Venoms WILLIAM LEO SMITH AND WARD C. WHEELER From the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 (Leo Smith); Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Ichthyology), American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192 (Leo Smith); and Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192 (Wheeler). Address correspondence to W. L. Smith at the address above, or e-mail: [email protected]. Abstract Knowledge of evolutionary relationships or phylogeny allows for effective predictions about the unstudied characteristics of species. These include the presence and biological activity of an organism’s venoms. To date, most venom bioprospecting has focused on snakes, resulting in six stroke and cancer treatment drugs that are nearing U.S. Food and Drug Administration review. Fishes, however, with thousands of venoms, represent an untapped resource of natural products. The first step in- volved in the efficient bioprospecting of these compounds is a phylogeny of venomous fishes. Here, we show the results of such an analysis and provide the first explicit suborder-level phylogeny for spiny-rayed fishes. The results, based on ;1.1 million aligned base pairs, suggest that, in contrast to previous estimates of 200 venomous fishes, .1,200 fishes in 12 clades should be presumed venomous.
    [Show full text]
  • Status and Red List of Pakistan's Mammals
    SSttaattuuss aanndd RReedd LLiisstt ooff PPaakkiissttaann’’ss MMaammmmaallss based on the Pakistan Mammal Conservation Assessment & Management Plan Workshop 18-22 August 2003 Authors, Participants of the C.A.M.P. Workshop Edited and Compiled by, Kashif M. Sheikh PhD and Sanjay Molur 1 Published by: IUCN- Pakistan Copyright: © IUCN Pakistan’s Biodiversity Programme This publication can be reproduced for educational and non-commercial purposes without prior permission from the copyright holder, provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior permission (in writing) of the copyright holder. Citation: Sheikh, K. M. & Molur, S. 2004. (Eds.) Status and Red List of Pakistan’s Mammals. Based on the Conservation Assessment and Management Plan. 312pp. IUCN Pakistan Photo Credits: Z.B. Mirza, Kashif M. Sheikh, Arnab Roy, IUCN-MACP, WWF-Pakistan and www.wildlife.com Illustrations: Arnab Roy Official Correspondence Address: Biodiversity Programme IUCN- The World Conservation Union Pakistan 38, Street 86, G-6⁄3, Islamabad Pakistan Tel: 0092-51-2270686 Fax: 0092-51-2270688 Email: [email protected] URL: www.biodiversity.iucnp.org or http://202.38.53.58/biodiversity/redlist/mammals/index.htm 2 Status and Red List of Pakistan Mammals CONTENTS Contributors 05 Host, Organizers, Collaborators and Sponsors 06 List of Pakistan Mammals CAMP Participants 07 List of Contributors (with inputs on Biological Information Sheets only) 09 Participating Institutions
    [Show full text]
  • American Sole (Family Achiridae) Diversity in North Carolina
    American Sole (Family Achiridae) Diversity in North Carolina Along North Carolina’s shore there are three families of flatfish comprising five or six species having eyes on the right side of their body facing upward when lying in or atop the substrate (NCFishes.com; Tracy et al. 2020; Table 1; Figure 1). The families and species can be confusing to tell apart. The key characteristics provided in Table 1 should enable one to differentiate between the three families and this document will aid you in the identification of three species in the Family Achiridae (American Soles) in North Carolina. Generally, soles are small, flat, right-facing fishes (i.e., the left side of the body is on the substrate) with small, minute eyes and of little commercial or recreational value (Rohde et al. 2009). Table 1. The three families of right-facing flatfish found along and off the coast of North Carolina. Common Key Characteristics No. Family Name (adapted from Kells and Carpenter (2014); Munroe (2002a; 2002b)) Species • Preopercular margin not free, concealed by skin or represented only by a naked superficial groove. • Dorsal fin extending forward well in advance of eyes, the anterior rays concealed within a fleshy dermal envelope and difficult to see. Achiridae Soles • Lateral line essentially straight, without high arch over pectoral fin; often indistinct, but most readily seen on the eyed side, usually crossed at right angles by accessory branches (achirine lines) extending toward dorsal and anal fins; • Urinary papilla on eyed side. 2 or 3 • Preopercular margin free, not covered with skin and scales.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Guide to the Searobins in the Western North Atlantic
    NOAA Technical Report NMFS 107 March 1992 Field Guide to the Searobins (Prionotus and Bellator) in the Western North Atlantic Mike Russell Mark Grace ElmerJ. Gutherz U.S. Department ofCommerce NOAA Technical Report NMFS The major responsibilities ofthe National Marine Fish­ continuing programs ofNMFS; intensive scientific reports eries Service (NMFS) are to monitor and assess the abun­ on studies of restricted scope; papers on applied fishery dance and geographic distribution of fishery resources, problems; technical reports of general interest intended to understand and predict fluctuations in the quantity to aid conservation and management; reports that re­ and distribution ofthese resources, and to establish levels view, in considerable detail and at high technical level, for their optimum use. NMFS is also charged with the certain broad areas ofresearch; and technical papers origi­ development and implementation of policies for manag­ nating in economic studies and in management investi­ ing national fishing grounds, with the development and gations. Since this is a formal series, all submitted papers, enforcement of domestic fisheries regulations, with the except those of the U.S.-Japan series on aquaculture, surveillance offoreign fishing off U.S. coastal waters, and receive peer review and all papers, once accepted, re­ with the development and enforcement of international ceive professional editing before publication. fishery agreements and policies. NMFS also assists the fishing industry through marketing service and economic Copies of NOAA Technical Reports NMFS are avail­ analysis programs and through mortgage insurance and able free in limited numbers to government agencies, vessel construction subsidies. Itcollects, analyzes, and pub­ both federal and state.
    [Show full text]