尼罗罗非鱼Sarotherodon(Tilapia)nilotica内耳的形态观察

尼罗罗非鱼内耳的形态:其中有骨迷路组成骨块;膜迷路半规管和耳石器官的组成、大小、形状;三块耳石的大小和形状;壶腹脊和听斑的形状、位置;膜迷路上皮细胞、壶腹脊和听斑中的感觉毛细胞、支持细胞。在光学显微镜下的形态。     

Occurrence of larval fishes in the surf zone of a northern Gulf of Mexico barrier island

Larval fishes were collected from the surf zone of Horn Island, Mississippi between March 1978 and April 1979. A standardized total of 39 435 larvae were taken from 222 collections in the inner and outer surf zone regions, representing fish in 69 taxa. Overall, considerably more larvae were collected in the outer surf zone (78·3%) than in the inner surf zone (21·7%). Engraulids, Chloroscombrus chrysurus and Symphurus spp. were the most abundant larvae taken from the outer surf zone while engraulids, Leiostomus xanthurus, Brevoortia patronus and Trinectes maculatus were the numerically dominant larvae in the inner surf zone. Seasonal peaks in abundance occurred at the outer surf zone stations during May and June and at the inner surf zone stations during December. Larval densities were significantly greater in night collections than in day collections.The occurrence of early larvae, late larvae and juveniles suggests that the surf zone habitat is important to several species of coastal marine fishes. Menticirrhus littoralis, Harengula jaguana and Trachinotus carolinus appear to most readily utilize the surf zone as a nursery area.     

Some pathological abnormalities of New Zealand fishes

A number of pathological abnormalities previously unrecorded in New Zealand fishes are described. A silver trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex) captured from the Bay of Islands exhibited swim bladder ectasia. Black oreo (Allocyttus niger) and smooth oreo (Pseudocyttus maculatus) had cysts of unknown aetiology (CUEs) in the gills at prevalences up to 76% and 81%, respectively, in some fishing areas. The CUEs appear long lived and may have some utility for stock discrimination. A hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) with X‐cell pseudotumours in the gill was recorded from the Chatham Rise. Alfonsino (Beryx splendens) had conspicuous Kudoa sp. cysts in the gills at prevalences of up to 28%. Smelt (Retropinna retropinna) from the Waikato River were infected with a xenoma forming, Glugea‐like microsporidian.     

Structure and composition of the consolidated mud tube of Maldane sarsi (Polychaeta: Maldanidae)

Maldanid polychaetes can be important components of marine benthic communities, playing significant roles in particle subduction or sediment irrigation. Many maldanids are known to inhabit tubes consisting of sediments consolidated by mucus; the structure and composition of these tubes, and their potential impact on benthic environments, are poorly known. We examined the three-dimensional organization of Maldane sarsi tubes, using CT scanning together with analyses of sediment grain size and concentrations of Fe, Mn, organic carbon and bacteria in tube material. M. sarsi tubes consist of stacks of individual consolidated mud disks, surrounding a dense, continuous, inner tube. The tubes of M. sarsi contained fewer fine particles than surrounding sediments, and greater concentrations of Fe, Mn, organic carbon and bacteria, especially in the inner zone. These distributions suggest that tube irrigation affects Fe and Mn oxidation and precipitation in a narrow zone surrounding M. sarsi, and that mucous secretion and potential feeding activities (the hoeing of surface sediments) lead to increases in organic carbon and bacteria in the inner, and deepest parts of the tube. The finding of relict tubes, buried at up to 15 cm depth, indicates a relatively high longevity for these structures and suggests a potential importance in biogeochemical cycling.     

Differential herbivory of invasive algae by native fish in the Mediterranean Sea

The potential role of generalist herbivores to serve as a source of biotic resistance against algal invasion in marine ecosystems has been poorly examined. The present study investigates the capacity of Mediterranean herbivorous fishes to consume three of the most invasive seaweeds of the Western Mediterranean (Caulerpa racemosa, Lophocladia lallemandii and Womersleyella setacea) and examines vertical and temporal variations of such consumption. Our results show that although fish feed throughout the depth gradient examined (5–35 m), they concentrate in shallow waters, and can consume high amounts of C. racemosa. Such high ingestion of C. racemosa does not appear to be random, since this alga is consistently chosen when offered in pairs with several native species. Conversely, L. lallemandii and W. setacea are barely eaten by fish even though they can be very abundant in the field throughout the year. Our results suggest that fish could be an important controlling agent that has been overlooked in temperate marine invasions, and they may be able to provide certain resistance to C. racemosa invasion. In contrast, they are unlikely to exert any important control effects on L. lallemandii or W. setacea.     

白缘(鱼央)5S rDNA的扩增分析及其在染色体上的FISH定位

本文分别对雌雄白缘(鱼央)的5S rDNA进行了PCR扩增和序列分析,并采用双色荧光原位杂交(FISH)技术,以白缘(鱼央)的5S rDNA序列和小麦的45S rDNA为探针,对其在白缘(鱼央)雌雄中期染色体上进行了FISH定位研究。结果表明,白缘(鱼央)5S rDNA序列无雌雄差异;5S rDNA的保守区序列为117 bp;5S rDNA和45S rDNA分别被定位于白缘(鱼央)的性染色体和第5号染色体上。同时从GenBank中获得了22种鱼的5S rDNA,运用DNAman软件构建了23种鱼的系统发育树,对白缘(鱼央)的进化地位进行了初步研究。本研究为阐明白缘(鱼央)在鱼类系统进化中的位置、重复序列在脊椎动物性染色体上的分布状况以及与性别决定与分化的关系,提供了资料积累和分析依据。     

Spatial organisation of macrozoobenthic communities in response to environmental factors in a coastal lagoon of the NW African coast (Merja Zerga,Morocco)

Merja Zerga lagoon, located on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, is a site of international value (Ramsar Site) in terms of its ornithological diversity. However, the lagoon is heavily exploited for its clams and fishes. In an effort to further understanding of lagoon ecosystems, and thus to facilitate the management and conservation of their resources, an ecological survey of its benthic component was carried out. Benthos is a valuable food source for birds, fishes and humans. This work involved identifying the macrozoobenthic communities in the lagoon and assessing their spatial distribution. The study was based on monthly sampling of the intertidal zone and seasonal sampling in subtidal zone, over a one-year period. In the intertidal zone, salinity and median diameter and silt content of the sediment exhibited a gradient extending from the entrance to the inner lagoon, according to tidal flow. Sediment grain size characteristics reflected a gradual decrease of tidal currents from the lagoon entrance towards the inner parts of the lagoon, i.e. silt content increased with distance from the entrance. In the subtidal zone, the tidal currents were fairly strong throughout the lagoon, leading to the presence of coarser sediments than in the intertidal zone. Based on these physical, chemical and substratum characteristics, three communities were identified: (i) Cerastoderma edule and (ii) Scrobicularia plana communities were located in both the intertidal and subtidal zones; and (iii) a Tapes decussata community that was only found in the subtidal zone. The assemblages in the subtidal zone were more diverse and the mean abundances of the constituent species were higher than in the intertidal zone, which is an interesting feature for a lagoon environment. Communities were distributed along an ecological gradient, without showing a discontinuity or ecotone. The lagoon functioned like an estuary in which the community structure was controlled by edaphic factors in the intertidal zone, and by the hydrological factors in the subtidal zone.     

Does the zooplankton prey availability limit the larval habitats of pike in the Baltic Sea?

The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate whether the availability of suitable zooplankton prey limits the distribution of the coastal larval areas of pike (Esox lucius) in two archipelago areas of the northern Baltic Sea and (2) compare the availability of zooplankton prey in spring between different types of coastal littoral habitat. According to the results, reed belt habitats formed by Phragmites australis constitute hot spots for zooplankton prey in the coastal ecosystem. During the spring, reed-covered shores of the inner archipelago maintained more than 10 times higher densities of copepods and cladocerans, the preferred prey for larval pike, compared to the other studied shores. Temperature conditions were also most favourable in the reed belt habitat. Thus, the reed belts of the inner and middle archipelago were shown to form the best habitat for larval pike in the coastal area of the northern Baltic Sea, and this was also the only habitat where pike larvae were found. Our results suggest that the poor survival and recruitment of pike in the outer archipelago, however, cannot exclusively be explained by sub-optimal feeding conditions of the larvae. There are also other important factors, presumably connected to the exposure to the open sea, that affect the distribution of the pike larvae. Our results, however, highlight the importance of sheltered coastal reed belt shores as reproduction habitat for spring-spawning fish in the northern Baltic Sea. Further, this study disproves the assumption that the seaweed bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) forms a reproduction habitat for pike in the coastal area.     

Ontogenetic habitat use by mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes shows flexibility in time and space

Tropical shallow-water habitats such as mangroves and seagrass beds are widely acknowledged as important juvenile habitats for various coral reef fish species, most of which are commercially important to fisheries. Spatio-temporal variability in ontogenetic habitat use by fish among these tropical coastal ecosystems has rarely been investigated, yet there are sufficient reasons to believe that this plays an important role. In the present study, we test the spatio-temporal variability in patterns of ontogenetic habitat use by some mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes (Lethrinus harak, Lethrinus lentjan, Lutjanus fulviflamma and Siganus sutor). Abundances of these four species were investigated during two years in Tanzanian coastal waters, using underwater visual census in mangrove, seagrass, shallow and deep mudflat, and shallow and deep coral reef habitats. The study covered four distinct seasons of the year and was done at two spatially separated (>40 km) locations. Averaged across locations, seasons and years, juveniles (≤10 cm length) of the four study species had significantly higher relative densities in shallow-water (mangroves and seagrass beds) than in deep-water habitats (deep mudflats or coral reefs), whereas the opposite pattern was found for the adults (>15 cm). These findings suggest a strong and general pattern of ontogenetic habitat shifts from shallow- to deep-water habitats. However, specific habitat-use patterns of juveniles as well as adults differed significantly in time and space. Various species showed subtle to considerable flexibility in juvenile as well as adult habitat use across seasons, years, or at different locations. Furthermore, for some species the data suggest presence of ontogenetic habitat shifts at one location but lack thereof at the other location. In summary, ontogenetic habitat use needs to be considered at various spatial and temporal scales for the interpretation of habitat utilization by fish during different life stages. This is important for conservation and management of these habitats, as essential habitats or seasons may be ignored or over-emphasized with respect to their importance for fish during different parts of their life cycle.     

Demersal fish assemblages off the Seine and Sedlo seamounts (northeast Atlantic)

Seamounts are thought to support special biological communities, and often maintain high standing stocks of demersal and benthopelagic fishes. Seamount fish fauna have been described in several studies but few works have included species taken below 600 m. The demersal fish assemblages of the Seine and Sedlo seamounts (northeast Atlantic) from the summits to 2000 m depth were investigated based on longline survey catch data, conducted as part of the OASIS project. A total of 41 fish species from 24 families were caught at Seine near Madeira, and 30 species from 19 families were caught at Sedlo north of the Azores. Both fish faunas have high affinities with the neighbouring areas of the Azores, Madeira and with the eastern North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Overall abundances and mean body weights were slightly higher at Sedlo seamount, appearing in conformity with the latitudinal effect of increasing species abundance and productivity from south to north. The differential influence of the Mediterranean Water at each seamount may contribute to explain (a) the differences found in vertical distribution of common species, which tend to distribute deeper at Seine, and (b) the observed changes in the species composition and dominance in deeper waters. Multivariate analysis revealed a vertical structure that is approximately coincident with the expected zonation of water masses at each seamount. Physiological tolerance to the prevailing vertical hydrological conditions may explain the species distribution and the large-scale vertical assemblage structure found. However, further ecological factors like productivity patterns affecting the amount and quality of the available food appear to shape the abundance, diversity or dominance patterns of functional groups within those main assemblages. At Seine, the species Trachurus picturatus dominated the catches, mainly at the shallower edge of the plateau, appearing consistent with the sound-scattering layer interception hypothesis [Isaacs, J.D., Schwartzlose, R.A., 1965. Migrant sound scatterers: interaction with the sea floor. Science 150, 1810–1813]. At both seamounts mesopelagic feeders (e.g., Beryx splendens) dominate the upper-slope assemblages (<800 m), while the mid-slope assemblages (800–1200/1300 m) and the lower-slope assemblages (>1300 m) were dominated by squaliform species (e.g., Centrophorus squamosus, Centroscymnus coelolepis, Etmopterus princeps) along with Mora moro or the Antimora rostrata. The lower abundance of C. squamosus observed at Seine may be a result of the fishing activities in the area, since the species is an important by-catch of the black-scabbard fish fishery in the Madeira archipelago. The slightly higher predominance of scavenger species at Seine in deeper assemblages may be the result of an ecological response favouring this functional group in lower productivity regimes. Especially relevant was the record of large reproductive aggregations of B. splendens and Epigonus telescopus found at the edge of the Sedlo plateau.     

Contrasting local retention and cross-shore transports of the East Australian Current and the Leeuwin Current and their relative influences on the life histories of small pelagic fishes

Transport between shelf and offshore environments supports a significant proportion of ocean primary productivity and is critical to the life cycle of many marine species. While fundamental differences in the underlying dynamics of eastern and western boundary currents have been recognized and studied for more than half a century, the implications for physical dispersal rates have received much less attention. In this study we explore how Australia’s two major boundary current systems, the East Australian Current and the Leeuwin Current, differ in their local retention and cross-shore transports in the upper water column and how these differences favor contrasting life histories of small pelagic fishes. The results suggest that the East Australian Current forms a partial barrier to onshore transport, but is effective in entraining shelf waters and transporting them offshore, particularly in the region where the current separates from the coast. Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) spawn on the outer-shelf in this separation region and may thereby maximize the dispersion of eggs and larvae in the mainly oligotrophic waters of the southern Coral Sea. In contrast, the Leeuwin Current system promotes onshore transport through the combined effects of mean onshore flow and eddy-induced mixing. In the Great Australian Bight, sardine (Sardinops sagax) and anchovy (Engraulis australis) may exploit the high coastal retention of the Leeuwin Current system by spawning on the inner-shelf during summer when the current is weakest and winds assist retention and enhance production through local upwelling.     

Growth variability and stable isotope composition of two larval carangid fishes in the East Australian Current: The role of upwelling in the separation zone

The larvae of two carangid fishes, silver trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex) and yellowtail scad (Trachurus novaezelandiae), were compared among coastal water masses and the East Australian Current (EAC). Samples followed a north to south gradient including a southern region of upwelling, generated as the EAC separated from the coast. Mean larval carangid densities were greater in the mixed layer (10-30 m) than the surface, but there was no difference between inshore and offshore stations or along latitudinal gradients. Overall, P. dentex recent larval growth over two days pre-capture was faster than T. novaezelandiae, and faster at inshore, coastal stations than in the EAC. Integrated larval growth rate (mm d⁻¹) was usually faster at inshore stations for both species. T. novaezelandiae were enriched in both nitrogen (??¹⁵N) and carbon (??¹³C) stable isotopes relative to P. dentex. Larvae of both species captured within the upwelling region were enriched in ??¹⁵N and depleted in ??¹³C relative to other sites. Recent larval growth had a significant positive relationship with fluorescence (as a proxy of chlorophyll a biomass), and integrated larval growth rate had a significant positive relationship with fluorescence and larval isotope (??¹⁵N) composition. Recent and integrated growth of larval T. novaezelandiae and P. dentex was enhanced by EAC separation and upwelling, and also in coastal water; stimulated by food availability, and potentially through exploitation of a different trophic niche.     

Vision in lanternfish (Myctophidae): Adaptations for viewing bioluminescence in the deep-sea

The sensitivity hypothesis seeks to explain the correlation between the wavelength of visual pigment absorption maxima (λ_max) and habitat type in fish and other marine animals in terms of the maximisation of photoreceptor photon catch. In recent years its legitimacy has been called into question as studies have either not tested data against the output of a predictive model or are confounded by the wide phylogeny of species used. We have addressed these issues by focussing on the distribution of λ_max values in one family of marine teleosts, the lanternfish (Myctophidae). Visual pigment extract spectrophotometry has shown that 54 myctophid species have a single pigment in their retinae with a λ_max falling within the range 480–492 nm. A further 4 species contain two visual pigments in their retinae. The spectral distribution of these visual pigments seems relatively confined when compared to other mesopelagic fishes. Mathematical modelling based on the assumptions of the sensitivity hypothesis shows that, contrary to the belief that deep-sea fishes’ visual pigments are shortwave shifted to maximise their sensitivity to downwelling sunlight, the visual pigments of myctophids instead seem better placed for the visualisation of bioluminescence. The predicted maximum visualisation distance of a blue/green bioluminescent point source by a myctophid was up to 30 m under ideal conditions. Two species (Myctophum nitidulum and Bolinichthys longipes) have previously been shown to have longwave-shifted spectral sensitivities and we show that they could theoretically detect stomiid far-red bioluminescence from as far as ca. 7 m.     

The reproductive biology of a shallow water morid (Salilota australis Günther, 1878), around the Falkland Islands

The reproductive biology of a shelf morid, red cod (Salilota australis) was investigated in the Falkland Islands, in order to expand our knowledge of the reproductive strategy of this relatively unstudied family of fishes. Red cod spawn to the south and south-west of West Falkland between August and October. Length frequency and sex ratio data suggest that females arrive at the spawning grounds first. The greatest spawning activity occurred in early evening and this timing may be an adaptation to reduce predation on eggs. Ripe egg size varied from 0.95 to 1.26 mm and was not dependant on female size. There was no regulative atresia during maturation and the formation of fecundity and fecundity increased with increasing fish total length (L_T) from 300,000 (42-45 cm L_T) to 4.5-9.0 million eggs (75-83 cm L_T). The fecundity of most of the population was between 2 and 5 million eggs. Red cod releases small batches of eggs over the spawning period. Batch size ranged from 30,000-90,000 (39-42 cm L_T) in smaller animals to 400,000-800,000 (>75 cm L_T) in larger animals and the batch size of first spawners was significantly higher than for advanced spawners. The study allows us to discuss the evolutionary relationships between the Gadiformes.     

渤海、黄海、东海几种主要发生鱼类(石首鱼科)群体声的研究

海洋生物声学的研究,在第二次世界大战后已取得了很大进展,并已在军事和生产上得到应用,取得了效果。海洋动物发声是海洋环境噪声的一个组成部分,也是声纳系统的水下背景干扰源,尤其是在近岸海区,往往不可忽视。所以,研究海洋动物发声,除了在海洋生物学的研究中有明显的重要性外,对进一步了解海洋环境噪声的产生原因、变化规律及其物理机理,以及在声纳设计等方面也是十分重要的。已有报道,人们曾观測到鼓虾、石首鱼类、海胆、殆贝、藤壶、鲸等海洋动物集群发出的声音,往往造成很强的海洋噪声源。这些生物机体噪声通常还具有季节性或周日性的变化。有关海洋生物机体发声的观测和信号分析研究,国外虽有一些报道,但仅限于某些海区。 据不完全统计,我国近岸海区的发声生物在100种以上,其中不少种类具有集群大、发声强的特点。石首鱼科鱼类是我国近岸海区主要的海洋发声鱼类,约占我国海洋发声鱼类总数的三分之一,在渤海、黄海、东海和南海均有分布。其主要发声器官为鳔和邻近的鼓肌,当鼓肌收縮时压迫内脏,使鳔壁共振发出声音。他们在上述某些海区集群发出的声音,有时在海面也能清晰听到。 本文主要对过去多年来我国渤海、黄海、东海近岸海区,某些集群大、发声强、具有代表性的石首科鱼的现场观测资料作了分析和阐述,其中包括集群发声的声学特征,以及随时间、地点的変化。     

Benthic-pelagic coupling in sewage-affected marine ecosystems

Coupling between degraded benthic habitats and populations of epibenthic and pelagic organisms is evident around major sewage outfalls in the Southern California Bight. The distribution of bottom-feeding fishes appears to be affected, but sampling has not been intensive enough to rigorously define patterns for more than a few species. Some evidence suggests that changes in fish abundance may be related to changes in the distribution and abundance of benthic prey; those species (e.g. Dover sole) that can adapt their diets to take advantage of dense populations of opportunistic polychaetes may be found in large numbers around outfalls. Some benthic crustacean feeders are at a disadvantage. Sewage effluent is an allochthnous source of organic matter to the food web and Dover sole and ridgeback shrimp both show shifts in stable isotope ratios consistent with the thesis that sewage-derived organic matter in sediments is trophically transferred to epibenthic organisms. Constructing a carbon budget based on the δ¹³C shifts in these species from area of a major outfall relative to a distant control station suggests that there is an in situ source of isotopically very light carbon in outfall sediments, perhaps from CO₂ fixation by chemoautotrophs and biological methane oxidation. Benthic-pelagic coupling is also evident in the accumulation of chlorinated hydrocarbons by fish and other organisms. At the two major Los Angeles area outfalls log-transformed liver-to-sediment concentration ratios of chlorinated benzenes, which are accumulated to moderate levels in fish, show a linear relationship to the log of K_ow (the octanol-to-water partioning coefficient) of these compounds. Chlorinated hydrocarbons with greater lipid solubility, e.g. PCBs and p,p-DDE, are concentrated to very high levels. Studies of food webs using Cs/K as a measure of trophic level suggest that trophic-step magnification is concentrating these compounds in higher trophic levels.     

Juvenile fish condition in estuarine nurseries along the Portuguese coast

Connectivity between estuarine fish nurseries and coastal adult habitats can be affected by variations in juvenile growth and survival. Condition indices are renowned proxies of juvenile nutritional status and growth rates and are valuable tools to assess habitat quality. Biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio) and morphometric (Fulton's condition factor K) condition indices were determined in juveniles of Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Platichthys flesus, Diplodus vulgaris and Dicentrarchus labrax collected in putative nursery areas of nine estuaries along the Portuguese coast (Minho, Douro, Ria de Aveiro, Mondego, Tejo, Sado, Mira, Ria Formosa and Guadiana) in the Spring and Summer of two consecutive years (2005 and 2006) with distinct climatic characteristics. Individual condition showed significant variation amongst species. The combined use of both condition indices highlighted the low correlation between them and that RNA:DNA had a higher sensitivity. RNA:DNA varied between years but overall the site relative patterns in condition were maintained from one year to the other. Higher RNA:DNA values were found in Spring than in Summer in most species. Intra-estuarine variation also occurred in several cases. Species specific trends in the variability of condition amongst estuaries were highlighted. Some estuaries had higher juvenile condition for more than one species but results did not reveal an identical trend for all species and sites, hindering the hypotheses of one estuarine nursery promoting superior growth for all present species. Significant correlations were found between condition indices, juvenile densities and environmental variables (water temperature, salinity and depth) in the estuarine nurseries. These influenced juvenile nutritional condition and growth, contributing to the variability in estuarine nursery habitat quality. Management and conservation wise, interest in multi-species approaches is reinforced as assessments based on a single species may not reflect the overall nursery habitat quality.     

Influence of an altered salinity regime on the population structure of two infaunal bivalve species

Hydrological alterations in watersheds have changed the flows of freshwater to many nearshore marine environments. The ensuing alterations to the salinity environment of coastal waters may have implications for species distribution. This study describes the response of two common bivalves to a modified salinity environment imposed by freshwater inputs from a hydroelectric power station in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand. Populations of Austrovenus stutchburyi and Paphies australis inhabiting river deltas near the outflow of the power station in inner Doubtful Sound were more than an order of magnitude smaller in abundance than populations in neighbouring Bradshaw Sound where the salinity regime is unaltered. In addition, there was a lack of small size classes of both species in inner Doubtful Sound, suggesting that these populations are unsustainable over the long term (10–20 years). Laboratory experiments demonstrated that sustained exposure (>30 days) to low salinity (<10) significantly decreased bivalve survivorship; however, both species survived periods of exposure to freshwater up to at least 20 days in duration if followed by a period of return to normal seawater salinity. Examination of the extant salinity regime in light of these results indicates the current salinity environment in Doubtful Sound restricts bivalves to deeper waters (5–6 m depth). The observed discrepancy in the total biomass of these active suspension feeders between altered and control sites has potential implications for the flux of organic matter in the food webs of Fiordland's shallow soft sediment communities.     

Response of juvenile lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, to a magnetic barrier simulating a beach net

Beach nets are preventative devices used to minimize interactions between potentially harmful sharks and unsuspecting swimmers. Quantitative studies demonstrated that beach nets drastically reduced local elasmobranch populations, as well as caused considerable bycatch mortality. For this experiment, a beach net-like device was constructed and the behaviors of six juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) were analyzed. Induced by olfactory and gustatory cues, sharks were given the choice to swim through a magnetic or control opening in the net. In the first trial, all six sharks avoided the magnetic region and significantly preferred to swim through the control region of the fence. The magnetic stimulus no longer affected the swimming behavior of three sharks retested after resting 24 h. Results from the retested sharks were correlated with those from repeated tonic immobility trials, which demonstrated a linear decrease in sensitivity to repeated magnetic stimulation. This study serves as a baseline experiment demonstrating that permanent magnets may substantially decrease elasmobranch mortality within beach nets.     

Choice chamber experiments to test the attraction of postflexion Rhabdosargus holubi larvae to water of estuarine and riverine origin

Although the recruitment of larvae and juveniles of marine fishes into estuaries has been well documented, little is known about the factors governing the immigration of estuary-associated marine fishes into estuaries. Fishes have a well-developed sense of smell and it has been suggested by several workers that olfactory cues of freshwater or estuarine origin serve as stimuli, attracting larvae and juveniles of estuary-associated species into estuaries. Attraction of postflexion Rhabdosargus holubi larvae to estuary and river water from the Kowie estuarine system, South Africa, was measured using a rectangular choice chamber. In experiments, conducted during peak recruitment periods, larvae selected estuary and river water with a significantly higher frequency than sea water. This study, the first to assess the possible role of olfaction in the recruitment process of an estuary-associated marine fish species, demonstrates that larvae are able to recognise water from different origins, probably based on odour.