Bioconstructional features of the coral Cladocora caespitosa (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia)

The Mediterranean endemic Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) is a colonial scleractinian coral belonging to the family Faviidae and the only zooxanthellate coral from Mediterranean whose colonies may fuse in reef‐like structures (hermatypic). Recent surveys are focused on three locations where banks occur in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia): near Prvi? Island in the northern Adriatic, near Pag Island in the central Adriatic and in Veliko jezero (Mljet National Park) in the southern Adriatic. The C. caespitosa bank in Veliko jezero covers an area more than 650 m² and is thus the largest bank of C. caespitosa found to date. The strong sea currents, which occur as a result of tidal exchange in the channel, appear to favour the growth of the bank. The goal of the study was to present the influence of major environmental factors upon the build‐up process of the coral bank. Biometrical parameters in the C. caespitosa colonies like diameter of the calyces, polyp ash free dry weight (AFDW), corallite linear growth rate and index of sphericity were investigated and compared from these three locations. The morphology of coral banks from the Adriatic Sea and the disposition of the biometrical values are affected by the sea currents, temperature and sedimentation.     

Temporal Dynamics and Biomass Partitioning in Three Adriatic Seagrass Species: Posidonia oceanica,Cymodocea nodosa,Zostera marina

Abstract. The temporal dynamics of three seagrasses, Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera marina, was studied in different areas of the Adriatic Sea by analysing phenological parameters and biomass trends in different compartments of seagrass systems. For this purpose, samplings were conducted in 1997 once per season at each station, Otranto (southern Adriatic Sea) and Grado (northern Adriatic Sea). Structural parameters and biomass of plant compartments differed among seagrasses both in absolute values and in seasonal variability. P. oceanica was the largest plant, showing the highest number of leaves per shoot, highest leaf surface, Leaf Area Index and shoot weight. Z. marina was intermediate in size and had the longest leaves, whereas C. nodosa was the smallest seagrass. P. oceanica accounted for the highest total biomass (mean ± SE: 1895.9 ± 180.2 g DW · m^–2; CV = coefficient of variation: 19.0 %), considerably more than C. nodosa (mean ± SE: 410.4 ± 88.4 g DW·m^–2; CV: 43.1 %) and Z. marina (mean ± SE: 312.1 ± 75.1 g DW · m^–2; CV: 48.1 %), although the two latter species displayed a higher seasonal variability. Similarly, other features, such as shoot density, leaf surface, LAI, shoot weight and relative contributions of above‐ and below‐ground compartments, were less variable across seasons in P. oceanica than in the two other seagrasses, while leaf length showed the highest seasonal fluctuation in P. oceanica. As for biomass partitioning, C. nodosa showed a higher proportion of the below‐ground relative to above‐ground biomass (up to 90 %), with a distinct seasonality, whereas in P. oceanica the proportion of below‐ground biomass (around 80 %) was fairly constant during the year. We infer that in P. oceanica the seasonal forcing is probably buffered by the availability of internal resources stored permanently during the year in the below‐ground. In C. nodosa and Z. marina, instead, growth processes seem to be amplified by a greater influence of environmental factors.     

Disturbance and Community Pattern of Polychaetes Inhabiting Valle Magnavacca (Valli di Comacchio,Northern Adriatic Sea,Italy)

Abstract. Polychaete community structure in Valle Magnavacca, the largest basin of the Valli di Comacchio (Northern Adriatic Sea) lagoonal ecosystem, was analyzed in a three‐year study. Three shallow‐water stations were sampled at about 3‐month intervals. Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to investigate community structure changes in relation to natural and man‐induced disturbance. The polychaete community at station 3, in the central area of the lagoon, was the most disturbed, while that of station 2 was the most well structured. We hypothesize that polychaete community structure results from regular seasonal disturbances which lead to almost predictable fluctuations in species abundance. Superimposed on these regular cycles are acute disturbance events that further reduce species abundance or exclude species from the habitat.     

On the Occurrence of Oceanic Tintinnines with Particular Consideration of the SpeciesAmphorides laackmanni(Jörgensen, 1924), (Ciliophora, Oligotrichida, Tintinnina) in the Northern Adriatic Sea

Abstract. Investigations into the occurrence of oceanic tintinnines in the northern Adriatic Sea were carried out during 62 cruises between November 1979 and September 1995. A contribution to the knowledge of the ecological conditions behind the occurrence of oceanic tintinnines, particularly a consideration of the species Amphorides luuckmanni (Tintinnina) in the northern Adriatic Sea, is presented in this paper. Oceanic tintinnines are usually very rare organisms and their occurrence in the northern Adriatic is connected with the inflow of oligotrophic water masses from the southern Adriatic in autumn. After exceptionally high freshwater discharge from the Po River caused an intensive diatom bloom (October 1993), in early November, with an intrusion of water of high salinity from the south, the mass occurrence of the rare species A. luuckmunni in northern Adriatic open waters was noted, with a maximum of 890 indiv., I^-1. This numerical abundance is the highest ever registered for oceanic tintinnines in the Adriatic Sea. Therefore it may be assumed that oceanic tintinnines occasionally play an important role in the food web in the northern Adriatic pelagic community.     

Three new species of Genus Cryptonatica (Gastropoda, Naticidae) from Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass

This report based on the results of investigations conducted in June 2007 and July 2008, respectively, on the benthic community structure and characteristic diversity of the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea) Cold Water Mass, as well as that in July 1959 during the national oceanic survey. The Naticidae specimens collected from Cold Water Mass in middle and northern Huanghai Sea were studied through morphological classiˉcation and the internal anatomy on radula. Three new species of Naticidae, i.e., Cryptonatica purpurfunda sp. nov., Cryptonatica sphaera sp. nov., and Cryptonatica striatica sp. nov. were identiˉed. The morphological characteristics of the new species are described, and the similarties and di?erences between the new species and similar species are compared and discussed.     

Life history of Cornularia cornucopiae (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) on the Conero Promontory (North Adriatic Sea)

The life cycle of the stoloniferan Cornularia cornucopiae (Pallas, 1766) (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) was studied from March 2009 to October 2010 on the rocky cliff of the Conero Promontory (North Adriatic Sea, 43°34.865′ N, 13°34.320′ E). In this area the species showed unusual high densities never recorded in other sites of the Mediterranean Sea. The density trend of the species showed a marked seasonal cycle, with a winter minimum of about 1000 polyps m^?2 and a summer maximum of about 30,000 polyps m^?2. In accordance with other Mediterranean literature data, polyps were fertile during spring–summer, from March to August, but the number of eggs per polyp continuously decreased during this span of time. Variations of polyp density were strongly correlated to water temperature, which can be considered the main environmental factor triggering this seasonal behaviour. The possibility, for C. cornucopiae, to face adverse winter conditions is probably related to the presence of a characteristic perisarcal envelope covering the stolon and the calyx of each polyp, which isolates the living tissues from the exterior. During winter, polyps degenerate but the stolons remain dormant inside their envelopes. The perisarc covering represents a morphological convergence of C. cornucopiae with benthic hydrozoans. As the latter, the studied stoloniferans are able to live in habitats characterized by periodic favourable conditions thanks to a seasonal life strategy. A similar trend is shared also by other important components (cnidarians and some sponges) of the filter‐feeding community of the North Adriatic Sea. Differently to the Western Mediterranean basin, this area is characterized by high food availability all year around, so benthic organisms are strongly constrained by the very low winter temperatures.     

Differential feeding rates of native and alien predators on the invasive Asian date mussel Arcuatula senhousia (Benson in cantor, 1842) in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon

The alien Asian date mussel Arcuatula senhousia inhabits several coastal environments worldwide. This species can form dense mats where individuals attach through byssus threads, thus altering the structure, functioning and biodiversity of the native communities. We investigated the feeding preference of different predators on this alien species in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon. To do this, a mesocosm experiment was conducted using two crab species (the Mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii) and the Say mud crab Dyspanopeus sayi, and one gastropod, the banded dye-murex Hexaplex trunculus as predators of A. senhousia with or without byssus mats. Our data suggest that C. aestuarii is a more effective predator against A. senhousia than D. sayi, and that H. trunculus is almost ineffective. A possible implication of this result is the potential use of the native crab C. aestuarii for limit the formation of the byssus mats, thus mitigating their potential negative effects on the native communities.     

Unexpected records of ‘deep‐sea’ carnivorous sponges Asbestopluma hypogea in the shallow NE Atlantic shed light on new conservation issues

Marine cave communities have been a continued source of ecological surprises, among other things because of their close ecological and evolutionary ties with the deep sea. The discovery of cladorhizid sponges, the deepest occurring poriferan family, in shallow Mediterranean caves in the 1990s was one such surprise, leading to the generally accepted hypothesis that the whole family was carnivorous, an unprecedented feeding mode for sponges. The recent observation of the cave species Asbestopluma hypogea in the Mediterranean bathyal, confirmed the view that some shallow caves can occasionally shelter otherwise deep‐dwelling species. Here we present new distribution data of A. hypogea, from deep Mediterranean locations, and for the first time from Atlantic locations. Among the new Atlantic records, the most surprising ones are located in three different geographic areas (Ria de Arousa, Groix Island and Cherbourg) of the NW European coasts, from the Iberian Peninsula to the English Channel, where A. hypogea reaches SCUBA depths (5–50 m), while not sheltered in marine caves. The carnivorous sponge however reaches its shallowest occurrence (5 m), in a small cave at Groix Island. The ecological significance of these discoveries, particularly the very patchy distribution and peculiar dynamics, are noteworthy, and the shallow occurrence of A. hypogea, together with other deep‐water or uncommon species, constitute unique assemblages that must be considered in conservation plans.     

Two new species of Naticidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from the coast of China

Two new species of Naticidae （ Mollusca, Gastropoda） collected from the coast of China are described： Cryptonaitca huanghaien- s/s sp. nov. and Sinum vittatum sp. nov. The morphological characteristics between the new species were described and the related information was provided. The similarities and differences between the new species and related species were also compared and discussed. The new species Cryptonaitca huanghaiensis differed from Cryptonaitca hirasei and Cryptonaitca andoi in outer shape, operculum and radula. The new species Sinum vittatum is similar to Sinumjaponicum （Lischke, 1869）, but the shell of the former is flat-elliptical in shape, spire very small, slightly convex. While the latter is flat-globular in shape, apex light brown in color, without a brown band on the body whorl. The comparison results revealed that Cryptonaitca huanghaiensis and Sinum vittatum were two new species from the coast of China. Specimens studied were obtained from collections in the Marine Biological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Diel vertical migration of medusae in the open Southern Adriatic Sea over a short time period (July 2003)

Diel vertical migration (DVM) of medusae was investigated at a fixed station in the oligotrophic Southern Adriatic Sea at several depths during summer (July) 2003. We hypothesized that medusan DVM is considerably influenced by environmental variables such as hydrographic features, light intensities, and potential prey densities. We used short-term repetitive sampling as an approach to detail these relationships. Of the 26 species collected, the highest abundance was in the layer between the thermocline (15 m) and 100 m depth, where Rhopalonema velatum predominated, reaching the maximum count of 93 individuals per 10 m³. Seven species were observed over a wide depth range: Solmissus albescens (15–1200 m), R. velatum (0–800 m), Persa incolorata (50–1200 m), Octophialucium funerarium (200–1200 m), Arctapodema australis (200–1200 m), Amphinema rubra (100–800 m), and Rhabdoon singulare (15–600). According to the medusan weighted mean depth (WMD) calculations, the longest DVMs were noted for the deep-sea species S. albescens , O. funerarium , and A. australis . The shallowest species, Aglaura hemistoma , was primarily non-migratory. Certain medusan assemblages were associated consistently with a particular depth layer characterized by a particular light intensity. The interplay of environmental factors and trophic relationships explains some of the features of medusan migratory patterns. These findings thus contribute to understanding the variables that determine patterns of medusan vertical migratory behavior.     

Response of Summer Phytoplankton to Episodic Meteorological Events (Gulf of Trieste, Adriatic Sea)

Abstract. Despite increasing evidence that atmospheric deposition may contribute considerably to new production in coastal seas, the role of this nutrient source in the shallow northern Adriatic ecosystem has remained largely unassessed. This study demonstrates that locally collected rain water significantly stimulates primary production and phytoplankton biomass accumulation in microcosm experiments. The concentration of nutrients in rain water collected during summer storms (11.38–77.19 μmol·1^-1 nitrate. 4.45–36.38 μmol.1·1 ammonium, 0.93–4.75 μmol·1^-1 phosphate) indicated that the precipitation is influenced by anthropogenic emissions from urbanised and industrialised regions of the European continent. Rainfall events delivered relatively large (127 tons nitrogen, 9.5 tons phosphorus in the period 10 June to 10 September, 1993). though episodic, nutrient input into the area. Field measurements showed that storm events were followed by an increase of phytoplankton standing crop and a shift of community structure.     

Coastal Fish Diversity in Three Marine Protected Areas and One Unprotected Area in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic)

Abstract. The coastal fish assemblage in three protected sites and one unprotected area in the Slovenian part of the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic) was studied. Species composition and richness were comparable at all studied sites, including the control, unprotected area. Differences in fish density between the protected area of Debeli rti? and the unprotected area of Fiesa‐Pacug were revealed using correspondence analysis. Particularly the densities of certain labrid species (Symphodus cinereus and S. roissali) were higher in the protected area. Those differences are attributable to the extended and densely vegetated infralittoral belt of the Debeli rti? area rather than to its protected status.     

蜑螺属Nerita几个混淆种的比较研究(腹足纲, 珍珠蜑螺目, 蜑螺科)*

蜑螺科 Neritidae 蜑螺属 Nerita 的一些种类形态近似, 形态鉴定上存在种类混淆、同物异名或错误鉴定等现象。作者在整理中国科学院南海海洋生物标本馆和中国科学院海洋生物标本馆历年来采集的蜑螺科标本时, 对4种隶属于蜑螺属的易混淆种进行了比较研究。通过对标本的反复对比, 分别找出了它们之间外部形态、地理分布以及生活习性方面的差异, 澄清了混淆, 确立了其分类地位: 1) 矮狮蜑螺Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758和圆蜑螺Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758两者贝壳形态相近, 在我国海区分布重叠, 存在混淆以及错误鉴定的现象, 根据螺旋部以及壳面雕刻可将它们区分开, 即前者壳面螺肋光滑, 后者螺肋粗糙, 而前者螺旋部较后者高; 2) 锦蜑螺 Nerita polita Linnaeus, 1758和杂色蜑螺 Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791两个种常被混淆在一起, 都鉴定为锦蜑螺, 前者在我国见于台湾、海南岛和西沙群岛, 后者在我国见于台湾、福建、广东、广西和西沙群岛, 其中杂色蜑螺此前在我国仅见于台湾, 本文的报道进一步完善了该种的地理分布信息。     

Ficopomatus'Reefs' in the Po River Delta (Northern Adriatic): Their Constructional Dynamics, Biology, and Influences on the Brackish-water Biota

Abstract. The serpulid polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus (F auvel , 1923) builds huge aggregates in the "Sacca del Canarin", a brackish inlet of the Po River Delta (Italy). Distribution, structure and development of these 'reefs'. together with their associated biota, were studied by field observations and settlement panels from 1977 to 1979. Some aspects of the serpulid biology (settlement periods, tube growth, life strategy) were also taken into account. Ficopomatus reefs influence in many ways the brackish-water ecosystem: they form the main hard substrate; are major sediment source; help in regulating the trophic status of the lagoon; and act as refuge for many invertebrate species.