Distribution of Phyllosoma Larvae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palinuridae,Scyllaridae and Synaxidae) in the Western North Pacific

Phyllosoma larvae were identified and their distribution was examined, based on the larvae in ichthyoplankton samples collected in the Japanese Eel Expedition to the spawning area of A. japonica in the western North Pacific from August 30 to September 13, 1986 (Leg. 1), and from September 22 to 25, 1986 (Leg. 2), on board the R/V Hakuho-maru. Phyllosoma larvae belonged to 3 families (Scyllaridae, Palinuridae and Synaxidae) representing 6 genera and 14 species. A total of 336 palinurid and synaxid phyllosoma larvae were collected, of which 233 larvae (about 70%) were identical with P. longipes s. l, while a total of 362 scyllarid phyllosoma larvae were collected, of which 274 larvae (about 76%) were identical with S. cultrifer. Phyllosoma larvae of P. longipes s. l and S. cultrifer showed a similar distribution to each other. The larvae were abundant in the water close to Mariana Islands, although late stage examples were abundant in waters of Luzon and eastern Taiwan. Distributions of these larvae may be related intimately with the North Equatorial Current existing along 15°N. The North Equatorial Current approaches the eastern coast of the Philippines and then separates into two branches of northward and southward flows. The northward flow contributes to generating the Kuroshio Current while the southward flow goes to generate the Mindanao Current. Judging from distributions of phyllosoma larvae in the present study, it is assumed that the larvae of the above two species may have been released in Mariana Islands and transported westward from there through the North Equatorial Current. These larvae may then be transported to eastern Taiwanese waters.     

北太平洋亚热带环流区与西太平洋暖池区浮游动物群落垂直分布的差异及其对碳通量的意义

The mesozooplankton in both epipelagic and mesopelagic zones is essentially important for the study of ecosystem and biological carbon pump. Previous studies showed that the diel vertical migration(DVM) pattern of mesozooplankton varied among ecosystems. However, that pattern was largely unknown in the Western Pacific Warm Pool(WPWP). The vertical distribution, DVM and community structure of mesozooplankton from the surface to 1 000 m were compared at Stas JL7K(WPWP) and MA(North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, NPSG). Two sites showed similarly low biomass in both epipelagic and mesopelagic zones, which were in accordance with oligotrophic conditions of these two ecosystems. Stronger DVM(night/day ratio) was found at JL7K(1.31) than that at MA(1.09) on surface 0–100 m, and an obvious night increase of mesopelagic biomass was observed at JL7K, which was probably due to migrators from bathypelagic zone. Active carbon flux by DVM of zooplankton was estimated to be 0.23 mmol/(m2·d) at JL7K and 0.16 mmol/(m~2·d) at MA. The community structure analysis showed that calanoid copepods, cnidarians and appendicularians were the main contributors to DVM of mesozooplankton at both sites. We also compared the present result with previous studies of the two ecosystems,and suggested that the DVM of mesozooplankton was more homogeneous within the WPWP and more variable within the NPSG, though both ecosystems showed typically extremely oligotrophic conditions. The different diel vertical migration strength of mesozooplankton between NPSG and WPWP implied different efficiency of carbon pump in these two ecosystems.     

Vertical Distribution of Gelatinous Macroplankton in the North Pacific Observed by Manned Submersibles Mir-1 and Mir-2

The vertical distribution of several medusa species in the Kurile-Kamtchatka region of the Pacific Ocean is described. Animals were observed in the light cone from deep-sea submersibles Mir-1 and Mir-2 throughout the water column, from the surface to 5000–6000 m at four different sites. Bathy- and abyssopelagic species are noted along with the species living in an extremely wide depth range. A faunistic border is revealed at a depth of 3000 m. The contribution of gelatinous animals (medusae, siphonophores, salps) to the total deep-sea plankton biomass was estimated using a wire reference cube during nine dives in the highly productive areas of the northwest Pacific, eastern Pacific (California, Costa-Rica Dome), and subtropical oligotrophic areas. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

热带西太平洋浮力频率的垂直分布和经向变化

根据实测资料(1986-1990年),分析了热带西太平洋(165°E,10°N～10°S)浮力频率的垂直分布和经向变化,讨论了浮力频率与海水稳定度和海洋内波位能的关系。分析结果表明,赤道海域浮力频率的垂直分布和经向变化具有明显的年际变化。其垂直分布的特点是:浮力频率的垂直变化与位温梯度dθdz的垂直变化相似。在ENSO前期或初期,浮力频率在垂直方向上的极大值达到最大,此时跃层最强,但其厚度最薄;在LaNi na期间,垂直方向的极大值明显小于ENSO前期和初期,此时跃层较厚,跃层强度次之;在ENSO末期,垂直方向上的极值介于上述两者之间。此时跃层厚度最为深厚,跃层强度最弱。浮力频率的经向变化是:在ENSO前期和初期,赤道海域的垂向极大值明显高于赤道外海洋;在LaNi na期间,它明显低于赤道外海洋;而在ENSO末期,则与赤道外海洋无显著差异;在8°N,有一个近乎定常的浮力频率峰值,几乎与ENSO或LaNi na的年际变化无关。     

Spatial Distributions of Phyllosoma Larvae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palinuridae and Scyllaridae) in Taiwanese Waters

Distributions and taxonomy of phyllosoma larvae were examined in Taiwanese waters, based on ichthyoplankton samples collected from May 1990 to July 1995. Phyllosoma larvae belonged to the two families Scyllaridae and Palinuridae representing 6 genera and 13 species. Of the collected phyllosoma larvae, those of Scyllarus and Panulirus species were most abundant, forming 90% of total numbers. Early stage Scyllarus and Panulirus phyllosoma larvae were abundant in Taiwanese waters. Middle to late stages (except the final stage) of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae were absent from the waters throughout the year, while those of Scyllarus phyllosoma larvae were collected in the waters. This suggests that all stages of Scyllarus phyllosoma larvae may be retained in the northern part of the waters around northern Taiwan while middle to late stages of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae may be flushed out from the waters, the sub-final and final stages then possibly returning to the waters. An anticlockwise eddy existed in the waters off northeastern Taiwan, which may be closely related to flushing out and returning of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae through a much longer planktonic period. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recent Advances in Larval Recruitment Processes of Scyllarid and Palinurid Lobsters in Japanese Waters

Phyllosoma larvae collected to date in Japanese and Taiwanese waters have been classified into two genera (Linuparus, Panulirus) of the Palinuridae, four genera (Ibacus, Parribacus, Scyllarides, Scyllarus) of the Scyllaridae, and one genus (Palinurellus) of the Synaxidae. However, phyllosoma larvae of three Scyllarus species (S. bicuspidatus, S. cultrifer, S. kitanoviriosus) are absolutely dominant among the larvae collected in the waters. Scyllarus larvae are abundant in coastal waters while those of Panulirus are often collected in offshore/oceanic waters. Based on previous and ongoing studies dealing with spatial distributions of phyllosoma larvae in Japanese and Taiwanese waters, it appears that phyllosoma and nisto larvae of the Scyllarus are retained within coastal waters north of the Kuroshio Current. On the other hand, the life history of the Panulirus (particularly P. japonicus) may be completed within the Kuroshio Subgyre: their phyllosoma larvae may be flushed out from coastal waters into the Kuroshio, then transported through the Counter Current south of the Kuroshio into the water east of Ryukyu Archipelago and Taiwan where they attain the subfinal/final phyllosoma or puerulus stages, once again entering the Kuroshio and dispersing into coastal waters. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Latitudinal and Vertical Distributions of Phytoplankton Absorption Spectra in the Central North Pacific during Spring 1994

Vertical changes of phytoplankton absorption spectra along 175°E from 48°N to 15°S were examined during spring 1994. The absorption spectra were analyzed using three different approaches; averaging the spectra within same oceanic areas, EOF analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Average spectra showed differences in five oceanic areas; subarctic, Kuroshio, subtropical surface, equatorial surface, and subtropical and equatorial subsurface areas. The distributions of the EOF mode of the variance of absorption spectra and of the pigments estimated by the multiple regression analysis indicated consistent differences of the spectra between those areas. Kuroshio water contains highest chlorophyll a concentrations and low chlorophyll-a-specific absorption spectra, and this may be caused by the package effect with large phytoplankton cell and by low concentrations of photo-protected carotenoids. Subtropical and equatorial subsurface water showed high absorption at 480 nm and indicated the effects of chlorophyll b. Absorption of the subsurface phytoplankton also showed a shift of the blue peak, possibly caused by the presence of divinyl-chlorophyll a. The consistency of the three different analytical methods indicates that the phytoplankton absorption includes significant information on pigment composition along a north-south vertical section of the central North Pacific.     

Distribution of Scyllarid Phyllosoma Larvae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllaridae) in the Kuroshio Subgyre

Using ichthyoplankton samples collected in the Kuroshio Subgyre during early summer cruises, we examined spatial distributions of scyllarid phyllosoma larvae in the Subgyre, particularly of the genus Scyllarus. The present study has two objectives: (1) to reveal species composition of Scyllarus phyllosoma larvae in the Kuroshio Subgyre, and (2) to examine larval recruitment of Scyllarus species as contrasted with that of Panulirus, particularly P. japonicus, the larval recruitment of which has been examined in detail. A total of 218 phyllosoma larvae collected in the present study belonged to two families (Palinuridae and Scyllaridae) representing 5 genera and 11 species. Phyllosoma larvae of two Scyllarus species (S. cultrifer and Scyllarus sp. c) were abundant among the collected larvae, and were found mainly in the following three regions located within the Kuroshio-Counter Current region south of Kuroshio Current: the water east of Okinawa Is., the water far east of Okinawa Is. (or far south of Shikoku Is.), and the water around Hachijojima Is. Larvae of each of the above two Scyllarus species collected in the three regions may belong to different populations: larvae collected in the water around Hachijojima Is. may come from their benthic populations along the Pacific coast of Honshu and Shikoku Is., central Japan, while larvae collected in the other two regions may come from their benthic populations of the Ryukyu Archipelago and Taiwan. Judging from their shorter larval period and current systems within the Kuroshio Subgyre, these Scyllarus larvae may be destined for death. An erratum to this article is available at .     

北太平洋海表温度及各贡献因子的变化

采用1958年1月至2007年12月SODA海洋上层温度的月平均资料,基于海温变化方程和统计分析方法,分析了北太平洋海表面温度(SST)异常特征及各局地因子贡献比例的变化。结果表明,伴随着1976/1977风场最强中心位置的南北移动,形成了两个北太平洋SST年际-年代际变化的异常中心:一个是位于30°N附近的副热带海盆内区,SST异常主要受风应力强度的主导;一个是位于40°N附近的副热带和副极地环流交汇区,SST异常主要受风应力旋度的位置即风场位置的影响。在副热带海盆内区,最强降温发生在1978-1982年,SST异常的主要局地贡献因子为海表热通量和经向平流,二者所占比例和约为50%~60%,均为同相增温或降温作用,余项所占比例约为20%~50%。在副热带和副极地环流交汇区,海盆内区和西部边界区的SST异常的跃变时间同为1975年,但是内区的垂直混合项的跃变时间早于西部5年左右。SST异常的主要贡献因子为海表热通量和经向平流,但在1983-1988年海温强降温期间,经向平流项贡献大于海表热通量项的贡献。两个区域的垂直混合项均为降温贡献,虽然量值小却显示出很强的年代际变化信号。平流项中经向平流最大,垂直平流最小。     

西太平洋海鲶(Ariidae)主要种类与分布的研究

简述海鲶科鱼类研究概况,并结合作者的调查研究列出了西太平洋海鲶科鱼类的主要种及其检索表;又描绘各个种的地理分布区,通过分析比较认为印度—西太平洋是该科鱼类的分布区;中日海域是该区的一个分布边缘;最后讨论了有关于印度—西太平洋海鲶科鱼类的起源与分化问题。     

Relationship between Composition of Settling Particles and Organic Carbon Flux in the Western North Pacific and the Japan Sea

Settling particles play an important role in transporting organic carbon from the surface to the deep ocean. It is known that major components of settling particles are biogenic silicates (opal), biogenic carbonate (CaCO₃), lithogenic clays and organic matter. Since each component aggregates and/or takes in organic carbon, all of these components have the ability to transport particulate organic carbon (POC) to the interior of the ocean. In this study, sediment trap experiments were carried out in four areas of the western North Pacific (including a marginal sea). Factors are proposed that correlate the composition of settling particles with POC flux. Annual mean organic carbon fluxes at 1 km depth in the western North Pacific Basin, Japan Sea, Hidaka Basin and northern Japan Trench were found to be 14.9, 18.1, 13.0 and 6.6 mg/m²/day, respectively. Organic carbon flux in the western North Pacific was greater than that in the Eastern North Pacific (7.4), the Equatorial Pacific (4.2), the Southern Ocean (5.8) and the Eastern North Atlantic (1.8). In the western North Pacific, it was calculated that 52% of POC was carried by opal particles. Opal is known to be a major component even in the Eastern North Pacific and the Southern Ocean, and the opal fluxes in these areas are similar to those in the western North Pacific. However, the organic carbon flux that was carried by opal particles (OC_opalflux) in the western North Pacific was greater than that in the Eastern North Pacific and the Southern Ocean. These results indicate that the ability of opal particles to transport POC to the deep ocean in the western North Pacific is greater than that in the other areas.     

西北太平洋累积气旋能量的年代际变化

利用1949—2011年CMA-STI热带气旋最佳路径数据集,分析了西北太平洋累积气旋能量(ACE)的年代际变化特征。结果表明,西北太平洋热带气旋(ACE)的年代际变化主要分为1957—1967高值期、1976—1986过渡期和1998—2008低值期。其中强热带风暴(STS)、台风(TY)和超强台风(SuperTY),特别超强台风是决定成分。副热带高压偏弱,垂直风切变偏小,低纬度低空正涡度异常偏东以及低纬度海表面温度(SST)正异常偏东等背景场的年代际特征,有利于形成ACE的年代高值期。     

Diel Changes in Vertical Distribution and Feeding Conditions of the Chaetognath Parasagitta elegans (Verill) in the Subarctic Pacific in Summer

Diel changes in vertical distribution and feeding conditions of the chaetognath Parasagitta elegans (Verill) were observed in three regions of the subarctic North Pacific in the summer of 1997. Samples were collected by repeated vertical hauls with a Vertical Multiple Plankton Sampler (VMPS) for 15–45 hours by demarcating the 0–500 m water column into four sampling layers. Integrated abundance through the entire water column and the proportion of juveniles were higher in the Bering Sea than the western and eastern subarctic Pacific. Juveniles always inhabited the surface layer in the western subarctic Pacific and Bering Sea, but they inhabited the underlying layer in the eastern subarctic Pacific. Stages I–III concentrated into the upper 150 m in the western subarctic Pacific but were distributed widely from 20–300 m in the Bering Sea. Among them, Stages II and III migrated rather synchronously over a wide vertical range in the eastern subarctic Pacific. The feeding rate of P. elegans was calculated to be 0.18 prey/chaetognath/day in the western subarctic Pacific, 0.27 prey/chaetognath/day in the Bering Sea and 0.07 prey/chaetognath/day in the eastern subarctic Pacific.     

Distribution depth of the transforming stage larvae of myctophid fishes in the subtropical–tropical waters of the western North Pacific

We describe the day–night vertical distribution patterns of 18 species or types of myctophid fish larvae at the transforming stage based on discrete depth sampling from the surface down to 1000-m depth in the subtropical–tropical western North Pacific. A total of 551 transforming stage larvae were collected at the 19 sampling stations. Except for the Diaphus species and Notolychnus valdiviae, all of the transforming stage larvae (including genera Benthosema, Bolinichthys, Centrobranchus, Ceratoscopelus, Diogenichthys, Hygophum, Lampanyctus, Lobianchia, Myctophum, Symbolophorus, and Triphoturus) were collected in the lower mesopelagic zone from 600- to 900-m depth during both day and night, showing no diel vertical migration (DVM). On the contrary, the Diaphus species and N. valdiviae larvae undergo DVM during the transforming stage, occurring below 200-m layer during the daytime and migrating up to the upper 150-m layer at night, i.e., they show earlier adaptation to juvenile–adult behaviors. Most myctophid fish larvae are known to undertake substantial ontogenetic vertical migration (OVM) from the epipelagic to mesopelagic zones during their early life stage. Although considerable sampling effort was carried out in this study, transforming larvae, except for the above two migratory ones, were not collected in the epipelagic and upper mesopelagic zones, strongly suggesting that their sinking speed would be high. It would be advantageous for survival to spend their highly vulnerable transforming stage in the lower mesopelagic zone, where predation pressures are lower and physical conditions are more stable than in the upper layers.     

西太平洋狗母鱼科鱼类种类多样性的研究

整理记述了西太平洋狗母鱼科Saurida、Synodus、Trachinocephalus 三属鱼类,给出了属以及主要种类的检索表,并报告了各个种的地理分布区。在此基础上,讨论了西太平洋狗母鱼科鱼类生物多样性特征、动物地理学特点及部分名称订正和资源与渔业上的意义。     

北太平洋西部和印度洋东部及其邻近海域表层水体中137Cs的分布

对北太平洋西部海域、苏禄海及印尼海、中国南海、印度洋东部海域、孟加拉湾及安达曼海等表层水体中放射性核素137Cs的活度进行了测定。结果表明,上述海域表层水体中137Cs活度显示了较大的变化范围,最低值出现在南极附近的南大洋(1.1Bqm-3),较高的活度值则出现在北太平洋西部海域及中国南海(3Bqm-3)。在所研究水域范围内,137Cs活度的纬度分布特征并没有完全有效地反映出137Cs的全球理论大气沉降趋势及其纬度效应。综合本研究及Miyake等人(1988)的测定结果,我们计算出137Cs自表层海水中的析出速率在苏禄海及印尼海约为0.016/a,在孟加拉湾及安达曼海约为0.033/a,在中国南海约为0.029/a,这一结果明显低于西北太平洋日本沿海表层水体中137Cs的析出速率。这可能是因为在这些海域,横向及纵向的水体混合过程相对都较慢,而且颗粒物对137Cs的吸附析出过程也比较弱所致。     

Depth Distribution of the Subtropical Gyre in the North Pacific

Large-scale aspects of the North Pacific subtropical gyre have been investigated using a climatology of temperature and salinity (World Ocean Atlas 1998). In the central and eastern parts of the basin, the axis of the subtropical gyre, defined as the meridional maximum of dynamic height, tends to move poleward from about 25°N near the surface to about 40°N in the upper intermediate layers. In the western part of the basin, the axis is seen at about 30°N, remaining almost unchanged with depth. Striking features associated with this vertical distribution include a northward shift of the bifurcation latitude of the North Equatorial Current at increasing depth and a barotropic nature of the confluence point between the Kuroshio and Oyashio at their respective western boundaries. The former occurs at about 14°N near the surface and extends north of 20°N at depths around 800 m. The latter, situated at about 36.4°N off Japan, does not appear to have a strong signature of depth-dependence. While some of these results are already known from sporadic hydrographic observations, they have not hitherto been represented in a three-dimensional climatology. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.