Polydorid polychaetes (Spionidae) on farmed and wild abalone (Haliotis midae) in South Africa: an epidemiological survey

Although there has been an increase in our understanding of the shell-boring polydorids that infest abalone Haliotis midae in South Africa, abalone from a limited number of farms, and wild populations from east of Cape Agulhas only, have been examined. To gain further knowledge and a more complete understanding of the local distribution of polydorids, we examined up to 30 abalone from each of 14 farms in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape provinces, and five wild sites in the Western Cape, west of Cape Agulhas. Farm and wild communities were significantly different from each other (ANOSIM, r = 0.632, p < 0.002) and Bray–Curtis cluster analysis showed that most farms clustered separately from wild sites. Boccardia proboscidea was present on all but one of the infested farms, whereas some were also infested by Dipolydora capensis. By contrast, D. capensis was present at all wild sites sampled, whereas B. proboscidea was absent from these sites. Polydora hoplura, a common shell-boring pest, was present at only two farms and two wild sites. There appeared to be some exchange of polydorids among farms and between farms and wild abalone. The farm on the East Coast did not cluster with any other sites, indicating a unique composition of polydorids on that coast. No new, potentially problematic, species was encountered, although four species showed an increase in their known distribution.     

The effect of age on the reproductive output of the abalone pest Terebrasabella heterouncinata (Polychaeta: Sabellidae: Sabellinae)

High levels of infestation by the polychaete Terebrasabella heterouncinata on cultured abalone may be attributed to elevated levels of fecundity in comparison with conspecifics in their natural habitat. It is not, however, known if a high reproductive output is sustained throughout the animal's life. The present study therefore measured the effect of age on various reproductive parameters of T. heterouncinata from cultured abalone Haliotis midae. Age did not have a significant effect on body size, fecundity or rate at which eggs were laid. However, age had an affect on the proportion of the population that was brooding offspring, because a significantly lower percentage of the youngest age-group was brooding eggs or young, in comparison with the older groups. T. heterouncinata are long-lived, surviving for over four years on abalone farms and can therefore spread their reproductive effort over an extended period, instead of restricting it to a limited period during its early life. The ability to maintain a high fecundity irrespective of age may contribute to the success of this pest on abalone farms.     

Modelling the influence of environmental and weather factors on the density of the invasive polychaete Boccardia proboscidea

The inter‐tidal zone around sewage discharges in a Southwest Atlantic shore (Mar del Plata, Argentina) is currently colonized by extensive inter‐tidal reefs of the invasive spionid Boccardia proboscidea. Understanding the links between both human and natural disturbances and the massive development of non‐indigenous species will help prevent marine bioinvasions, which are already favoured by global oceanic trade. We present herein predictive models for variations in the density of B. proboscidea around sewage discharges of Mar del Plata, using environmental (pH, turbidity, temperature, salinity and total organic matter content), weather (wind direction and storm records), spatial (sites) and temporal (season and year) variables. Density variations were modelled by generalized linear models, and model averaging (multimodel inference) was used to obtain predicted values. The highest predicted values of B. proboscidea density occurred at sites to the south of the sewage effluent in spring. These sites are more affected by urban effluent discharges and they showed increased B. proboscidea density when the north wind was predominant. In addition, B. proboscidea density values were higher in sites with 20–22 °C (seawater temperature), high total organic matter content in sediments and low salinity. The averaged model was only a good ‘predictive model’ for sites to the north of the outfall, but was useful as an ‘explanatory model’ in all sites. Such predictions may help to back up conservation and management policies and decisions.     

Infestation of the surf clam Mesodesma donacium by the spionid polychaete Polydora bioccipitalis

The surf clam Mesodesma donacium is an economically important species for Chilean and Peruvian shellfisheries. This clam is often infested by Polydora bioccipitalis, a species belonging to the Spionidae, the most common parasitic polychaete group. To study this association, clams were sampled monthly over a one-year period in northern Chile. Collected clams covered the entire available size range and were classified into four infestation levels in order to study: (1) the relationship between prevalence of infestation (PI) and host size, (2) the temporal pattern of infestation events related to seasonal temperature changes, and (3) the relationship between infestation, body condition index (BCI) and gonado-somatic index (GSI). Additionally, growth rate and digging ability of clams with different infestation levels was studied. A logistic regression model best explained the relationship between PI and host size, with the smallest infested clam being 34 mm long and PI increasing steeply thereafter. Ontogenetic shifts in the habitat of the clam and ontogenetic changes, mainly in shell morphology, seem to explain the sigmoid pattern. Periods of increased shell blistering after infestation by P. bioccipitalis showed a similar seasonal pattern with GSI and BCI of non-infested clams, suggesting either an association between infestation ability and low condition of the clam or common environmental triggers for those factors. Heavily infested clams showed a significant lower BCI, growth rate and digging ability; however, given its low number, they are unlikely to be significant in terms of the local population survival. However, the infestation could play a key role in explaining mass mortality of northern populations during El Niño events, given the latitudinal differences in PI and the fact that infestation ability could be enhanced by increased temperature and facilitated in stressed clams.     

The occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi in abalone feed in South Africa

Abalone feed in South Africa is mainly produced from locally sourced grains and has soy or fishmeal as a protein source. Contamination with fungal species associated with grain-based animal feed is, therefore, a predictable risk. Various Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus species are known to produce mycotoxins when colonising grains. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of toxigenic fungal species in the ingredients of compound abalone feeds as well as in final abalone-feed products. In this study, 248 fungal isolates were obtained from feed ingredients and compound abalone feeds collected from three different South African abalone farms and one feed supplier. Morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses were used to identify the fungi isolated. Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus species were consistently isolated. The presence of these species does not always result in mycotoxin contamination.     

Small‐scale spatial variation in growth,size at maturity,and yield‐ and egg‐per‐recruit relations in the New Zealand abalone Haliotis iris

Tag‐recapture studies revealed differences in the growth rate of Haliotis iris between headlands and bays separated by as little as 200 m. Individuals off headlands had a significantly higher incremental growth and reached a higher maximum size than those in bays. These results were consistent with observations of the size composition of H. iris which showed that few individuals of harvestable size (> 125 mm shell length) were found in bays. Differences in the growth rate of H. iris may account for the apparent differences in the size at onset of maturity: individuals off headlands, and from a fast‐growing population off Wellington, reached reproductive maturity at a smaller size compared with those in bays. Yield‐per‐recruit modelling showed greater yields from headlands than bays, but egg‐per‐recruit modelling revealed more egg production was conserved in bays than off headlands. Yields could be increased from bays by decreasing the minimum size to 110 mm. Egg‐ and yield‐per‐recruit models were sensitive to the natural mortality rate (M = 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10 compared). The results show that parameters important in the management of commercial fisheries for abalone can vary over small distances: such variation should be incorporated in management strategies for abalone fisheries.     

Seasonal Variations in Abundance and Size Composition of the Lobate Ctenophore Bolinopsis Mikado (Moser) in Tokyo Bay, Central Japan

Surveys of the abundance and size composition of the ctenophore Bolinopsis mikado were conducted in Tokyo Bay over a 5-year period from 1990 to 1994. B. mikado appeared throughout the year, and its mass occurrence was observed between August and November; annual maximum abundance ranged from 19 to 91 ind. m^–2. Water temperature seems to influence the seasonal variation of B. mikado abundance. Environmental conditions (e.g. rough waters due to a typhoon) and predation by the beroid ctenophore Beroe cucumis appear to affect annual variations of B. mikado abundance. Size frequency distributions of B. mikado indicated that its reproduction was most active in summer and fall but occurred throughout the year in Tokyo Bay. A sharp decline of the copepod population in August 1990 was probably due to predation by B. mikado which was very abundant at that time; its predatory impact was estimated to be 24 % day^–1.     

Spatial variation and commercial fishing of New Zealand abalone (Haliotis iris and H. australis)

The New Zealand abalone fishery produces about 1200 t annually, mostly from southern New Zealand. The fishery, based on Haliotis iris, is managed over broad management areas within which fishing intensity is spatially dispersed. The size composition of the commercial catch depends on location within a management area but is similar for divers fishing individual populations of H. iris and reflects the size composition of natural populations. For most populations, length‐frequency distributions of abalone were normally distributed: the mean shell length of H. iris was found to vary within populations over small spatial scales (100s m). The relative abundance of juvenile H. iris was low in relation to adults suggesting, at least for exposed populations, that rates of recruitment to populations of H. iris may be low. The relative abundance and mean shell length of juveniles and adults of H. australis was much less than that of H. iris. The scarcity of H. australis and the lack of separate catch quotas for the two species are factors which explain the low to zero catch of H. australis. The spatial variation in the size composition of H. iris suggests that management would be more appropriate over spatial scales which reflect local populations rather than the large spatial areas which are used to manage the New Zealand abalone fishery.     

Natural modulation of hepatic metallothionein and cytochrome P4501A in flounder, Platichthys flesus L.

The use of biomarkers such as cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) or metallothionein (MT) for pollution monitoring is based on the assumption that an increased activity or concentration is primarily caused by exposure to contaminants. Previous studies have shown that the response of biomarkers may be affected by factors such as season, temperature, gender, nutritional status or size. The objective of the present study was to identify natural factors that affect the hepatic activity of CYP1A and hepatic concentration of MT in flounder (Platichthys flesus L.). Thirty flounder were sampled at each of two sites in the Hvaler archipelago, southern Norway, monthly through one year. A set of variables were recorded for each sampling and individual including water temperature, salinity, external and internal lesions, intestinal content, sex, size and organ weights. Hepatic CYP1A activity (EROD), MT and metal concentrations were determined for each individual flounder. The influence of environmental and endogenous factors on the response of these two biomarkers was assessed in multiple regression models. For both biomarkers, 50–60% of the total variability could be explained from factors directly related to season, gender and maturation. Season contributed significantly in the model for EROD, as did external lesions. Size, condition and diet did not contribute greatly when the above factors were included. The results confirm previous findings that season, gender and maturation must be taken into account in biomarker monitoring, but also indicate that other factors such as external lesions should be considered.     

Sewage-induced polychaete reefs in a SW Atlantic shore: rapid response to small-scale disturbance

The intertidal zone around Mar del Plata’s sewage discharge (38° S, 57° W) is characterized by the presence of the non-indigenous spionid polychaete Boccardia proboscidea. This species has been classified as tolerant to moderate and high levels of organic contamination. During early stages of colonization this species can reach very high densities without suffering from interspecific competition, building biogenic structures such as reef. The aim of this work was evaluate the recovery time of the reef to a small-scale experimental physical disturbance. Five independent rocks with B. proboscidea reefs on them were selected randomly and a small-scale disturbance was generated by corers (16 cm²). At the beginning of the experiment, six corers were collected in each reef to produce the disturbance. The original density of B. proboscidea in each reef was determined in these corers. The reefs with disturbed corer were sampled on successive days to assess the reef recovery time. The number of larvae, juveniles and adults was quantified. Polychaete reefs had very high densities before the disturbance (mean density: 1,021,250 ind m⁻²). Boccardia proboscidea reefs had a fast recovery rate after small-scale disturbance. Four days after disturbance the density reached about 50% of the original density and after 5 days the disturbed reefs could not be differentiated from the undisturbed reef. The initial recolonization of disturbed patches occurs as a result of migration which appears to be driven by larvae and juveniles. These reefs can not be seen as biodiversity hotspots and the presence of the species demonstrates great environmental deterioration.     

高温胁迫下皱纹盘鲍不同养殖群体心率变化比较

高温是海水贝类度夏死亡的环境诱因之一。本研究应用一种非损伤性的心率检测方法,检测两个皱纹盘鲍养殖群体在高温胁迫条件下心率等生理指标的变化,尝试以心率变化指标比较这两个群体高温耐受能力。由于高温胁迫下皱纹盘鲍的心率随温度变化的关系符合阿伦尼乌斯(Arrhenius)公式,且心率随温度上升呈先上升后下降趋势,该研究通过计算两者直线拟合拐点即阿伦尼乌斯拐点温度(ABT,Arrhenius break temperatures)指标,用以指示皱纹盘鲍温度耐受程度。以此法对皱纹盘鲍两个群体(高温耐性,对照)各17个个体进行了测定分析,结果表明:两个群体间的ABT存在显著差异,高温耐性组的皱纹盘鲍的ABT显著高于对照组(P0.05);个体ABT指标的高低与测定个体的壳高呈正相关(P0.05)。本研究首次将探讨了高温胁迫下皱纹盘鲍心率变化规律,并以ABT为指标分析比较了两个皱纹盘鲍养殖群体间高温耐受能力,结果对研究皱纹盘鲍和其它贝类温度胁迫下生理响应及抗逆选育具一定借鉴意义。     

Population dynamics and chemical ecology of New Zealand Demospongiae Latrunculia sp. nov. and Polymastia croceus (Poecilosclerida: Latrunculiidae: Polymastiidae)

For 3 years aspects of the population dynamics, growth, and bioactivity (measure of biologically active metabolite biosynthesis) of the Demospongiae Latrunculia sp. nov. and Polymastia croceus (Kelly‐Borges & Bergquist) were examined on a subtidal reef on the Wellington south coast, New Zealand. For both species, survival of adult sponges was high in all seasons, whereas juvenile sponges had poor survival. Recruitment of Latrunculia sp. nov. occurred in all seasons indicating that this species is reproductively active throughout the year. P. croceus recruited mostly in autumn, supporting previous work that found the sponge to be reproductively active in summer and early autumn only. For both sponge species, growth rates varied greatly between individuals and were unaffected by initial sponge size within the range examined. Sponges generally grew during winter and spring as the water temperature rose, and shrank during summer and autumn as the water temperature fell. This growth pattern may relate to seasonal variation in food abundance, and for P. croceus it may result also from seasonal differences in reproductive investment. After 2 years, Latrunculia sp. nov. and P. croceus had on average, halved and doubled in size, respectively. Latrunculia sp. nov. showed a seasonal pattern of bioactivity, being most active in spring possibly to prevent the surface overgrowth of fouling organisms. P. croceus had no seasonal pattern of bioactivity, but individuals were either very active or inactive. The bioactive metabolites in both species possibly aid in competitive interactions and prevent predation and biofouling.     

Population dynamics and fishery management of the paua,Haliotis iris

A population model is developed and used in conjunction with the results of a study of an unexploited population of paua (Haliotis iris Martyn) to examine the historical pattern of recruitment and yield per recruit. As H. iris cannot yet be aged, the population model uses size rather than age classes, but is structurally similar to the Leslie matrix model. Simulations suggest that the observed population size structure resulted from a short (about 5 year) period of high recruitment, preceded and followed by longer periods of low recruitment. Yield per recruit analysis shows that the present minimum legal size for the fishery (127 mm) provides close to the maximum yield per recruit for most stocks, although yield per recruit could be increased in some areas by a reduction in minimum legal size.     

粤东养殖区分离的2株海洋弧菌及其胞外产物对皱纹盘鲍致死毒性的初步分析

2011年秋,福建和广东地区养殖的皱纹盘鲍(Haliotis discus hannai)相继暴发死亡。同年12月,我们从广东汕头病区取样分离得到2株弧菌,其中bb3为溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus), bb4为哈氏弧菌(V. harveyi)。本研究以bb3、bb4作为供试菌株对1龄皱纹盘鲍进行侵染实验,获得如下结果：20℃条件下,供试菌及其胞外产物粗提液注射处理均可致受试鲍死亡,浓度2.5×107 cfu/mL 的 bb3与2.0×107cfu/mL的bb4悬液注射可分别引发43.33%和78.02%的受试鲍死亡;供试菌株的致死毒性与注射弧菌的总量正相关,与受试幼鲍的壳长、全湿重负相关;注射或浸泡-创伤两种处理方式均可导致受试鲍死亡,并且因注射供试弧菌而死亡的幼鲍软体部组织被健康鲍取食后也可引发取食者死亡;从侵染实验死亡的受试鲍软体部组织中可重新分离得到这2种供试弧菌。上述结果表明,溶藻弧菌 bb3和哈氏弧菌bb4是皱纹盘鲍的病原菌。药敏试验表明, bb3、bb4均已对抗生素具有一定程度的耐药性,在测试的20种抗生素中,仅有头孢曲松和丁胺卡那霉素是这2株弧菌同时高度敏感的抗生素,但bb3和bb4却对8种抗生素同时表现出抗性。     

不同养殖方式对皱纹盘鲍养殖效果及养殖水质的影响

在天津地区对2.2 cm左右规格的皱纹盘鲍(Haliotis discus hannai)进行试养殖,比较了两种养殖模式(笼养与砖养)、两种养殖密度下鲍的存活与生长情况,以及不同换水频率和不同饲料形状对鲍的生理状态和养殖水质的影响。结果表明:试养殖1个月后,笼养下的鲍存活率(74.4%)低于砖养(84.0%),且低密度养殖下鲍的存活率更高;随着换水频率的增加,鲍的摄食量逐渐增加,养殖水体中氨氮、亚硝酸氮、硝酸氮、化学需氧量的含量均呈减少的趋势;投喂不同形状饲料的组别间养殖水体氨氮、亚硝酸氮含量差异显著。因此,砖养模式更适合于作为天津地区鲍养殖的模式,并且降低密度、提高换水频率有助于改善水质,改良鲍的摄食、存活状况。     

南海岛礁羊鲍(Haliotis ovina)资源及其栖息地环境研究

鲍是重要的海珍品,羊鲍(Haliotisovina)是主要生活在热带岩岸潮间带大型经济鲍类底栖动物。为了研究南海岛礁羊鲍资源及其栖息环境,我们在宣德群岛的永兴岛和七连屿,永乐群岛的羚羊礁、甘泉岛和晋卿岛进行了羊鲍资源分布及其栖息水环境研究。按照《海岛调查技术规程》中潮间带岩岸大型底栖生物调查方法,对羊鲍进行取样调查。按照《海洋调查规范第4部分:海水化学要素调查》(GB T 12763.4-2007),对羊鲍栖息地水环境的总无机氮、活性磷酸盐、悬浮物和叶绿素a等海水化学要素进行分析。结果表明,羊鲍在永乐群岛和宣德群岛都有分布,这些岛礁按永兴岛、七连屿、羚羊礁、甘泉岛和晋卿岛的顺序,分布密度依次增加,个头大小依次增大,总体来说羊鲍资源量小,有的岛礁海区几乎绝迹,亟需开展生态增殖和资源养护研究工作。水质调查表明,除永兴岛站位的悬浮物指标因填海作业未达标外,各站位的水质指标均达一类水标准且具有一定稳定性。因此,尽管南海岛礁受人类活动的影响,但该海域仍适合羊鲍栖息,是羊鲍资源养护、底播生态增殖和生态养护的适宜场所,符合建立海洋保护区的国家水质标准和环境条件。     

Life history of Plesionika edwardsi (Crustacea,Decapoda, Pandalidae) around the Canary Islands,Eastern Central Atlantic

The life history of Plesionika edwardsi (Brandt, 1851) around the Canary Islands in the Eastern Central Atlantic was investigated, based on a total of 11 434 shrimps ranging in length between 8 and 40 mm carapace length (CL). The species carries out seasonal migrations; they concentrate in deep water during winter, move shallower in summer and return to deep water again in autumn. Ovigerous females occur throughout the year, but a spawning peak was determined between April and September. The size at maturity for females was approximately 26 mm CL. Shrimp size generally increased with increasing water depth. The growth parameters for males were L _∞ = 25.75 mm CL and K = 0.55 year^?1, and L _∞ = 28.28 mm CL and K = 0.66·year^?1 for females. The species displays the typical reproductive pattern of tropical pandalids and is dioecious.     

Integrated culture of silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus and bloodworm Arenicola loveni loveni in abalone farm effluent

South African abalone Haliotis midae farms utilise large volumes of seawater (c. 500–1 500 l s^–1) and produce relatively dilute effluents that are potentially suitable for the integrated culture of other species. To test this hypothesis, a marine finfish, silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus, and a detritivorous polychaete, bloodworm Arenicola loveni loveni, were cultured in abalone farm effluent and the results compared to controls reared in unused seawater. The silver kob were fed a nutritionally complete pelleted diet whereas the bloodworm were placed in shallow tanks with a low water velocity that allowed suspended organic solids to settle for the detritivorous worms to feed on. Silver kob growth rate (0.48% body weight d^–1; SE = 0.01%), mortality (1.8 ± 0.5%), feed conversion ratio (3.0 ± 0.2) and protein efficiency ratio (1.0 ± 0.1) did not differ significantly between the effluent and control treatments. Bloodworm reared in abalone effluent grew well on the particulate organic waste matter in the effluent (0.39% body weight gain d^–1; SE = 0.07%), whereas those in the seawater control lost weight at 0.19 ± 0.04% body weight d^–1 over the experimental period. Bloodworm mortality did not differ significantly between effluent (6 ± 3%) and unused seawater (11 ± 8%) treatments. The faster growth of bloodworm in the abalone farm effluent was ascribed to the higher deposition rate of enriched organic solids (182 ± 56 g m^–2 d^–1) compared with those grown in the seawater control (46 ± 13 g m^–2 d^–1). It was concluded that abalone farm effluent is potentially suitable for the culture of both bloodworm and silver kob.     

Sex change and morphological transitions in a marine ectoparasite

The fitness of parasitic organisms is strongly driven by their ability to infect potential hosts. Although transmission to a host organism is a key component to the parasitic lifestyle, surviving and reproducing within a host poses additional challenges. Cymothoa excisa is a parasitic isopod that infects Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus, along the Texas coast and has evolved mechanisms to successfully survive and reproduce within its host. Cymothoa excisa is known to exhibit sex‐change strategies but limited information exists on morphological changes, reproductive output and the timing at which sex change becomes optimal. This study collected Atlantic croaker during a 22‐month survey period and identified parasite prevalence and intensity in the host fish population. Infection rates were constant throughout the year at 19.88% and intensity increased through the season up to a maximum of four parasites. Following collection, isopod morphological parameters were quantified for each life stage (including female, transitional, male and juvenile), identifying shape and size transitions through ontogeny and sex change. Transitional C. excisa isopods only occurred when only one isopod was present in a fish, suggesting that isopods change sex from male to female if they are the first to recruit to an uninfected host. As isopods transition to females they have a large increase in size, legs, and pleotelson (which influence fecundity and anchoring ability), whereas the gonopod, eyes and uropod show a reduction (which are no longer needed for swimming and finding hosts). Data suggest that C. excisa sex change is related to the timing of infection and brood size increases with female size and host size. Therefore, it would be advantageous to be the first isopod to infect a host, as it could change into a female and increase reproductive potential. We discuss hypotheses that could explain the mating behavior of parasitic isopods.