Molecular phylogeny of familiar flatfish species(Pleuronectidae) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene

A molecular phylogenetic analysis was undertaken to evaluate the present systematic status of commercially familiar Pleuronectidae fishes in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. We sequenced a 529 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） COl gene from 34 individuals of these familiar flatfishes from 11 species of nine genera collected in China and Japan. Genetic relationships among haplotypes of specimens from 11 species for COI gene data were reconstructed using the neighbour-joining method and the maximum parsimony （MP） method. The resulting molecular phylogeny of the 11 species, with a few exceptions, supported the existing taxonomy which was based largely on the morphological characteristics. The most noteworthy findings were that the genus Pleuronichthys diverged before deriving of the common ancestor for the other species; the stone flounder, Kareius biocoloratus, should belong to the genus Platichthys with the latin name Platichthys biocoloratus and the genus Verasper was not the extraordinary differ- entiation from the other species in family Pleuronectidae. The resultant phylogenetic trees were also consistent with multiple origins of direct development within family Pleuronectidae. New proof not only for further illuminating the multiple origins of Pleuronectidae but also for confirmation of the evolutionary relationships among groups in the family will be supported.     

Ten new species of parasitic cyclopoid copepods (Crustacea) belonging to the families Bomolochidae, Philichthyidae, and Taeniacanthidae from marine fishes in Korea

Ten new species of cyclopoid copepods are described as parasites of marine fishes from Korea. Three new species of the family Bomolochidae are described as gill parasites: Orbitacolax pteragogi n. sp. from Pteragogus flagellifer (Valenciennes), Orbitacolax trichiuri n. sp. from Trichurus lepturus Linnaeus, and Orbitacolax unguifer n. sp. from Evynnis japonica Tanaka. Four species of the genus Colobomatus Hesse, 1873 of the family Philichthyidae are described as internal parasites: Colobomatus unimanus n. sp. from Pseudolabrus eoethinus (Richardson), Colobomatus recticaudatus n. sp. from Halichoeres poecilopterus (Temminck and Schlegel), Colobomatus floridus n. sp. from Hapalogenys mucronatus (Eydoux and Souleyet), and Colobomatus orientalis n. sp. from Johnius grypotus (Richardson). Three new species of the family Taeniacanthidae, including a new species belonging to a new genus, are described as gill parasites: Taeniacanthus singularis n. sp. from Halieutaea fumosa Alcock, Triacanthus luteus n. gen. n. sp. from Odontamblyopus lacepedii (Temminck and Schlegel), and Umazuracola geminus n. sp. from Stephonolepis cirrhifer (Temminck and Schlegel).     

Five new species of lichomolgid copepods associated with ascidians from Korea,with proposal of two new genera (Crustacea,Copepoda, Lichomolgidae)

Five new species of the family Lichomolgidae associated with solitary ascidians are described from the east coast of Korea. Two new genera are proposed: Protomolgus n. gen. to incorpotate Protomolgus duplex n. sp. and P. singularis n. sp., and Dontimolgus n. gen. to incorporate Dontimolgus brevicaudatus n. sp. Protomolgus n. gen. characteristically has a four-segmented female maxilliped and a bipartite mandible. Dontimolgus n. gen. possesses a large, tooth-like process on the first maxillary segment and three spines on the third exopodal segment of leg 3. Other two new species described are Lichomolgus infirmus n. sp. and L. pectinatus n. sp.     

Eight new species of ascidicolous copepods from the eastern coast of Korea (Crustacea,Copepoda, Cyclopoida)

Eight new species of copepods associated with shallow-water ascidians are described from the eastern coast of Korea. They are Ascidicola secundus n. sp. from a Pyura sp., Enteropsis nudus n. sp. from Pyura sacciformis (Drasche), Mycophilus capillatus n. sp. from a compound ascidian, Bonnierilla yangpoensis n. sp. from Phallusia cf. nigra Savigny, Janstockia truncata n. sp. from Chelyosoma siboja Oka, Pholeterides pilosa n. sp. from a compound ascidian, Pachypygus spinosus n. sp. from a solitary ascidian, and Paranotodelphys unguifer n. sp. from Ascidia samea Oka.     

中国西沙群岛底栖甲藻热带库里亚藻(Coolia tropicalis)的形态学、系统发育及毒性研究

库里亚藻(Coolia)是一类广泛分布且具有生物毒性的海洋底栖甲藻。本研究对近年来在中国南海西沙群岛海域采集分离的4株库里亚藻, 通过光镜及电镜下的形态学观察, 并结合基于核糖体大亚基(large subunit, LSU)rDNA(D1-D3)和内部转录间隔区(internal transcribed spacer, ITS)的序列进行系统发育分析, 鉴定该4个株系为热带库里亚藻(Coolia tropicalis)。在卤虫(Artemia salina)生物毒性试验中, 热带库里亚藻不同株系毒素提取液对卤虫幼虫表现出了毒性差异, XS554株系的48h半致死浓度(LC50)为1.42mg·mL ^-1(约相当于1.1×10 ⁵cells·mL ^-1), 5XS15株系的LC50为1.92mg·mL ^-1(约相当于1×10 ⁵cells·mL ^-1)。     

Egg and yolk sac stages of the sand flounder (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae)

The developmental stages of the eggs and yolk‐sac larvae of the common sand flounder, Rhombosolea plebeia (Richardson), are described and illustrated.     

Two new records of Valenciennea helsdingenii (Perciformes: Gobiidae) and Chromis margaritifer (Perciformes: Pomacentridae) from Jeju Island,Korea

Two specimens of Valenciennea helsdingenii and one specimen of Chromis margaritifer were collected on scuba in October 2011 from Jeju Island, Korea. V. helsdingenii is characterized by a body with two dark stripes that connect the head and caudal fin, and a large dark spot between the third and sixth dorsal fin spines. C. margaritifer is characterized by a body that is dark brown anteriorly but white posteriorly at the boundary between the fifth dorsal fin soft ray and the ninth anal fin soft ray. The Korean name ‘Bok-gi-mang-duk-sok’ is proposed for the genus Valenciennea, the name ‘Du-jul-bok-gi-mang-duk’ is proposed for the species V. helsdingenii, and the name ‘Huinggo-ri-ja-ri-dom’ is proposed for C. margaritifer.     

中国沿海10 种方蟹16S rRNA 基因序列分析及系统发育研究

中国沿海10种方蟹线粒体16S rRNA基因部分片段的序列长度为517 bp～533 bp。它们的核苷酸序列A、T、G、C的含量相似,A+T的含量(69.8%～76.0%)明显高于G+C的含量;10种方蟹的16S rRNA基因序列比对获得541 bp的同源序列(含插入/缺失位点),除插入/缺失位点外共检测到146个变异位点,其中81个为简约信息位点。4种厚蟹与2种近方蟹的遗传距离(0.054～0.085)都显著小于与其他方蟹之间的遗传距离,甚至明显小于与4种厚蟹原本属于同一相手蟹科的2种相手蟹之间的遗传距离(0.105～0.155);而基于16S rRNA基因片段序列采用NJ法构建的系统进化树的拓扑结构也显示,原本属于相手蟹科的侧足厚蟹、天津厚蟹、日本仿厚蟹和伍氏仿厚蟹没有与2种相手蟹聚为一支,而是最终与属于弓蟹科的2种近方蟹聚为一大支,且有高达99%的支持率。结果表明,4种厚蟹与2种近方蟹的亲缘关系相对较近,而与2种相手蟹等其他方蟹的亲缘关系则相对较远。因此,研究结果支持将4种厚蟹从相手蟹科移到弓蟹科。此外,属于相手蟹科的2种相手蟹聚为一支,属于方蟹科的白纹方蟹和属于斜纹蟹科的瘤突斜纹蟹又各自成为一支;表明16S rRNA基因的分子数据支持其形态学分类结果的正确性,提示上述4科蟹类可能分别为单系。     

The First Molecular Evidence of Korean Zalophus japonicus (Otariidae: Sea Lions) from the Archaeological Site of Dokdo Island,Korea

Ocean Science Journal - Zalophus japonicus (Japanese sea lion, family Otariidae) was a mammal that once flourished around Dokdo Island. Overharvesting of the Korean sea lion in the early and...     

Molecular and Morphometric Variations in the Sea Raven,Hemitripterus villosus from Korea,with its Implication on Fisheries Management

Ocean Science Journal - To understand and clarify the geographic variations of the Korean sea raven, Hemitripterus villosus, we investigated the molecular and morphometric characteristics of 147...     

Two species of the genusoncaea (copepoda, poecilostomatoida, oncaeidae) from the east sea, Korea

Abstract   Oncaea venusta Philippi, 1843 has been known as having some different size groups, but recent genetic study for cyt b and ITS 1 (Elverset al. 2006) suggests that these size groups can be considered as different species. Of these size groups, the largestO. venusta Philippi and the smallestO. venella Farran, 1929 were first described in Korean waters. The latter is easily distinguishable from the former in the following characteristics in addition to its small size: (1) length to width ratio of genital double somite of two genders smaller, and (2) female second pediger bearing inconspicuous dorso-posterior swelling.Oncaea venusta andO. venella co-occur in Korean waters during spring to fall, but their occurrence patterns seasonally differ: the former shows higher density in fall while the latter does in summer.     

满月蛤目(双壳纲:异齿亚纲)软体动物分类与系统演化研究进展

满月蛤目物种是海洋常见的双壳类软体动物,通常生活在有机质含量较高或化能生态系统中,是这两类生态环境中的主要类群。本文回顾了满月蛤目分类与系统演化的研究历史。随着受关注程度的增加以及技术手段的发展,世界范围内出现大量的分类和系统演化研究,但由于物种繁多、样品获取困难、贝壳形态多变,该类群的分类系统仍存在大量尚未解决的问题,且其物种多样性被严重低估。我国对该类群系统性的研究尚未开展。未来需加强标本采集,结合新技术进行整合分类学研究以摸清我国满月蛤目物种组成和区系特点,完善分类系统,进而对其起源演化、扩布路径等问题进行探究。     

Molecular identification of anisakid nematodes third stage larvae isolated from common squid (Todarodes pacificus) in Korea

The occurrence of Genus Anisakis nematode larvae in marine fishes and cephalopods is epidemiologically important because Anisakis simplex larval stage can cause a clinical disease in humans when infected hosts are consumed raw. Common squid (Todarodes pacificus) from Korean waters were investigated for anisakid nematodes infection during 2009～2011. In total, 1,556 larvae were collected from 615 common squids and 732 of them were subsequently identified by PCR-RFLP analysis of ITS rDNA. Depending on the sampling locations, the nematode larvae from common squid showed different prevalence, intensity and species distribution. A high prevalence (P) and mean intensity (MI) of infection were observed in the Yellow Sea (n = 250, P = 86.0%, MI = 5.99 larvae/host) and the southern sea of Korea (n = 126, P = 57.1%, MI = 3.36 larvae/host). Anisakis pegreffii was dominantly found in common squid from the southern sea (127/ 140, 90.7%) and the Yellow Sea (561/565, 98.9%). In contrast, the P and MI of infection were relatively low in the East Sea (n = 239, P = 8.37%, MI = 1.25 larvae/host). A. pegreffii was not found from the East Sea and 52.0% (13/25) of the nematodes were identified as A. simplex. Most of them were found in the body cavity or digestive tract of common squid, which are rarely consumed raw by humans. Considering the differenences in anisakid nematode species distribution and their microhabitat in common squid, it remains unclear whether common squid plays an important role in the epidemiology of human anisakis infection in Korea. Further extensive identification of anisakid nematodes in common squid, with geographical and seasonal information will be necessary.     

Biology of the redspotted tonguesole Cynoglossus zanzibarensis (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae) on the Agulhas Bank,South Africa

The biology of the redspotted tonguesole Cynoglossus zanzibarensis, a common African cynoglossid inhabiting the Agulhas Bank, South Africa, is described. Growth studies based on sectioned sagittal otoliths revealed that C. zanzibarensis is relatively fast-growing and long-lived, attaining ages >8 years. Growth in length was rapid in immature fish, fish attaining 56% of their maximum size within their first year. By sexual maturity, fish had attained 28% of their maximum age and 68% of their maximum length. Total length-at-age was best described by the Von Bertalanffy growth model with combined-sex growth described as L_t = 354.78(1?e^{?0.43 (t+1.17)}) mm TL. Sexually dimorphic growth patterns were evident, females attaining larger lengths, but at a slower growth rate than males. Despite the similar mean size of adult fish, the trawl-sampled adult population was dominated by females, with a sex ratio of 1 male:2.4 females. Female C. zanzibarensis mature in their second year of life (275 mm TL), after which they spawn small, pelagic eggs throughout the year. Approximations of the rates of total, natural and fishing mortality were estimated to be 0.62, 0.48 and 0.14 year^?1 respectively.     

Morphological characteristics and distribution of Pleuronectidae (Pisces) eggs in the western margin of the East Sea

Seven species of Pleuronectidae (Platichthys stellatus, Kareius bicoloratus, Pseudopleuronectes herzensteini, Microstomus achne, Glyptocephalus stelleri, Hippoglossoides dubius, and Limanda punctatissima) were identified based on eggs collected from the western margin of the East Sea (east coast of Korea), using DNA barcoding. The eggs of P. herzensteini and G. stelleri were relatively widely distributed along the east coast of Korea, whereas those of P. stellatus and K. bicoloratus were narrowly distributed; in particular, the eggs of P. stellatus were restricted to areas near bays. The eggs, which share common morphological characteristics (such as a homogeneous yolk and smooth membrane) were divided into three groups according to egg size: group A (more than 1.60 mm in egg diameter, including genera Hippoglossoides and Microstomus), group B (1.00–1.60 mm, including genera Kareius, Glyptocephalus, and Platichthys), and group C (less than 1.00 mm, including genera Limanda and Pseudopleuronectes). This paper provides an overview of the morphological characteristics of the eggs of the family Pleuronectidae collected from the east coast of Korea. Our approach to the analysis of eggs, based on DNA barcoding, morphological characteristics, and geographic distributions, provides a rapid and accurate basis for identifying spawning areas and spawning periods, thus facilitating the assessment and management of fisheries stocks and resources.     

Population ecology and habitat preferences of juvenile flounder Platichthys flesus (Actinopterygii: Pleuronectidae) in a temperate estuary

The European flounder Platichthys flesus is a widely distributed epibenthic species and an important component of demersal fish assemblages in the European Atlantic coastal waters. In Portuguese estuaries, this species reaches high densities, especially in Minho estuary (NW Iberian Peninsula, Europe), potentially playing an important role in the system's ecology. In this context, the population structure, production and the habitat use of juvenile P. flesus were investigated. Sampling took place monthly, from February 2009 until July 2010 along the entire estuarine gradient (5 sampling stations distributed in the first 29 km from the river mouth, with S1 located near the river mouth, S2 inside a salt marsh, S3 in a salinity transition zone, while S4 and S5 were located in the upper estuary). Flounder's density varied significantly among sampling stations and seasons (two-way PERMANOVA: p < 0.001), with the majority of the individuals being found during the spring (30.1%) and in S3 and S4 (72.6%). Males and females presented an even distribution, with a higher proportion of males observed during summer. Fish length also differed among sampling stations and seasons (two-way PERMANOVA: p < 0.001), with larger fishes being found in S1 during the autumn (168.50 ± 59.50 mm) and the smallest in S4 during the spring (33.80 ± 3.12 mm). Size classes associated differently with environmental variables, with larger juveniles being more abundant in the downstream areas of the estuary, whereas smaller juveniles were related to higher water temperatures, suggesting a habitat segregation of P. flesus of different sizes. The fish condition of P. flesus in Minho estuary was higher than in other systems, probably due to the dominance of juveniles on the population. Also, the densities found in this estuary were up to 32 times higher than in other locations, suggesting that Minho estuary is an important nursery area for the species. The estimated secondary production of P. flesus was lower than previous studies acknowledged in the system (0.037 g.WWm^− 2.year^− 1), indicating that the production estimates of this species in estuaries can vary considerably depending on of several factors such as the sampling year and strategy, population and fish size.     

Molecular phylogeny of the genus Clibanarius(Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences

Clibanarius , a genus of hermit crabs, is one of the most diverse genera within Diogenidae. However, studies on the phylogeny within Clibanarius is very limited. We reconstruct the molecular phylogeny of the genus Clibanarius based on two mitochondrial (16S rRNA and COI) and two nuclear protein-coding (NaK and PEPCK) genes using a multigene phylogenetic approach. Eleven selected Clibanarius species from the Indo-West Pacifi c are analyzed and the Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses produced identical results in topology. Results suggest that C . rutilus and C . infraspinatus are more closely related to each other than to C . snelliusi , and C . striolatus shows a close relationship to C . longitarsus . The close association of C . merguiensis with C . englaucus and C . humilis is strongly supported by the divergence of C . virescens from them. Our phylogenetic results contradict the morphological classifi cation scheme proposed for Clibanarius and indicate that the relative length of dactyls and propodi is not phylogenetically signifi cant in Clibanarius . In addition, we speculate that the morphological characteristic of the median cleft of the telson might be phylogenetically important for Clibanarius .     

The migration patterns of the European flounder Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pleuronectidae,Pisces) at the southern limit of its distribution range: Ecological implications and fishery management

This study aims to determine the diversity of migration patterns of the European flounder (Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus, 1758)) present in the Minho estuary and in the adjacent coastal area (NW-Iberian Peninsula). Assessing the diversity of flounder migration patterns at the southern limit of its distribution allows the determination of characteristics of the species' ecology and provides useful information for fishery managers, since it is a regionally important estuarine fishery. An unexpected result of our study was that flounder appears to spawn in both estuarine and coastal areas and not just in coastal areas as was previously widely accepted. Our interpretation of otolith strontium distribution patterns from flounder specimens collected in the freshwater tidal area of the Minho estuary and in the lower estuary suggested that the flounders hatched in the estuary, while only 6.7% of those captured in the coastal area hatched in the coastal area. Ultimately, studies aimed at collecting larval stages and adult flounders must be made to confirm that flounders spawn in the estuary and to define new and better scientifically supported fishing policies, or simply to confirm the existing ones regarding temporal and spatial closures for each gear used in the Minho estuary.