Reproductive biology of Mustelus lenticulatus from Kaikoura and Nelson

Mustelus lenticulatus is a non‐placental ovoviviparous shark with a gestation period of about 11 months. Young are born at a total length of 30–32 cm from September to December. Copulation, and ovulation of a further set of eggs, rapidly follows parturition. Fecundity increases with the length of the female; the most eggs found in one female was 24; the mean for all females was 10.73.

Males mature at about 85 cm total length and females at 95 cm at Kaikoura. Nelson males probably mature at a smaller size than do Kaikoura males. Nelson females mature at about 85 cm. Maximum observed lengths were 137 cm for females and 115 cm for males.     

Cadmium,lead, copper,and zinc in Elminius modestus Darwin (Crustacea,Cirripedia) from Waitemata and Manukau Harbours,Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) were measured in adult barnacles (Elminius modestus Darwin) from Waitemata and Manukau Harbours in the Auckland area, New Zealand. As in studies on sediments reported in the literature, it was possible to identify areas of likely anthropogenic influence, e.g., around the Auckland Harbour Bridge for Pb, Cu, and Zn. Groups of individuals with highest concentrations for these metals showed 19.8–23.8 mg Pb kg^?1, 198–266 mg Cu kg^?1, and 4460–6530 mg Zn kg^?1 (95% confidence limits, dry weight basis). Cd concentrations found for all barnacles from the Auckland area ranged from 0.8 to 3.1 mg kg^?1. Two samples from Omaha Beach, 60 km north of Auckland, were used as a reference. Accordingly, groups of individuals with lowest concentrations for Pb, Cu, and Zn could be allocated to this site using the Student‐Newman‐Keuls Multiple Range Test (0.5–1.3 mg Pb kg^?1, 8–10 mg Cu kg^?1, and 144–214 mg Zn kg^?1 ; 95% confidence limits). Only Cd concentrations were highest at Omaha Beach (8.6–12.1 mg Cd kg^?1 ). This result may have arisen from “naturally” increased bio‐availabilities of certain metals in mangrove systems which are reported in the literature. Generally, metal concentrations in barnacles from the Auckland Harbour area and from Omaha Beach were within the wider range for E. modestus as well as other barnacle species reported in the international literature.     

Biochemical‐genetic and meristic evidence that blue and copper moki (Teleostei: Latridae: Latridopsis) are discrete species

Specimens of blue moki Latridopsis ciliaris (Forster in Bloch & Schneider, 1801) from New Zealand were shown to differ from specimens of copper moki Latridopsis forsteri (Castelnau, 1872) using two genetic methods—allozymes and muscle proteins. Allozyme techniques revealed fixed differences between blue and copper moki at 4 out of 15 loci. There was a genetic distance of 0.31–0.34 between population samples of the two colour morphs. The two morphs were also distinguished by iso‐electric focusing of muscle proteins. Meristic characters, counted in the specimens studied with genetic markers, revealed diagnostic markers in tubed lateral line scales and scales in the lower transverse series. It is concluded that specimens of blue moki from New Zealand and copper moki from New Zealand and Tasmania are valid species.     

Macrobenthic polychaete assemblages of the continental shelf and upper slope off the west coast of the South Island,New Zealand

Polychaete assemblages are described from replicate box‐core samples collected in summer 1983 at 18 stations on the continental shelf and upper slope (28–943 m) off the west coast of the South Island, New Zealand, south‐eastern Tasman Sea (c. 41–43°S, 169–172°E). Three main station groupings were identified by multivariate analysis: (1) inner shelf sandy stations characterised by Prionospio australiensis, Aricidea (Acesta) sp., Magelona cf. dakini, Paraprionospio aff. pinnata, Aglaophamus sp., Heteromastus filiformis, and Magelona sp.; (2) middle to outer shelf muddy stations characterised by Levinsenia cf. gracilis, Prionospio australiensis, Paraprionospio coora, Aglaophamus verrilli, and Auchenoplax mesos; and (3) upper slope sandy mud or mud stations characterised by Prionospio ehlersi. A combination of water depth and sediment clay content provided the best correlation with the biotic pattern. Spionidae was the most abundant family (49% of polychaete individuals), which may reflect the scope for opportunistic species in a shelf environment characterised by a high input of terrigenous sediment and episodic upwelling.     

Gametogenic development and spawning of the razor clam,Zenatia acinaces in northeastern New Zealand

The potential exists for New Zealand to exploit already established markets for razor clams through development of fisheries or aquaculture industries for the New Zealand razor clam, Zenatia acinaces. However, fishery or aquaculture development for Z. acinaces requires an understanding of the reproductive cycle including the timing of gametogenic development and spawning. The reproductive cycle of Z. acinaces was studied over an 11‐month period from May 2000 to March 2001 at Kennedy Bay, Coromandel Peninsula, using qualitative standard histological analysis and quantitative measures of oocytes. Histological analysis indicated that Z. acinaces is dioecious and gametogenic development was synchronous between the sexes. Gametogenesis began in June with gametes maturing quickly and by August/September (late winter/ early spring) most razor clams were ripe. Spawning began as early as September (spring) although spawning mainly occurred during October. By December (summer), nearly all clams were completely spent. From January 2001 most clams could not be sexed as all residual gametes were resorbed. Razor clams remained in this stage during March 2001. Spawning began when the water temperature was around its lowest, c. 15°C. Monthly mean number of eggs/follicle was sensitive to changes in reproductive development, closely following patterns observed in the qualitative stagings. Patterns of monthly mean oocyte diameters did not adequately describe the spawning events observed in qualitative analyses. Sex ratios were equal over the size range (69–99 mm shell length) of clams that could be sexed. The data presented in this study provide valuable information on the timing of spawning events for Z. acinaces, necessary for developing sustainable management strategies and selecting broodstock for aquaculture.     

Lethal concentrations of suspended solids for common native fish species that are rare in New Zealand rivers with high suspended solids loads

Abstract

Common native fish species that are rare in New Zealand rivers with high suspended solids (SS) concentrations were identified to determine which species were likely to be most affected by high SS concentrations. Mortality rates for the three most sensitive species (banded kokopu Galaxias fasciatus, redfin bully Gobiomorphus huttoni, common smelt Retropinna retropinnd) were measured over a range of SS concentrations to identify lethal concentrations. The survival of banded kokopu and redfin bully was not reduced by SS concentrations up to 43 000 g m^?3; however, the 24‐h survival of common smelt was reduced by SS concentrations over 1000 g m^?3, and its median lethal concentration (LC50) was close to 3000 g m^?3. SS concentrations over 3000 g m^?3 for more than 24 h will therefore reduce smelt but not affect the mortality of most other common native fish species. Although mortality from high concentrations of SS can account for the scarcity of smelt in rivers with high SS concentrations, mortality from high SS does not explain the scarcity of banded kokopu or redfin bully in such rivers. High turbidity (>20 nephelometric turbidity units) is known to limit the upstream migration and recruitment of juvenile banded kokopu in rivers with increased SS concentrations. Banded kokopu is therefore affected by increased turbidity from SS rather than lethal SS concentrations. As redfin bully were not affected by either high turbidity levels or high SS concentrations, the low abundance of this species in rivers with high SS concentrations is likely to be related to the siltation of benthic habitats.     

Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater fish, 2009

The threat status of 74 freshwater and estuarine fish present in New Zealand was determined. Fifty-one native taxa were ranked of which 67% were considered Threatened or At Risk. A single species was classified as Extinct, the New Zealand grayling, which has not been observed since the 1920s. Four taxa were classified in the highest threat category, Nationally Critical, and a further 10 taxa as Threatened (Nationally Endangered or Nationally Vulnerable). Twenty taxa were ranked in the At Risk group with the majority ranked as Declining. Endemic galaxiids (Galaxiidae) dominated the Threatened and At Risk taxa. The majority (68%) belonged to the Galaxias genus, comprising 81% of recognised taxa in this genus and all five species in the genus Neochanna were also ranked as Threatened or At Risk. In addition to 51 native taxa, a further three fish species were considered colonists and 20 introduced species were classified as naturalised, although two of these are considered rare. The majority of the Threatened species occur in the Canterbury and Otago regions where a suite of rare non-migratory galaxiids exist. Threat mechanisms that were identified as causal in the decline of freshwater fish species were the impact of introduced fish species, declining water quality, effects of water abstraction, loss of habitat via land-use change and land-use activities, and river modifications.     

Population surveys of toheroa (Mollusca: Eulamellffiranchiata) on Northland Beaches, 1962–67

Surveys made each year between 1962 and 1967 to estimate populations of toheroa (Amphidesma ventricosum Gray) on the three main west coast beaches of Northland, New Zealand, are described. The surveys were carried out as close as possible to the beginning and ending of each gathering season. There were striking changes in the surveyed areas, probably mainly due to natural causes and not as a direct result of gathering. One beach, Muriwai 1963, even showed an improvement in population after the gathering season, but numbers of toheroas on this beach have usually been erratic and small during the surveyed period. The other beaches showed marked declines, which were mostly sudden and unsynchronised between beaches; these declines were too big to be accounted for solely by gathering. A private commercial survey, carried out annually during the gathering season on a leased portion of Dargaville Beach, shows very similar results to the equivalent departmental surveys.     

Observational data assimilation in the problem of Black Sea circulation and sensitivity analysis of its solution

The problem of the variational data assimilation of the sea-surface temperature for the model of the Black Sea dynamics has been formulated and numerically studied to reproduce surface heat fluxes. An analysis of sensitivity of the optimal solution to errors in observation data has been conducted. The results of numerical experiments have been presented.     

Peculiarities of the rare-earth element distribution in the modern bottom sediments of the White Sea and the lower reaches of the Severnaya Dvina River

The study of the rare-earth element (REE) systematics in the modern bottom sediments of the White Sea and the lower reaches of the Severnaya Dvina River showed that they were derived by the simple mixing of the detrital material from two geochemically contrasting provenances: the Kola-Karelian geoblock almost completely consisting of Archean rocks and the northwestern Mezen syneclise made up of the Upper Vendian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic rocks. This is best manifested by the changes in ?_Nd(0). In terms of the Gd_N/Yb_N and Eu/Eu*, most of the studied samples are comparable with the Post-Archean craton complexes, some of which resemble the average composition of the Archean mudstone. Based on the ΣREE and La_N/Yb_N, the modern bottom sediments are subdivided into two groups: (1) those close to basalts and granites and (2) those approximating common sedimentary rocks. From the lower reaches of the Pinega River to the Tersky coast, the maximal average (La/Yb)_RPSC, (Gd/Yb)_RPSC, La_N/Yb_N, and Gd_N/Yb_N ratios were determined in the samples taken at the boundary of Dvina Bay with the Basin, i.e., in the sediments with the highest content of the pelitic component. In general, the geochemical composition of the modern bottom sediments of almost the entire White Sea area was defined by input of the eroded products of the mature continental crust with the Severnaya Dvina River, the main river of the region. Such a setting, when the formation of the sediments in a peri- or intracontinental marine basin is controlled by one large river system, presumably may be propagated to the sedimentation in the Laptev Sea, the eastern Kara Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and other basins.