One new species of free-living marine nematodes (Enoplida,Anticomidae, Cephalanticoma) from the Huanghai Sea

One new species of free-living marine nematodes Cephalanticoma filicaudata sp. nov. from the Huanghai Sea, China is described and illustrated. Cephalanticoma filicaudata sp. nov. is characterized by well developed cephalic capsule, three teeth at the anterior of oesophagus, excretory pore opens posterior to cervical setae, only two cervical setae per file, body length longer than 5 200 μm, tail long and no ventral-lateral seta between the supplement and the cloacal opening. Types are deposited in the College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China.     

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.     

Changes in cetacean presence,relative abundance and distribution over 20 years along a trans‐regional fixed line transect in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea

From 1989 to 1992, systematic cetacean surveys were carried out twice weekly along a trans‐regional fixed transect in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea, utilising passenger ferries as research platforms. Using the same protocol and supervised by the same investigators, the research restarted in 2007, providing the opportunity to compare consistent data over a long 20‐year period. The monitored transect (Civitavecchia‐Golfo Aranci) runs along a strategic area just outside the southeastern border of the Pelagos Sanctuary. Over the last two decades, an increasing trend of temperature and salinity, in the deep and intermediate layers, has been documented in the region, as well as general changes over the Mediterranean basin. These changes, together with the increasing impact of some pressures (e.g. maritime traffic) may have led to changes in oceanographic and anthropogenic features and, subsequently, in cetacean presence and distribution. The research aimed to verify whether any changes occurred in the pattern of cetacean occurrence over the 20‐year period along the representative transect in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea. Data from 90 summer weekly runs undertaken in the 1990s were compared with data obtained from 95 runs undertaken in the 2000s. Each ferry run was considered an independent statistical unit: the encounter rate (ER = number of sightings per hour spent on effort) was calculated to compare relative abundance between periods, years and months. Spatial analysis was performed on geographical data using Kernel analysis to map the distribution of sightings. Logistic regression (GLM) was performed to compare habitat preference. Total encounter rate in the 1990s (ER = 0.59 ± CI 0.08) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) compared with the 2000s (ER = 0.94 ± CI 0.15). The same seven out of eight species known for their regular presence in the Mediterranean Sea were sighted in both the investigated periods. The most common species were striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Neither the pilot whale nor any other rare or occasional species were sighted during the 6 years of the study. Despite the time span, no dramatic changes were observed for any species, bar fin whale, in terms of distribution, relative abundance, group size or habitat preference. Sightings of fin whale have surprisingly increased (+300%, P< 0.001), and their spatial and temporal distribution and habitat preference showed a radical difference between the two periods. The 2000s surveys confirmed the existence of high density areas of cetaceans, especially of fin whale, and the consequent necessity of specific legislative acts for cetacean conservation.     

Characteristics and origins of middle Miocene mounds and channels in the northern South China Sea

Numerous elongated mounds and channels were found at the top of the middle Miocene strata using 2D/3D seismic data in the Liwan Sag of Zhujiang River Mouth Basin(ZRMB) and the Beijiao Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB). They occur at intervals and are rarely revealed by drilling wells in the deepwater areas. Origins of the mounds and channels are controversial and poorly understood. Based on an integrated analysis of the seismic attribute, palaeotectonics and palaeogeography, and drilling well enco...     

Dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy of the Upper Albian to Lower Maastrichtian in the southwestern Barents Sea

The present study of five wells from Upper Albian to Lower Maastrichtian succession in the southwestern Barents Sea yields the first dinoflagellate cyst-based palynological event biostratigraphy for the area. The research focuses on the Upper Cretaceous Kveite and Kviting formations due to the lack of formal palynological documentation, and enables the formation of a biozonation of greater resolution than currently achievable by micropalaeontology. Four new interval zones and one abundance subzone are described, from base upward: Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides and Palaeohystrichophora palaeoinfusa Interval Zone (intra Early Cenomanian–intra Late Cenomanian), Dinopterygium alatum Interval Zone (?intra Early Coniacian–Late Santonian), Palaeoglenodinium cretaceum Interval Zone (Early Campanian), and the Chatangiella bondarenkoi Interval Zone (Late Campanian) encompassing the Heterosphaeridium bellii Abundance Subzone (intra-Late Campanian). The zones are well correlated to existing palynological zonations from the Norwegian–Greenland Sea, where the previously described Subtilisphaera kalaalliti Interval Zone (intra Late Albian–?intra Early Cenomanian), Heterosphaeridium difficile Interval Zone (Middle Turonian to ?intra Early Coniacian) and Cerodinium diebelii Interval Zone (Early Maastrichtian) are recognised. These data also reveal the presence of three significant unconformities of Late Cenomanian–Early Turonian, Middle Campanian and Late Maastrichtian–Paleocene age.     

Delving into three-dimensional structure of the West Luzon Eddy in a regional ocean model

The three-dimensional structure and associated dynamics of the prominent cold (cyclonic) West Luzon Eddy (WLE) were investigated by a high-resolution regional ocean model. The WLE was horizontally and vertically heterogeneous, exhibiting asymmetric structures in the circulation, vorticity, vertical motion and energy distributions within the eddy. The asymmetry was mainly attributed to the existence of an eddy dipole formed by a coexisting warm (anti-cyclonic) eddy to the south of the WLE. Analysis of the momentum balance revealed that the coexistence of two eddies intensified barotropic pressure gradients in the southern WLE to locally enhance the eastward jet. The positive (negative) vorticity of the jet strengthened (weakened) the eddy in the southern sector (periphery), which, together with the formation of a subsurface density front, intensified (suppressed) the corresponding upward motion and cooling. The baroclinic pressure gradients opposed the dominant barotropic components and spun down the eddy at greater depths with stronger weakening in the southern sector near the front. Asymmetric energy distributions showed that larger mean kinetic energy (MKE) and eddy available potential energy (EAPE) were stored in the southern sector of the WLE. While the larger MKE was directly linked with the stronger barotropic currents, the larger EAPE in the southern WLE was formed by baroclinic energy conversions due to a strong density gradient at the front.     

东海太平洋褶柔鱼角质颚的形态学分析

依据2010年9月及2011年5月、9月东海渔业资源底拖网调查采集的139尾(雌性66尾,雄性73尾)太平洋褶柔鱼(Todarodes pacificus)样本的胴长、体重和角质颚各部分的长度数据,分析了东海太平洋褶柔鱼角质颚的形态学特征。结果表明:(1)太平洋褶柔鱼角质颚上、下颚的喙长(RL)、头盖长(HL)、脊突长(CL)、翼长(WL)、翼宽(WW)等长度差异较大;(2)伴随RL的增长,HL、CL、WL、WW呈现极显著的异速生长特征(P<0.001);(3)各长度指标随胴长、体重的增长呈显著的线性增长趋势;(4)RL/CL、HL/CL的比值非常稳定,随胴长、体重的变化很小,可作为东海太平洋褶柔鱼角质颚形态特征的稳定指标。     

Last glacial terrestrial vegetation record of leaf wax n-alkanols in the northern South China Sea: Contrast to scenarios from long-chain n-alkanes

Long-chain n-alkanols and n-alkanes in core sediments from the northern South China Sea (SCS) were measured to make a comparison during terrestrial vegetation reconstruction from ~42 ka to ~7 ka. The results showed that terrestrial vegetation record from long-chain n-alkanes matched well with previous studies in nearby cores, showing that more C₄ plants developed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and C₃ plants dominated in the interglacial period. However, these scenarios were not revealed by terrestrial vegetation reconstruction using long-chain n-alkanols, which showed C₃ plant expansion during the LGM. The discrepancy during the interglacial period could be attributed to the aerobic degradation of functionalized long-chain n-alkanols in the oxygen-rich bottom water, resulting in poor preservation of terrestrial vegetation signals. On the other hand, the different advantages of functionalized n-alkanols and non-functional n-alkanes to record local and distal vegetation signals, respectively, may offer a potential explanation for the contradiction during the LGM when the SCS was characterized by low-oxygen deep water. Nevertheless, large variations on n-alkyl lipid compositions in C₃/C₄ plants could play a part in modulating sedimentary long-chain n-alkanols and n-alkanes toward different vegetation signals, thereby suggesting that caution must be taken in respect to the terrestrial vegetation reconstruction using long-chain n-alkanes and long-chain n-alkanols.