Surficial Hydrocarbon Seep Infauna from the Blake Ridge (Atlantic Ocean, 2150 m) and the Gulf of Mexico (690–2240 m)

Abstract.  Infauna, including foraminifera and metazoans, were enumerated and identified from five types of seep habitats and two adjacent non-seep habitats. Collections were made with the deep submergence research vessel 'Alvin' from three areas of active seepage in the Gulf of Mexico (Alaminos Canyon [2220 m], Atwater Canyon [1930 m], and Green Canyon lease block 272 [700 m]) and on the Blake Ridge Diapir [2250 m], which is located off the southeastern coast of the United States. The seep habitats sampled included four types of microbial mats ( Beggiatoa , Thioploca , thin and thick Arcobacter ) and the periphery of a large mussel bed. Sediments under large rhizopod protists, xenophyophores, were sampled adjacent to the mussel bed periphery. A non-seep site, which was >1 km away from active seeps, was also sampled for comparison. Densities of most taxa were higher in the Gulf of Mexico seeps than in Blake Ridge samples, largely because densities in the thick microbial mats of Blake Ridge were significantly lower. Diversity was higher in the Thioploca mats compared to other microbial-mat types. Within an ocean basin ( i.e. , Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico) we did not observe significant differences in meiofaunal or macrofaunal composition in Beggiatoa versus Thioploca mats or thin versus thick Arcobacter mats. Foraminifera represented up to 16% of the seep community, a proportion that is comparable to their contribution at adjacent non-seep communities. In general, the observed densities and taxonomic composition of seep sites at the genus level was consistent with previous observations from seeps ( e.g. , the foraminifers Bolivina and Fursenkoina , the dorvilleid polychaete Ophryotrocha ).     

The correlation between macroscopic algae and metazoans in the Ediacaran: a case study on the Wenghui biota in northeastern Guizhou,South China

After the Marinoan glaciation, macroscopic organisms thrived in the Yangtze Sea, South China, during the Ediacaran period. The Wenghui biota, which is found from the upper Doushantuo Formation black shales (>551 Ma) in northeastern Guizhou, South China, includes macroscopic algae, metazoans and ichnofossils. Most macroalgae in the Wenghui biota bear a holdfast to secure them onto seafloor and have a thallus of various lengths extending into the water column. This biota can be divided into Globusphyton, Sectoralga–Longifuniculum, Cucullus, Beltanelliformis and Baculiphyca–Gesinella assemblages. A fossil-barren interval containing a thin layer of feldspathic sandstone separates the macroscopic organisms into two distinct parts. From the Globusphyton assemblage through the Sectoralga–Longifuniculum assemblage to the Cucullus assemblage, metazoans show a positive correlation with the abundance and diversity of branching macroalgae at both metre and millimetre scales. Nevertheless, both Beltanelliformis and Baculiphyca–Gesinella assemblages, in which the number and diversity of macroscopic algae and metazoans, especially the shorter branching macroalgae, are obviously decreasing or even lacking, might be related to a special environment and a fragile ecosystem. In addition, the ratios of Ni/Co, U/Th and V/(V + Ni) display zigzagged profiles at millimetre scales indicating frequent redox fluctuations. Variations in macrofossils and trace elements at both millimetre and metre scales indicate that the oxygen content in the northeast Guizhou Sea fluctuated frequently during the middle–late Ediacaran period and the Wenghui biota possibly lived in the redox buffering zone. Moreover, the abundance and diversity of macroalgae, especially the branching macroalgae, could have significantly influenced the redox conditions in water column. The increase in oxygen may have improved the environment for the growth and reproduction of macroalgae and metazoans.     

Parasites of the deep-sea fish Mora moro () from the NW Mediterranean Sea and relationship with fish diet and enzymatic biomarkers

Specimens of Mora moro were collected in two seasons and three localities of the Balearic Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea) and parasitological, dietary (to prey-species level), enzymatic and histological data were obtained, alongside with environmental information (T, S, O₂). The relationships among fish parasite load, condition indices, diet, enzymatic activity of muscular acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), intensity of splenic melano-macrophage centres (MMC) and hepatic granulomas were tested. M. moro showed a rich and abundant parasite fauna, and was a new host record for 17 out of the 18 different endoparasite taxa found. Significant differences were detected among locality-season groups, in turn related to different environmental variables, for Anisakidae gen. sp., Anisakis Type II and Tetraphyllidea fam. gen. sp.; thus, they are proposed as potentially useful as biological tags for geographical discrimination of M. moro in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Detailed relationships were found between parasite taxa and prey ingested (e.g. Anisakidae gen. sp. related with meso-bathypelagic crustaceans; Anisakis Type I with benthopelagic squids). Most parasites were linked to samples with highest levels of near-bottom O₂, which is consistent with direct relationships found between near-bottom O₂ and zooplankton biomass in the Balearic Basin. Total parasite abundance and the abundance of Tetraphyllidea fam. gen. sp. showed a significant relationship with the activity of AChE and the abundance of Anisakis Type II with LDH. AChE was associated with hepatosomatic index (HSI) and condition factor (K); LDH with gonadosomatic index (GSI), K and fish total length (TL). LDH activity showed differences among sampling groups. Splenic MMC and hepatic granulomas were not associated with fish parasite load. A positive relationship was found between MMC area and fish TL and LDH activity.     

Seasonal variation of Caligus rotundigenitalis infestation on the host fish Etroplus suratensis from the Cochin Backwaters,southwest coast of India

Investigation of four edible fishes(Etroplus suratensis, Oreochromis mossambicus, Lates calcarifer, Chanos chanos)collected from a fish landing center along Cochin Backwaters has done for caligid infestation. Of these, caligids were detected only from Etroplus suratensis and was identified to be Caligus rotundigenitalis. Parasites were attached to the inner side of operculum of host which indicates strong site preference. The annual observation of prevalence, mean intensity and abundance were fo...     

Moina sp. (cladocera: Daphnidae) in a sewage plant,wellington (note)

An unidentified species of the genus Moina was found in a Pasveer sewage treatment plant at Glensiide, Wellington; it is described and illustrated. A survey of the literature shows that this is probably the first published record of the genus in New Zealand (M. lemnae, previously recorded, has since been tentatively referred to the genus Pseudomoina); sewage ponds in India and South Africa have yielded M. dubia.     

Distribution of helminths in the digestive tracts of New Zealand freshwater eels

The distributions of the nematode parasites Paraquimperia sp., Spirocamallanus sp., and Cucullanus sp. in the intestines and recta of Anguilla dieffenbachii and A. australis from Lake Ellesmere and the South Branch of the Waimakariri River were studied over two years. Peak occurrence of Paraquimperia was in the anterior intestine of A. australis and mid intestine of A. dieffenbachii. Male and female Spirocamallanus sp. established in the mid intestine, but as female worms grew they attached more anteriorly and thus maintained the mid body in the mid intestine, prevented the tail end entering the rectum, and maintained the vulvae close to male worms. Cucullanus sp. was most often found in the mid intestine, but occurred throughout the intestine, possibly because of migration with food. Paraquimperia and Spirocamallanus extended their range with crowding; Cucullanus increased in density in the mid intestine. Posteriad movement, with or without subsequent evacuation, was a general feature of all species in both hosts, held live or examined after death. Chilling and freezing slowed or arrested loss from dead hosts. Larger worms (Spirocamallanus sp.) moved and were lost more rapidly than small worms (Paraquimperia sp.); worm loss was more rapid from A. dieffenbachii than from A. australis.     

天津蓟县高于庄组(约1 450 Ma)遗迹化石的新发现

首次发现于蓟县高于庄组(约1450Ma)的遗迹化石Spirelluchnum(ichnogen．nov．)是垂直层面的螺旋型潜穴,穴深3～35cm,最大宽度为3cm。化石产于岩层内,呈规则的顺时针螺旋体,颜色比围岩深,随着围岩新鲜程度的增加,二者反差变小。这些特征表明该化石为后生动物的遗迹。距今约14．5亿年前动物遗迹化石的发现,有可能使后生动物出现的时间推前8～9亿年,同时为后生动物的起源和进化提供可靠的化石证据。     

Comparison of the ectosymbionts and parasites of an introduced crab,Charybdis japonica,with sympatric and allopatric populations of a native New Zealand crab,Ovalipes catharus (Brachyura: Portunidae)

The success of biological invaders is often attributed to escape from specialist enemies in their natural range, such as predators and parasites. For enemy escape to have direct consequences in competitive interactions, invaders need to be less vulnerable to enemies than native competitors in the region they invade, but first the presence of these enemies must be established. We investigated the macroparasite and ectosymbiont fauna of the recently introduced portunid crab Charybdis japonica, and compared it with sympatric and allopatric populations of the native New Zealand portunid, Ovalipes catharus. A total of 468 crabs (350 O. catharus and 118 C. japonica) were collected from six harbours throughout New Zealand (Whangarei, Waitemata, Nelson, Lyttelton, Dunedin, and Bluff) and the identity, incidence and prevalence of ectosymbionts and parasites were compared among the different populations. Charybdis japonica and O. catharus harboured different ectosymbionts. Serpulid polychaete tubes occurred on the exoskeleton of 85.4% of C. japonica examined, but were absent from O. catharus. The bryozoan, Triticella capsularis occurred on 97.4% of O. catharus but was not found on C. japonica. Few endoparasites were present in either species. An unidentified juvenile ascaridoid nematode occurred in the hindgut of 5.9% of C. japonica, but was not found in sympatric populations of O. catharus. A second, unidentified species of ascaridoid nematode occurred in 7.1% of O. catharus from Nelson, but was not present in specimens from the five other harbours sampled. Melanised lesions were observed in the muscle tissue of almost half (46.6%) of the C. japonica examined. Histological examination showed these to be of two types: (1) spherical bodies resembling melanised trematode metacercariae; and (2) lesions consistent with wound repair. Lesions were not observed in O. catharus. Although the identity of parasites and epibionts carried by each species differed, both C. japonica and O. catharus had relatively low parasite species richness. We could not test whether the introduced portunid, C. japonica, is any less vulnerable to parasite enemies than the New Zealand portunid, O. catharus.