Resource partitioning by two large planktivorous fishes Micromesistius australis and Macruronus magellanicus in the Southwest Atlantic

The ontogenetic, seasonal, bathymetric and regional variations in the feeding spectrum of 922 specimens of southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis and 512 specimens of hoki Macruronus magellanicus were studied on the Falkland Islands’ shelf (Southwest Atlantic) between November 1999 and April 2003. A total of 49 different prey items were found in the stomach contents of the two species, with the hyperiid Themisto gaudichaudii and Euphausiacea being amongst the most important prey. Although the species composition did not change over fish size, the proportions of individual prey items in their diets did, with an increase in T. gaudichaudii and Euphausiacea with increasing fish size in southern blue whiting. The opposite occurred in hoki. Seasonal variations in the diet were found to mirror the seasonal abundance of prey around the Falkland Islands for the two species. Intra-specific differences in the diet of both predators reflected the distribution of prey, which in turn was determined by the water structure in the two regions sampled, leading to very different diets. In the limited time that the two species occupied the same space there was little or no competition resulting in almost total segregation of their trophic niches in space and time.     

Growth of red gurnard (Teleostei: Triglidae) from Pegasus bay,Canterbury, New Zealand

Growth of the red gurnard, Chelidonichthys kumu (Lesson and Garnot), from Pegasus Bay, Canterbury, was measured during 1966–67. Otoliths were used as an indicator of fish growth; mean length‐at‐age data were obtained from back‐calculated fish lengths at the time of formation of successive annual rings in the otoliths. Growth in length was found to be adequately expressed by the von Bertalanffy growth equation :

l_t = 52.0 [1 ‐ e‐^{0.406 (t‐o.291)}]

(where l_t is the fork length in cm at age t). The length: weight relationship was:

w = 78.56 × 10^‐4 l ^3.072

(where w is the weight in grams). From this relationship, growth in weight was described by the equation:

w_t = 1469 [1 ‐ e‐0.406 (t‐0.291)]³.     

Esterase activities and lipid peroxidation levels in offshore commercial species of the NW Mediterranean Sea

There is a lack of information on monitoring neurotoxicity in offshore commercial species. To help fill this gap, we sampled hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in fishing grounds off the coast of l’Ametlla de Mar (NW Mediterranean) in June 2005 at a depth of 100 m and 400 m. Additionally, at 400 m depth, two other fish species, Micromesistius poutassou and Phycis blennoides were included. Neurotoxicity markers such as Colinesterases (ChEs), namely acethyl- (AChE), butyryl- (BChE), propionyl- (PrChE) and carboxilesterase (CbE) were measured in muscle. Lipid peroxidation (LP), a marker of oxidative damage, was also included. The results are discussed in relation to the animal’s sex, size and fishing depth. A comparison of esterases and LP levels between muscle and liver of hake and between muscle and hepatopancreas of Norway Lobster was made.

AChE was dominant in muscle and CbE in hepatopancreas. No differences between fish species were seen for AChE. However, N. norvegicus, presented lower levels of ChEs and LP. A size-dependence in ChEs was seen for M. merluccius, with larger animals showing significantly lower activities (p < 0.05). Sex-dependence was seen in N. norvegicus for most esterases, except AChE, with males displaying higher activities (p < 0.05). A sampling-depth effect was also seen in the crustacea, with animals from 100 m generally presenting lower esterase activities and higher LP levels.     

几种鳕鱼的生物学初步研究

本文在调查与校核资料的基础上，报告了狭鳕（Theragra chalcogramma)、蓝鳕（Micromesistius poutassou)、远东宽突鳕（Eleginus gracilis)、大西洋鳕（Gadus morhua)、太平洋鳕（Gadus macrocephalus)和黑线鳕（Melanogrammus aeglefinus)等六种经济鳕雪类分类地位、区系性质与分布。并对上述鳕雪主要形态特征进行了详细的描述，建立了狭鳕等五种鳕鱼体长与总重关系式，以期找出各鱼种的生长发育规律。     

The food and feeding of seven fish species from the Campbell Plateau,New Zealand

The food and feeding habits of hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae), southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis), javelin fish (Lepi‐dorhynchus denticulatus), ling (Genypterus blacodes), smooth rattail (Coelorinchus aspercephalus), silverside (Argentina elongata), and small‐scaled notothenid (Notothenia microlepidota) sampled from the Campbell Plateau in 1979 were examined. The importance of prey items in the diet has been assessed by an ‘index of relative importance’, which combines measurements of frequency of occurrence, number, and weight of prey. Hoki, southern blue whiting, and javelin fish are pelagic feeders. Hoki preyed largely on natant decapod crustaceans, amphipods, and myctophid and photichthyid fishes. The main prey of southern blue whiting were amphipods, natant decapods, and euphausiids. Javelin fish fed on natant decapods, amphipods, and small squid. Seasonal and regional differences in feeding, and dietary changes with length of fish were evident. Ling, smooth rattail, silverside, and small‐scaled notothenid are predominantly benthic feeders. Ling preyed on natant decapods, macrourid fishes, and small hoki. The diet of rattail comprised natant decapod crustaceans, opal fishes (Hemerocoetes spp.), and poly‐chaetes. Silverside fed almost solely on salps. Salps, amphipods, brachyuran crustaceans, and opal fishes were the main prey of small‐scaled notothenid.     

Genetic differentiation between the New Zealand and Falkland Islands populations of southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis

The southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis (Norman, 1937) is found in two geographically distinct areas, the South Atlantic and south‐west Pacific Oceans. To date there has been no appraisal of the genetic relationships between the populations in these two areas. Here, we present analyses of New Zealand and Falkland southern blue whiting using mini‐ and microsatellite loci. Two out of six loci show highly significant allele frequency heterogeneities between the two areas, strongly suggesting genetically distinct populations.     

四种鳕鱼的形态学研究

本文对蓝鳕 (Micromesistius poutassou)、远东宽突鳕 (Eleginusgracilis)、大西洋鳕(Gadusmorhua)和太平洋鳕 (G. macrocephalus)等 4种经济鳕鱼类进行了细致的观察 ,对其分节及量度特征进行了测定分析 ,发现所测数据与国内外资料存在一些差异 ;并补充描述了各种的鼻孔、牙齿等形态特征。统计检验表明 :蓝鳕的第 1臀鳍鳍条数、鳃耙数与其他鳕鱼存在显著差异 ;远东宽突鳕的脊椎骨数与其他鳕鱼存在显著差异 ;大西洋鳕和太平洋鳕在上述性状上的差异不明显 ,但 2者的体色有明显差异。从形态特征聚类分析图得知宽突鳕属与鳕属亲缘关系近 ,而蓝鳕属与鳕属亲缘关系远。