Pleistocene Ross seal (ommatophoca Rossi) from New Zealand (note)

A fossil seal jaw from the Early Pleistocene (Wanganui Series; Hautawan Stage) of Napier, New Zealand, is identified as that of an Ommatophoca rossi juvenile of less than 1.8 m body length.     

Factors controlling the entrance cross‐sectional areas of four inlets (note)

The frequent occurrence of swell in the entrance to Wellington, Lyttelton, and Akaroa Harbours, coupled with the small littoral drift of sediment on adjacent rocky coastlines, appears to promote development of larger entrances than those associated with tidal control in unconsolidated sediment. In contrast to these three harbours, tidally controlled entrances have either bars or banks that protect them from severe swell and act as bypasses to the littoral drift of sediment.

The entrance to Paterson Inlet lies on a coast with little sediment transport and further protection from sediment influx is provided by islands located at its entrance.     

Energy contents of some New Zealand freshwater animals

Energy contents of several freshwater animal species collected from Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury, were determined by bomb calorimetry. Values are shown to vary seasonally and between size classes. Because of this variability the use of a single energy value of an organism in an energetics study is not recommended.