The interaction of temperature and fish size on growth of juvenile turbot

Growth rate of tagged juvenile turbot was significantly influenced by the interaction of temperature and fish size. The results suggest the optimum temperature for growth of juvenile turbot in the size range 25–75 g is between 16 and 19°C. Optimal temperature for growth decreased rapidly with increasing size, and is between 13 and 16°C for 100 g turbot. Although individual growth rates varied highly at all times within the temperature treatments, significant size rank correlations were maintained during the experimental period. The study confirms that turbot exhibit ontogenetic variation in temperature optimum, which might partly explain different spatial distribution of juvenile and adult turbot in ocean waters.     

查谟-克什米尔地区查谟后西瓦立克沉积中的亚洲象化石(英文)

描述了一件象属( Elephas) 的右上臼齿化石。标本产自查谟紧靠上西瓦立克亚群巨砾岩组( Boulder Conglomerate Formation) 之上的砂质、粉砂质泥岩夹砾石层中,化石地点位于查谟市南10 km,Kharian 村北约500 m 处。根据齿板数、齿脊频率、釉质层厚度、冠高指数、绝对大小和齿长/齿高指数等牙齿形态参数,暂时将之归为 Elephas cf. E. maximus indicus。还简短讨论了象属的地理分布和地质时代。     

Highways are a threat for giant armadillos that underpasses can mitigate

We report 24 records of giant armadillo roadkill on Brazilian highways in the Cerrado, Pantanal and Amazon biomes illustrating that highways are a threat to this species. However, we also documented the species using underpasses, demonstrating that these structures could help to reduce the risk of roadkill for giant armadillos.     

Population genetic structure of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L., 1758) in the Black Sea

Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus, is a commercially important demersal flatfish species distributed throughout the Black Sea. Several studies performed locally with a limited number of specimens using both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite markers evidenced notable genetic variation among populations. However, comprehensive population genetic studies are required to help management of the species in the Black Sea. In the present study eight microsatellite loci were used to resolve the population structure of 414 turbot samples collected from 12 sites across the Black Sea. Moreover, two mtDNA genes, COI and Cyt-b, were used for taxonomic identification. Microsatellite markers of Smax-04 and B12-I GT14 were excluded from analysis due to scoring issues. Data analysis was performed with the remaining six loci. Loci were highly polymorphic (average of 17.8 alleles per locus), indicating high genetic variability. Locus 3/20CA17, with high null allele frequency (>30%), significantly deviated from HW equilibrium. Pairwise comparison of the F_ST index showed significant differences between most of the surveyed sampling sites (P < 0.01). Cluster analysis evidenced the presence of three genetic groups among sampling sites. Significant genetic differentiation between Northern (Sea of Azov and Crimea) and Southern (Turkish Black Sea Coast) Black Sea sampling sites were detected. The Mantel test supported an isolation by distance model of population structure. These findings are vital for long-term sustainable management of the species and development of conservation programs. Moreover, generated mtDNA sequences would be useful for the establishment of a database for S. maximus.     

Why inter‐country loans will not help sumatra's elephants

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in western zoos are likely to become extinct unless elephants are regrouped into breeding units or additional elephants are imported from range States. There have been proposals for the export of elephants from elephant camps in Sumatra, Indonesia. In exchange, zoos would be expected to provide funds or support ‘in kind’ for the camps or for the conservation of wild elephants. Most of the elephants in the Sumatran camps were captured because of crop‐raiding problems around protected areas or because elephant habitat has been and continues to be lost to development schemes and illegal conversion of protected areas to agriculture. Capture‐related mortality rates are high and conditions in the camps are poor, with low standards of veterinary care and husbandry. This is partly due to over‐crowding and inadequate budgets. It might seem, therefore, that the loan of elephants to western zoos would improve the lot of these elephants and reduce the pressures on the camps. However, we show that both total and annual demand for Asian elephants, and particularly Sumatran elephants (E. m. sumatranus), by western zoos are low, and consequently the resources generated by any loan scheme would be limited. Elephant loan schemes are unlikely to have significant beneficial impact on either the conservation or welfare of elephants in Sumatra. More importantly, a credible loan scheme would require a permanent moratorium on the capture of wild elephants in Sumatra. Such a moratorium is needed to prevent illicit captures for sale or loan. At present, wild elephants are caught to replace those that die at the camps or are moved to other facilities. Without a moratorium, the loan of elephants to overseas zoos would contribute directly to reductions in wild elephant populations in Sumatra. However, a moratorium is likely to prove impossible to enforce, and this alone should call into question the desirability of any loan scheme. Zoo Biol 25:235–246, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Survival estimates for Royal Terns in southern California

ABSTRACT.   Once the most abundant large tern in California, populations of Royal Terns ( Thalasseus maximus ) are now greatly reduced statewide. However, these terns are still common in southern California where the population appears to be increasing. We estimated survival of this species, for which no robust estimate of survival is available, using mark-resighting data. Apparent survival of birds >3 yr of age was estimated to be ∼0.95; first-year survival was lower at 0.86. The lower survival estimate for first-year birds probably reflects increased mortality, but could also be a function of permanent emigration by individuals in this age class. The adult survival probability is the highest reported among terns and suggests that survival is playing an important role in the recovery of this tern population and that the current population growth is not solely due to immigration. Improvements in resighting protocols, marking technology, and mark-recapture methods are recommended to better use live resighting, dead recovery, and multistate data.     

养殖大菱鲆溃疡症病原菌的分离鉴定及系统发育分析

2004年夏季山东海阳一带养殖大菱鲆(Scophthalmus maximusL.)暴发溃疡病。症状主要表现为体表病灶部位出血、肌肉溃烂、眼球凸出等,解剖可见鳃丝贫血,肝脏充血,肾脏和胆囊肿大,肠壁充血并呈透明状,从出现发病症状起,大约一周后开始出现死亡。从病鱼体表溃疡部位及内脏分离出优势菌并命名为H1,经人工感染证实H1即为引起本次养殖大菱鲆体表溃疡症的病原菌。对病原菌进行鉴定揭示该菌革兰氏染色阴性,菌体呈短杆状,极生单鞭毛。综合该菌在形态、生理生化、API20NE与API20E自动鉴定结果、16S rDNA同源性等方面的特性,确认H1为哈维氏弧菌(Vibrio harveyi),该菌对呋喃妥因、菌必治等多种抗生素敏感。哈维氏弧菌是海水养殖鱼类的常见致病菌,但作为养殖大菱鲆的病原菌属首次报道。     

大菱鲆肌肉组织中的基因差异表达与体长性状的相关性研究

为了揭示出一些影响鱼类生长发育速度方面的遗传信息,本文应用mRNA差异显示技术,以同一批受精卵孵化的同池养殖的两组大菱鲆鱼为试验材料,检测了在相同生长发育条件下两组体长相差悬殊的3月龄大菱鲆肌肉组织的基因差异表达。结果：18对引物组合共显示出723条带,其中有527条带能够重现,差异显示条带的重现率为72.89%;在527条稳定的条带中有21条为差异带,其余506条为共有带（96.02%）。21条差异表达条带中有16条（3.04%）为阳性差异表达cDNA片段。这些差异表达cDNA片段的存在,说明体长差异悬殊的两组大菱鲆之间存在基因表达上的差异。试验结果对于进一步分析各种差异表达基因与大菱鲆的生长性状之间的相关关系奠定了基础;为深入研究大菱鲆的生长发育性状的分子遗传机制奠定了基础。     

Activation training facilitates gluteus maximus recruitment during weight-bearing strengthening exercises

Given its tri-planar action at the hip, strengthening of gluteus maximus (GMAX) has been advocated as part of rehabilitation and injury prevention protocols for various musculoskeletal conditions. However, recruitment of GMAX during weight-bearing strengthening exercises can be challenging owing to the muscular redundancy at the hip for a given joint motion. The current study sought to determine if a 1-week activation program could result in greater GMAX recruitment during functional strengthening exercises. Pre- and post-training surface electromyography were collected from 12 healthy participants as they performed double- and single-leg squats. Between testing sessions, participants completed a GMAX activation training program consisting of isometric exercises with band resistance (twice per day for 7 days). Following the 1-week activation program, GMAX recruitment was found to increase by 57% during the double-leg squat (p = 0.005, Cohen’s r = 0.73) and 53% during the single-leg squat (p = 0.006, Cohen’s r = 0.70). Implementation of an initial GMAX activation program should be considered to facilitate neuromuscular adaptations that facilitate utilization of GMAX during hip strengthening exercises.