On nine-spined sticklebacks of the genus Pungitius (Gasterosteiformes) of Lake Bol’shoe (Bol’shoi Shantar Island, Shantar Islands)

Specific features of morphology and biology of two species of nine-spined sticklebacks??Pungitius sinensis and P. pungitius??dwelling in brackish Lake Bol??shoe (Bol??shoi Shantar Island) have been studied. Differences in the number of dorsal spines, vertebrae, and coloration, as well as the absence of specimens with an intermediate phenotype indicate the reproductive isolation of two species supported by the temporal separation of spawning periods. Species P. pungitius was found in Lake Bol??shoe for the first time.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of the marine-teleost parasitizing acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus hexagrammi (Syndermata: Palaeacanthocephala) from a new host,Liparis sp. (Actinopterygii: Scorpaeniformes)

Originally described from the masked greenling Hexagrammos octogrammus (Pallas, 1814), the palaeacanthocephalan Echinorhynchus hexagrammi Baeva, 1965 has so far been known from seven species in six families of marine teleosts distributed in the Sea of Okhotsk off Sakhalin and in the Northwestern Pacific off Hokkaido, Japan. In this study, we examined the phylogenetic position of E. hexagrammi based on material obtained from the intestine of an unidentified snailfish, Liparis sp., dredged in Akkeshi Bay, Hokkaido, Japan. We performed an analysis using two gene markers, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and the nuclear 28S rRNA, along with other sequences available in public databases. In the resulting tree, E. hexagrammi was more closely related to two species complexes, the E. bothniensis Zdzitowiecki and Valtonen, 1987 complex and the E. gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776 complex, rather than to E. brayi Wayland, Sommerville, and Gibson, 1999, E. cinctulus (Porta, 1905), E. salmonis Müller, 1784, and E. truttae Schrank, 1788. The morphology of the examined material herein identified as E. hexagrammi is briefly described. This study represents the first host record of E. hexagrammi from the snailfish family Liparidae.     

Feeding ecology of dominant groundfish in the northern Bering Sea

We investigated current diets of the six most abundant benthic fish in the northern Bering Sea. Our objective was to explore feeding strategies and potential competition with other top predators as ecosystem changes occur in the northern Bering Sea ecosystem. Our approach used stomach content data collected from field sampling during spring 2006 and 2007. Calanoid copepods and ampeliscid amphipods were important prey of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) but in different proportions depending upon fish size, feeding location, and local environmental conditions. Snailfish (Liparidae) occupied a broad niche and fed on a variety of benthic amphipods. Arctic alligatorfish (Ulcina olrikii) and Arctic staghorn sculpin (Gymnocanthus tricuspis) consumed ampeliscid amphipods predominantly. Shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) had a less-diverse diet, with snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) most important by weight. Finally, all Bering flounder (Hippoglossoides robustus) sampled had empty stomachs. Our results indicate that ampeliscid amphipods, which have high biomass in the central region of the northern Bering Sea, are the most important prey for the dominant groundfish in the Chirikov Basin. Generally, all dominant benthic fish in the northern Bering Sea had narrow feeding niches, except snailfish. High diet overlap was found among many of the fish species, including Arctic cod and snailfish, snailfish and Arctic alligatorfish, and Arctic alligatorfish and Arctic staghorn sculpin. These findings are consistent with a relatively short food chain for benthic fish that are for the most part specialized feeders with narrow preferences for food and may be affected by changes in benthic prey distributions.     

Type I Antifreeze Proteins: Possible Origins from Chorion and Keratin Genes in Atlantic Snailfish

Type I antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are alanine-rich α-helical polypeptides found in some species of right-eye flounders, sculpin, and snailfish. In this study, a shorthorn sculpin skin type I cDNA clone was used to probe an Atlantic snailfish liver cDNA library in order to locate expressed genes corresponding to snailfish plasma AFPs. Clones isolated from the cDNA library had sections with substantial amino acid and nucleotide sequence similarity to snailfish type I AFPs. However, further analysis revealed that the positives were actually three different liver-expressed proteins—two were eggshell proteins, while the third was a type II keratin. We propose that a shift in reading frame could produce alanine-rich candidate AFPs with possible antifreeze activity or ice crystal modification properties. Furthermore, it is plausible that one or more of the liver-expressed proteins represent the progenitors of snailfish type I AFPs. [Reviewing Editor: Dr. John Oakeshott]     

黄海中南部细纹狮子鱼的生物学特征及资源分布的季节变化

根据2009年7—8月、10月和2010年1月、5月黄海中南部渔业生物底拖网调查数据,对该海域细纹狮子鱼的生物学特征及其分布的季节变化作了分析。结果表明,细纹狮子鱼平均体长和平均体重从春季(4.7 cm、3.3 g)到冬季(34.2 cm、764.9 g)呈显著增加,并且雄性个体平均体长显著大于雌性个体(P<0.05,春季除外)。性比(♀∶♂)随体长组和季节变化,体长越大趋向于雄性,反之趋向于雌性;夏季雄鱼居多(0.70∶1,P<0.05),秋季则为雌鱼居多(1.35∶1,P<0.05),而冬季(产卵群体)和春季性比接近于1∶1。细纹狮子鱼各季节摄食等级均在2.5以上,冬季雄性个体摄食等级显著大于雌性个体(P<0.05),但雄性个体肥满度为全年最低(1.52)。细纹狮子鱼相对资源量和贡献率从春季(0.17 kg/h,1.54%)到秋季(15.36 kg/h,33.05%)呈上升状态,而冬季(2.37 kg/h,5.60%)有所下降。相比2000年,夏秋季相对渔获量和贡献率提高明显。全年集中分布于7.8—13.6℃,3.20%—3.38%的水域,平均体重和水深有显著的相关性(秋季除外)。另外,根据性成熟个体分布区和稚幼鱼分布的相关历史资料分析发现,除海州湾外,黄海中部深水区可能是细纹狮子鱼的产卵场。     

Parasalmo mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) (Salmoniformes: Salmonidae) from the Shantar Islands: Population structure and phenetic and genetic diversity

This paper deals with the biological characteristics of the mykizha Parasalmo mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) from the Shantar Islands. On Bolshoi Shantar Island, P. mykiss inhabits only the Olenya and Srednyaya rivers out of the six rivers that have been investigated. Based on the scale structure, three phenotypes with different life-history patterns were distinguished: riverine, riverine estuarine, and estuarine. Data on distribution, size and age composition, and feeding are provided. The external body morphology and the structure of the skull bones of P. mykiss are analyzed. The phenetic relationships are examined based on the analyses of external body morphology, skull morphology, and population genetics. The origin and status of Shantarian P. mykiss are discussed.     

A new species of Careproctus (Cottoidei: Liparidae) from the Sea of Okhotsk and a redescription of the blacktip snailfish Careproctus zachirus

Ichthyological Research - A new snailfish, Careproctus shigemii, is described on the basis of three specimens collected in the southern Sea of Okhotsk, off Hokkaido, Japan. The new species has...     

New species of the genus Careproctus (Liparidae) from the Kara Sea with notes on spongiophilia,reproductive commensalism between fishes and sponges (Rossellidae)

A new species of the family Liparidae, fulvous snailfish Careproctus fulvus sp. n., is described from the Novaya Zemlya Depression of the Kara Sea at a depth between 190 and 414 m. The species belongs to the group of slit-eyed Careproctus (longitudinally oval pupil, elongated lower lobe of the pectoral fin, and large urogenital papilla). The representatives of the species are characterized by fulvous coloration with orange spots, deep body, small teeth, and three radials in the pectoral girdle. The eggs are deposited into glass sponges Schaudinnia rosea (Rossellidae). Valvatophilia (commensalism with bivalves) and carcinophilia (reproductive commensalism with crab-like decapod crustaceans of the family Lithodidae) have been registered in the family Liparidae before, but spongiophilia are described for the first time. Egg deposition into glass sponges (Rossellidae) is known also for cod icefishes (Nototheniidae) from Antarctic waters. Reproductive commensalism between the representatives of the family Liparidae in the Arctic, the species of the family Nototheniidae in the Antarctic, and glass sponges represents a new finding of bionomic bipolarity (independent appearance of similar adaptations in unrelated groups of fishes in two polar regions of the earth). Based on the ecologo-ethological classification of fish reproduction, brood hiding Careproctus species belong to ostracophils, a group of fishes deposited the eggs into live animals.     

Isolation and characterization of type I antifreeze proteins from Atlantic snailfish (Liparis atlanticus) and dusky snailfish (Liparis gibbus).

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were isolated from the blood plasma of Atlantic snailfish Liparis atlanticus and dusky snailfish Liparis gibbus, which belong to the Teleost family Cyclopteridae, a close relative of sculpins. Using a combination of gel filtration chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC, proteins were purified to individual peaks. Atlantic snailfish plasma contained two different proteins (MW=9344, 9415) while dusky snailfish plasma contained five protein isoforms (MW=9514-9814), as determined by mass spectrometry. Further characterization revealed that these proteins are rich in alanine (>50 mol%), and have alpha-helical secondary structure that can undergo reversible thermal denaturation. Thermal hysteresis activities of these proteins were similar to each other but lower than the major type I AFPs from winter flounder. Results of this study have indicated that although the AFPs from snailfish are significantly larger than previously described type I AFPs, they share enough characteristics to be classified in this group.     

Age/size relations and food of two snailfishes,Liparis gibbus and Careproctus reinhardii (Teleostei,Liparididae) from Spitsbergen coastal waters

Summary The snailfish family Liparididae was well represented in bottom trawl hauls (205–370 m) from the Spitsbergen area, with Liparis gibbus being the dominant species. Careproctus reinhardti was less numerous. The present paper is based on 539 specimens of C. gibbus (size range 6–25cm) and 120 specimens of L. reinhardti (size range 5–26 cm). Both species showed a rather similar size and age distribution. The stomach contents reveal that both snailfish species feed both benthically and pelagically. Crustaceans, especially amphipods and decapods, were the most common prey items. With increasing size of the fish, the decapod Pandalus borealis becomes more important, particularly for L. gibbus. Juvenile Liparis (1.3–4.3 cm in length) were found pelagically (35–200 m), and their diet mainly consisted of copepods and young hyperiid amphipods.     

Specific features of distribution,ecology, and dynamics of catches of blotched snailfish Crystallichthys mirabilis (Liparidae) in Pacific waters off the northern Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka

Based on materials of 1992–2002, data on the spatial-bathymetric distribution and size-age composition of blotched snailfish Crystallichthys mirabilis and species accompanying it in catches in Pacific waters off the northern Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka are presented. This relatively large representative of the family Liparidae (maximum length in catches 50 cm, body weight 2150 g) is found throughout the examined area in the depth interval of 76–755 m at near-bottom temperature of ?1.2 to +4.2°C. Maximum catches (over 200–500 individuals or 180–280 kg per hour trawling) year round are recorded off the southeastern extremity of Kamchatka, from the oceanic side of the Shumshu and Paramushir islands and on the beam of the Fourth Kuril Strait in the bathymetric range of 151–350 m. The magnitude of its catches in the examined area is subjected to interannual, seasonal, and diurnal dynamics.     

A Record of the Cubed Snailfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liparis tessellatus</Emphasis> (Pisces: Liparidae), in Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan

A specimen of the cubed snailfish, Liparis tessellatus was captured in Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. The capture of L. tessellatus from this area a century after the first record is evidence that at present this species still inhabits Peter the Great Bay.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Biologiya Morya, Sokolovskii, Sokolovskaya.     

Feeding of the Snailfish Careproctus roseofuscus in Pacific Waters of the Northern Kuril Islands and Southeastern Kamchatka

The paper describes the feeding of two phenotypically different forms of the snailfish Careproctus roseofuscus (Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae) from the Pacific waters of the northern Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka. The diet in the first form is comprised of actiniae. The second form mostly feeds on fish eggs and the amphipod Metopa majuscula Gurjanova. The second form is supposed to be confined to the biocenosis of Ophiopholis aculeata + Spongia.     

青岛近岸水域春、秋季鱼类群落结构

根据2004年春、秋季渔业资源底拖网调查数据,应用单元和多元统计方法分析了青岛近岸水域春、秋季鱼类群落结构。春、秋季调查分别渔获31、32种鱼类,平均每网渔获量分别为7.36kg/h和2.99kg/h,优势种类主要包括赤鼻棱鳀Thrissa chefuensis、大泷六线鱼Hexagrammo sotakii、方氏云鳚Enedrias fangi、黄鳍刺鰕虎鱼Acanthogobius flavimanus、细纹狮子鱼Liparis tanakai和长条蛇鲻Saurida elongata等。聚类分析表明,春、秋季青岛近岸水域鱼类群落都可划分为3个站位组,分别对应于北部、中部和南部调查水域。不同站位组的优势种组成变化较大,不同站位组间种类组成差异显著。分析了造成站位组内种类组成相似的特征种和造成不同站位组间相异的分歧种。不同站位组的特征种不同。赤鼻棱鳀、大泷六线鱼、黄鳍刺鰕虎鱼、方氏云鳚、星康吉鳗Conger myriaster、角木叶鲽Pleuronichthys cornutus和细纹狮子鱼是春季所有站位组间的分歧种;赤鼻棱鳀、白姑鱼Argyrosomus argentatus、大泷六线鱼、带鱼Trichiurus lepturus、短吻红舌鳎Cynoglossus joyneri、方氏云鳚、细条天竺鱼Apogonichthys lineatus、小黄鱼Pseudosciaena polyactis和矛尾鰕虎鱼Chaeturichthys stigmatias是秋季所有站位组间的分歧种。大多数特征种也是不同站位组间的分歧种,主要是由于这些种类的数量分布的空间变化造成的。青岛沿海鱼类群落结构存在明显的时空异质性。     

Whole genome sequencing of a snailfish from the Yap Trench (~7,000 m) clarifies the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to the deep sea

Hadal environments (depths below 6,000 m) are characterized by extremely high hydrostatic pressures, low temperatures, a scarce food supply, and little light. The evolutionary adaptations that allow vertebrates to survive in this extreme environment are poorly understood. Here, we constructed a high-quality reference genome for Yap hadal snailfish (YHS), which was captured at a depth of ~7,000 m in the Yap Trench. The final YHS genome assembly was 731.75 Mb, with a contig N50 of 0.75 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 1.26 Mb. We predicted 24,329 protein-coding genes in the YHS genome, and 24,265 of these genes were successfully functionally annotated. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that YHS diverged from a Mariana Trench snailfish approximately 0.92 million years ago. Many genes associated with DNA repair show evidence of positive selection and have expanded copy numbers in the YHS genome, possibly helping to maintain the integrity of DNA under increased hydrostatic pressure. The levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a potent protein stabilizer, are much higher in the muscles of YHS than in those of shallow-water fish. This difference is perhaps due to the five copies of the TMAO-generating enzyme flavin-containing monooxygenase-3 gene (fmo3) in the YHS genome and the abundance of trimethylamine (TMA)-generating bacteria in the YHS gut. Thus, the high TMAO content might help YHS adapt to high hydrostatic pressure by improving protein stability. Additionally, the evolutionary features of the YHS genes encoding sensory-related proteins are consistent with the scarce food supply and darkness in the hadal environments. These results clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation of hadal organisms to the deep-sea environment and provide valuable genomic resources for in-depth investigations of hadal biology.     

Intra- and interspecific allozymic variation in Liparis fabricii and Liparis gibbus (Teleostei,Liparididae) from Spitsbergen waters

Summary In the literature, arctic snailfish of the genus Liparis are often identified as L. liparis, primarily due to the wide morphological variation reported for this species. Recent morphological studies have, however, identified separate arctic Liparis species. Electrophoretic studies of the genetic relationship between two such species (L. fabricii and L. gibbus), from deepwater localities west of Spitsbergen revealed significant differences in allozyme mobility at a series of gene-loci and thus supported the evidence that they are valid species. Their extremely low intra-specific variability, with average heterozygosities well below one percent, is comparable to measures for other polar teleosts. No protein coding locus was found suitable for studies of possible population structuring of L. gibbus due to the very low frequencies of all but the commonest allele.     

Isolation and purification of antifreeze proteins from skin tissues of snailfish, cunner and sea raven

Antifreeze proteins/polypeptides (AFPs), which are found in diverse species of marine fish, are grouped into four distinct classes (types I-IV). The discovery of skin-specific type I AFPs established that this class contains distinct isoforms, liver-type and skin-type, which are encoded by separate gene families. In this study, type I AFPs were isolated and partially characterized from skin tissues of Atlantic snailfish (Liparis atlanticus) and cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus). Interestingly, evidence from this study indicates that snailfish type I AFPs synthesized in skin tissues are identical to those circulating in their blood plasma. Furthermore, type II AFPs that are identical to those expressed in liver for export into blood were purified from sea raven (Hemitripterus americanus) skin tissue extracts. It is clear that epithelial tissues are an important source for antifreeze expression to enhance the complement of AFPs that protect fish from freezing in extreme cold environments. In addition, the evidence generated in this study demonstrates that expression of AFPs in fish skin is a widespread phenomenon that is not limited to type I proteins.     

On morphological diversity of southern Dolly Varden trout Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi from water bodies of Sakhalin

Morphological and some biological specific features of nine samples of the southern form of Dolly Varden trout Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi from water bodies of Sakhalin were studied. Comparative analysis was performed of our own estimates and estimates made by other authors of meristic characters of Sakhalin populations of Dolly Varden trout, as well as of samples from water bodies of the Kuril Islands and Western Kamchatka. Sakhalin populations of S. malma krascheninnikovi are characterized by a low level of morphological differentiation and the absence of geographic structure. No clinal latitudinal variation in sample averages was revealed in either of the nine studied meristic characters, including the number of vertebrae for populations of S. malma krascheninnikovi in the range from Bol’shoi Shantar Island to the south of Sakhalin. The cline in vertebral number from Kamchatka, along the Kuril Islands to Hokkaido, is most likely explained by specific features of distribution and introgressive hybridization at the secondary contact of populations of the northern and southern forms of Dolly Varden trout that originated from different glacial refugia and had a different vertebral number rather than by the temperature gradient.