Reproductive biology of female bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus in the western Pacific Ocean

The reproductive biology of female bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus was assessed by examining 888 fish (ranging from 84·9 to 174·4 cm fork length, L_F) caught by Taiwanese offshore longliners in the western Pacific Ocean from November 1997 to November 1998 and November to December 1999 and 258 gonad samples from these fish. The overall sex ratio of the catch during the sampling differed significantly from 0·5, but males were predominant in sizes >140 cm L_F. Reproductive activity (assessed by histology), a gonado‐somatic index, and the size‐frequency distributions of whole oocytes indicated that spawning occurred throughout the year and the major spawning season appeared to be from February to September. The estimated sizes at 50% maturity (L_F50) of females was 102·85 cm (95% c.i .: 90·79–110·21 cm) and the smallest mature female was 99·7 cm L_F. They are multiple spawners and oocytes develop asynchronously. The proportion of mature (0·63) and reproductively active (0·70) females with ovaries containing postovulatory follicles indicated that they spawn almost daily. Batch fecundity for 15 females with the most advanced oocytes (>730 µm) ranged from 0·84 to 8·56 million eggs (mean ± s.d . = 3·06 ± 2·09). The relationships between batch fecundity (F_B, in millions of eggs) and L_F (cm) and round mass (M_R, kg) were (r² = 0·84) and (r² = 0·80), respectively. The parameters estimated in this study are key information for stock assessments of T. obesus in the western Pacific Ocean and will contribute to the conservation and sustainable yield of this species.     

Diet composition and feeding ecology of the naked goby Gobiosoma bosc (Gobiidae) from four western Atlantic estuaries

The feeding ecology of the small‐bodied benthic naked goby Gobiosoma bosc, a western Atlantic species that occurs in estuaries and other inshore habitats from Connecticut to Texas U.S.A., was investigated in a total of four estuaries spanning South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland and New Jersey. Gut content analysis of 391 individuals revealed that G. bosc is a benthic microcarnivore that feeds primarily on polychaetes, gammarid amphipods and harpacticoid copepods. Diet composition varied with body size, tidal creek within an estuary and geographic region. Analyses of gut fullness suggest that G. bosc is a daytime visual predator and that nest and egg guarding during the reproductive season reduce foraging activity in mature males. Additionally, G. bosc infected with adult digenean parasites of the gut foraged more intensely than uninfected individuals, a relationship that was strongest for reproductively mature males. Regionally, significant variation in dietary breadth was documented and may reflect a foraging response to a decrease in prey diversity moving from estuaries of higher salinity and lower latitude to estuaries of lower salinity and higher latitude. These results contribute to an understanding of the life history of G. bosc and the role played by this common species in estuarine food webs.     

基于高通量测序的象山港海域黑鲷(Acanthopagrus schlegelii)食性分析

选取象山港黑鲷个体为研究对象,以18S rDNA为靶标,利用Illumina Miseq高通量测序方法研究黑鲷饵料生物组成特征,分析不同龄组黑鲷的食性异同。通过序列比对,共在黑鲷胃含物中鉴定出41个属中的62种饵料生物,分属9个门,其中节肢动物门（Arthropoda）、绿藻门（Chlorophyta）和软体动物门（Mollusca）是黑鲷饵料生物的优势组成门类。从饵料生物相对丰度和出现频率上分析,石莼（Ulva lactuca）、熊本牡蛎（Crassostrea sikamea）、胸刺水蚤（Centropages hamatus）、日本蟳（Charybdis japonica）、毛蚶（Scapharca subcrenata）和褐菖鲉（Sebastiscus marmoratus）是黑鲷的优势饵料物种,所占饵料生物总相对丰度的比重达60.90%。相似性分析检验（ANOSIM）结果显示：1至4龄黑鲷个体的饵料生物组成不存在显著性差异。与传统食性分析方法相比,高通量测序法在黑鲷饵料生物检测灵敏性上显现了较为明显的优势,保障黑鲷等重要物种的种群稳定对于该海域具有重要的生态和经济意义。     

Diet composition of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra in different freshwater habitats of temperate Europe: a review and meta‐analysis

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Temporal and spatial variability of pelagic wild fish assemblages around Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus farms in the eastern Adriatic Sea

The abundance and size structure of wild fishes aggregated around the sea‐cages of two commercial Thunnus thynnus farms, including control locations, were assessed and compared over a 1 year period. The T. thynnus farms were located in the eastern Adriatic Sea, offshore of the islands of Ugljan and Bra?. Fish assemblages were evaluated through visual census using scuba at 2 month intervals at two sites within each farm. The data suggest that wild fish assemblages at the study sites differed greatly; 20 species occurred at the Ugljan farm and 17 at the Bra? farm, while only seven species were observed at the control locations. The abundance and diversity of wild fish assemblages were greater at the farms in comparison to control locations. The most abundant families were Sparidae and Belonidae (>80% of aggregated fishes). At both farms, the abundance and diversity of wild fishes were highest during summer, while diversity was lowest in winter and was mainly characterized by schools of bogue Boops boops and garfish Belone belone. Variability was also detected in spatial assemblages between farms; B. boops and B. belone were the most abundant species for the overall study at the Bra? farm, while B. belone and saddled bream Oblada melanura were the most abundant at the Ugljan farm. The settlement also played a significant role in farm‐associated fish assemblages, as both juveniles and advanced juveniles were common residents at farms. The majority of species which settled at the farms belonged to the sparids. Results indicate that aggregations of wild fishes at T. thynnus farms are persistent year‐round, though the assemblage compositions and size structures of dominant species vary in respect to location and season.     

Investigations on the reproductive biology and diet of yellowfin tuna,Thunnus albacares, (Bonnaterre, 1788) in the Oman Sea

In this paper, the examination of some reproductive features and stomach contents of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, were determined by samples taken from Iranian drifting gillnets in the Oman Sea in the years 2007 to 2009. The male to female ratio in overall size was 1 : 0.93, which was not significantly different from the expected value 1 : 1. Fish lengths ranged from 37 to 152 cm, averaging 78.5 cm for females and 79.2 cm for males. At a larger size (>117 cm) males were proportionally predominant. Length at first maturity, L_m 50%, was observed when females reached 77.2 cm. Data from maturity stages indicated a single spawning period, peaking in May‐June, corresponding with a drop in the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI). Fishes were the main prey group, comprising 47.6% of total numbers among the three food item categories in the tuna stomachs. Among the 12 families identified in the stomachs, the Portunidae swimming crab crustacean was the most important prey organism (18.7% of total numbers). A wide range of prey species found in yellowfin tuna stomachs reflects an opportunistic feeding behaviour restricted by local prey availability. Considering the scarcity of available data, the results of the present paper will provide a reference for better knowledge of the biological features of T. albacares in the Oman Sea.     

Diet composition and food consumption rate of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the western Baltic Sea

Stomach content composition and prey‐specific consumption rates of juvenile and adult harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were estimated from a data set including 339 stomachs collected over a 32 yr period (1980–2011) in the western Baltic Sea. The stomach contents were mainly hard parts of fish prey and in particular otoliths. The bias originating from differential residence time of otoliths in the stomachs was addressed by use of a recently developed approach. Atlantic cod and herring were the main prey of adults, constituting on average 70% of the diet mass. Juvenile porpoises also frequently consumed gobies. Here, the mass contribution by gobies was on average 25%, which was as much as cod. Other species such as whiting, sprat, eelpout, and sandeels were of minor importance for both juveniles and adults. The diet composition differed between years, quarters, and porpoise acquisition method. Yearly consumption rates for porpoises in the western Baltic Sea were obtained in three scenarios on the daily energy requirements of a porpoise in combination with an estimate including the 95% CLs of the porpoise population size. Cod of age groups 1 and 2 and intermediate‐sized herring suffered the highest predation from porpoises.     

Diet and foraging opportunism of the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) in the Abrolhos Bank,Brazil

Diet analysis allows exploring how coastal dolphins interact with the environment and their role in the marine food webs. We studied the diet and feeding ecology of the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, through analysis of stomach content from 42 animals stranded on the eastern coast of Brazil. A total of 1,336 semidigested prey items (fish, otoliths, cephalopod beaks, and crustaceans) were identified. Teleost fish comprised the most frequent food item (92% of the total), followed by cephalopods, and crustaceans. Prey belonged to 34 taxa and richness in individual stomachs varied from 1 to 15 prey taxa. Prey were generally small, but showed a significant trend to increase in size with dolphin length. The main prey of Guiana dolphins were demersal, estuarine, and sound-making fish such as catfish and sciaenids. No sex-related differences in diet were found. Diet composition varied seasonally and occurrence of prey items was coherent with breeding or high abundance periods of some fish species and squids. Our study shows the importance of demersal prey from estuarine and soft-sediment habitats to Guiana dolphin in the Abrolhos Bank and reveals that feeding habits are generalist and opportunistic, with diet reflecting the seasonal abundance and availability of prey.     

Reproductive biology of the white marlin (Kajikia albida) in the southwestern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean

The present work describes the reproductive biology of the white marlin (Kajikia albida) caught in the southwestern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The gonads of 924 fish were collected by observers on board Brazilian tuna longliners, between November 2004 and December 2006. The spawning season was assessed by the monthly frequency distribution of distinct stages of maturity and monthly mean female gonadosomatic index GSI. Sixty-one percent (n = 656) of the fish examined were female, with a Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) between 83 and 236 cm (mean = 155.5 ± 16.63). The 268 males had a LJFL between 90 and 220 cm (mean = 152.3 ± 34.62). Although the northeastern region of Brazil does not appear to be a significant spawning area for the species, the results suggest a higher reproductive activity in the third quarter of the year. Using a Bayesian logistic model approach, length at 50% maturity was estimated at 145.04 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 143.94–146.09 cm), for females, and at 140.03 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 137.28–142.52 cm), for males.     

Diet of the gracile mouse opossum (Gracilinanus microtarsus) (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) in a Brazilian cerrado: patterns of food consumption and intrapopulation variation

The diet of the gracile mouse opossum Gracilinanus microtarsus was studied in a cerrado remnant in south-eastern Brazil through the analysis of faeces sampled from adult individuals. Patterns of food resource consumption were assessed using the statistics of per cent occurrence. Intrapopulation variation in the number of food items detected in faeces as a function of relevant factors was inferred using generalized linear models. The latter statistical formalism also allowed variation in the number of food items detected in faeces to be interpreted in terms of rate ratios among levels of significant factors. Insects, spiders, snails and fruits were detected in the faeces of G. microtarsus , with insects, particularly termites, beetles and ants, being the most frequently detected food resource. These food resources were consumed in proportion to their relative abundance in the cerrado, suggesting that G . microtarsus is an opportunistic forager feeding primarily on insects. The generalized linear model identified sex, season and food resource as significant factors affecting the number of food items detected in faeces, as well as interactions between sex and season and season and food resource. Rate ratios calculated between sexes within seasons showed that the number of food items detected in the faeces of males was larger than that detected in the faeces of females in the warm-wet and cool-dry seasons. Rate ratios calculated between seasons within sexes showed different trends in the number of food items detected in faeces for each significant food resource. It is suggested that differences in the number of food items detected in faeces between sexes within season and between seasons within sexes are related to energetic requirements associated with reproduction.     

东太平洋公海茎柔鱼饵料中鱼类和头足类组成初步分析

茎柔鱼(Dosidicus gigas)广泛分布于东太平洋海域,在海洋生态系统中扮演着重要角色.本研究根据2019年6-12月我国鱿钓生产船在东太平洋公海采集的62尾茎柔鱼样本,对其胃含物残留的4131个耳石和75个角质颚样本进行鉴定分析.结果 表明:茎柔鱼主要摄食鱼类10种、头足类4种.从摄食饵料的出现频率和数量百分...     

Relationship between mercury,organochlorine compounds and stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) taken from different regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans

The aim of this study was to compare the δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, Hg and organochlorines (PCBs, p,p′-DDE and trans-nonachlor) in the yellowfin tuna taken from several regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The highest values of δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C were observed in the tuna taken from Sri Lanka and Maldives (Indian Ocean), while the lowest values were observed in the tuna taken from Hawaii. In contrast, the highest Hg concentration was observed in the tuna taken from Hawaii, while the lowest concentration was observed in the tuna taken from Sri Lanka and Maldives. These orders of δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C and Hg may reflect the geographical characteristics of those among nine regions. On the other hand, the highest concentration of each organochlorine was found in the tuna taken from New Zealand, while the lowest was found in the tuna sample from Hawaii, probably reflecting the anthropogenic contamination among eight regions. The inter-regional variations in organochlorines were markedly larger than those in Hg concentration. The Hg uniformly distributed in the area under the normal curve of Hg concentration against δ¹³C or δ¹⁵N value, while the organochlorines did not. This difference may be ascribed to the fact that Hg is of natural and anthropogenic origins, while the organochlorines are of anthropogenic origin. A principal compartment analysis of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, Hg and organochlorines apparently clarified the tuna taken from eight regions into 5 groups of Sri Lanka and Maldives, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and Japan.     

Skeletochronological estimation of age and growth of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the western South Atlantic Ocean

Age and growth are important parameters for better understanding of life history and population dynamics of animal species, as well as for formulating management strategies. However, these data are difficult to obtain for sea turtles because of overall slow growth, delayed maturation and highly migratory behaviour. The loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, is a widely distributed species, globally listed as endangered. Although the species has been well‐studied in some regions, little is known about various aspects of its biology in other populations, such as those in the waters of the western South Atlantic Ocean, especially outside nesting areas. To address age and growth, loggerhead turtles found dead stranded on the northern coast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul during a period of 16 years (1994–2010) were utilized for estimation of age and growth rates using skeletochronology. The individuals analyzed were predominantly neritic juveniles, ranging from 53 to 101 cm curved carapace length (CCL; mean = 71 cm), with estimated ages between 10 and 29 years (mean = 15 years). Mean estimated annual growth rate was 2.1 cm CCL year^?1 (1.9 cm SCL yr^?1), showing large variation among individuals and between successive years in the same individual. Generalized additive mixed models analysis indicated that growth response was influenced by age, CCL and year. The results demonstrated that the southern coast of Brazil is an important area for the development of neritic juveniles of this species, which appear to recruit to this region beginning at about 12 years of age and sizes greater than 55 cm CCL.     

大西洋中部延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼渔场时空分布与温跃层的关系

为了解大西洋延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)渔场适宜的温跃层参数分布区间,采用Argo浮标水温信息和大西洋金枪鱼会委员(International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas ICCAT)的黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓渔获数据,绘制了大西洋中部月平均温跃层特征参数和月平均单位捕捞努力量渔获量(Catch per unit effort CPUE)的空间叠加图,用于分析大西洋中部延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场时空分布和温跃层特征参数关系。分析结果表明:大西洋中部温跃层上界深度、温度具有明显的季节性变化,而温跃层下界深度、温度没有明显的季节变化特征。空间叠加图显示,1-6月份在赤道地区中心渔场主要分布在温跃层上界深度为20-60 m之间。7-9月份在60-80 m,同期在纳米比亚外海,中心渔场区域温跃层上界深度超过100 m。10-12月份,中心渔场区域温跃层上界深度下降到60 m左右。全年在赤道区域,中心渔场CPUE主要分布在温跃层上界温度26-29 ℃,低于24℃区域渔获率很低;温跃层下界深度在160-250 m,集中在230 m;温跃层下界温度在12-14 ℃之间,在此区间外CPUE值都比较低。7-11月份,在纳米比亚外海的中心渔场区域上界温度会低至20 ℃,下界深度分布在140-160 m,下界温度在14-15 ℃左右。数值计算得出大西洋中部黄鳍金枪鱼适宜的温跃层上界温度是26-28.9 ℃;适宜的温跃层下界温度和深度分别是12-14.9 ℃和150-249 m,而上界深度和中心渔场CPUE关系不明显。研究得出大西洋延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场温跃层各特征参数的适宜分布区间及季节变化特征,为延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼实际生产作业和资源管理提供理论参考。     

Growth and mortality of bigeye tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus obesus</Emphasis> (Scombridae) in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean

Biological parameters such as age, growth and age (or size) at maturity are vital for stock assessment and management. Aging is essential in yielding such information. However, limited aging studies have been conducted for large tropical pelagic species in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean. The objective of this study is to conduct a length frequency analysis for estimating growth and mortality of bigeye tuna in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean using samples from the Chinese longline fishery during February to November 2006. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters of asymptotic fork length L _∞ and growth coefficient k were estimated at L _∞ = 207.4 cm fork length, k = 0.23 year^-1, and theoretical age at zero length t ₀ = −0.40 year. The total mortality rate (Z) was estimated to be 0.60; the fishing mortality rate (F) and the natural mortality rate (M) were 0.25 year^-1 and 0.35 year^-1, respectively. The exploitation rate (E) was 0.16. This study provides the estimates of growth and mortality rate for bigeye tuna in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean, which can be used as biological input parameters in further stock evaluations in this region. However, age analysis, further validation of the age composition and stock structure are needed for future studies.     

Diet composition of the endangered giant water bug Lethocerus deyrolli (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) in the rice fields of Japan: Which is the most important prey item among frogs,fish, and aquatic insects?

The food habits of the endangered giant water bug, Lethocerus deyrolli, were studied in the rice fields of Nose, in the north of Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Field observations revealed that frogs were the most important prey item. Frogs represented 86.4% and 78.6% in the diet of L. deyrolli in spring and summer, respectively. Among seven species of three families (Hylidae, Rhacophoridae, and Ranidae) exploited by L. deyrolli, the most important food item was adult Hyla japonica in spring and juvenile Rana nigromaculta in summer. Fish and aquatic arthropods were not considered important foods for L. deyrolli. The frog‐dependent food habits indicate that the recovery and conservation of frogs should be prioritized to protect L. deyrolli from extinction.     

Foraging ecology and niche overlap in pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (Kogia sima) sperm whales from waters of the U.S. mid‐Atlantic coast

A complementary approach of stomach content and stable isotope analyses was used to characterize the foraging ecology and evaluate niche overlap between pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (K. sima) sperm whales stranded on the U.S. mid‐Atlantic coast between 1998 and 2011. Food habits analysis demonstrated both species were primarily teuthophagous, with 35 species of cephalopods, and 2 species of mesopelagic fishes represented in their overall diets. Pianka's Index of niche overlap suggested high overlap between whale diets (O_n = 0.92), with squids from the families Histioteuthidae, Cranchidae, and Ommastrephidae serving as primary prey. Pygmy sperm whales consumed slightly larger prey sizes (mean mantle length [ML] = 10.8 cm) than dwarf sperm whales (mean ML = 7.8 cm). Mean prey sizes consumed by pygmy sperm whales increased with growth, but showed no trend in dwarf sperm whales. Significant differences were not detected in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of muscle tissues from pygmy (10.8‰ ± 0.5‰, ?17.1‰ ± 0.6‰), and dwarf sperm whales (10.7‰ ± 0.5‰, ?17.0‰ ± 0.4‰), respectively. Isotopic niche widths also did not differ significantly and dietary overlap was high between the two species. Results suggest the feeding ecologies of the pygmy and dwarf sperm whales are similar and both species occupy equivalent trophic niches in the region.     

基于Tweedie-GAM模型的热带大西洋拟锥齿鲨单位捕捞努力量渔获量与环境因子的关系

拟锥齿鲨是热带大西洋金枪鱼延绳钓渔业中重要的兼捕物种,对其单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE)与环境关系的研究可为该鱼种的资源保护和管理提供基础资料.根据我国金枪鱼渔业国家观察员2009—2015年在热带大西洋海域(6.38° S—14.92° N,42.03°—18.53° W)调查时采集的1085尾拟锥齿鲨数据及Tweedie类分布理论和特点,建立了GAM-Tweedie模型,对其CPUE的时间变化、空间分布及与环境因子的关系进行了分析.结果表明: 时空因子(年、月、经度、纬度)和环境因子对拟锥齿鲨名义CPUE的总偏差解释为40.2%,其中时空因子对其的影响均显著,环境因子中,海表面高度、叶绿素a浓度、作业时天气、海表面盐度、海表面气压对其影响显著,而海况、农历对其影响不显著;不同纬度和不同月份下海平面温度与拟锥齿鲨CPUE呈显著相关.2009—2015年拟锥齿鲨标准化CPUE呈现波动,整体呈上升趋势.     

Sensillary morphology on the rostral apex and their possible role in prey location behaviour of the carnivorous stinkbug,Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff), the carnivorous heteropteran, demonstrates interesting feeding mechanisms that suggest the involvement of the antennal and labial tip sensilla. This study was conducted to identify the morphology of various sensilla present on the labial tip of this insect using scanning electron microscopy. Four morphologically different types of trichoid sensilla comprise the largest and most numerous sensilla and occur throughout the surface of the labial tip. Three new and unique types of sensilla were discovered. Long hairs with profusely branched shafts are present at the entrance of the rostral groove. An oval‐shaped peg surrounded by sensory hairs with branched shafts and a short, stout peg encircled by a group of long hair‐like sensilla was found among the sensilla population of two lobes. The morphology of the new sensilla is given and possible functions of individual receptors are suggested on morphological grounds.     

Difference on reproductive trait of skipjack tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Katsuonus pelamis</Emphasis> female between schools (free vs FAD school) in the tropical western and central Pacific Ocean

In order to clarify the difference on reproductive traits of female skipjack tuna between fish aggregation device (FAD) and free-swimming (Free) school, we examined the relative condition factor and sex ratio, minimum size at first maturity and spawning fraction in tropical western and central Pacific Ocean. The relative condition factor in developing (FAD: 1.00 ± 0.06, Free: 1.05 ± 0.07) and spawning capable phase (FAD: 1.01 ± 0.06, Free: 1.04 ± 0.06) was higher in the free-swimming school than those in the fish aggregation device school (p < 0.01). The proportion of mature fish was significant difference between each schools (p < 0.05). The sex ratios in the schools were not biased (p > 0.05). Observed minimum size at first maturity were 40.0 cm FL in FAD and 42.5 cm FL in free-swimming school. Spawning capable fish were observed year around in FAD and for seven months in free-swimming school. The estimated total spawning fractions based on the postovulatory follicle method were 0.50 and 0.49 in the FAD and free-swimming schools, respectively. These results suggested that differences in the school type did not affect inherent spawning characteristics (i.e. sex ratio, minimum size at first maturity, or spawning season) and may shortly affect the oogenesis throughout the food availability.