A New Aberrant Jellyfish from the Black Sea

Russian Journal of Marine Biology -     

Peptide Modulators of ASIC Channels of the Sea Anemone Urticina aff. coriacea (Cuvier, 1798) from the Sea of Okhotsk

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - A search for biologically active peptides has been performed in an aqueous extract of the sea anemone Urticina aff. coriacea (Cuvier, 1798) (Actiniidae) from the...     

Microsatellite Variability of the Arctic Rainbow Smelt Osmerusdentex from the White Sea

Russian Journal of Genetics - We studied the genetic variability of ten microsatellite loci in Arctic rainbow smelt datasets from Kandalaksha and Mezen bays of the White Sea. Average estimates of...     

Assessment of primary production in the White Sea

The literature and original data on the primary production of phytoplankton in the White Sea are analyzed. By this parameter, the White Sea is significantly inferior only to the Chukchi Sea; it is similar to the Barents Sea, and exceeds other Russian Arctic seas by two to three times (the Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and East Siberian Sea).     

The Vibrioflora of Hydrobionts and Waters of the Sea of Japan (Peter the Great Bay) and the South China Sea (Nha Trang Bay)

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - Strains of Vibrio spp. isolated from samples of water and aquatic organisms of the temperate (173 strains) and tropical (124 strains) climatic zones...     

Long -Term Changes in the Fish Fauna of the Karkinitsky Gulf of the Black Sea

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - The summarized composition of the fish fauna of the Karkinitsky Gulf of the Black Sea was established for the first time on the basis of literature and original...     

Application of mtDNA d-loop region for the study of Russian sturgeon population structure from Iranian coastline of the Caspian Sea

The population structure of the Russian sturgeon ( Acipenser gueldenstaedtii ) was investigated using PCR amplification of the mtDNA D-loop region. Seven composite haplotypes were detected and average nucleotide and haplotype diversity over all samples were found to be 0.05 ± 0.00 and 0.75 ± 0.00 (mean ± SE) respectively. Restriction digest of the mtDNA D-loop region detected two genotypes A and B with a relative high frequencies of 0.5 and 0.36 respectively. These two genotypes (A and B) can be considered as potential genetic markers for different biological groups, stocks or seasonal races of Russian sturgeon. A maximum of 10.8% nucleotide diversity was found between haplotypes AAAAB and BBBBF. 100% heteroplasmy was found in Russian sturgeon and restriction digest of the mtDNA D-loop region also exhibited site heteroplasmy.     

Mycotoxins in Macroalgae from the Velikaya Salma Strait of the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - In brown, red and green algae collected in typical habitats in the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea, the content of a group of toxic metabolites characteristic...     

The Biodiversity and Antimicrobial Activity of Bacteria Isolated from the Bottom Sediments of the Chukchi Sea

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - Two hundred and forty eight strains of heterotrophic microorganisms were isolated from bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was...     

Zoobenthic communities of the Dagestan Region of the Caspian Sea

The results of bottom community studies of the Dagestan Region of the Caspian Sea were presented; key factors affecting their formation were distinguished. Special attention was paid to restoration of the amphipod Pontogammarus maeoticus, which was characteristic in the coastal zone community until it was destroyed after a rise in the sea-level. It was established that biomass of the benthos was much higher in the period of the rise in the sea level than in the years of a low sea level.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Biologiya Morya, Guseinov.     

The Cyanobacteria of the Intertidal Zone of the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea: Species Composition and Ecology

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - This article presents the results of studies of the cyanobacteria from foulings of natural and anthropogenic substrates of the intertidal zone of the Kola Bay of...     

Compliance and Postagreement Bargaining in the Barents Sea Fisheries

States’ failure to comply with their international obligations has been viewed by institutional theory as problems to be solved, rather than as wrongs to be punished. This article reviews how Norway has employed different postagreement bargaining strategies in the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission in order to enhance Russian compliance with the bilateral fisheries agreements in the Barents Sea and with the precautionary approach more widely.     

New data on the distribution of rare and new fish species in Russian waters of the Barents Sea

New data are presented on the occurrence in the Russian waters of the Barents Sea of 30 species of rare fishes. These data significantly change knowledge on their geographic distribution. For the first time, the presence in the Russian zone of seven species is indicated: Raja lintea (Rajidae), Chimaera monstrosa (Chimaeridae), Gadiculus argenteus thori and Micromesistius poutassou (Gadidae), Gaidropsarus argentatus (Lotidae), Sebastes viviparus (Sebastidae), and Lycodus luetkeni (Zoarcidae).     

The Meroplankton of Amurskii Bay (Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan)

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - The composition and seasonal dynamics of meroplankton in Amurskii Bay (Sea of Japan) were studied for the first time. The total survey period exceeded two years....     

Fauna of Calcareous Sponges (Calcarea) in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Based on the collection of the Zoological Institute (Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg) and the data available in the literature, a list of calcareous sponges (Calcarea) of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan was compiled. It comprises 15 species belonging to ten genera and seven families. Among these sponges, five species were found in the Sea of Japan for the first time: Leucetta poculiformis (Hozawa), Sycon protectum Lambe, Grantia uchidai Hozawa et Tanita, Heteropia medioarticulata Hozawa, and Leucopsila stilifera (Schmidt). Data on the distribution and ecology of the calcareous sponges in the area of study are reported.     

Use of Satellite Data for the Estimation of the Specific Growth Rate of Phytoplankton in the Surface Layer of the Black Sea

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - A regional model is proposed for the estimation of the specific growth rate of phytoplankton in the sea surface layer using satellite data. The model is based on...     

Bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus in the Okhotsk Sea

• 1 Little is known about the endangered population of bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus in the Okhotsk Sea (OS). Here, we review existing information about this stock, including much material published in Russian.
• 2 Whaling for OS bowheads began around 1846, was pursued intensively for two decades and continued sporadically until about 1913. Beginning in 1967, whalers from the USSR killed bowheads illegally, although the number of whales taken remains unknown. Estimates of the pre‐exploitation population size have ranged from 3000 to 20000 whales, but all such estimates are based upon untested assumptions and incomplete data.
• 3 Information on historical and current distribution of bowheads comes from whaling records (notably Townsend 1935 ) and from modern (notably Russian/Soviet) marine mammal surveys. Little is known about winter distribution. During spring and summer, known bowhead concentrations occur in Shelikhov Bay and at Shantar. Although historical whaling data show bowheads in Shelikhov Bay during summer and early autumn, there have been no recent sightings later than June. However, extensive 19th century catches were made over much of the northern OS, and the present range and habitat use of the population is probably broader than existing data suggest. There is evidence for age or maturational class segregation between Shantar and Shelikhov Bay; the former hosts immature whales and lactating females, and the latter hosts adults.
• 4 Genetic data indicate that the OS bowhead stock is separate from the Bering‐Chukchi‐Beaufort population, but that the two populations share a common ancestry. There is no evidence that bowheads ever leave the OS.
• 5 Russian observers have put the current size of the OS stock in the low hundreds, but this is not based on quantitative analysis. Overall, the OS bowhead population is very likely to be relatively small; it did not recover from the intensive whaling in the 19th century, and the illegal Soviet catches of the 1960s have further set back its recovery. Dedicated surveys and other research are required to assess the status and conservation needs of the population.

     

The Diatom Flora (Bacillariophyta) of Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay,the Caspian Sea: New Data

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - The study of diatoms (Bacillariophyta) collected in 2000–2001 with a plankton net from the hypersaline Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay revealed 13 species and varieties...     

Colonial Nesting Birds of Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan (Pelecaniformes,Ciconiiformes)

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - This study reports recent data on the distribution and breeding abundance of seven species of colonial birds on the coast of Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan....     

Maritime Delimitation in the Arctic: The Barents Sea Treaty

During a visit to Norway by the Russian president in the spring of 2010, the president and the Norwegian prime minister surprisingly announced agreement on a delimitation line in the Barents Sea ending almost 40 years of negotiations. The agreement was signed in Murmansk on 15 September 2010. This article presents the background of the dispute and undertakes an assessment of the agreement and its implications for the Barents Sea, Svalbard, and other Arctic maritime delimitations.