Species composition and structure of coral community of a platform reef at Bach Long Vi Island in the South China Sea

A platform reef at Bach Long Vi Island (Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea) was investigated for the first time. In all, 264 species of corals and their accompanying species of macrobenthos were found. Among the scleractinian corals, acroporids, poritids, and mussids dominated. Monospecific aggregations of alcyonarians Sinularia and Lobophytum and the hydroid Millepora were rather numerous. Based on its geomorphological characteristics, coral species diversity and zonal distribution, the investigated reef is comparable with ribbon and platform reefs on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and in the Indian Ocean.     

Preliminary annotated list of species of the family Chaetodontidae (Actinopterygii) from Ly Son Islands (South China Sea,Central Vietnam)

Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) from the reefs of Ly Son Archipelago (northern Central Vietnam) are reviewed. In total, 16 species of chaetodontids from three genera (Chaetodon, Forcipiger, and Heniochus) are found. All species are documented by underwater photos, and they have not been registered off Ly Son Islands before. A comparison of chaetodontid faunas off Ly Son, Cu Lao Cham, and Paracel islands; in the Gulf of Tonkin; and in southern Central Vietnam is conducted.     

Phylogeographic structure of the dwarf snakehead (Channa gachua) around Gulf of Tonkin: Historical biogeography and pronounced effects of sea‐level changes

Geological events, landscape features, and climate fluctuations have shaped the distribution of genetic diversity and evolutionary history in freshwater fish, but little attention has been paid to that around the Gulf of Tonkin; therefore, we investigated the phylogeographic structure of the dwarf snakehead (Channa gachua) on Hainan Island and mainland China, as well as two populations in Vietnam. We attempted to elucidate the origins of freshwater fish in South Hainan by incorporating genetic data from DNA markers on both the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) and the nuclear recombination‐activating gene 1 (RAG‐1). Mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis identified two major lineages (lineages A and B), which may represent separate species. Divergence data suggested that C. gachua populations diverged between 0.516 and 2.376 myr. The divergence of the two cryptic species is congruent with sea‐level rise, which subsequently isolated Hainan from the mainland. During the Pleistocene glaciations, the entire region of the Gulf of Tonkin and the Qiongzhou Strait became part of the coastal plain of the Asian continent, which might have resulted in the current distribution patterns and dispersal routes of C. gachua populations. The formation of three sublineages in lineage A indicated that the Gulf of Tonkin was a geographical barrier between Hainan Island and mainland China but not between Vietnam and Hainan Island. The results of this study may help to elucidate the origins of freshwater fish in South Hainan and the phylogeographic structure of C. gachua.     

Fauna of anemonefishes (Pomacentridae,Amphiprioninae) and their host sea anemones (Cnidaria,Actiniaria) on reefs of Phu Quy,Con Son,and An Thoi Islands (South China Sea,South Vietnam,and Gulf of Thailand) and a review of these groups from the coastal waters of Vietnam

A full species composition of anemonefishes (Pomacentridae, Amphiprioninae) and their host sea anemones (Cnidaria, Actiniaria) from reefs of Phu Quy and Con Son Islands (off South Vietnam) and An Thoi Islands (northeastern Gulf of Thailand) is presented for the first time. A comparison of the faunas of anemonefishes and their host sea anemones is conducted in the coastal waters of Vietnam and adjacent waters. The presence of intermittent ranges of the anemonefishes in the coastal waters of Vietnam is demonstrated. For example, the ranges of two species, Amphiprion clarkii and A. frenatus, include the coastal waters of Vietnam, excluding the Gulf of Thailand, where they are not found even at the eastern border of the gulf. A. perideraion is absent in the Gulf of Tonkin, but it is distributed to the south along the entire coastal zone of Vietnam, including the Gulf of Thailand. In the coastal waters of Vietnam, A. sandaracinos is distributed only between the Gulf of Tonkin and Gulf of Thailand. A. polymnus is reliably indicated in the coastal waters of Vietnam between 12°50′ and 9°54′ N, but, most likely, its range is continuous along the entire Vietnamese coast. The richness of species composition of host sea anemones decreases (from nine to three species) in the southern direction, from Central Vietnam to the eastern border of the Gulf of Thailand.     

海南岛宽额鳢(Channa gachua)群体遗传变异与生物地理过程

为了解海南岛宽额鳢(Channa gachua)的群体遗传分化和亲缘生物地理过程,采集了云南元江和海南岛5个水系(昌化江、陵水河、藤桥河、万泉河及南渡江)共6个种群168个宽额鳢个体,基于线粒体细胞色素b(Cyt b)基因全序列(1142 bp)对其遗传多样性和遗传分化程度进行了评估,并探讨了地质和气候等因素如何塑造了这一物种的亲缘地理结构及演化历史。基于Cyt b序列构建的系统树结果将所有个体分成两个主要谱系(A和B),谱系A包括海南岛所有种群,其中,部分昌化江个体形成独立的亚支(A2),其余个体聚为另一亚支(A1),谱系B为云南元江的全部个体,各谱系间的遗传分化指数均较高。种群历史动态分析表明,各谱系均没有发生种群扩张,但A1亚支与谱系B曾在约1万年前发生过有效种群数量减小的事件。根据研究结果推测,更新世冰期期间,北部湾因海平面下降而暴露,大陆和海南岛的水系发生接触,越南北部水系(包括元江/红河)通过一条联系雷州半岛和海南岛的古河道流入南海,因而冰期期间宽额鳢有机会从元江(红河)扩散至海南岛西南部,随后在海南岛内部,宽额鳢进一步扩散,并以五指山为种群间基因交流的重要地理障碍,各水系间种群发生基因交流和遗传分化。     

Species Composition of Corals in Silty Shallows of the Bai Thu Long Archipelago (Gulf of Tonkin,South China Sea)

Coral communities were investigated on 16 reefs in open and closed bays, in straits, and around capes of different islands of the Bai Thu Long Archipelago (Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea). Variations observed in the communities of Acropora aspera + Goniopora columna, Goniopora stokesi + Galaxea fascicularis, Acropora aspera, Goniopora columna, and Pavona decussata + Pavona cactus are caused by different ecological conditions and may be linked with sedimentation flux within the water column and near the bottom, as well as with the rate of integral water exchange and resuspension above the coral settlements.     

Assessment of Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton, 1822) aquaculture systems in the Gulf of Tonkin,Vietnam, by using fish parasites

The parasite fauna of Epinephelus coioides can be used as an indicator to assess different aquaculture systems. A total of 133 E. coioides were collected from fishermen (wild fish) and marine fish farms (net cages, pond farms) in the Gulf of Tonkin (Ha Long, Cat Ba and Nghia Hung), Vietnam in 2013 and 2014, and examined for the presence of protozoan and metazoan parasites. Different patterns of parasite infections were found. The monogenean Pseudorhabdosynochus spp. was predominant in the net cage system; and the protozoans Trichodina spp. and Cryptocaryon irritans were found exclusively in pond and net cage cultivation sites in Nghia Hung and Cat Ba. These three species were assessed in addition to seven further indicator species and two dominance indices, to visualize the potential of assessing different aquaculture systems in Vietnam. This suggests the use of former shrimp ponds for grouper cultivation, reducing the pressure to further extend net cage cultivation in already highly influenced mariculture regions in Vietnam.     

Genetic consequences of a century of protection: serial founder events and survival of the little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii)

We present the outcome of a century of post-bottleneck isolation of a long-lived species, the little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii, LSK) and demonstrate that profound genetic consequences can result from protecting few individuals in isolation. LSK were saved from extinction by translocation of five birds from South Island, New Zealand to Kapiti Island 100 years ago. The Kapiti population now numbers some 1200 birds and provides founders for new populations. We used 15 microsatellite loci to compare genetic variation among Kapiti LSK and the populations of Red Mercury, Tiritiri Matangi and Long Islands that were founded with birds from Kapiti. Two LSK native to D''Urville Island were also placed on Long Island. We found extremely low genetic variation and signatures of acute and recent genetic bottleneck effects in all four populations, indicating that LSK have survived multiple genetic bottlenecks. The Long Island population appears to have arisen from a single mating pair from Kapiti, suggesting there is no genetic contribution from D''Urville birds among extant LSK. The N_e/N_C ratio of Kapiti Island LSK (0.03) is exceptionally low for terrestrial vertebrates and suggests that genetic diversity might still be eroding in this population, despite its large census size.     

The Vermetidae of the Gulf of Kachchh,western coast of India (Mollusca,Gastropoda)

Coral reefs are often termed underwater wonderlands due to the presence of an incredible biodiversity including numerous invertebrates and vertebrates. Among the dense population of benthic and bottom-dwelling inhabitants of the reef, many significant species remain hidden or neglected by researchers. One such example is the vermetids, a unique group of marine gastropods. The present study attempts for the first time to assess the density and identify preferred reef substrates in the Gulf of Kachchh, state of Gujarat, on the western coast of India. A total of three species of the family Vermetidae were recorded during the study and their substrate preferences identified.     

First finding of the red epiphytic alga Pseudorhododiscus nipponicus Masuda, 1976 (Rhodophyta: Palmariales) in Avachinsky Gulf (Eastern Kamchatka)

The red epiphytic alga Pseudorhododiscus nipponicus Masuda (Palmariales: Rhodophysemataceae), which grows on Coccotylus truncatus (Pallas) M.J. Wynne et J.N. Heine (Rhodophyta: Phyllophoraceae), was found at Krasheninnikov Islet (Avachinsky Gulf, eastern Kamchatka) for the first time. Previously, this species was only known as endemic to Hokkaido Island (Japan). The finding of the monotypic genus Pseudorhododiscus at the coast of southeastern Kamchatka substantially extends its distribution area in the Pacific region.     

Annotated checklist of species of the family pomacanthidae (Actinopterygii,Perciformes) from the Nha Trang Bay (South China Sea,Central Vietnam)

Angelfishes (Fam. Pomacanthidae) of the Nha Trang Bay (Central Vietnam) are reviewed. Fourteen species of pomacanthids belonging to six genera (Apolemichthys, Centropyge, Chaetodontoplus, Genicanthus, Pomacanthus, and Pygoplites) are recorded in the bay. All species are identified on preserved material. Two new species for the bay are found: Centropyge bispinosa and C. heraldi. C. herald is new species for coastal waters of Continental Vietnam and of adjacent areas. For all pomacanthid species of the bay, areas are described, brief diagnostic characteristics are supplied, and distribution by biotopes and depths is indicated based on data of underwater observations.     

Population dynamics of the non-native freshwater gastropod,Cipangopaludina chinensis (Viviparidae): a capture-mark-recapture study

Capture-mark-recapture (CMR) is commonly used in conservation biology, but rarely used to study non-native species in freshwater habitats. The power of CMR lies in the ability to go beyond simple density estimates and to quantify invasion dynamics and vital population parameters. I applied CMR to a population of the non-native Chinese mystery snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis, Viviparidae) in a 1.46 ha pond on Long Island, NY to estimate population size and survival probability in the waterbody and to uncover potential mechanisms for enormous differences in introduction success within and between waterbodies (observed densities range <1–40 individuals m^?2). The C. chinensis population increased from approximately 150 to nearly 970 individuals from 2010 to 2012. Daily capture probabilities were low (<0.2) for snails of all sizes. Daily survival probabilities were size-dependent (almost 1.0 for snails larger than 30 mm shell length, and decreasing below that threshold), suggesting size-dependent mortality. This study highlights the ease of applying CMR to C. chinensis and its potential for other non-native species. Traditional survey methods such as density estimates with transects or quadrats cannot document increasing population sizes or size-specific mortality factors, which are essential for understanding introduction success and dynamics.     

Molecular phylogeographic analysis of East Asian cryptoperlan stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera, Peltoperlidae)

Cryptoperlan stoneflies inhabit the headwaters or upper stream areas of rivers. A molecular phylogeographic study of cryptoperlans in the Japanese archipelago and on Taiwan Island has been conducted. Altogether the mtDNA 16S rRNA region of 71 individuals from 61 populations, the mtDNA COI region of 76 individuals from 41 populations, and the nDNA Histone 3 region of 56 individuals from 52 populations were sequenced and analyzed. The respective ML, NJ, MP and Bayesian dendrograms were proposed from the sequencing data for the 16S rRNA region (362-bp), the COI region (540-bp), and the Histone 3 region (322-bp), estimated using Yoraperla uenoi as an outgroup. Based upon those data and the resulting dendrograms, it has become clear that the cryptoperlan stoneflies of the Japanese archipelago and those of Taiwan Island comprise two major clades. The first of these two major clades consists of a number of OTUs [operational taxonomic units: Cryptoperla japonica (Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu Islands) + C. ishigakiensis (Ishigaki-jima Island) + Cryptoperla spp. (Okinawa-jima and Taiwan Islands)]. The other clade consists of the species Cryptoperla kawasawai inhabiting only Shikoku Island. Of particular note, C. kawasawai was observed to be significantly genetically differentiated from all other cryptoperlans examined. Yet, despite the fact that the specimens of C. japonica were taken from a very broad range of populations, their genetic diversity was relatively low, similar to that of C. kawasawai, which inhabits only a limited region within Shikoku Island. Furthermore, even the species C. kawasawai was revealed to be composed of two significantly genetically differentiated subclades. It is considered that this genetic structure among cryptoperlans largely reflects the geological history from the middle to upper Miocene Epoch (i.e., Tortonian stage) of the Japanese archipelago and Taiwan Island.     

Stock discrimination of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) by stable isotope ratio analysis of otolith aragonite

Stable isotope analysis (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) of otolith aragonite was used to infer ontogenetic patterns of movement, delineate sub-population structure, and determine the mixing of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) in South Australian waters. Adult garfish from the 2+ age class were collected from three sites within each of six regions along the South Australian coast: Northern Gulf St. Vincent, South West Gulf St. Vincent, Kangaroo Island, Northern Spencer Gulf, South West Spencer Gulf and the West Coast of Eyre Peninsula. Significant spatial variation was detected in mean δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values among sites within regions and as a function of fish age. Salinity, rather than sea surface temperature, appeared to account for regional variation in δ¹⁸O, whereas variation in diet and metabolic processes were suggested to account for observed differences in δ¹³C. Otolith oxygen and carbon stable isotope values indicated that the South Australian Southern Garfish fishery is comprised of multiple, regional, population components that persist through time. Both the West Coast and Northern Spencer Gulf regions constitute distinct population components that exhibit little inter-regional mixing and therefore may be considered as discrete management units. The South West Spencer Gulf region may also be considered a separate population component, however, its level of connectivity with Gulf St. Vincent is uncertain. With the exception of juvenile garfish from Kangaroo Island, there was no clear regional separation within Gulf St. Vincent.     

Epifaunal and algal assemblages associated with the native Chondrus crispus (Stackhouse) and the non-native Grateloupia turuturu (Yamada) in eastern Long Island Sound

Although the spread of non-native algae is rapidly escalating, relatively few ecological studies have been done to gauge the impacts incurred to native flora and fauna. A reduction in the dominance of a native habitat-forming macroalga due to the replacement by an introduced species can have adverse effects on the community. The non-native red alga Grateloupia turuturu, first reported in Rhode Island, USA in 1994, has since extended its southern range into eastern Long Island Sound. This large alga has the potential to impact coastal communities by altering the floristic composition important to associated flora and fauna. A comparison of algal and epifaunal assemblages was made during 2006 and 2007 between native and non-native algal communities dominated by either G. turuturu or the native, Chondrus crispus at two sites in Long Island Sound. We found that within Grateloupia-dominated habitat, there was a large decrease in overall macrophyte biomass as compared to native habitat. We also found that habitat dominated by the non-native alga reduced species richness and total abundance of invertebrates relative to nearby habitats dominated by C. crispus. In addition, we found that the dominant mesofaunal species, important to higher trophic level consumers, had greatly reduced densities in communities dominated by the non-native alga.     

Diversification and Demography of the Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) on Hainan Island and the Adjacent Mainland

The Oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) is one of the few non-gekkonid lizards that are geographically widespread in the tropics. We investigated its population dynamics on Hainan Island and the adjacent mainland of China and Vietnam, focusing on the impact of cyclic upheaval and submergence of land bridges during the Pleistocene. Our Bayesian phylogenetic analysis reveals two mitochondrial lineages, A and B, which are estimated to have coalesced about 0.26 million years ago (95% credibility interval: 0.05–0.61 million years ago). Lineage A contains individuals mainly from central and southern Wuzhi Mountain on Hainan Island, whereas lineage B mainly comprises individuals from other sites on the island plus the adjacent mainland. The estimated coalescence times within lineages A (0.05 million years ago) and B (0.13 million years ago) fall within a period of cyclical land-bridge formation and disappearance in the Pleistocene. A spatial analysis of molecular variance identified two distinct population groupings: I, primarily containing lineage A, and II, mainly consisting of lineage B. However, haplotypes from lineages A and B occur sympatrically, suggesting that gene flow is ongoing. Neither Wuzhi Mountain nor Qiongzhou Strait and Gulf of Tonkin act as barriers to gene flow among C. versicolor populations. Analyses of the data using mismatch distributions and extended Bayesian skyline plots provide evidence of a relatively stable population size through time for Group I, and moderate population expansions and contractions during the end of the Pleistocene for Group II. We conclude that the phylogeographical patterns of C. versicolor are the combined product of Pleistocene sea-level oscillations and nonphysical barriers to gene flow.     

The Asian red seaweed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Grateloupia turuturu</Emphasis> (Rhodophyta) invades the Gulf of Maine

We report the invasion of the Gulf of Maine, in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, by the largest red seaweed in the world, the Asian Grateloupia turuturu. First detected in 1994 in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, south of Cape Cod, this alga had expanded its range in the following years only over to Long Island and into Long Island Sound. In July 2007 we found Grateloupia in the Cape Cod Canal and as far north (east) as Boston, Massachusetts, establishing its presence in the Gulf of Maine. Grateloupia can be invasive and may be capable of disrupting low intertidal and shallow subtidal seaweeds. The plant's broad physiological tolerances suggest that it will be able to expand possibly as far north as the Bay of Fundy. We predict its continued spread in North America and around the world, noting that its arrival in the major international port of Boston may now launch G. turuturu on to new global shipping corridors.     

Redescription of the East Asian bagrid catfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudobagrus kyphus</Emphasis> Mai, 1978, and a new record from China

 A small species (<90 mm SL) of the bagrid catfish, Pseudobagrus kyphus Mai, 1978, originally described from northern Vietnam, is newly recorded from China and redescribed in detail. The species is distributed in rivers flowing into Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin); i.e., the Song Hong River basin in northern Vietnam, and rivers on the southern side of Mts. Shiwan–Dashan in southernmost Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China. Partial nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial DNA are also described and compared among the populations.     

Feeding habits of cichlid species (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in Caobas lake, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Feeding habits of seven cichlid species (Archocentrus octofasciatus, A. spilurus, "Cichlasoma" robertsoni, "C." synspilum, "C." urophthalmus, Petenia splendida, Thorichthys meeki) in Lake Caobas, southern Yucatan Peninsula, were studied. Samples were taken with enclosure and cast nets during the dry and rainy seasons of 1995 (day and night). The environment was characterized by measuring temperature, conductivity and pH. All individuals were below 41 mm SL (N = 281). Frequency of occurrence and prey abundance were analyzed. Main prey items were chironomids, mites, copepods, cladocerans, and ostracods. The cichlids fed mainly on zooplankton, with the partial exceptions of P. splendida (piscivore), "C." synspilum and A. spilurus (herbivores). A cluster analysis showed that the most similar trophic spectra were those of T. meeki, "C." robertsoni and "C." salvini, which were also the least diverse. "C." synspilum and A. spilurus had an intermediate distance between their diets and those of other species. The species with the most distinctive feeding composition were P. splendida (with the most diverse and equitable diet) and the omnivore A. octofasciatus (whose diet was the richest one). T. meeki showed quantitative diel, ontogenetic, and seasonal diet changes, but none between sexes. "C." robertsoni, "C." salvini and "C." synspilum differ in food habits in Caobas and in other localities, a fact that underscores the trophic adaptability of cichlids. Trophic overlap between cichlids in Caobas could imply absence of competition, perhaps because resources are abundant in the ecosystem.