Gender peculiarities of blood antioxidant enzyme activity of some Black Sea coastal fish species

The activity of key antioxidant blood enzymes is investigated in six common coastal fish species living near Sevastopol (Black Sea). No differences are found between females and males in most of the species. The application of these parameters in monitoring programs is discussed.     

Growth dynamics of Zostera in Sevastopol Bay (Crimea,Black Sea)

Density, biomass and primary productivity of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) and density and biomass of Zostera noltii Hornem. were studied at three locations in Sevastopol Bay, Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine, in April 2002, late September 2002, and late January 2003 at 3 m and 5 m depths. All three growth parameters varied by station, depth, and month. The aboveground biomass (AGB) was greater in September than in April or January at 3 m. It was greater at 5 m than at 3 m in April at one station. For Z. noltii, results were more variable as to month. For belowground biomass (BGB), month and station relationships were not clear cut. It was generally true that total biomass was greatest in September. Significant differences in density, AGB and total biomass were observed for station and month in eelgrass, while in BGB, these differences were significant for depth and for month. Primary production in eelgrass was greatest at both depths in April as compared to September or January. Reproductive shoots were found only during April. Overall, seedlings were found in all collection periods and depths, but were most abundant at the three stations in April.     

Age and Growth of Atherina Atherina boyeri (Atherinidae) from Southwestern Crimea (Black Sea)

Journal of Ichthyology - The size and age structure and growth of Atherina boyeri from southwestern Crimea were studied. The ratio of males and females was 1.00 : 1.38, the proportion of males...     

Functional groups of lagoon fish species in Languedoc Roussillon, southern France

Ten functional traits of fish species were related to habitat, diet or food acquisition, to propose a classification of 21 lagoon fishes into 10 functional groups. The selection of traits was based on their functional interest and the ease of measurement. Some groups were taxonomically related containing species belonging to the same genus, e.g . Syngnathus , Atherina or Pomatochistus . Species with a flat body shape constituted another group and three species ( Anguilla anguilla , Gambusia affinis and Callionymus pusillus ) formed individual groups. These results could be used to constitute functional units and to simplify such complex ecosystems and their interactions.     

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).     

Life History of Mediterranean Horse Mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus (Carangidae) from Crimea (Black Sea)

Journal of Ichthyology - The sex ratio, body length–age structure, growth rate, maturity dynamics, and mortality are studied in Mediterranean horse mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus from the...     

Crustaceans in the splash and upper sublittoral zones of the Opukskii Nature Reserve (Crimea,Black Sea)

Work at local biodiversity checklists in nature reserves is essential for the preservation of this diversity, which is the principal aim of establishing nature reserves. Such work is also important for understanding biocenotic connections in marine systems. Crustaceans are among the most numerous and functionally important groups of organisms dwelling in the zones along the coastline. We studied this group in the splash zone and on algal thalli and stems of marine plants in the littoral zone of the Black Sea in and around the Opukskii Nature Reserve, the fauna of which is not sufficiently known. Nineteen crustacean species were found, most of these being members of the order Isopoda. Some of the recorded species have not been observed recently in other areas of the Black Sea. The species composition of crustaceans is peculiar to the reserve and its environs.     

Length–weight relationships for 22 fish species of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (western Mediterranean Sea)

Length–weight relationships were estimated for 22 species of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (south‐eastern Spain): Lipophrys dalmatinus, Salaria pavo, Callionymus pusillus, Aphanius iberus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Gobius cobitis, G. niger, G. paganellus, Pomatoschistus marmoratus, Symphodus cinereus, Chelon labrosus, Liza aurata, L. ramado, L. saliens, Mugil cephalus, Diplodus puntazzo, D. sargus sargus, Lithognathus mormyrus, Sarpa salpa, Sparus aurata, Hippocampus guttulatus and Syngnathus abaster. The captures were made in shallow areas of the lagoon during 2002–2004. Significant length–weight relationships were found for all species.     

来自山西鸟窝的金孢属一新种

从山西省祁县一麻雀窝中的羽毛上分离到一嗜角蛋白的金孢属新种——山西金孢。采用分子系统学结合经典形态学对其进行了描述和鉴定,其主要鉴别特征是:具球拍状菌丝,10.8–16.2×5.4–6.5μm;顶侧生分生孢子着生于菌丝上或短的突起或短柄上,单生或2–3个串生,多数长倒卵形,6.5–11.9×3.2–6.5μm,少数棒状至柱状,8.6–17.3×2.2–4.3μm;基痕较宽1.9–4.3μm,大多数产孢细胞与分生孢子连接处具有膨大的“领状”结构;间生孢子不规则桶状至肾形,8.6–13×3.2–6.5μm。     

Taxonomic composition and seasonal dynamics of the meroplankton of the coastal zone of the northeastern Black Sea

The composition and dynamics of the numerical density of meroplankton in the Bays and Seaports of the Northeastern Black Sea, viz., Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Gelendzhik, and Anapa were studied in the long-term aspect. The larvae of the benthic invertebrates of 73 taxa were identified. Meroplankton had their peak abundance period from May to September. Larvae of mollusca Mytilus galloprovincialis and Cardiidae gen sp. (Bivalvia) were dominant in the spring; larvae of mollusca Bittium reticulatum (Gastropoda), Mytilaster lineatus were dominant in the summer, and M. galloprovincialis, Anadara cf. inaequivalvis, Chamelea gallina (Bivalvia) were dominant in the autumn. Polychaete and cirriped larvae occurred in the plankton during the spring-autumn season. Complex species that are tolerant to pollution, such as Amphibalanus improvisus, M. lineatus, B. reticulatum, and the genus Polydora were abundant in Novorossiysk and the Tuapse.     

The composition and structure of the benthic diatom taxocene (Bacillariophyta) near Cape Fiolent (the Crimea,the Black Sea)

For the first time in the waters of the Cape Fiolent Reserve, a high species richness of benthic diatoms was revealed on natural substrates, 290 species and infraspecific taxa (IT), belonging to 281 species, 68 genera, 32 families, 19 orders, and 3 classes. A total of 68 species and 3 genera were previously registered as new for the flora of the Black Sea; 3 species and 1 taxonomic combination were previously described as new to science, as well as 4 species that did not occur in the Black sea in the past 50 and 100 years of research. Navicula (41 species and IT), Amphora (30), Nitzschia (29), Fallacia (20), Cocconeis (17) and Diploneis (16) were the most represented genera. Only one representative was identified in each of the orders Anaulales, Ardissoneales, Thalassionematales, Rhaphoneidales, and Rhopalodiales. The diversity assessment that was carried out using taxonomic distinctness indices, TaxDI, revealed that the structure of the phylogenetic diatom tree was formed by branches with various species saturation levels and different hierarchical subordination, but with the predominance of polyspecific taxa up to at genera level. The TaxDI values (Δ⁺ = 76.71; Λ⁺ = 361.52) indicate the low evenness and high variability of the structure of the benthic diatom taxocene near Cape Fiolent.     

Body Size,Age Structure,Growth, and Maturation of Black Scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus (Scorpaenidae) from Southwestern Crimea (Black Sea)

Journal of Ichthyology - The body size and age structure, as well as the features of growth and sexual maturation, of black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus from the coastal waters of southwestern...     

A new species of Fauveliopsidae (Annelida) from the North Sea

A new species of the genus Laubieriopsis Petersen, 2000 is described based on 28 specimens collected in the north-east part of the North Sea. It is characterized by fixed number of chaetigers (22), paired genital papillae, bidentate neurochaeta of chaetigers 1-4, the absence of acicular chaetae on chaetigers 5-21 and, on the last chaetiger, one acicular and three capillary chaetae enlarged and directed backward. The present study brings the number of known species of Laubieriopsis to five and the number of Northeast Atlantic species of this genus to two.     

Dynamics of core and occasional species in the marine plankton: tintinnid ciliates in the north-west Mediterranean Sea

Aim To assess short‐term variability in the community composition and community structure of tintinnid ciliates, herbivores of the microzooplankton. Location North‐west Mediterranean Sea. Methods We sampled on 18 dates over a 4‐week period in 2004 at an open‐water site. Species were classified as ‘core species’, found on every date, or ‘occasional species’, absent on one or more dates. Species abundance distributions of the entire community, and separately the core and occasional species, were compared with geometric, log‐series and log‐normal distributions. Core and occasional species were compared in terms of the shell or lorica oral diameter (LOD), analogous to gape size. Results We found 11 core and 49 occasional species. Diversity metrics were stable compared with shifts in abundances. Core species accounted for the majority of individuals in all samples. On each date, 9–22 occasional species, representing 10–15% of the population, were found. Species richness of the occasionals was positively related to population size. The identities of the occasional species found were unrelated to the time between sampling. The species abundance distribution of the occasional population was best fit by a log‐series distribution, while that of the core species was best fit by a log‐normal distribution. The species abundance distribution of the entire community was best fit by a log‐series distribution. Most of the occasional species had LODs distinct from that of a core species and occupied size classes left empty by the core population. However, the most abundant and frequent of the occasional species had a LOD similar to that of a core species. Main conclusions Among tintinnids, which are planktonic protists, occasional species have a species abundance distribution pattern distinct from that of core species. Occasional species appeared to be composed of two groups, one of relatively abundant species and similar to core species, and a second group of ephemeral species with morphologies distinct from core species. The existence of two categories of occasional or rare species may be common: (1) those similar to, and thus perhaps able to replace, dominant species in the absence of a change in the environment; and (2) those distinct from dominant species and requiring different conditions to prosper.     

A rare new species of Polhillia (Genisteae,Fabaceae)

The new species Polhillia ignota Boatwr. is described. This species is known only from two collections, one between Vredenburg and Saldanha and the other close to Porterville. The new species is most similar to P. obsoleta, which is known only from a few localities around Worcester, in its narrow, sericeous leaflets and flowers of equal size, but differs in its flattened mature leaves with larger leaflets (up to ± 12 mm long), longer pseudo-peduncles (up to ± 15  mm long), denser inflorescences (with up to four flowers), shorter pedicels (1–2 mm long) and non-auriculate wing- and keel petals.     

A new genus and species in the mite family Eupodidae (Acari,Eupodoidea) from Crimea

A new genus Pseudoeupodes Khaustov, gen. n. and new species Pseudoeupodes porosus sp. n. are described from moss in Crimea. The taxonomy of the Eupodidae and some other families and genera of Eupodoidea is reviewed. The genus Turanopenthalodes Barilo, 1988 is transferred from Penthalodidae to Penthaleidae. The family Cocceupodidae Jesionowska, 2010 and the genus Filieupodes Jesionowska, 2010 are considered as junior synonyms of Eupodidae Koch, 1842 and Cocceupodes Thor, 1934, respectively. A key to genera of the family Eupodidae is provided.