The effect of the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on the capsalid monogenean Benedenia lolo parasite of the labrid fish Hemigymnus melapterus

The cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus affected the pigmented monogenean parasite Benedenia lolo on the fish Hemigymnus melapterus (Labridae) held in aquaria. The effect of cleaner fish varied with the size class of fish; only small fish [ a posteriori size class <11.5 cm standard length ( L _S)] exposed to cleaner fish had fewer monogeneans compared with fish not exposed to cleaner fish. The abundance of monogeneans on large fish ( a posteriori size class <11.5 cm L _S) was not affected by cleaner fish. The size-frequency distributions of monogeneans on both size-classes of H. melapterus were affected by cleaner fish. Fish exposed to cleaner fish had fewer large (>3 mm) and more small (<1 mm) monogeneans than fish not exposed to cleaner fish, suggesting cleaner fish selectively removed larger monogeneans. This difference was more pronounced on large fish. In the absence of cleaner fish, small fish had almost as many monogeneans as large fish; they also had more small monogeneans than the large fish, suggesting small fish were more vulnerable to infection by monogeneans than larger fish. This suggests that the cleaner fish L. dimidiatus has the potential to control benedeniine monogeneans on captive fish and highlights the importance of taking into account fish size in studies of the effect of cleaner fish on ectoparasites.     

Comparison of ribosomal DNA sequences of Lamellodiscus spp. (monogenea, diplectanidae) parasitising Pagellus (sparidae, teleostei) in the North Mediterranean Sea: species divergence and coevolutionary interactions

We sequenced DNA fragments from four monogenean species of the genus Lamellodiscus and their three fish host species from the genus Pagellus in the North Mediterranean Sea, in order to estimate the molecular divergence and the coevolutionary interactions in this association. By comparing the ITS1 sequences of the parasites, we assessed their level of interspecific differences and tested the phylogenetic status of Lamellodiscus virgula and Lamellodiscus obeliae, formerly described as two different species. Moreover, we wanted to know if closely related parasites used closely related hosts, to investigate the coevolutionary interactions in this complex. Phylogenetic relationships among Lamellodiscus species were estimated with partial 18S ribosomal DNA sequences while mitochondrial cytochrome-b DNA sequences were used for their fish hosts. The ITS1 sequences appear to be highly variable among Lamellodiscus species, except L.virgula and L.obeliae, suggesting an old divergence time or a rapid molecular evolution within this genus. This fish-parasite association seems to exhibit coevolutionary interactions. L.virgula and L.obeliae are proposed to be a single species on the basis of their almost identical ITS1 sequences.     

一种优良淡水鱼——团头鲂(Megalobrama amblycephala)的繁殖和饲养

团头鲂原是一种野生的草食性淡水鱼类,从1960年起对它进行了一系列的观察试验,肯定它有以下六个优点:(1)在池养条件下,性腺能发育成熟;(2)以各种草类为主要食料;(3)抗病力强、成活率高;(4)容易捕捞、起水率高;(5)含肉量高,脂多、味美;(6)一年半可长至商品规格。试验结果证明团头鲂可以作为新的养殖对象,同时也提供了一套繁殖、饲养管理方法。1964年到1973年已有二十一个省市先后进行移殖饲养,有的已就地繁殖、推广。本文系历年试验和部分移殖经验的总结。       

Changes in the lower trophic levels as a consequence of the level of fish manipulation in the ponds

Cyprinid fish of different mature age classes (3+ -4+) and stocks (100, 300 and 500 kg/ha) were introduced into each of three experimental ponds with area of 0.3 ha (average depth ca 1.7 m) while the fourth pond was left free of fish. Bream (Abramis brama L.), white bream (Blicca bjoerkna L.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus L.) made up 75% of the total cyprinid biomass, with wild carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) as the remaining 25%. The introduced fish spawned successfully. The high (above 300 kg/ha) planktivorous and benthivorous fish stocks resulted in several qualitative and quantitative alterations of the food chain structure in our simulation pond experiments. These alterations must primarily be assigned to changes caused by both the zooplanktivory and benthivory nature of the stocked fish populations. At the higher levels of fish biomass, Secchi depth was influenced significantly by chlorophyll-a concentration. Most of the variance in suspended solids concentration could be explained by the biomass ratio of the mature benthivorous fish. There was a clear shift in algal cell size in the ponds with the higher fish stocks: ponds with more fish had larger cells later in the summer. The relative influence of young cyprinid fish on crustaceans species composition and biomass, and mature populations on benthic fauna abundance and biomass, was sufficiently greater at higher (300–500 kg/ha) fish stock rates.     

Parasite communities of Adriatic cage-reared fish

From June 2001 to March 2002, 7 semi-offshore facilities in the Adriatic Sea rearing sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax, sea bream Sparus aurata, sharpsnout bream Diplodus puntazzo and red sea bream Pagellus bogaraveo aged 1+, were monitored for the presence of protozoan and metazoan parasites. Obtained data sets of abundance and prevalence were used to evaluate the structure and dynamic of infra- and component parasite communities. In all hosts, except the red sea bream, dominant parasites were monogenean specialists, showing clear seasonality. Average infracommunity richness was very low, ranging from 1 to 3 parasites per fish, while at component community level, values ranged from 3 to 8, depending on host species. Based on low diversity indices and a moderate to high similarity coefficient between different facilities, it can be concluded that the parasitofauna of Adriatic cage-reared fish is a stable and impoverished stochastic assemblage, with monogeneans as the predominant parasitic group.     

鲢和草鱼鳃部寄生单殖吸虫的种群分布和季节动态

作者在 1995— 1996年期间 ,对同一口池塘中的鲢和草鱼寄生鲢指环虫 (Dactylogyrushypophthalmichthys)和鳃片指环虫 (D .lamellatus)进行了种群分布和季节动态研究。两种单殖吸虫种群丰盛度的季节变化与其感染率的变化基本相似 :鲢指环虫 2— 3月种群的丰盛度逐渐增加 ,4月达到高峰 ,随后逐渐下降 ,在秋冬季维持在一个较低的水平上 ;鳃片指环虫在 11至来年 3月种群的丰盛度逐渐上升 ,4月达到高峰 ,随后迅速下降 ,在夏秋季维持在一个较低的水平。     

A collecting technique of eggs of fish's monogeneans in natural conditions

A device for collecting eggs produced by monogeneans parasitizing on fish is described. The device may be used in different natural conditions, i.e. lake, river, pond, sea, ocean.     

Parasites in marine protected areas: success and specificity of monogeneans

The effect of a marine protected area on the Lamellodiscus spp. monogenean community was tested by comparing the communities of parasites of Diplodus sargus inside and outside of the area. A total of 104 D. sargus were dissected harbouring 1280 monogeneans from the genus Lamellodiscus and belonging to 11 species. No modification in the global parasite community linked with the protection of the host populations was revealed. The most abundant and less specific parasite species, Lamellodiscus elegans , however, increased its abundance in the protected area. A significant relationship was found between parasite host range and the percentage of infected hosts. A significant relationship also occurred between epidemiological and genetic distances for the parasite species found. The results are discussed in term of parasite success and specificity and the importance of taking into account parasitism in the biological conservation of hosts.     

Reproductive strategy of leafscale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus and the Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis on the Portuguese continental slope

Recent data are presented on leafscale gulper shark Centrophorus squamosus and Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis collected during an extended sampling programme carried out at mainland Portuguese landing ports. Although there are some features common to all deep-water squaliform sharks, the two species have different reproductive strategies: C. squamosus has a lower fecundity and larger total length ( L _T) at first maturity than C. coelolepis . Despite the scarcity of pregnant C. squamosus in the samples, the L _T at birth was estimated at c. 440 mm. For C. coelolepis the results suggest the existence of a non-annual reproductive cycle with two breeding seasons in each year.     

Host specificity is linked to intraspecific variability in the genus Lamellodiscus (Monogenea)

SUMMARYWe investigated whether host specificity is linked to variability within species of Lamellodiscus monogeneans, which are gill ectoparasites of the Sparidae. We sampled fish parasites in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea: 4 specialist species, using 1 single host species, and 3 generalist species, using 2 distinct host species. Intraspecific variability was assessed from 2 different datasets. Morphometric variability of the attachment organ, called the haptor, was estimated first from measurements of several sclerified haptoral parts on 102 individuals. Genetic variability was calculated based on comparisons of sequences derived from the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA of 62 individuals. Morphometric variances in the specialist versus generalist species were compared via principal component analysis and F-tests, and uncorrected genetic distances (p-distances) were estimated within each species. We showed that the inter-individual variance of morphometric characters, as well as p-distances, are clearly greater within generalist species than specialist ones. These findings suggest that a relative increase in morphological and molecular variability enhances the possibility to colonize new host species in monogeneans, and supports the hypothesis that intraspecific variability could be a potential determinant of host specificity.     

The gonadal cycle of captive white bream, Diplodus sargus (L.)

A histological study was carried out to follow gonadal changes in captive white bream during the second and third years of life. All but one individual matured as a male. Spawning was found to occur in winter. Environmental factors are likely to have influenced the reproductive activity of the captive fish.     

Comparative pathology of some monogenean and copepod ectoparasites on the gills of Acanthopagrus australis (family Sparidae)

The monogenean Haliotrema spariensis was associated with several foci of hyperplastic epithelium and varying amounts of cellular infiltration resulting from attachment by hamuli penetrating the lamellar blood vessels and, presumably, from feeding. Lamellodiscus major was associated with fewer but larger foci containing more extensive infiltration, suggesting a more sessile habit. The copepod Dermoergasilus acanthopagri encircled the filament with its second antenna, occluded arteries and compressed the epithelium, resulting in hyperplasia, oedema and infiltration. Ergasilus lizae inserted its second antennae into the epithelium and subepithelial region and was associated with a localized proliferative response occasionally fusing adjacent filaments. The large copepod Lernanthropus atrox caused tissue disruption, hyperplasia, haemorrhage, oedema and infiltration. Hyperplastic epithelial cells had a rounded nucleus containing variable amounts of heterochromatin, dilated organelles, deposits of glycogen-like particles, cyoplasmic vesicles and vacuoles. Oedematous epithelial cells were less altered. Degenerating chloride cells were present in both oedematous and proliferated epithelia.     

溶氧水平对鳊鱼、中华倒刺鲃幼鱼游泳能力的影响

在(25 1)℃条件下, 以鳊鱼(Parabramis pekinensis)体重(4.70 0.11)g, n=32、中华倒刺鲃(Spinibarbus sinensis)体重(3.26 0.06)g, n=32幼鱼为研究对象, 采用鱼类游泳代谢测定仪在水体溶氧为8、4、2、1 mgO2/L条件下分别测定其临界游泳速度(Ucrit)和游泳代谢率(MO2), 并计算出静止代谢率(MO2rest)、最大游泳代谢率(MO2max)、代谢范围(MS)及单位位移能耗(COT)等相关参数。结果显示, 随着溶氧水平的下降, 鳊鱼、中华倒刺鲃幼鱼的Ucrit均逐渐下降, 除中华倒刺鲃幼鱼的值在4与8 mgO2/L下没有显著性差异外, 其他各组均差异显著(P0.05); 在同一溶氧水平下的中华倒刺鲃Ucrit显著大于鳊鱼(P0.05)。两种鱼的MO2max和MS均随DO的下降而显著下降, 但MO2rest在溶氧水平低于1 mgO2/L才显著下降(P0.05)。研究还发现鳊鱼、中华倒刺鲃幼鱼的MO2在同一游泳速度下随溶氧水平下降而降低, 而在相同溶氧水平下随游泳速度的上升而显著升高(P0.05); COT随游泳速度上升而显著降低(P0.05), 但在高游泳速度下相对稳定, 在同一游泳速度下随着DO的下降有所减小。中华倒刺鲃的COT整体上小于鳊鱼, 且在低游泳速度下差异更大。87.5%(1-8 mgO2/L)溶氧水平的下降导致两种鱼类相似的Ucrit变化(53% vs. 50%), 但溶氧水平由8降到4 mgO2/L时, 鳊鱼32%MO2max的下降导致Ucrit下降13%, 但同样的溶氧水平下降虽然导致中华倒刺鲃的MO2max下降20%, 但由于MO2rest和COT的下降, 其Ucrit并没有显著的变化。实验结果表明: 不同溶氧水平对不同鱼种游泳能力的影响存在差异, 这种差异与其代谢对策密切相关。       

A readily recognizable tag for marking bream Abramis brama (L.)

The paper describes the use of chicken wing tags as a rapid method of marking bream, Abramis bvurnu . Experiments on captive fish suggest that mortality due to the tags is minimal, although the results of co-variance analysis show that the tags effect the condition of the fish. An analysis of the recapture data is given.     

Effects of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth and feed utilization of wild‐caught striped sea bream,Lithognathus mormyrus

A feeding trial was carried out to determine the effects of dietary protein and lipid levels on the growth performance and feed utilization of wild‐caught striped sea bream (Lithognathus mormyrus). The experimental fish were collected from a local lagoon (Çardak Lagoon, Çanakkale, Turkey), transferred to the Marine Net Cage Unit and fed by hand to apparent satiation with a commercial sea bream feed (Biomar; 42% crude protein, 16% crude lipid). Approximately 4 weeks were needed to acclimate the fish to farming conditions. No pathological signs were observed and no fish losses occurred during the adaptation period. For the test trials four test diets with different levels of protein and lipid were formulated [low protein and low lipid (LP:LL), low protein and high lipid (LP:HL), high protein and low lipid (HP:LL), and high protein and high lipid (HP:HL)] and fed to L. mormyrus (mean weight 85.0 ± 4.6 g SEM) in the net cages (Ø 2 m, depth 2.5 m) for 60 days. During the experiment water temperature varied between 21.1 and 26.4°C; dissolved oxygen 8.4–9.6 mg L^?1; pH 7.2–8.6; and salinity 23.3–25.6‰. Growth performances of fish fed high protein diets were higher compared to fish fed low protein diets, irrespective of the dietary lipid level (P < 0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were not influenced by dietary protein or lipid levels (P > 0.05). Preliminary results indicate that striped sea bream can be easily adapted to farming conditions in net cages, and that a diet containing 50% crude protein and 15% crude lipid (HP:LL) levels with 23.0 g protein MJ^?1 gross energy of protein/energy ratio would be suitable for striped sea bream growth.     

Evolution and determinants of host specificity in the genus Lamellodiscus (Monogenea)

The evolution and determinants of host specificity in Lamellodiscus species (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) were investigated. The 20 known Mediterranean species were studied, all parasites of fishes from the family Sparidae (Teleostei). An index of specificity, which takes into account the phylogenetic relationships of their fish host species, was defined. The link between specificity and its potential determinants was investigated in a phylogenetic context using the method of independent contrasts. Host specificity in Lamellodiscus species appeared to be highly constrained by phylogeny, but also linked to host size. Mapping specificity onto the parasite phylogenetic tree suggests that specialist species do not represent an evolutionary dead end, and that specialization is not a derived condition. It is hypothesized that the ability to be generalist or specialist in Lamellodiscus is controlled by intrinsic, phylogenetically-related characteristics, and that specialist species tend to use large hosts, which may be more predictable.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 77, 431−443.     

综合养鱼高产池塘的溶氧变化周期

根据1979—1984年对主养鲢、鳙、非鲫,主养青、草鱼,主养青鱼3种养殖结构类型高产鱼池溶氧变化周期的系统研究,揭示了高产养鱼池塘溶氧的昼夜、垂直、水平变化及季节变化周期,分析了光合作用、呼吸作用、扩散作用在高产养鱼池塘溶氧动力学上的地位和作用。对高产养鱼池塘的溶氧收入、支出及平衡情况进行了定量研究,在主要饲养季节,测得晴到多云天、晴天的溶氧来源分别为:浮游植物光合产氧占86.0和95.3%,大气扩散溶入占14.0和4.7%;氧的消耗分别为:“水呼吸”消耗氧占72.0和72.0%,鱼类呼吸消耗氧占22.0和13.1%,淤泥中生物呼吸消耗氧占2.9、5.5%,扩散逸出占3.1、8.8%。文中还对溶氧变化周期与养鱼池塘管理的环境控制、结构控制之间的关系进行了分析。       

Comparison of UV-B tolerance between wild and hatchery-reared juveniles of red sea bream (Pagrus major) and black sea bream (Acanthopagrus schlegeli)

The amount of ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation reaching the sea surface has increased due to ozone depletion. Several laboratory studies have highlighted the negative impacts of UV radiation on fish using hatchery-reared specimens. However, potential differences in UV tolerance between wild and hatchery-reared fish have been given little consideration. Wild and reared juveniles of red sea bream and black sea bream were exposed to one of four different UV-B radiation levels (1.8; 1.1; 0.4; 0?W/m²) for 4?h. Survival rate was measured every 2?h for a period of 24?h (red sea bream) or 48?h (black sea bream) following exposure. Wild and reared juvenile red sea bream were characterized by similar survival rate, with survival declining to almost 0?% 24?h after exposure at the 1.1 and 1.8?W/m² levels. In black sea bream, wild individuals showed significantly higher survival than reared fish in levels 1.1 and 1.8?W/m². Melanophore density was also measured since melanin absorbs UV radiation. Wild black sea bream showed higher melanophore density compared to reared individuals, while no such difference was observed in red sea bream. We conclude that wild black sea bream juveniles acquire higher UV tolerance partly by increasing melanophore density through exposure to UV radiation. Our results indicate that the predicted impacts of UV radiation on fish populations solely based on experimentation with hatchery-reared specimens may be overestimated for some species.     

Gill monogeneans of neotropical cichlid fish: diversity,phylogenetic relationships,and host-parasite cophylogenetic associations

Host-parasite coevolution is one of the main topics of the evolutionary biology of host-parasite associations. The majority of monogeneans parasitizing fish exhibit a high degree of host specificity. As a result, their evolutionary history might be intertwined with that of their fish hosts. The Cichlidae represent a diverse group of secondary freshwater fish with disjunctive distribution. Host-specific dactylogyrid monogeneans commonly parasitize cichlid fish. Their high diversity is associated with the main areas of cichlid distribution, i.e., Neotropical America and Africa. Nevertheless, the parasite fauna of cichlids from Neotropical America is still underexplored. A total of 31 cichlid species were examined for the presence of monogeneans, with 20 of them being parasitized. On these cichlids, 30 monogeneans belonging to the genera Gussevia, Trinidactylus, and Scadicleithrum were identified, 17 of them potentially representing new species for science. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three monophyletic groups of Neotropic cichlid monogeneans. Genus Gussevia was monophyletic, while Sciadicleithrum resulted polyphyletic. Sciedicleithrum from South America and Sciadicleithrum from Mexico represented two divergent lineages. The plesiomorphic Neotropical cichlid host group for dactylogyrid monogeneans was Cichlini, from which the representatives of other Neotropical cichlid tribes were colonised. Cophylogenetic analyses revealed a statistically significant cophylogenetic signal in the investigated host-parasite system, with host switch and duplication representing the main coevolutionary events for monogeneans parasitizing Neotropical cichlids. This scenario is in accordance with previous studies focussed on dactylogyridean monogeneans parasitizing freshwater fish in Europe and Africa.