Trochelioid A and B,new cembranoid diterpenes from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum

Chemical investigations of the soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum, has led to the isolation of six cembranoids, two of which are new, Trochelioid A (1) and B (2), and one, 16-oxosarcophytonin E (3) isolated from nature for the first time. Additionally, two have been isolated from S. trocheliophorum for the first time (4 and 6). Structures were elucidated by employing extensive NMR and HR-FAB-MS experimentation.     

Length-weight relationship of twelve mesopelagic fishes from the western Tropical Atlantic

Length-weight relationship parameters were calculated for twelve mesopelagic fish species from the western Tropical Atlantic: Diretmus argenteus, Melamphaes polylepis, Bolinichthys distofax, Diaphus lucidus, Diaphus splendidus, Electrona risso, Hygophum taaningi, Taaningichthys bathyphilus, Melanolagus bericoides, Winteria telescopa, Diplophos taenia, Astronesthes similus. Data was collected off northeastern Brazil from April 9th to May 6th, 2017. Hauls were conducted during day and night at 47 stations by using a micronekton trawl (body mesh: 40 mm, cod-end mesh: 10 mm) from 10 to 1,113 m depth. The material was fixed in a 4% formalin solution for 1 month and then preserved in a 70% alcohol solution for proximally 6 months before processing for length (nearest 0.1 cm of standard length) and weight (nearest 0.01 g of total weight). A new maximum standard length for Winteria telescopa is also provided.     

The commercially important shoemaker spinefoot,Siganus sutor,connects coral reefs to neighbouring seagrass meadows

Spatial management of fish populations can potentially be optimized by determining the area of influence of a particular species. We performed an acoustic tagging study implemented on Denis Island in the Seychelles to assess the area of influence of the heavily targeted shoemaker spinefoot, Siganus sutor. We investigated whether this species acts as a mobile link between coral patches and seagrass meadows, and whether their movements differed between day and night. The study incorporated an array of 22 acoustic stations deployed within dense coral patches, seagrass meadows and mixed habitats of both seagrass and coral. Fifteen S. sutor carrying internal acoustic tags were monitored from November 2016 until May 2017. Detection patterns revealed them to be diurnal herbivores, with only rare nocturnal movements. Home-range estimates showed that individuals differed in their spatial range extents and habitats used, covering ~15% of the total shallow subtidal coastline of the island. However, they displayed very small daily movements (<200 m), concentrated mainly around sites within mixed coral and seagrass habitats. An optimal number of detections was recorded when the coral to seagrass area ratio was approximately 1.6:1. This ratio was confirmed through statistical prediction modelling. Identification of such links of commercially important species between networked habitats may help authorities consider incorporating seagrass meadows of the Seychelles into management discussions, which are currently lacking.     

Attachment structures in Rhizotrochus (Scleractinia): macro‐ to microscopic traits and their evolutionary significance

Marine sessile benthic organisms living on hard substrates have evolved a variety of attachment strategies. Rhizotrochus (Scleractinia, Flabellidae) is a representative azooxanthellate solitary scleractinian coral with a wide geographical distribution and unique attachment structures; it firmly attaches to hard substrates using numerous tube‐like rootlets, which are extended from a corallum wall, whereas most sessile corals are attached by stereome‐reinforced structures at their corallite bases. Detailed morphological and constructional traits of the rootlets themselves, along with their evolutionary significance, have not yet been fully resolved. Growth and developmental processes of spines in Truncatoflabellum and rootlets in Rhizotrochus suggest that these structures are homologous, as they both develop from the growth edges of walls and are formed by transformation of wall structures and their skeletal microstructures possess similar characteristics, such as patterns of rapid accretion and thickening deposits. Taking molecular phylogeny and fossil records of flabellids into consideration, Rhizotrochus evolved from a common free‐living ancestor and invaded hard‐substrate habitats by exploiting rootlets of spines origin, which were adaptive for soft‐substrate environments.     

Predation on snakes of Argentina: Effects of coloration and ring pattern on coral and false coral snakes

The occurrence of coral snake coloration among unrelated venomous and non‐venomous snake species has often been explained in terms of warning coloration and mimicry. In Argentina, no field tests have been conducted to confirm this mimetic association between one venomous coral species (Micrurus phyrrocryptus, Elapidae) and two non‐venomous snake species with a similar color pattern (Lystrophis pulcher and Oxyrhopus rhombifer, Colubridae). The aims of this work were to test for the possible aposematic or cryptic function of the ring pattern and coloration of coral snakes and false coral snakes from central Argentina, and to analyse whether the pattern is effective throughout the year. Predation on snakes was estimated by using non‐toxic plasticine replicas of ringed venomous and non‐venomous snakes and unbanded green snakes placed along transects in their natural habitat during the dry and rainy season. Ringed color pattern was attacked by predators despite the background color. One of the replica types was attacked more than expected during the dry season, suggesting that both shape and width of rings may influence the choice by predators. The reaction of predators towards replicas that mimic snake species with ringed patterns is independent of the geographical region, and we can conclude that mimicry characteristics are quite general when the true models are present in the area.     

Pelagic to demersal transition in a coral‐reef fish,the orbicular batfish Platax orbicularis

Behavioural and ecological observations were made on young, reared Platax orbicularis in Opunohu Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia, during their transition from the pelagic, dispersive stage to the reef‐orientated demersal stage. Seventy‐two young P. orbicularis (17–75 mm standard length, L_S) were released in the pelagic zone and 20 (40–70 mm L_S) adjacent to the reefs. Swimming speed was slow (mean 5·2 cm s^?1) and independent of size. An ontogenetic descent was observed: the smallest P. orbicularis swam at the surface, medium‐sized P. orbicularis swam in midwater (mean 5–13 m) and the largest P. orbicularis swam to the bottom, where many lay on their sides. Platax orbicularis swam southerly on average, away from the ocean and into the bay. Smaller P. orbicularis were more likely to swim directionally than larger individuals. Young P. orbicularis released near reef edges swam at similar, but more variable speeds (mean 6·6 cm s^?1). About half of those released near reefs swam away, but fewer swam away from an inshore fringing reef than from a patch reef near the bay mouth. Many P. orbicularis swam up the slope onto the reef top, but the little settlement observed was near the reef base. Average, near‐reef swimming direction was also southerly. Some reef residents, in particular the triggerfish Balistapus undulatus, harassed young P. orbicularis.     

Genetic relatedness does not retain spatial pattern across multiple spatial scales: dispersal and colonization in the coral,Pocillopora damicornis

Patterns of isolation by distance are uncommon in coral populations. Here, we depart from historical trends of large‐scale, geographical genetic analyses by scaling down to a single patch reef in Kāne‘ohe Bay, Hawai‘i, USA, and map and genotype all colonies of the coral, Pocillopora damicornis. Six polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to assess population genetic and clonal structure and to calculate individual colony pairwise relatedness values. Our results point to an inbred, highly clonal reef (between 53 and 116 clonal lineages of 2352 genotyped colonies) with a much skewed genet frequency distribution (over 70% of the reef was composed of just seven genotypes). Spatial autocorrelation analyses revealed that corals found close together on the reef were more genetically related than corals further apart. Spatial genetic structure disappears, however, as spatial scale increases and then becomes negative at the largest distances. Stratified, random sampling of three neighbouring reefs confirms that reefs are demographically open and inter‐reef genetic structuring was not detected. Attributing process to pattern in corals is complicated by their mixed reproductive strategies. Separate autocorrelation analyses, however, show that the spatial distribution of both clones and nonclones contributes to spatial genetic structure. Overall, we demonstrate genetic structure on an intrareef scale and genetic panmixia on an inter‐reef scale indicating that, for P. damicornis, the effect of small‐ and large‐scale dispersal processes on genetic diversity are not the same. By starting from an interindividual, intrareef level before scaling up to an inter‐reef level, this study demonstrates that isolation‐by‐distance patterns for the coral P. damicornis are limited to small scales and highlights the importance of investigating genetic patterns and ecological processes at multiple scales.     

Faunal breaks and species composition of Indo-Pacific corals: the role of plate tectonics,environment and habitat distribution

Species richness gradients are ubiquitous in nature, but the mechanisms that generate and maintain these patterns at macroecological scales remain unresolved. We use a new approach that focuses on overlapping geographical ranges of species to reveal that Indo-Pacific corals are assembled within 11 distinct faunal provinces. Province limits are characterized by co-occurrence of multiple species range boundaries. Unexpectedly, these faunal breaks are poorly predicted by contemporary environmental conditions and the present-day distribution of habitat. Instead, faunal breaks show striking concordance with geological features (tectonic plates and mantle plume tracks). The depth range over which a species occurs, its larval development rate and genus age are important determinants of the likelihood that species will straddle faunal breaks. Our findings indicate that historical processes, habitat heterogeneity and species colonization ability account for more of the present-day biogeographical patterns of corals than explanations based on the contemporary distribution of reefs or environmental conditions.