1
Videos of the 2018 & back to 2001 Fish Show at Southend are at vimeo.com/southendaquarist
==========================
Speolabeo hokhanhi • A New Cavefish (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Central Vietnam
Speolabeo hokhanhi
Tao, Cao, Deng & Zhang, 2018
Hokhanh’s Blind-cavefish DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.10
Abstract
Speolabeo hokhanhi, new species, is here described from Hang Va Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Son River basin) in Central Vietnam. It can be distinguished from S. musaei by having no papillae on the lower lip, no hump immediately behind the head, a duckbilled snout, a shorter caudal peduncle (length 16.8–18.6% SL), and the pelvic fin inserted closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fin base.
Keywords: Pisces, Speolabeo, new species, cavefish, Central Vietnam
FIGURE Speolabeo hokhanhi sp. nov., fresh individual immediately after capture. Lateral view.
Speolabeo hokhanhi sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Speolabeo hokhanhi can be easily distinguished from S. musaei by having a lower lip without papillae (vs. with a band of papillae along its anterior margin), no hump immediately behind the head (vs. present), a duckbilled (vs. pyramidal) snout, the pelvic fin inserted closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fin base (vs. midway between the snout tip and caudal-fin base) and a shorter (vs. longer) caudal peduncle (length 16.8–18.6% SL vs. 19.6–22.7). All data here used for S. musaei are from Kottelat and Steiner (2011).
....
Etymology. The specific epithet is named in honor of Mr. Ho Khanh who discovered many caves in Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park. He was a local guide of the cavefish survey conducted by the first author during 2014 into the cave where the type specimens were collected and provided detailed information about the collection site.
As common names, we suggest Hokhanh’s Blind-cavefish (English)
and cá mù hang va hồ-khanh (Vietnamese).
FIGURE Distribution of Speolabeo hokhanhi (▲).
Distribution and habitat. Speolabeo hokhanhi is known only from the type locality (Fig. 4). Hang Va Cave is roughly 35 km south of Phong Nha village, rather close to Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest known cave that is 5 km long, 200 m high and 150 m wide. A 24 km southward drive along the West Ho–Chi–Minh highway starting from the tourism center of the Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park leads to the point closest to the cave site of the Hang Son Doong. From there, roughly 1.5 hours’ northward walk following a narrow stony track through thick forest arrives at Hang Va Cave. Its entrance is about 30 meters above the ground. A descent of 15 m from the entrance reaches a cave passage containing a subterraneous stream. Downstream for approximately 200 meters, there is a shallow water pool with many stalagmites, usually 2–3 m tall (Fig. 5), where the type specimens of the new species were collected during the dry season. At this time, the pool had a muddy substrate and was 0.5–1.5 m in depth, 10 m wide, and 25 m long. More than 30 individuals of about the same size were observed in the pool; only six were captured using a hand-net. The fishes were swimming slowly and haphazardly, rather close to the water surface; when disturbed, they swam deeper, but did not seek shelter. A new shrimp species was found to sympatrically occur with the cavefish (Do & Nguyen 2014).
Nguyen Dinh Tao, Liang Cao, Shuqing Deng and E Zhang. 2018. Speolabeo hokhanhi, A New Cavefish from Central Vietnam (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4476(1); 109–117. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.10
Researchgate.net/publication/327632977_Speolabeo_hokhanhi_a_new_cavefish_from_Central_Vietnam
==========================
Speolabeo hokhanhi
Tao, Cao, Deng & Zhang, 2018
Hokhanh’s Blind-cavefish DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.10
Abstract
Speolabeo hokhanhi, new species, is here described from Hang Va Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Son River basin) in Central Vietnam. It can be distinguished from S. musaei by having no papillae on the lower lip, no hump immediately behind the head, a duckbilled snout, a shorter caudal peduncle (length 16.8–18.6% SL), and the pelvic fin inserted closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fin base.
Keywords: Pisces, Speolabeo, new species, cavefish, Central Vietnam
FIGURE Speolabeo hokhanhi sp. nov., fresh individual immediately after capture. Lateral view.
Speolabeo hokhanhi sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Speolabeo hokhanhi can be easily distinguished from S. musaei by having a lower lip without papillae (vs. with a band of papillae along its anterior margin), no hump immediately behind the head (vs. present), a duckbilled (vs. pyramidal) snout, the pelvic fin inserted closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fin base (vs. midway between the snout tip and caudal-fin base) and a shorter (vs. longer) caudal peduncle (length 16.8–18.6% SL vs. 19.6–22.7). All data here used for S. musaei are from Kottelat and Steiner (2011).
....
Etymology. The specific epithet is named in honor of Mr. Ho Khanh who discovered many caves in Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park. He was a local guide of the cavefish survey conducted by the first author during 2014 into the cave where the type specimens were collected and provided detailed information about the collection site.
As common names, we suggest Hokhanh’s Blind-cavefish (English)
and cá mù hang va hồ-khanh (Vietnamese).
FIGURE Distribution of Speolabeo hokhanhi (▲).
Distribution and habitat. Speolabeo hokhanhi is known only from the type locality (Fig. 4). Hang Va Cave is roughly 35 km south of Phong Nha village, rather close to Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest known cave that is 5 km long, 200 m high and 150 m wide. A 24 km southward drive along the West Ho–Chi–Minh highway starting from the tourism center of the Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park leads to the point closest to the cave site of the Hang Son Doong. From there, roughly 1.5 hours’ northward walk following a narrow stony track through thick forest arrives at Hang Va Cave. Its entrance is about 30 meters above the ground. A descent of 15 m from the entrance reaches a cave passage containing a subterraneous stream. Downstream for approximately 200 meters, there is a shallow water pool with many stalagmites, usually 2–3 m tall (Fig. 5), where the type specimens of the new species were collected during the dry season. At this time, the pool had a muddy substrate and was 0.5–1.5 m in depth, 10 m wide, and 25 m long. More than 30 individuals of about the same size were observed in the pool; only six were captured using a hand-net. The fishes were swimming slowly and haphazardly, rather close to the water surface; when disturbed, they swam deeper, but did not seek shelter. A new shrimp species was found to sympatrically occur with the cavefish (Do & Nguyen 2014).
Nguyen Dinh Tao, Liang Cao, Shuqing Deng and E Zhang. 2018. Speolabeo hokhanhi, A New Cavefish from Central Vietnam (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4476(1); 109–117. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.10
Researchgate.net/publication/327632977_Speolabeo_hokhanhi_a_new_cavefish_from_Central_Vietnam
==========================
The British Livebearer Association
in association with Fancy Guppy UK Autumn convention
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th September
IBM Warwick, on the A46 at CV34 5AH
Saturday:
Fancy guppy show – Many stunning examples of the breeder’s art on view.
Trade Stands
Exhibition of wild-type livebearers
We are delighted to welcome Fred Poeser who will present two talks. The first talk will focus on Guppy genetics whilst the second talk will concentrate on Central American species of Poecilia.
Fred is a lifelong livebearer enthusiast who has been on many expeditions exploring the wild habitats of livebearers. He is also the man who scientifically described the Endler guppy, Poecilia wingii (as well as other Poecilia sp)
Sunday:
Auction of wild-type livebearers on Sunday. Bring your surplus stock to sell or buy those hard-to-find species that you are unlikely to ever see in an aquarium shop.
Auction of guppies. All the guppies in the show are auctioned after prizes have been decided. Some show winners go for high prices but plenty of great-looking guppies sell for just £3 a pair – great value!
The British Livebearer Association
in association with Fancy Guppy UK Autumn convention
==========================
in association with Fancy Guppy UK Autumn convention
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th September
IBM Warwick, on the A46 at CV34 5AH
Saturday:
Fancy guppy show – Many stunning examples of the breeder’s art on view.
Trade Stands
Exhibition of wild-type livebearers
We are delighted to welcome Fred Poeser who will present two talks. The first talk will focus on Guppy genetics whilst the second talk will concentrate on Central American species of Poecilia.
Fred is a lifelong livebearer enthusiast who has been on many expeditions exploring the wild habitats of livebearers. He is also the man who scientifically described the Endler guppy, Poecilia wingii (as well as other Poecilia sp)
Sunday:
Auction of wild-type livebearers on Sunday. Bring your surplus stock to sell or buy those hard-to-find species that you are unlikely to ever see in an aquarium shop.
Auction of guppies. All the guppies in the show are auctioned after prizes have been decided. Some show winners go for high prices but plenty of great-looking guppies sell for just £3 a pair – great value!
The British Livebearer Association
in association with Fancy Guppy UK Autumn convention
==========================
Monopterus rongsaw • A New Species of Hypogean Swamp Eel (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae)from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India
Monopterus rongsaw
Britz, Sykes, Gower & Kamei, 2018
pfeil-verlag.de nhm.ac.uk
A new species of hypogean swamp eel, Monopterus rongsaw, is described from the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, India. It was discovered while digging rock-strewn and moist soil close to a small stream during attempts to find caecilians. The new species differs from other synbranchids by the combination of absence of skin pigmentation, the eyes being tiny and covered by skin, and a count of 92 precaudal and 69 caudal vertebrae.
Ralf Britz, Dan Sykes, David J. Gower and Rachunliu G. Kamei. 2018. Monopterus rongsaw, A New Species of Hypogean Swamp Eel from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. IEF-1086:1-12
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1086 pfeil-verlag.de/publikationen/monopterus-rongsaw-a-new-species-of-hypogean-swamp-eel-from-the-khasi-hills-in-northeast-india-teleostei-synbranchiformes-synbranchidae/
New species of blind eel that burrows through the soil discovered
nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2018/september/new-species-of-blind-eel-that-burrows-through-the-soil-discovere.html
==========================
Monopterus rongsaw
Britz, Sykes, Gower & Kamei, 2018
pfeil-verlag.de nhm.ac.uk
A new species of hypogean swamp eel, Monopterus rongsaw, is described from the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, India. It was discovered while digging rock-strewn and moist soil close to a small stream during attempts to find caecilians. The new species differs from other synbranchids by the combination of absence of skin pigmentation, the eyes being tiny and covered by skin, and a count of 92 precaudal and 69 caudal vertebrae.
Ralf Britz, Dan Sykes, David J. Gower and Rachunliu G. Kamei. 2018. Monopterus rongsaw, A New Species of Hypogean Swamp Eel from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. IEF-1086:1-12
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1086 pfeil-verlag.de/publikationen/monopterus-rongsaw-a-new-species-of-hypogean-swamp-eel-from-the-khasi-hills-in-northeast-india-teleostei-synbranchiformes-synbranchidae/
New species of blind eel that burrows through the soil discovered
nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2018/september/new-species-of-blind-eel-that-burrows-through-the-soil-discovere.html
==========================
A colourful new tetra, Hyphessobrycon piorskii, which could one day capture our hearts.
An introduction to the new species was recently released in an open-access description published in ZooKeys and is available online for free. To read the full article by authors Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Leonardo Manir Feitosa, Luís Fernando Carvalho-Costa, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, click on A new species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin from northeastern Brazil: evidence from morphological data and DNA barcoding (Characiformes, Characidae).
Why It’s a New Species
This new species represents another chapter in our understanding of a group which taxonomists and ichthyologists refer to as Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto (perhaps suggesting that this currently large genus of 150 or so species may one day be broken up). H. piorskii was discovered in the Munim and Preguiças river basins, two coastal river basins of the Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil, and is currently only known from these locations.
The description of this new species is well supported by current genetic methodologies. The data suggests there is possibly a close relationship to a sister group of tetra species, specifically H. bentosi (Ornate Tetra), H. socolofi (Lesser Bleeding Heart Tetra), H. megalopterus (Black Phantom Tetra), H. erythrostigma (Bleeding Heart Tetra), and H. pyrrhonotus (Flameback Bleeding Heart Tetra), however the authors caution that this proposed relationship is, at this time, speculative at best.
According to the paper, H. piorskii exhibits some telltale characteristics that may aid in identification. “The new species Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n., promptly differs from most congeners except by species of Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin (vs. absence), no midlateral stripe on the body (vs. presence) and Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum (vs. downward).” Furthermore, with the exception of exception to H. bentosi and H. hasemani, H. piorskii can be distinguished from Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto “by possessing an inconspicuous vertically elongated humeral spot,” compared to other configurations. If you’re still stuck in making an identification, the authors conclude that “The new species differs from H. bentosi by the absence of extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips (Figures 1, 2) [vs. extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips]; and from H. hasemani by the dorsal-fin black spot shape, which is located approximately at the middle of the fin’s depth, not reaching its tip [vs. extended along all the fin, reaching its tip in adults] and by presenting tri to unicuspid teeth in the inner row of premaxillary and dentary [vs. pentacuspid teeth].”
Hyphessobrycon piorskii In The Wild
Collecting sites of Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. A. stream at the Anapurus municipality B. stream at Mata de Itamacaoca C. stream at Mata de Itamacaoca D. stream at Mata Fome, Barreirinhas municipality (photographed by Felipe Ottoni). CC BY 4.0
Perhaps of most interest to aquarists, should they ever find themselves lucky enough to care for this species, are the author’s ecological notes:
“Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp.n. lives in shallow well-oxygenated streams with transparent waters flowing over different types of substrates. The streams where H. piorskii sp. n. specimens were collected varied from 0.90 to 10 meters wide, with a maximum depth of 1.60 meters. They possessed moderate water currents (0.1–0.7 m/s), with clear, sandy substrates with pebbles, mud, leaf litter, and submerged logs, often also presenting aquatic macrophytes. Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. was found near shore among aquatic vegetation, tree roots and fallen logs. Other species found at both sites were Anablepsoides vieirai Nielsen, 2016, Apistogramma piauiensis Kullander, 1980, Astyanax sp., Cichlasoma cf. zarskei, Copella arnoldi(Regan, 1912), Crenicichla brasiliensis (Bloch, 1792), Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840), Nannostomus beckfordi Günther, 1872, andSynbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795. Gut contents of C&S specimens contained algae and disarticulated arthropod remains.”
Reference:
Guimarães EC, De Brito PS, Feitosa LM, Carvalho-Costa LF, Ottoni FP (2018) A new species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin from northeastern Brazil: evidence from morphological data and DNAbarcoding (Characiformes, Characidae). ZooKeys 765: 79-101. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
from Reef to Rainforest Media
==========================
An introduction to the new species was recently released in an open-access description published in ZooKeys and is available online for free. To read the full article by authors Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Leonardo Manir Feitosa, Luís Fernando Carvalho-Costa, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, click on A new species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin from northeastern Brazil: evidence from morphological data and DNA barcoding (Characiformes, Characidae).
Why It’s a New Species
This new species represents another chapter in our understanding of a group which taxonomists and ichthyologists refer to as Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto (perhaps suggesting that this currently large genus of 150 or so species may one day be broken up). H. piorskii was discovered in the Munim and Preguiças river basins, two coastal river basins of the Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil, and is currently only known from these locations.
The description of this new species is well supported by current genetic methodologies. The data suggests there is possibly a close relationship to a sister group of tetra species, specifically H. bentosi (Ornate Tetra), H. socolofi (Lesser Bleeding Heart Tetra), H. megalopterus (Black Phantom Tetra), H. erythrostigma (Bleeding Heart Tetra), and H. pyrrhonotus (Flameback Bleeding Heart Tetra), however the authors caution that this proposed relationship is, at this time, speculative at best.
According to the paper, H. piorskii exhibits some telltale characteristics that may aid in identification. “The new species Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n., promptly differs from most congeners except by species of Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin (vs. absence), no midlateral stripe on the body (vs. presence) and Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum (vs. downward).” Furthermore, with the exception of exception to H. bentosi and H. hasemani, H. piorskii can be distinguished from Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto “by possessing an inconspicuous vertically elongated humeral spot,” compared to other configurations. If you’re still stuck in making an identification, the authors conclude that “The new species differs from H. bentosi by the absence of extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips (Figures 1, 2) [vs. extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips]; and from H. hasemani by the dorsal-fin black spot shape, which is located approximately at the middle of the fin’s depth, not reaching its tip [vs. extended along all the fin, reaching its tip in adults] and by presenting tri to unicuspid teeth in the inner row of premaxillary and dentary [vs. pentacuspid teeth].”
Hyphessobrycon piorskii In The Wild
Collecting sites of Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. A. stream at the Anapurus municipality B. stream at Mata de Itamacaoca C. stream at Mata de Itamacaoca D. stream at Mata Fome, Barreirinhas municipality (photographed by Felipe Ottoni). CC BY 4.0
Perhaps of most interest to aquarists, should they ever find themselves lucky enough to care for this species, are the author’s ecological notes:
“Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp.n. lives in shallow well-oxygenated streams with transparent waters flowing over different types of substrates. The streams where H. piorskii sp. n. specimens were collected varied from 0.90 to 10 meters wide, with a maximum depth of 1.60 meters. They possessed moderate water currents (0.1–0.7 m/s), with clear, sandy substrates with pebbles, mud, leaf litter, and submerged logs, often also presenting aquatic macrophytes. Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. was found near shore among aquatic vegetation, tree roots and fallen logs. Other species found at both sites were Anablepsoides vieirai Nielsen, 2016, Apistogramma piauiensis Kullander, 1980, Astyanax sp., Cichlasoma cf. zarskei, Copella arnoldi(Regan, 1912), Crenicichla brasiliensis (Bloch, 1792), Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840), Nannostomus beckfordi Günther, 1872, andSynbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795. Gut contents of C&S specimens contained algae and disarticulated arthropod remains.”
Reference:
Guimarães EC, De Brito PS, Feitosa LM, Carvalho-Costa LF, Ottoni FP (2018) A new species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin from northeastern Brazil: evidence from morphological data and DNAbarcoding (Characiformes, Characidae). ZooKeys 765: 79-101. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
from Reef to Rainforest Media
==========================
Mexico arrests 'hitman' for trafficking endangered fish
View of dried swim bladders of totoaba fish, which despite an international ban on trade could still be found for sale in Guangzhou, capital of China's southern Guangdoing province, in March 2018Mexico has arrested an alleged drug cartel hitman on charges of trafficking the critically endangered totoaba fish, a species whose swim bladder can fetch up to $20,000 on the black market in China.
The suspect, identified as Oscar N, alias "El Parra," was arrested Thursday on charges of leading a top totoaba trafficking gang, said the government of the northern state of Baja California.
The gang is believed to have ties to the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, the state authorities said in a statement.
El Parra is a "dangerous hitman and drug trafficker" who was also wanted on a homicide charge, it said.
The state sits on the Gulf of California, the native habitat for the totoaba.
Known as the "cocaine of the sea" for its lucrative price, the species has been in steep decline since the 1940s, largely because of its reputed healing powers in Chinese medicine.
In China, the totoaba's swim bladder is believed to have beautifying properties and cure a host of ailments, from arthritis pain to discomfort during pregnancy.
In fact, they are so prized that some Chinese simply display them in fancy cases in their homes.
The illegal fishing trade has turned increasingly violent in recent years, and has also claimed a collateral victim: the nearly extinct vaquita marina, the world's smallest porpoise, which can end up caught in the nets used to fish for totoaba.
Researchers estimate there are less than 30 vaquitas left today.
To save the species, Mexico has banned fishing in a giant 1,800-square kilometer (700-square mile) area.
The move was backed by the likes of Hollywood heartthrob and conservationist Leonardo DiCaprio and Carlos Slim, the Mexican telecoms billionaire who is one of the world's richest people.
The government also tried to catch vaquitas with the aid of US Navy-trained dolphins and breed them in a protected reserve. But the program was aborted last year after a vaquita died in captivity.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-mexico-hitman-trafficking-endangered-fish.html#jCp
==========================
View of dried swim bladders of totoaba fish, which despite an international ban on trade could still be found for sale in Guangzhou, capital of China's southern Guangdoing province, in March 2018Mexico has arrested an alleged drug cartel hitman on charges of trafficking the critically endangered totoaba fish, a species whose swim bladder can fetch up to $20,000 on the black market in China.
The suspect, identified as Oscar N, alias "El Parra," was arrested Thursday on charges of leading a top totoaba trafficking gang, said the government of the northern state of Baja California.
The gang is believed to have ties to the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, the state authorities said in a statement.
El Parra is a "dangerous hitman and drug trafficker" who was also wanted on a homicide charge, it said.
The state sits on the Gulf of California, the native habitat for the totoaba.
Known as the "cocaine of the sea" for its lucrative price, the species has been in steep decline since the 1940s, largely because of its reputed healing powers in Chinese medicine.
In China, the totoaba's swim bladder is believed to have beautifying properties and cure a host of ailments, from arthritis pain to discomfort during pregnancy.
In fact, they are so prized that some Chinese simply display them in fancy cases in their homes.
The illegal fishing trade has turned increasingly violent in recent years, and has also claimed a collateral victim: the nearly extinct vaquita marina, the world's smallest porpoise, which can end up caught in the nets used to fish for totoaba.
Researchers estimate there are less than 30 vaquitas left today.
To save the species, Mexico has banned fishing in a giant 1,800-square kilometer (700-square mile) area.
The move was backed by the likes of Hollywood heartthrob and conservationist Leonardo DiCaprio and Carlos Slim, the Mexican telecoms billionaire who is one of the world's richest people.
The government also tried to catch vaquitas with the aid of US Navy-trained dolphins and breed them in a protected reserve. But the program was aborted last year after a vaquita died in captivity.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-mexico-hitman-trafficking-endangered-fish.html#jCp
==========================
2018 AUTUMN AUCTION Sunday 16th September (Fish, Plants, Equipment)
Share
Sunday, September 16 at 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM UTC+01
Highbank Community Centre
Farnborough Road, Clifton, NG11 8 Nottingham, United Kingdom
Show Map
==========================
Schistura alboguttata • A New Loach Species (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the Pearl River basin in Guangxi, South China
Schistura alboguttata
Cao & Zhang, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.1.5
Abstract
Schistura alboguttata, a new species of nemacheilid loach, is herein described from the Leli-He, a tributary flowing to the You-Jiang of the Pearl River basin (Zhu-Jiang in Chinese) at Tianlin County, Guangxi, South China. This new species can be readily distinguished from all other Chinese species of Schistura by its striking body coloration consisting of irregular white spots scattered over the dorsal and lateral regions of the body, with occasional irregular bars with narrow interspaces on the predorsal region.
Keywords: Pisces, nemacheilid, new species, Zhu-Jiang
FIGURE 5. Distribution of Schistura alboguttata. Symbol indicates type locality.
FIGURE 4. Live specimen of Schistura alboguttata, IHB2008050101, 71.4 mm SL, same collection data as holotype.
Schistura alboguttata, sp. nov.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin albus (white) and guttata (spotted), in reference to the irregular white spots scattered over the dorsal and lateral regions of the body.
Liang Cao and E. Zhang. 2018. Schistura alboguttata, A New Loach Species of the Family Nemacheilidae (Pisces: Cypriniformes) from the Pearl River basin in Guangxi, South China. Zootaxa. 4471(1); 125–136. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.1.5
.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=922878641242017&id=100005596687444
==========================
Schistura alboguttata
Cao & Zhang, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.1.5
Abstract
Schistura alboguttata, a new species of nemacheilid loach, is herein described from the Leli-He, a tributary flowing to the You-Jiang of the Pearl River basin (Zhu-Jiang in Chinese) at Tianlin County, Guangxi, South China. This new species can be readily distinguished from all other Chinese species of Schistura by its striking body coloration consisting of irregular white spots scattered over the dorsal and lateral regions of the body, with occasional irregular bars with narrow interspaces on the predorsal region.
Keywords: Pisces, nemacheilid, new species, Zhu-Jiang
FIGURE 5. Distribution of Schistura alboguttata. Symbol indicates type locality.
FIGURE 4. Live specimen of Schistura alboguttata, IHB2008050101, 71.4 mm SL, same collection data as holotype.
Schistura alboguttata, sp. nov.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin albus (white) and guttata (spotted), in reference to the irregular white spots scattered over the dorsal and lateral regions of the body.
Liang Cao and E. Zhang. 2018. Schistura alboguttata, A New Loach Species of the Family Nemacheilidae (Pisces: Cypriniformes) from the Pearl River basin in Guangxi, South China. Zootaxa. 4471(1); 125–136. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.1.5
.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=922878641242017&id=100005596687444
==========================
Longfin Eels
Three out of four New Zealand freshwater fish 'staring extinction in the face'
Decline rates among the New Zealand longfin eel were highest in areas dominated by pasture. Photo / File
By: Jamie Morton
Science Reporter, NZ Herald
jamie.morton@nzherald.co.nz@JamienzheraldNew Zealand's freshwater fish species are in peril - and especially in our pastoral countryside, researchers say.
In a study published today, Victoria University's Dr Mike Joy and colleagues compared land use changes and more than 20,000 freshwater fish records since 1970.
The data, which covered fish distribution and abundance trends, along with a key measure of water pollution called the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), showed more than three quarters of 25 analysed species were in decline.
About the same rate of decline was found in 20 native fish species - and in two thirds of cases, the drop was a significant one.
Further, the study found more species were in decline around land dominated by pasture compared with areas covered with natural vegetation - a trend also shown among the IBI data.
That declines were worse in pasture catchments than those characterised by scrub or forest wasn't surprising, Joy said, although the rate of decline was nonetheless "scary".
In pastoral areas particularly, some of the most striking falls were observed among longfin eel and common bully.
Across all land types, the biggest drops were also recorded among redfin and bluegill bully, lamprey, brown trout, shortjaw and giant kokopu, black flounder and torrentfish.
Joy pointed out that it wasn't until the early 1990s that New Zealand assessed the threat status of its native freshwater fish, finding that one in five were either threatened or at risk.
It was an "appalling figure", he said, but also now old news - the current proportion was 74 per cent.
==========================
Decline rates among the New Zealand longfin eel were highest in areas dominated by pasture. Photo / File
By: Jamie Morton
Science Reporter, NZ Herald
jamie.morton@nzherald.co.nz@JamienzheraldNew Zealand's freshwater fish species are in peril - and especially in our pastoral countryside, researchers say.
In a study published today, Victoria University's Dr Mike Joy and colleagues compared land use changes and more than 20,000 freshwater fish records since 1970.
The data, which covered fish distribution and abundance trends, along with a key measure of water pollution called the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), showed more than three quarters of 25 analysed species were in decline.
About the same rate of decline was found in 20 native fish species - and in two thirds of cases, the drop was a significant one.
Further, the study found more species were in decline around land dominated by pasture compared with areas covered with natural vegetation - a trend also shown among the IBI data.
That declines were worse in pasture catchments than those characterised by scrub or forest wasn't surprising, Joy said, although the rate of decline was nonetheless "scary".
In pastoral areas particularly, some of the most striking falls were observed among longfin eel and common bully.
Across all land types, the biggest drops were also recorded among redfin and bluegill bully, lamprey, brown trout, shortjaw and giant kokopu, black flounder and torrentfish.
Joy pointed out that it wasn't until the early 1990s that New Zealand assessed the threat status of its native freshwater fish, finding that one in five were either threatened or at risk.
It was an "appalling figure", he said, but also now old news - the current proportion was 74 per cent.
==========================
Fish shop owner takes first plunge into novel writing
A FISH shop owner has taken his first plunge into the realm of novel writing.
Mark Edmondson, of Canterbury Close, Atherton, has released a murder whodunnit book called The Beast of Bodmin.
It is set at the scene of the Cornwall moor in Bodmin, which has been surrounded by the myth of a wild cat living there for decades.
Mark, 41, who owns Amazon Aquatics on Welch Hill Street, in Leigh, said: “I have always been interested in the world of fiction.
“I used to enjoy reading books by writers like Agatha Christie and the first adult book I read was Jaws.
“I actually went to Bodmin on holiday about 20 years ago and it was only later that I checked that there has not been a fiction book written about it.
“I started writing this book four years ago but I wasn’t sure about sending a draft of it off to anyone.
“When I was at a family party I told my niece Kadie about it and she shouted at me.
“The next night I sent it off to an agent and he got back to me within a day.
“I kept the release of my book a secret from a lot of my friends and family so it was a surprise to them when I told them about it.
“There has been a good response to the book so far which has been nice.”
Mark has worked in the aquarium industry since the age of 16 before owning his own business when he was 21 and then taking control of Amazon Aquatics 13 years ago.
His love of writing has always been in the forefront of his mind throughout his career though.
Mark, who has two grandchildren, added: “In my writing, I like concentrating on developing the characters first and then seeing where the story goes.
“I am now working on another couple of books.”
The Beast of Bodmin is available to purchase over the counter at Amazon Aquatics.
Customers can also order the book from Waterstones by clicking here.
It is set to be available online at Amazon in the coming weeks.
=========== ==============0 comment
A FISH shop owner has taken his first plunge into the realm of novel writing.
Mark Edmondson, of Canterbury Close, Atherton, has released a murder whodunnit book called The Beast of Bodmin.
It is set at the scene of the Cornwall moor in Bodmin, which has been surrounded by the myth of a wild cat living there for decades.
Mark, 41, who owns Amazon Aquatics on Welch Hill Street, in Leigh, said: “I have always been interested in the world of fiction.
“I used to enjoy reading books by writers like Agatha Christie and the first adult book I read was Jaws.
“I actually went to Bodmin on holiday about 20 years ago and it was only later that I checked that there has not been a fiction book written about it.
“I started writing this book four years ago but I wasn’t sure about sending a draft of it off to anyone.
“When I was at a family party I told my niece Kadie about it and she shouted at me.
“The next night I sent it off to an agent and he got back to me within a day.
“I kept the release of my book a secret from a lot of my friends and family so it was a surprise to them when I told them about it.
“There has been a good response to the book so far which has been nice.”
Mark has worked in the aquarium industry since the age of 16 before owning his own business when he was 21 and then taking control of Amazon Aquatics 13 years ago.
His love of writing has always been in the forefront of his mind throughout his career though.
Mark, who has two grandchildren, added: “In my writing, I like concentrating on developing the characters first and then seeing where the story goes.
“I am now working on another couple of books.”
The Beast of Bodmin is available to purchase over the counter at Amazon Aquatics.
Customers can also order the book from Waterstones by clicking here.
It is set to be available online at Amazon in the coming weeks.
=========== ==============0 comment
Eilat coral reef defies expectations and regenerates after fish farming damageThe resilience of Red Sea coral fascinates scientists, who try to understand why the marine life fares well in heat and seems immune to the bleaching which plagues other reefsBy TOI STAFF and AFPToday, 6:59 pm 0 While coral reefs around the world are getting sicker as a result of global warming, the reef in the southern Israeli port city of Eilat is thriving despite years of damage caused by intensive fish farming in the waters and global warming.
According to a Hadashot TV news report on Friday, the healthy coral marks a victory against the damage caused by humans to underwater marine life.
From 1995-2008, waste from multiple “cages” for fish farming caused massive damage to the Red Sea coral, but after environmental and diving groups petitioned the government and appropriate authorities, the cages were removed and the coral has now bounced back.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top storiesFREE SIGN UP
“The government thinks that we and the other ecological groups are against progress and development, but it’s not true — we just want it to be done with supervision for the sustainability of the environment,” Maya Yakbis of the Zalul environmental NGO told Hadashot.
The fish farming cages in the Red Sea. (Screenshot from Hadashot via Zalul)But fighting back after the pollution from the fish farming is not the only remarkable victory for the coral. Global warming has in recent years caused colorful coral reefs to bleach and die around the world — but not in the Gulf of Eilat, or Aqaba, part of the northern Red Sea.
At the forefront of research into why the Red Sea coral seems to be so resilient, is Maoz Fine of the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, whose laboratory of water tanks and robots simulate the effects of climate change on temperature and oxygen levels in the water.
Fine’s team also grows coral on tables some eight meters (26 feet) underwater in the Red Sea, in an area closed to public and dubbed “the nursery.”
Researchers from the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat monitor coral growth while scuba diving on June 12, 2017 in the Red Sea off Eilat. (AFP PHOTO / MENAHEM KAHANA)According to Fine, the Gulf of Eilat corals fare well in heat thanks to their slow journey from the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab strait, between Djibouti and Yemen, where water temperatures are much higher.
Oceans also absorb about one-third of the carbon dioxide released by human activities, resulting in increasing acidification that is harmful to corals.
Coral reefs, most famously Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, are experiencing in recent years unabated mass bleaching and die-offs.
Losing coral reefs is not only bad news for tourists diving to see their beauty and marine life swimming among them.
Corals are important to “the whole balance of the ecosystem,” offering structure, food, and protection to a variety of marine animals, Jessica Bellworthy, a PhD student under Fine’s supervision taking part in the Eilat research said last year.
Their rich chemical interactions have provided components for medications, including those for cancer and HIV patients.
But while the coral reefs off Eilat and Aqaba may be able to survive global warming for now, they also face other risks.
Fertilizers, pesticides, and oil pollution “harm the corals and lower their resilience to high temperatures,” Fine told the AFP last year.
From The Times of Israel
==========================
According to a Hadashot TV news report on Friday, the healthy coral marks a victory against the damage caused by humans to underwater marine life.
From 1995-2008, waste from multiple “cages” for fish farming caused massive damage to the Red Sea coral, but after environmental and diving groups petitioned the government and appropriate authorities, the cages were removed and the coral has now bounced back.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top storiesFREE SIGN UP
“The government thinks that we and the other ecological groups are against progress and development, but it’s not true — we just want it to be done with supervision for the sustainability of the environment,” Maya Yakbis of the Zalul environmental NGO told Hadashot.
The fish farming cages in the Red Sea. (Screenshot from Hadashot via Zalul)But fighting back after the pollution from the fish farming is not the only remarkable victory for the coral. Global warming has in recent years caused colorful coral reefs to bleach and die around the world — but not in the Gulf of Eilat, or Aqaba, part of the northern Red Sea.
At the forefront of research into why the Red Sea coral seems to be so resilient, is Maoz Fine of the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, whose laboratory of water tanks and robots simulate the effects of climate change on temperature and oxygen levels in the water.
Fine’s team also grows coral on tables some eight meters (26 feet) underwater in the Red Sea, in an area closed to public and dubbed “the nursery.”
Researchers from the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat monitor coral growth while scuba diving on June 12, 2017 in the Red Sea off Eilat. (AFP PHOTO / MENAHEM KAHANA)According to Fine, the Gulf of Eilat corals fare well in heat thanks to their slow journey from the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab strait, between Djibouti and Yemen, where water temperatures are much higher.
Oceans also absorb about one-third of the carbon dioxide released by human activities, resulting in increasing acidification that is harmful to corals.
Coral reefs, most famously Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, are experiencing in recent years unabated mass bleaching and die-offs.
Losing coral reefs is not only bad news for tourists diving to see their beauty and marine life swimming among them.
Corals are important to “the whole balance of the ecosystem,” offering structure, food, and protection to a variety of marine animals, Jessica Bellworthy, a PhD student under Fine’s supervision taking part in the Eilat research said last year.
Their rich chemical interactions have provided components for medications, including those for cancer and HIV patients.
But while the coral reefs off Eilat and Aqaba may be able to survive global warming for now, they also face other risks.
Fertilizers, pesticides, and oil pollution “harm the corals and lower their resilience to high temperatures,” Fine told the AFP last year.
From The Times of Israel
==========================
Protein in zebrafish found to keep out sperm of other fish
by Bob Yirka, Phys.org report
A small team of researchers with the Vienna Biocenter has discovered that a protein that exists on the exterior of zebrafish eggs acts as a sentry—allowing only sperm from zebrafish to enter. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes discovering the protein and the way they tested its purpose. Ruth Lehmann with the NYU School of Medicine writes a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
For fish like the zebrafish, it is important to protect eggs from fertilization by other fish species—this is because they lay their eggs in the water. The eggs are subsequently fertilized by sperm that males eject into the water. The researchers in this new effort have found the mechanism involved—the fish produce a protein that serves as a gatekeeper, allowing only zebrafish sperm to enter.
The researchers discovered the protein as they were conducting a study of the zebrafish genome—they found a gene responsible for producing a previously unknown 80 amino acid protein. Because of its location in the genome, the researchers suspected it was involved in reproduction. The discovery led them to design and carry out experiments to determine its purpose.
The researchers used CRISPR to engineer test zebrafish that produce a homolog of a protein from another fish species—medaka. This allowed medaka sperm to fertilize eggs from the test zebrafish, but blocked the zebrafish sperm. This established that the purpose of the protein was to serve a gatekeeper, which is why they named it Bouncer.
The results are important, Lehmann notes, because they bring scientists closer to understanding species-specific fertilization. She further notes that despite efforts by researchers over the years, the mechanism by which an egg and sperm produce a zygote is still not very well understood. Therefore, any new piece of information is important. The researchers plan to continue their study of Bouncer, with a specific goal of determining the bonding factors that come into play between egg and sperm.
Explore further: Infertility mechanism in males identified
More information: Sarah Herberg et al. The Ly6/uPAR protein Bouncer is necessary and sufficient for species-specific fertilization, Science (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aat7113
Abstract
Fertilization is fundamental for sexual reproduction, yet its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. We found that an oocyte-expressed Ly6/uPAR protein, which we call Bouncer, is a crucial fertilization factor in zebrafish. Membrane-bound Bouncer mediates sperm-egg binding and is thus essential for sperm entry into the egg. Remarkably, Bouncer not only is required for sperm-egg interaction but is also sufficient to allow cross-species fertilization between zebrafish and medaka, two fish species that diverged more than 200 million years ago. Our study thus identifies Bouncer as a key determinant of species-specific fertilization in fish. Bouncer's closest homolog in tetrapods, SPACA4, is restricted to the male germline in internally fertilizing vertebrates, which suggests that our findings in fish have relevance to human biology.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-protein-zebrafish-sperm-fish.html#jCp
==========================
by Bob Yirka, Phys.org report
A small team of researchers with the Vienna Biocenter has discovered that a protein that exists on the exterior of zebrafish eggs acts as a sentry—allowing only sperm from zebrafish to enter. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes discovering the protein and the way they tested its purpose. Ruth Lehmann with the NYU School of Medicine writes a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
For fish like the zebrafish, it is important to protect eggs from fertilization by other fish species—this is because they lay their eggs in the water. The eggs are subsequently fertilized by sperm that males eject into the water. The researchers in this new effort have found the mechanism involved—the fish produce a protein that serves as a gatekeeper, allowing only zebrafish sperm to enter.
The researchers discovered the protein as they were conducting a study of the zebrafish genome—they found a gene responsible for producing a previously unknown 80 amino acid protein. Because of its location in the genome, the researchers suspected it was involved in reproduction. The discovery led them to design and carry out experiments to determine its purpose.
The researchers used CRISPR to engineer test zebrafish that produce a homolog of a protein from another fish species—medaka. This allowed medaka sperm to fertilize eggs from the test zebrafish, but blocked the zebrafish sperm. This established that the purpose of the protein was to serve a gatekeeper, which is why they named it Bouncer.
The results are important, Lehmann notes, because they bring scientists closer to understanding species-specific fertilization. She further notes that despite efforts by researchers over the years, the mechanism by which an egg and sperm produce a zygote is still not very well understood. Therefore, any new piece of information is important. The researchers plan to continue their study of Bouncer, with a specific goal of determining the bonding factors that come into play between egg and sperm.
Explore further: Infertility mechanism in males identified
More information: Sarah Herberg et al. The Ly6/uPAR protein Bouncer is necessary and sufficient for species-specific fertilization, Science (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aat7113
Abstract
Fertilization is fundamental for sexual reproduction, yet its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. We found that an oocyte-expressed Ly6/uPAR protein, which we call Bouncer, is a crucial fertilization factor in zebrafish. Membrane-bound Bouncer mediates sperm-egg binding and is thus essential for sperm entry into the egg. Remarkably, Bouncer not only is required for sperm-egg interaction but is also sufficient to allow cross-species fertilization between zebrafish and medaka, two fish species that diverged more than 200 million years ago. Our study thus identifies Bouncer as a key determinant of species-specific fertilization in fish. Bouncer's closest homolog in tetrapods, SPACA4, is restricted to the male germline in internally fertilizing vertebrates, which suggests that our findings in fish have relevance to human biology.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-protein-zebrafish-sperm-fish.html#jCp
==========================
Lanlabeo duanensis • A New Genus and Species of Labeonin Fish (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern China
Lanlabeo duanensis
Yao, He & Peng, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.3.7
Abstract
Lanlabeo, a new genus of fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, is described from the Pearl River drainage basin in Guangxi Province, southern China. This new genus is distinguished from all other genera of the cyprinid tribe Labeonini by a combination of morphological and phylogenetic characters. It differs morphologically from all other Asian labeonins in its uniquely modified oromandibular morphology. For example, this genus has a frenum connecting the upper jaw and lower lip at the corner of the mouth, regularly arranged papillae densely scattered over the ventral margin of the rostral cap, a vestigial upper lip, a rostral cap overlying the upper jaw and with a fimbriate posterior margin, and a lower lip divided into two lateral fleshy lobes and one central plate. These two lateral fleshy lobes are small and translucent, and the median lobe of the lower lip is large and has papillae regularly arranged in many transverse rows. In the lower jaw, the dentary is transversely L-shaped in ventral view because its anterior part forms a right-angle turn and its transverse branch is anterioposteriorly expanded. In addition, analyses of four nuclear gene datasets indicate that this new genus forms a highly divergent lineage within the Labeonini, and that Lanlabeo is closely related to the genus Ptychidio. Therefore, based on morphometric differences and phylogenetic relationships, we describe this new genus herein as Lanlabeo, containing the new species Lanlabeo duanensis.
Keywords: Pisces, Taxonomy, Cypriniformes, Pearl River drainage basin, Guangxi Province
Min Yao, You He and Zuo-Gang Peng. 2018. Lanlabeo duanensis, A New Genus and Species of Labeonin Fish (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern China. Zootaxa. 4471(3); 556–568. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.3.7
==========================
Lanlabeo duanensis
Yao, He & Peng, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.3.7
Abstract
Lanlabeo, a new genus of fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, is described from the Pearl River drainage basin in Guangxi Province, southern China. This new genus is distinguished from all other genera of the cyprinid tribe Labeonini by a combination of morphological and phylogenetic characters. It differs morphologically from all other Asian labeonins in its uniquely modified oromandibular morphology. For example, this genus has a frenum connecting the upper jaw and lower lip at the corner of the mouth, regularly arranged papillae densely scattered over the ventral margin of the rostral cap, a vestigial upper lip, a rostral cap overlying the upper jaw and with a fimbriate posterior margin, and a lower lip divided into two lateral fleshy lobes and one central plate. These two lateral fleshy lobes are small and translucent, and the median lobe of the lower lip is large and has papillae regularly arranged in many transverse rows. In the lower jaw, the dentary is transversely L-shaped in ventral view because its anterior part forms a right-angle turn and its transverse branch is anterioposteriorly expanded. In addition, analyses of four nuclear gene datasets indicate that this new genus forms a highly divergent lineage within the Labeonini, and that Lanlabeo is closely related to the genus Ptychidio. Therefore, based on morphometric differences and phylogenetic relationships, we describe this new genus herein as Lanlabeo, containing the new species Lanlabeo duanensis.
Keywords: Pisces, Taxonomy, Cypriniformes, Pearl River drainage basin, Guangxi Province
Min Yao, You He and Zuo-Gang Peng. 2018. Lanlabeo duanensis, A New Genus and Species of Labeonin Fish (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern China. Zootaxa. 4471(3); 556–568. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4471.3.7
==========================
Myersina balteata is the Newest Species of Shrimp Goby from the Solomon Islands
JAKE ADAMS
0SHARES
0Myersina balteata is a new species of shrimp-associated tropical goby that was just described from specimens collected in the Solomon Islands. This new species has a very distinctive color pattern which is divided by a very pronounced black vertical line, leading to its common name of Belted Shrimp goby.
The Belted Shrimp goby belongs to a genus that we don’t usually see as much in the aquarium hobby. Most shrimp gobies that we’re familiar with are from the genus Cryptocentrus whose members are generally larger and more slender than Myersina gobies.
By contrast Myersina balteata is shorter and stockier, but what it lacks in overall size it makes up for with an elaborately adorned dorsal fin. The overall body coloration is a light gray overall, with a light cream colored belly, a single blue facial stripe, and of course that black midbody line. [JOSF]
==========================
JAKE ADAMS
0SHARES
0Myersina balteata is a new species of shrimp-associated tropical goby that was just described from specimens collected in the Solomon Islands. This new species has a very distinctive color pattern which is divided by a very pronounced black vertical line, leading to its common name of Belted Shrimp goby.
The Belted Shrimp goby belongs to a genus that we don’t usually see as much in the aquarium hobby. Most shrimp gobies that we’re familiar with are from the genus Cryptocentrus whose members are generally larger and more slender than Myersina gobies.
By contrast Myersina balteata is shorter and stockier, but what it lacks in overall size it makes up for with an elaborately adorned dorsal fin. The overall body coloration is a light gray overall, with a light cream colored belly, a single blue facial stripe, and of course that black midbody line. [JOSF]
==========================
Clown fish: Whence the white stripes?
Source:CNRS
Summary:
Scientists have been training their attention on the developmental and evolutionary determinants of white stripes in clown fish. They now detail why, when, and how these bands arose and help elucidate their role in clown fish social organization.Share:
FULL STORY
The full spectrum of clown fish colors is not limited to orange or red but ranges from yellow to black. Species differ in the number of white stripes they display: zero, one (head), two (head and trunk), or three (head, trunk, and tail). Four species of clown fish (genus Amphiprion), clockwise from top left: A. ephippium, A. frenatus, A. ocellaris, and A. bicinctus.
Credit: © John E. Randall
Coral reef fish are known for the wide range of colors and patterns they display, but the mechanisms governing the acquisition of these characteristics are still poorly understood. These researchers focused on clown fish, a group including thirty-some species distinguished by numbers of white stripes (zero to three) and by their colors, including yellow, orange, red, and black.
The team first demonstrated that stripes are essential for individual fish to recognize others of their species. Such recognition is critical to the social organization of clown fish living among sea anemones where several species may be simultaneously present and young fish seek to establish permanent homes.
The researchers then deciphered the sequences of stripe appearance and disappearance during the life of a clown fish. Stripes appear one at a time, starting near the head and progressing towards the tail, during the transition from the larval to the juvenile stage. The team further observed that some stripes are occasionally lost between the juvenile and adult stages, this time beginning at the tail end.
In an attempt to understand the origin of these patterns, the scientists delved into the evolutionary history of clown fish. They discovered that their common ancestor sported three stripes. Just like today's clown fish, these ancestral stripes were made up of pigmented cells called iridophores containing reflective crystals. Over the course of evolutionary history, some species of clown fish gradually lost stripes, resulting in today's range of color patterns.
The research team would like to follow up by identifying the genes that control the acquisition of white stripes for a greater understanding of how they evolved. This should clue them in to the processes behind color diversification and the role color plays in the social organization of reef fish.
Story Source:
Materials provided by CNRS. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cite This Page: CNRS. "Clown fish: Whence the white stripes?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 September 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180904232259.htm>.
==========================
Source:CNRS
Summary:
Scientists have been training their attention on the developmental and evolutionary determinants of white stripes in clown fish. They now detail why, when, and how these bands arose and help elucidate their role in clown fish social organization.Share:
FULL STORY
The full spectrum of clown fish colors is not limited to orange or red but ranges from yellow to black. Species differ in the number of white stripes they display: zero, one (head), two (head and trunk), or three (head, trunk, and tail). Four species of clown fish (genus Amphiprion), clockwise from top left: A. ephippium, A. frenatus, A. ocellaris, and A. bicinctus.
Credit: © John E. Randall
Coral reef fish are known for the wide range of colors and patterns they display, but the mechanisms governing the acquisition of these characteristics are still poorly understood. These researchers focused on clown fish, a group including thirty-some species distinguished by numbers of white stripes (zero to three) and by their colors, including yellow, orange, red, and black.
The team first demonstrated that stripes are essential for individual fish to recognize others of their species. Such recognition is critical to the social organization of clown fish living among sea anemones where several species may be simultaneously present and young fish seek to establish permanent homes.
The researchers then deciphered the sequences of stripe appearance and disappearance during the life of a clown fish. Stripes appear one at a time, starting near the head and progressing towards the tail, during the transition from the larval to the juvenile stage. The team further observed that some stripes are occasionally lost between the juvenile and adult stages, this time beginning at the tail end.
In an attempt to understand the origin of these patterns, the scientists delved into the evolutionary history of clown fish. They discovered that their common ancestor sported three stripes. Just like today's clown fish, these ancestral stripes were made up of pigmented cells called iridophores containing reflective crystals. Over the course of evolutionary history, some species of clown fish gradually lost stripes, resulting in today's range of color patterns.
The research team would like to follow up by identifying the genes that control the acquisition of white stripes for a greater understanding of how they evolved. This should clue them in to the processes behind color diversification and the role color plays in the social organization of reef fish.
Story Source:
Materials provided by CNRS. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Pauline Salis, Natacha Roux, Olivier Soulat, David Lecchini, Vincent Laudet, Bruno Frédérich. Ontogenetic and phylogenetic simplification during white stripe evolution in clownfishes. BMC Biology, 2018; 16 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0559-7
Cite This Page: CNRS. "Clown fish: Whence the white stripes?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 September 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180904232259.htm>.
==========================
The BCA Proudly Present A Family Friendly Event
Date: Sunday 21st October
Venue : The Oak Hotel, 8640 Stratford Road, Solihull, B94 5NW
Speakers
Dr Julia Day & George Famer
Lectures
George Farmer : The modern approach to planted aquariums followed by a workshop on how to create the perfect aquascape on your aquarium
Dr Julia Day : The soda lake cichlids of Tanzania/Kenya
Please support the BCA This event is for beginner to expert everyone welcome to this family friendly day with children’s competition taking place throughout the day so if your into fish and are worried about bringing the family then don't we welcome you all.
Disabled access is available and there is a vast menu of food and drinks from the bar at this new venue which seems to be our best one yet in terms of layout and services provided.
Overnight room are available for over night stays if you are traveling from afar and want to get there the day before see pictures for prices.
Tickets are available online with fast track entry please follow this link below to purchase yours today http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/shop/
You can pay on the day but we are encouraging you to book your ticket in advance with the above link.
We will also be trailing a new format, no auction but Tropical fish and dry goods inc foods etc will be on sale from our usual sellers at unbelievable prices - see the fish and buy directly with the seller which can be done throughout the day while the talks are one so feel free to wounder about and talk to the other aquarists and sellers.
If you are a seller please contact Darren Evans
vicechairman@british-Cichlid.org.uk to book your table
Seller conditions
Table rental = £15.00
Up to 2 people may share a table and both must be registered when booking.
Only fish and related aquarium items may be offered
All transactions are between buyers & sellers only
The BCA will not be responsible for any sales disputes.
Buyers
Door entry – £5.00 for BCA members and £10.00 Non members (this will include 12 months membership to the BCA valued at £5 per person. You will receive a free goodie bag on entry with products from our supporters and also a tub of vitalis food - which will more than cover the entry fee
BCA Raffle with a large selection of prizes worth over £300.00
Doors Open at 9.00am for setting up and first lecture begins 10:00 am
Note to sellers
Once you have booked your table, you are free to advertise your items on the BCA web site forum, on the BCA face book group page, and any other pages where you have permission.
The BCA will not be responsible for advertising any sales items.
All fish being offered for sale must be adequately packages
Please feel free to share this post on other groups
Thank you
The BCA Committee
Alternatively you can join the British cichlid association on the day at the door for ONLY £5 For 1 YEAR.
Which entitles you to discounted entry to all Bca events for 1 year aswel as digital pdf copy's of ciclidae magazine which is only available at the British cichlid association
How The Day Plays Out ???
The days schedule will look something like this. but please be aware some parts may go on longer or shorter the times are just a guideline
9:00 to 10am - booking in of lots for sellers
10:00am first talk & second talk (if available)
12:00 Break for lunch - food available
13:00 third talk (if one is available)
16:00 to 16:30 end of day
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/phpBB3/index.php…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BritishCichlidAssociation/?ref=group_header
==========================
Date: Sunday 21st October
Venue : The Oak Hotel, 8640 Stratford Road, Solihull, B94 5NW
Speakers
Dr Julia Day & George Famer
Lectures
George Farmer : The modern approach to planted aquariums followed by a workshop on how to create the perfect aquascape on your aquarium
Dr Julia Day : The soda lake cichlids of Tanzania/Kenya
Please support the BCA This event is for beginner to expert everyone welcome to this family friendly day with children’s competition taking place throughout the day so if your into fish and are worried about bringing the family then don't we welcome you all.
Disabled access is available and there is a vast menu of food and drinks from the bar at this new venue which seems to be our best one yet in terms of layout and services provided.
Overnight room are available for over night stays if you are traveling from afar and want to get there the day before see pictures for prices.
Tickets are available online with fast track entry please follow this link below to purchase yours today http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/shop/
You can pay on the day but we are encouraging you to book your ticket in advance with the above link.
We will also be trailing a new format, no auction but Tropical fish and dry goods inc foods etc will be on sale from our usual sellers at unbelievable prices - see the fish and buy directly with the seller which can be done throughout the day while the talks are one so feel free to wounder about and talk to the other aquarists and sellers.
If you are a seller please contact Darren Evans
vicechairman@british-Cichlid.org.uk to book your table
Seller conditions
Table rental = £15.00
Up to 2 people may share a table and both must be registered when booking.
Only fish and related aquarium items may be offered
All transactions are between buyers & sellers only
The BCA will not be responsible for any sales disputes.
Buyers
Door entry – £5.00 for BCA members and £10.00 Non members (this will include 12 months membership to the BCA valued at £5 per person. You will receive a free goodie bag on entry with products from our supporters and also a tub of vitalis food - which will more than cover the entry fee
BCA Raffle with a large selection of prizes worth over £300.00
Doors Open at 9.00am for setting up and first lecture begins 10:00 am
Note to sellers
Once you have booked your table, you are free to advertise your items on the BCA web site forum, on the BCA face book group page, and any other pages where you have permission.
The BCA will not be responsible for advertising any sales items.
All fish being offered for sale must be adequately packages
Please feel free to share this post on other groups
Thank you
The BCA Committee
Alternatively you can join the British cichlid association on the day at the door for ONLY £5 For 1 YEAR.
Which entitles you to discounted entry to all Bca events for 1 year aswel as digital pdf copy's of ciclidae magazine which is only available at the British cichlid association
How The Day Plays Out ???
The days schedule will look something like this. but please be aware some parts may go on longer or shorter the times are just a guideline
9:00 to 10am - booking in of lots for sellers
10:00am first talk & second talk (if available)
12:00 Break for lunch - food available
13:00 third talk (if one is available)
16:00 to 16:30 end of day
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/phpBB3/index.php…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BritishCichlidAssociation/?ref=group_header
==========================
2018 AUTUMN AUCTION September 16th (Fish, Plants, Equipment)
- kSunday, September 16 at 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Highbank Community Centre
NG11 8 Nottingham, United Kingdom
Divers Find Enormous, Creepy Squid on New Zealand BeachDivers visiting New Zealand's south coast of Wellington were looking for a nice spot to go spearfishing Saturday morning (Aug. 25) when they spotted one of the ocean's most impressive creatures of the deep: a dead, but fully intact, giant squid.
"After we went for a dive we went back to [the squid] and got a tape measure out, and it measured 4.2 meters [13 feet] long," one of the divers, Daniel Aplin, told the New Zealand Herald.
A representative from the New Zealand Department of Conservation told the Herald that the divers most likely found a giant squid (Architeuthis dux) and not a colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). [Photos of the Stunning Deep-Sea Squid Feeding]
Both species of squid are formidable sea creatures, with giant squid typically reaching 16 feet (5 m) long, according to the Smithsonian, and the colossal squid reaching over 30 feet (10 m) long, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Scientists know very little about these deep-sea-dwelling species, because the animals are so rarely seen. Most observations come from the occasional specimen washing ashore, as in this case, or getting accidently captured by fishers.
The enormous tentacled creature's cause of death is unknown. Aplin told the Herald that the squid appeared unscathed except for a scratch that was so tiny that the diver "wouldn't think that's what killed it." When the divers checked the squid out again after their dive, they thought it had shrunk a little, but no animals had decided to make a meal out of the dead beast, Aplin said.
He called a friend from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) who arranged for the squid to be collected, the Herald reported.
Aplin is an employee of Ocean Hunter Spearfishing & Freediving Specialists, and posted his photos of the giant squid on the company's Facebook page, which elicited a wealth of commentary. "Imagine that swimming past!" wrote one commenter. "Who's up for calamari?" wrote another.
Original article on Live Science.
==========================
"After we went for a dive we went back to [the squid] and got a tape measure out, and it measured 4.2 meters [13 feet] long," one of the divers, Daniel Aplin, told the New Zealand Herald.
A representative from the New Zealand Department of Conservation told the Herald that the divers most likely found a giant squid (Architeuthis dux) and not a colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). [Photos of the Stunning Deep-Sea Squid Feeding]
Both species of squid are formidable sea creatures, with giant squid typically reaching 16 feet (5 m) long, according to the Smithsonian, and the colossal squid reaching over 30 feet (10 m) long, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Scientists know very little about these deep-sea-dwelling species, because the animals are so rarely seen. Most observations come from the occasional specimen washing ashore, as in this case, or getting accidently captured by fishers.
The enormous tentacled creature's cause of death is unknown. Aplin told the Herald that the squid appeared unscathed except for a scratch that was so tiny that the diver "wouldn't think that's what killed it." When the divers checked the squid out again after their dive, they thought it had shrunk a little, but no animals had decided to make a meal out of the dead beast, Aplin said.
He called a friend from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) who arranged for the squid to be collected, the Herald reported.
Aplin is an employee of Ocean Hunter Spearfishing & Freediving Specialists, and posted his photos of the giant squid on the company's Facebook page, which elicited a wealth of commentary. "Imagine that swimming past!" wrote one commenter. "Who's up for calamari?" wrote another.
Original article on Live Science.
==========================
Glorious Freshwater Eels!
A writhing mass of uniquely-patterned eel-like fishes in a net seemed to jump out of the email inbox, demanding attention. But what are they? Image credit: Nautilus Tropical Fish Wholesale
Every once in a while the weekly flow of in-stock announcements from aquatic wholesalers highlights something that catches the attention of even well-seasoned aquarists. This week, Joe Hiduke of Nautilus Marine Wholesale, Inc., based in Plant City, FL, sent out a Friday reminder with some highly-patterned eels, the likes of which didn’t register as something I was familiar with.
From Nautilus: “Great week for incoming with a ton of cool Indo fish. Got in more of the Tiger morays and they’re way bigger than the last batch. Awesome fish with a great pattern. The bigger size is probably worth the higher price, they get more impressive as they get bigger. These are Gymnothorax polyuranodon, a true freshwater species that is regularly documented way further up-river than tidal areas. I also got in white-cheek morays, which are definitely not a true freshwater species. We have them in a system that’s about 5ppm salt and they seem to do OK at that level (at least temporarily).”
Here’s another, better look at this beautiful eel species. The color and pattern rival most any of the marine moray species. The Tiger Freshwater Moray Eel is definitely something of interest for those who like oddball aquarium inhabitants.
Something you don’t see every day; the Tiger or Spotted “Freshwater” Moray Eel, Gymnothorax polyuranodon. Image credit: Goh Yong Teng, CC BY 3.0
Gymnothorax polyuradon is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, and yes, it can get large as Hiduke suggests, reaching up to 150 cm in length (nearly 5 feet). According to FishBase data, it is “usually found within 20-30 km [12.5 to 18.5 miles] of the sea at a maximum elevation of about 30-40 m [90-131 feet].”
Given that the species is closely related to all the other marine morays, and that this species is also found in brackish and fully-marine environments, it is probably safe to presume that this species may have a reproductive phase tied to the ocean in some manner. It could make for a fascinating and challenging breeding project for some intrepid aquarist to unlock.
To the LFS managers reading this, you can order them from Nautilus Tropical Fish Wholesale, while supplies last of course.
References:
Gymnothorax polyuradon on Fishbase
Reef to Rainforest.
==========================
A writhing mass of uniquely-patterned eel-like fishes in a net seemed to jump out of the email inbox, demanding attention. But what are they? Image credit: Nautilus Tropical Fish Wholesale
Every once in a while the weekly flow of in-stock announcements from aquatic wholesalers highlights something that catches the attention of even well-seasoned aquarists. This week, Joe Hiduke of Nautilus Marine Wholesale, Inc., based in Plant City, FL, sent out a Friday reminder with some highly-patterned eels, the likes of which didn’t register as something I was familiar with.
From Nautilus: “Great week for incoming with a ton of cool Indo fish. Got in more of the Tiger morays and they’re way bigger than the last batch. Awesome fish with a great pattern. The bigger size is probably worth the higher price, they get more impressive as they get bigger. These are Gymnothorax polyuranodon, a true freshwater species that is regularly documented way further up-river than tidal areas. I also got in white-cheek morays, which are definitely not a true freshwater species. We have them in a system that’s about 5ppm salt and they seem to do OK at that level (at least temporarily).”
Here’s another, better look at this beautiful eel species. The color and pattern rival most any of the marine moray species. The Tiger Freshwater Moray Eel is definitely something of interest for those who like oddball aquarium inhabitants.
Something you don’t see every day; the Tiger or Spotted “Freshwater” Moray Eel, Gymnothorax polyuranodon. Image credit: Goh Yong Teng, CC BY 3.0
Gymnothorax polyuradon is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, and yes, it can get large as Hiduke suggests, reaching up to 150 cm in length (nearly 5 feet). According to FishBase data, it is “usually found within 20-30 km [12.5 to 18.5 miles] of the sea at a maximum elevation of about 30-40 m [90-131 feet].”
Given that the species is closely related to all the other marine morays, and that this species is also found in brackish and fully-marine environments, it is probably safe to presume that this species may have a reproductive phase tied to the ocean in some manner. It could make for a fascinating and challenging breeding project for some intrepid aquarist to unlock.
To the LFS managers reading this, you can order them from Nautilus Tropical Fish Wholesale, while supplies last of course.
References:
Gymnothorax polyuradon on Fishbase
Reef to Rainforest.
==========================
One Fish, Two Fish, Fish Can Count(ish?)New research shows—again—that fish “count” like humans do. Are our cognitive evolutionary roots fishier than we thought?
New research shows that fish can tell the differences between quantities. What does that mean for our special human brains? (istock/Gregory_DUBUS)
By Sam Schipani
SMITHSONIAN.COM
1018010142Most of us don’t think about the importance of counting beyond our Sesame Street days. Little did we know, that purple puppet was teaching us an essential cognitive survival technique. In the wild, counting allows individuals to join larger social groups, determine the number of mates available, and choose more plentiful food. But counting has long been considered the purview of smarter species with higher levels of perceived consciousness, the Clever Hans horses and celebrity lab chimps of the animal kingdom. Increasingly, though, scientists have shown that fish—often considered near the bottom of the spined-species hierarchy—are able to discern between discrete quantities much like their more cognitively complex counterparts. Moreover, the evidence shows that the way piscine brains “count” is similar to way our own brains process numerical quantities, suggesting deeper evolutionary origins for one of our most essential cognitive skills.
Building on the findings of a 2015 study conducted with guppies, recently published research in Animal Behavior shows that freshwater angelfish presented with two small quantities of food reliably chose the larger stack of snacks. The preference for larger quantities supports the idea that fish are able to process quantitative information in order to be more successful foragers in the wild. This isn’t “counting” in the “one, two, three” sense—fish likely have little use for The Count’s prescribed methods—but it shows that fish do know the difference between these quantities.
The idea that fish can “count” isn’t new—fish have been shown to be able to discriminate between different sized groups (or “shoals”) of their own species, which is especially beneficial for smaller fish that rely on large groups for protection—but calorie count is more immediately important to a fish’s individual survival than choosing a slightly larger group of friends.
“Whether a fish chooses the very large shoal or the somewhat smaller shoal makes [little] difference from a survival perspective,” says Robert Gerlai, a biologist at the University of Toronto and one of the authors of the paper. “But whether it eats more or eats less is very important.”
The new research demonstrated more than just fish’s ability to count for their lives. As the food quantities grew larger than four items, the angelfish in the study were less picky with their choice. Other vertebrates behave the same way when presented with large quantities. Vertebrates—including humans—and even some exceptional invertebrates like bees are thought to have separate systems of counting for small and large quantities, in which small numbers are perceived as exact quantities and larger numbers are more roughly estimated. And humans, just like the angelfish in the study, seem to switch from the exact system to the approximate one around the magic number four.
The connection between fish and humans may come in handy as scientists continue to explore the intricacy of human cognition. “Fish are easier to study than complex humans,” says Gerlai. “In the long run, ideally, we would like to know what the [human] brain can do, and you can study much better with fish.”
But the findings beget more evolutionary existentialism. Humans and fish diverged evolutionary over 400 million years ago (humans and apes, by comparison, are thought to have parted evolutionary ways between 4 and 13 million years ago). “If you find some numerical abilities in fish, then those abilities are more ancient than previously thought,” says Christian Agrillo, a biologist at the University of Padova, who was not involved in the current research, but published one of the earliest studies on fish counting in 2008. If such skills can be traced back to our fishy ancestors, it may change how we understand our own cognitive magnificence.
The scientific jury is still out on whether fish actually have two systems of numerical cognition. Agrillo points out that while fish represent half of the world’s vertebrates, most lab studies are conducted only on guppies, angelfish, and zebrafish. “To better understand the issue, we need to focus on a larger range of fish,” he concedes. But the research has already come a long way since Agrillo began studying fish cognition in 2004. “Until some years ago, nobody thought that fish could have numerical estimation,” he says. “When we started, we were the only one. It seemed like a very silly curiosity of science.”
But for some scientists and activists, our cognitive connection to fish is especially important considering the way fish are treated in our global economic system. Humans use—and often abuse—fish, recklessly mass-harvesting wild stocks for food, raising them in intensive aquaculture conditions, ripping them from reefs to keep as pets, and even conducting unfettered testing on them for scientific research. Yet fish receive fewer legal protections than their charismatic vertebrate counterparts. Depending on local laws, fish are often exempted from animal welfare protections entirely.
“Humans tend to give more empathy to animals they think are smart,” Culum Brown, a biologist at Macquarie University who studies the behavioral ecology of fish. “Because of that, people have had very little consideration for fishes because most people underestimate them.” Brown argues that emerging research supporting fish intelligence should qualify them for more ethical treatment than is afforded by current policies. Rather than take fish off the menu entirely, Brown at least hopes to see more consumers advocating for humane treatment of tuna, salmon, and their finned brethren, much like the way the free-range movement has taken off for chickens. After all, sharing cognitive roots with other vertebrates not only helps fish count, but also gives them the capacity to feel pain.
“What is striking about vertebrates is how conserved they really are—just about every aspect of human cognition has been observed in other animals,” Brown says. “The reason that humans suffer the way that they do is we inherited it from our fishy ancestors.”
Counting aside, studies show that fish’s cognitive abilities rival other vertebrates in many ways. Sharks’ sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than humans’. Thanks to an extra cone in their eyes, some fish see colors more vividly than we do. Fish can recognize family members, inherit social traditions in the form of migration patterns, and use primitive tools. Contrary to beliefs popularized by Finding Nemo, many fish have fantastic memories, avoiding hooks for as long as a year after being caught once and building mental maps of their surroundings that they retain for weeks after being moved.
Brown, for his part, has “mixed feelings” about Finding Nemo. On the one hand, the movie led to a massive overharvesting of the starring species, and the ditzy Dory character feeds into the debunked (but prevailing) mythology that fish have two-second memory spans. But he also sees the positive impact it has had on public perception. “People like and can warm to fishy characters,” he says, “If you can have empathy for Dory and Nemo and everyone else, that’s got to be a positive thing.”
The recent findings on fish cognition may not immediately change human hearts and minds with respect to their intelligence, but every new study can be counted as a step in the right direction.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/one-fish-two-fish-fish-can-count-ish-180970122/#aJTO6OTsztjrfaCf.99
========================
New research shows that fish can tell the differences between quantities. What does that mean for our special human brains? (istock/Gregory_DUBUS)
By Sam Schipani
SMITHSONIAN.COM
1018010142Most of us don’t think about the importance of counting beyond our Sesame Street days. Little did we know, that purple puppet was teaching us an essential cognitive survival technique. In the wild, counting allows individuals to join larger social groups, determine the number of mates available, and choose more plentiful food. But counting has long been considered the purview of smarter species with higher levels of perceived consciousness, the Clever Hans horses and celebrity lab chimps of the animal kingdom. Increasingly, though, scientists have shown that fish—often considered near the bottom of the spined-species hierarchy—are able to discern between discrete quantities much like their more cognitively complex counterparts. Moreover, the evidence shows that the way piscine brains “count” is similar to way our own brains process numerical quantities, suggesting deeper evolutionary origins for one of our most essential cognitive skills.
Building on the findings of a 2015 study conducted with guppies, recently published research in Animal Behavior shows that freshwater angelfish presented with two small quantities of food reliably chose the larger stack of snacks. The preference for larger quantities supports the idea that fish are able to process quantitative information in order to be more successful foragers in the wild. This isn’t “counting” in the “one, two, three” sense—fish likely have little use for The Count’s prescribed methods—but it shows that fish do know the difference between these quantities.
The idea that fish can “count” isn’t new—fish have been shown to be able to discriminate between different sized groups (or “shoals”) of their own species, which is especially beneficial for smaller fish that rely on large groups for protection—but calorie count is more immediately important to a fish’s individual survival than choosing a slightly larger group of friends.
“Whether a fish chooses the very large shoal or the somewhat smaller shoal makes [little] difference from a survival perspective,” says Robert Gerlai, a biologist at the University of Toronto and one of the authors of the paper. “But whether it eats more or eats less is very important.”
The new research demonstrated more than just fish’s ability to count for their lives. As the food quantities grew larger than four items, the angelfish in the study were less picky with their choice. Other vertebrates behave the same way when presented with large quantities. Vertebrates—including humans—and even some exceptional invertebrates like bees are thought to have separate systems of counting for small and large quantities, in which small numbers are perceived as exact quantities and larger numbers are more roughly estimated. And humans, just like the angelfish in the study, seem to switch from the exact system to the approximate one around the magic number four.
The connection between fish and humans may come in handy as scientists continue to explore the intricacy of human cognition. “Fish are easier to study than complex humans,” says Gerlai. “In the long run, ideally, we would like to know what the [human] brain can do, and you can study much better with fish.”
But the findings beget more evolutionary existentialism. Humans and fish diverged evolutionary over 400 million years ago (humans and apes, by comparison, are thought to have parted evolutionary ways between 4 and 13 million years ago). “If you find some numerical abilities in fish, then those abilities are more ancient than previously thought,” says Christian Agrillo, a biologist at the University of Padova, who was not involved in the current research, but published one of the earliest studies on fish counting in 2008. If such skills can be traced back to our fishy ancestors, it may change how we understand our own cognitive magnificence.
The scientific jury is still out on whether fish actually have two systems of numerical cognition. Agrillo points out that while fish represent half of the world’s vertebrates, most lab studies are conducted only on guppies, angelfish, and zebrafish. “To better understand the issue, we need to focus on a larger range of fish,” he concedes. But the research has already come a long way since Agrillo began studying fish cognition in 2004. “Until some years ago, nobody thought that fish could have numerical estimation,” he says. “When we started, we were the only one. It seemed like a very silly curiosity of science.”
But for some scientists and activists, our cognitive connection to fish is especially important considering the way fish are treated in our global economic system. Humans use—and often abuse—fish, recklessly mass-harvesting wild stocks for food, raising them in intensive aquaculture conditions, ripping them from reefs to keep as pets, and even conducting unfettered testing on them for scientific research. Yet fish receive fewer legal protections than their charismatic vertebrate counterparts. Depending on local laws, fish are often exempted from animal welfare protections entirely.
“Humans tend to give more empathy to animals they think are smart,” Culum Brown, a biologist at Macquarie University who studies the behavioral ecology of fish. “Because of that, people have had very little consideration for fishes because most people underestimate them.” Brown argues that emerging research supporting fish intelligence should qualify them for more ethical treatment than is afforded by current policies. Rather than take fish off the menu entirely, Brown at least hopes to see more consumers advocating for humane treatment of tuna, salmon, and their finned brethren, much like the way the free-range movement has taken off for chickens. After all, sharing cognitive roots with other vertebrates not only helps fish count, but also gives them the capacity to feel pain.
“What is striking about vertebrates is how conserved they really are—just about every aspect of human cognition has been observed in other animals,” Brown says. “The reason that humans suffer the way that they do is we inherited it from our fishy ancestors.”
Counting aside, studies show that fish’s cognitive abilities rival other vertebrates in many ways. Sharks’ sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than humans’. Thanks to an extra cone in their eyes, some fish see colors more vividly than we do. Fish can recognize family members, inherit social traditions in the form of migration patterns, and use primitive tools. Contrary to beliefs popularized by Finding Nemo, many fish have fantastic memories, avoiding hooks for as long as a year after being caught once and building mental maps of their surroundings that they retain for weeks after being moved.
Brown, for his part, has “mixed feelings” about Finding Nemo. On the one hand, the movie led to a massive overharvesting of the starring species, and the ditzy Dory character feeds into the debunked (but prevailing) mythology that fish have two-second memory spans. But he also sees the positive impact it has had on public perception. “People like and can warm to fishy characters,” he says, “If you can have empathy for Dory and Nemo and everyone else, that’s got to be a positive thing.”
The recent findings on fish cognition may not immediately change human hearts and minds with respect to their intelligence, but every new study can be counted as a step in the right direction.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/one-fish-two-fish-fish-can-count-ish-180970122/#aJTO6OTsztjrfaCf.99
========================
Barbus anatolicus • A New Barbel (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak River Drainages in northern Anatolia
Barbus anatolicus
Turan, Kaya, Geiger & Freyhof, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4461.4.5
Abstract
Barbus anatolicus, new species, is described from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak River drainages in the southern Black Sea basin. It is distinguished from other Barbus species in the Middle East by having 58–71 total lateral line scales, a moderately ossified last simple dorsal-fin ray, serrated along about 70–80% of its posterior margin, many small irregular shaped black or brown spots, smaller or as large as scales, often forming large, dark-brown blotches on the head, back and flank in adults and juveniles, and a concave posterior dorsal-fin margin. In addition, DNA barcode data reject the hypothesis that it belongs to one of the other species of the B. barbus species group. Barbus bergi from Bulgaria and adjacent Turkey is treated as synonym of B. tauricus. Barbus tauricus was previously believed to be restricted to the Crimean Peninsula but is found to be widespread in the Black Sea basin.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater fish, Middle East, taxonomy, morphology, cytochrome oxidase I
Barbus anatolicus, new species
Etymology. The name of the species is derived from Anatolia. An adjective.
Davut Turan, Cüneyt Kaya, Matthias Geiger and Jörg Freyhof. 2018. Barbus anatolicus, A New Barbel from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak River Drainages in northern Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4461(4); 539–557. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4461.4.5
==========================
Barbus anatolicus
Turan, Kaya, Geiger & Freyhof, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4461.4.5
Abstract
Barbus anatolicus, new species, is described from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak River drainages in the southern Black Sea basin. It is distinguished from other Barbus species in the Middle East by having 58–71 total lateral line scales, a moderately ossified last simple dorsal-fin ray, serrated along about 70–80% of its posterior margin, many small irregular shaped black or brown spots, smaller or as large as scales, often forming large, dark-brown blotches on the head, back and flank in adults and juveniles, and a concave posterior dorsal-fin margin. In addition, DNA barcode data reject the hypothesis that it belongs to one of the other species of the B. barbus species group. Barbus bergi from Bulgaria and adjacent Turkey is treated as synonym of B. tauricus. Barbus tauricus was previously believed to be restricted to the Crimean Peninsula but is found to be widespread in the Black Sea basin.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater fish, Middle East, taxonomy, morphology, cytochrome oxidase I
Barbus anatolicus, new species
Etymology. The name of the species is derived from Anatolia. An adjective.
Davut Turan, Cüneyt Kaya, Matthias Geiger and Jörg Freyhof. 2018. Barbus anatolicus, A New Barbel from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak River Drainages in northern Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4461(4); 539–557. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4461.4.5
==========================
Shrimp heal injured fish
August 23, 2018
Source:
James Cook University
Summary:
Scientists have discovered that shrimp help heal injured fish.
Share:
FULL STORY
Cleaner shrimp.
Credit: Image courtesy of James Cook UniversityJames Cook University scientists in Australia have discovered that shrimp help heal injured fish.
PhD student David Vaughan is working on a project led by Dr Kate Hutson at JCU's Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture.
He said it was important to know how the shrimp interact with fish, as the team is in the process of identifying the best shrimp species to use to clean parasites from farmed and ornamental fish.
"Between 30 -- 50% of farmed fish in Southeast Asia, the largest fish producing region in the world, are lost to parasites.
"We know that shrimp clean parasites from fish and if we can identify a species that does it efficiently, and does no harm, it offers a 'greener' alternative to chemicals," he said.
Mr Vaughan said scientists knew injured fish visited shrimp 'cleaning stations' to have parasites removed -- but the question was whether shrimp then took advantage of the injured fish and fed on their wounds. He said the relationship between cleaner shrimp and their client fish was complicated, with the shrimp known to eat the mucus of the fish and the fish occasionally eating the shrimp.
The scientists used high-definition cameras to record the details of the interaction between the species. "We found that shrimp did not aggravate existing injuries or further injure the fish," said Mr Vaughan.
He said image analyses showed the cleaner shrimp actually reduced the redness of the injury. "Injuries in fishes are susceptible to invasion by secondary pathogens like viruses and bacteria, and the reduction in redness by shrimp indicates that cleaner shrimp could reduce infections."
Mr Vaughan said cleaner shrimp are also known to indirectly influence the health of client fishes by reducing stress levels as a function of cleaning -- which also increased the ability of the fish to heal.
Story Source:
Materials provided by James Cook University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
James Cook University. "Shrimp heal injured fish." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 August 2018. <www.scienm/releases/2018/08/180823092057.htm>.
==========================
August 23, 2018
Source:
James Cook University
Summary:
Scientists have discovered that shrimp help heal injured fish.
Share:
FULL STORY
Cleaner shrimp.
Credit: Image courtesy of James Cook UniversityJames Cook University scientists in Australia have discovered that shrimp help heal injured fish.
PhD student David Vaughan is working on a project led by Dr Kate Hutson at JCU's Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture.
He said it was important to know how the shrimp interact with fish, as the team is in the process of identifying the best shrimp species to use to clean parasites from farmed and ornamental fish.
"Between 30 -- 50% of farmed fish in Southeast Asia, the largest fish producing region in the world, are lost to parasites.
"We know that shrimp clean parasites from fish and if we can identify a species that does it efficiently, and does no harm, it offers a 'greener' alternative to chemicals," he said.
Mr Vaughan said scientists knew injured fish visited shrimp 'cleaning stations' to have parasites removed -- but the question was whether shrimp then took advantage of the injured fish and fed on their wounds. He said the relationship between cleaner shrimp and their client fish was complicated, with the shrimp known to eat the mucus of the fish and the fish occasionally eating the shrimp.
The scientists used high-definition cameras to record the details of the interaction between the species. "We found that shrimp did not aggravate existing injuries or further injure the fish," said Mr Vaughan.
He said image analyses showed the cleaner shrimp actually reduced the redness of the injury. "Injuries in fishes are susceptible to invasion by secondary pathogens like viruses and bacteria, and the reduction in redness by shrimp indicates that cleaner shrimp could reduce infections."
Mr Vaughan said cleaner shrimp are also known to indirectly influence the health of client fishes by reducing stress levels as a function of cleaning -- which also increased the ability of the fish to heal.
Story Source:
Materials provided by James Cook University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- David B. Vaughan, Alexandra S. Grutter, Hugh W. Ferguson, Rhondda Jones, Kate S. Hutson. Cleaner shrimp are true cleaners of injured fish. Marine Biology, 2018; 165 (7) DOI: 10.1007/s00227-018-3379-y
James Cook University. "Shrimp heal injured fish." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 August 2018. <www.scienm/releases/2018/08/180823092057.htm>.
==========================
Apocyclops Poised to Revolutionize Marine Fish Aquaculture
Photo--A very young Flame Angelfish, Centropyge loricula, with a belly full of Apocyclops panamensis copepod nauplii. Image credit: Avier J. Montalvo.
Attendees of the 2018 MBI Marine Breeder’s Workshop in July first heard the news that first-feeding Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula) will consume the nauplii of Apocyclops panamensis (often humorously dubbed Apocalypse pods).
The revelation came via Tamara Marshall, Director of Live Feeds at the Dallas World Aquarium, who showed the amazing photograph taken by the now highly-regarded breeding researcher Avier J. Montalvo. With further research, this revelation could prove to be a game-changer for hobbyist-scale marine fish breeding. (Dwarf marine angelfishes have long presented a challenge with tiny, nearly impossible to feed larvae.)
Parvo Is the Reigning Champion
To date, the nauplii of Parvocalanus crassirostris (Parvo) has taken the spotlight as the go-to tiny copepod fueling progress in the pursuit of pelagic spawning marine fish species with their tiny, rotifer-refusing larvae. Parvo is certainly here to stay for the foreseeable future, but it is relatively difficult to culture compared to more familiar feeds (rotifers, Artemia, and benthiccopepods), requiring live phytoplankton and accepting no substitutes.
Without highly intensive culture methodologies, a larval rearing run of a pelagic spawning fish like a Centropyge spp. angelfish may require as much as 450 gallons of Parvo copepod culture simply to provide the copepod nauplii needed to meet the food demands of a single 20-gallon vessel containing a few hundred eggs from a small angelfish species (as estimated by Matthew Carberry of Sustainable Aquatics during a Q&A session at the same Workshop). This calculation doesn’t even take into account the amount of phytoplankton production required to maintain that volume of copepod cultures. Parvo, while effective, may simply not be economically viable, at least not at this time.
Meanwhile, the ability to culture Apocyclops panamensis on prepared algae pastes (including those used to rear rotifers) eliminates one of the more labor-intensive aspects of live food production and could save valuable space in a small-scale hatchery or fishroom (I once calculated that it took approximately eight hours per month just to produce a couple gallons of phytoplankton per week; what’s your time worth?). The consistency of prepared algal products can also eliminate an important nutritional variable in the overall live feed equation.
Is Apocyclops the Panacea?
Avier J. Montalvo showing off dozens of captive bred Lemon Butterflyfish in 2016.
According to Montalvo, A. panamensis has some interesting challenges and benefits. While it can be grown on prepared algae pastes, “It’s just really hard to scale up density on [algae] paste. However, it could eliminate rotifers if you just replace them in a feeding regime with larger nauplii.”
A. panamensis also offers a bit of flexibility to the aquaculturist. “It does allow for somewhat of a cool/cold storage,” shared Montalvo. “We were able to harvest nauplii the day before and use it the next day, without it molting much, if at all.”
If A. panamensis proves to be a more forgiving organism in culture than Parvo, and particularly if higher nauplii production levels can be achieved, it will be an ideal first-food candidate for marine fish larviculture research.
Then, if experimentation proves A. panamensis as a viable first-food, particularly with species that before now had only been reared with Parvo, we could see A. panamensis eclipse Parvocalanus crassirostris as the go-to first feed for pelagic-spawning marine ornamental fish larvae.
Apocyclops May Be a Better Fit
The bottom line is this: many hobbyist marine fish breeders really don’t enjoy culturing phytoplankton, and they’re not very good at it (when compared to professionals who do that, and that alone). Phytoplankton culture is time-consuming with no economic savings to be had at a hobbyist scale (especially once you factor in the value of your time).
The ability to culture A. panamensis using prepared feeds makes it an easy-to-add food organism alongside rotifers, brine shrimp, and commercially-prepared larval rearing diets like Otohime and derivative products. Hobbyists won’t have to return to culturing live algae like they would if they selected to culture Parvocalanus crassirostris.
Seeing conclusive evidence that a difficult-to-rear marine fish larvae will accept A. panamensisnauplii as a first-feed is exciting news for small-scale breeders. Whether it will perform as a viable first and/or exclusive larval food remains to be seen, but research is already conclusive that even occasional feedings of copepod nauplii are highly beneficial to a wide range of marine fish larvae. Even in routinely bred marine fish species like clownfish or dottybacks, the use of this copepod in conjunction with or in replacement of rotifers could vastly improve the survivability and quality of marine fish being produced.
Further Reading
Visit the recent announcement from Reed Mariculture debuting their Apex-Pods for more information on Apocyclops panamensis.
Found on Reef to Rainforest
==========================
Photo--A very young Flame Angelfish, Centropyge loricula, with a belly full of Apocyclops panamensis copepod nauplii. Image credit: Avier J. Montalvo.
Attendees of the 2018 MBI Marine Breeder’s Workshop in July first heard the news that first-feeding Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula) will consume the nauplii of Apocyclops panamensis (often humorously dubbed Apocalypse pods).
The revelation came via Tamara Marshall, Director of Live Feeds at the Dallas World Aquarium, who showed the amazing photograph taken by the now highly-regarded breeding researcher Avier J. Montalvo. With further research, this revelation could prove to be a game-changer for hobbyist-scale marine fish breeding. (Dwarf marine angelfishes have long presented a challenge with tiny, nearly impossible to feed larvae.)
Parvo Is the Reigning Champion
To date, the nauplii of Parvocalanus crassirostris (Parvo) has taken the spotlight as the go-to tiny copepod fueling progress in the pursuit of pelagic spawning marine fish species with their tiny, rotifer-refusing larvae. Parvo is certainly here to stay for the foreseeable future, but it is relatively difficult to culture compared to more familiar feeds (rotifers, Artemia, and benthiccopepods), requiring live phytoplankton and accepting no substitutes.
Without highly intensive culture methodologies, a larval rearing run of a pelagic spawning fish like a Centropyge spp. angelfish may require as much as 450 gallons of Parvo copepod culture simply to provide the copepod nauplii needed to meet the food demands of a single 20-gallon vessel containing a few hundred eggs from a small angelfish species (as estimated by Matthew Carberry of Sustainable Aquatics during a Q&A session at the same Workshop). This calculation doesn’t even take into account the amount of phytoplankton production required to maintain that volume of copepod cultures. Parvo, while effective, may simply not be economically viable, at least not at this time.
Meanwhile, the ability to culture Apocyclops panamensis on prepared algae pastes (including those used to rear rotifers) eliminates one of the more labor-intensive aspects of live food production and could save valuable space in a small-scale hatchery or fishroom (I once calculated that it took approximately eight hours per month just to produce a couple gallons of phytoplankton per week; what’s your time worth?). The consistency of prepared algal products can also eliminate an important nutritional variable in the overall live feed equation.
Is Apocyclops the Panacea?
Avier J. Montalvo showing off dozens of captive bred Lemon Butterflyfish in 2016.
According to Montalvo, A. panamensis has some interesting challenges and benefits. While it can be grown on prepared algae pastes, “It’s just really hard to scale up density on [algae] paste. However, it could eliminate rotifers if you just replace them in a feeding regime with larger nauplii.”
A. panamensis also offers a bit of flexibility to the aquaculturist. “It does allow for somewhat of a cool/cold storage,” shared Montalvo. “We were able to harvest nauplii the day before and use it the next day, without it molting much, if at all.”
If A. panamensis proves to be a more forgiving organism in culture than Parvo, and particularly if higher nauplii production levels can be achieved, it will be an ideal first-food candidate for marine fish larviculture research.
Then, if experimentation proves A. panamensis as a viable first-food, particularly with species that before now had only been reared with Parvo, we could see A. panamensis eclipse Parvocalanus crassirostris as the go-to first feed for pelagic-spawning marine ornamental fish larvae.
Apocyclops May Be a Better Fit
The bottom line is this: many hobbyist marine fish breeders really don’t enjoy culturing phytoplankton, and they’re not very good at it (when compared to professionals who do that, and that alone). Phytoplankton culture is time-consuming with no economic savings to be had at a hobbyist scale (especially once you factor in the value of your time).
The ability to culture A. panamensis using prepared feeds makes it an easy-to-add food organism alongside rotifers, brine shrimp, and commercially-prepared larval rearing diets like Otohime and derivative products. Hobbyists won’t have to return to culturing live algae like they would if they selected to culture Parvocalanus crassirostris.
Seeing conclusive evidence that a difficult-to-rear marine fish larvae will accept A. panamensisnauplii as a first-feed is exciting news for small-scale breeders. Whether it will perform as a viable first and/or exclusive larval food remains to be seen, but research is already conclusive that even occasional feedings of copepod nauplii are highly beneficial to a wide range of marine fish larvae. Even in routinely bred marine fish species like clownfish or dottybacks, the use of this copepod in conjunction with or in replacement of rotifers could vastly improve the survivability and quality of marine fish being produced.
Further Reading
Visit the recent announcement from Reed Mariculture debuting their Apex-Pods for more information on Apocyclops panamensis.
Found on Reef to Rainforest
==========================
This completes the TEN years of PetFish Monthly under the Editorship of Anthony Evans.
All available issues can be downloaded for FREE at:- aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
==========================
Large fish making return to the North Sea
Cod and flounders are up in numbers (photo: DTU)
A new study by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has shown that there has been a significant increase in the numbers of large fish in the North Sea in recent years.
The research revealed that the biomass of 25 species of large fish in the North Sea has doubled since 2000. In some cases, as with the cod, flounder and hake, the increase has even tripled and quadrupled.
“The populations of large fish such as the cod have been struggling for a long time. But now we can finally see a tendency that indicates they are being restored,” said the lead author of the research, Rob van Gemert, who contends it could have a big impact in the food chain.
“We call it an opposite trophic cascade. When there are more predatory fish, their prey will be consumed in higher numbers and that will impact the prey’s breeding ability. Ultimately, it could impact the fishermen who live on catching smaller fish like sandeel and sprat.”
Based on data from 2016, the research has been published in the scientific journal, ICES Journal of Marine Science.
==========================
Cod and flounders are up in numbers (photo: DTU)
A new study by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has shown that there has been a significant increase in the numbers of large fish in the North Sea in recent years.
The research revealed that the biomass of 25 species of large fish in the North Sea has doubled since 2000. In some cases, as with the cod, flounder and hake, the increase has even tripled and quadrupled.
“The populations of large fish such as the cod have been struggling for a long time. But now we can finally see a tendency that indicates they are being restored,” said the lead author of the research, Rob van Gemert, who contends it could have a big impact in the food chain.
“We call it an opposite trophic cascade. When there are more predatory fish, their prey will be consumed in higher numbers and that will impact the prey’s breeding ability. Ultimately, it could impact the fishermen who live on catching smaller fish like sandeel and sprat.”
Based on data from 2016, the research has been published in the scientific journal, ICES Journal of Marine Science.
==========================
These endangered eel larvae are mysteriously declining. DNA in fish guts show where some of them end up.
Endangered eel larvae make a tasty treat for fish in an ocean desert
European eels, besides being delicious, have mystified biologists for more than a century. They spend their adult lives in estuaries and rivers, and head to the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda to reproduce. Their tiny transparent larvae then hitch a ride back to Europe on the Gulf Stream. But eel populations have been mysteriously dropping, prompting desperate measures to replenish their numbers.
Now, researchers have a clue about one peril young eels face during their journey: hungry fish. The larvae were once considered too difficult for most predators to spot and catch, but a new study that looks at DNA traces in the guts of fish near eel-breeding waters suggests at least six marine species can make quick work of baby eels.
“The study shows that although eel larvae are likely difficult for predators to see, they do contribute to ocean food webs as prey for other species,” says Michael Miller, an eel expert at Nihon University in Fujisawa, Japan, who was not involved with the work.
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) was once quite common, but its numbers have declined precipitously in the past 4years. Moreover, the number of larvae that finally make it to Europe as “glass eels” has dropped by 90%, leaving some to wonder what might be happening to the larvae. Was something eating them up?
That didn’t seem likely. Eel larvae—which are about the size of a small willow leaf—had been detected only once, in the late 1800s, in the guts of other fish. It could also be that, once swallowed, they decayed so quickly that they disappeared without a trace. Intact, the eels are still difficult to find, “even in a tray of water,” says study co-author Mads Reinholdt Jensen, now a graduate student at Aarhus University in Denmark. As a result, researchers studying eel declines have looked at everything—everything, says Jensen, except who eats the eel larvae.
Instead of searching for the larvae themselves, Jensen and his colleagues at the University of Copenhagen looked for their DNA in 62 fish collected and quickly frozen in 2014 by a Danish team that had searched in vain for spawning adult eels in the Sargasso Sea. Jensen’s team had to develop special eel-specific molecular tags that would latch on to any eel DNA in a fish’s gut. Ultimately, the researchers verified European eel DNA in six of the fish, each of them a different species, they report in the August issue of Marine Biology.
That was a surprise to Tracey Sutton, a marine ecologist at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who was not involved with the study. “It goes against the dogma that these fishes prey primarily on crustaceans,” he explains. “It shows a new [food web] pathway we didn’t have before.”
The discovery is a “novel preliminary finding” that could help reveal the “true diets” of these predatory fish, and their role within the oceanic food web, says Ryan Saunders, a marine ecologist with the British Antarctic Survey, in Cambridge, who was not involved in the study. The Sargasso Sea is notoriously low in nutrients, he notes, and not much is known about the few fish that live there.
The DNA techniques used in the new study could “revolutionize the way we study fish diets and food webs,” Saunders says. But Jensen notes they still won’t help the researchers estimate how many larvae the fish were eating or what proportion of the predators’ diet the eels represented. Calculating those numbers will be important to concluding anything about the role the fish are playing in the eel’s decline, Miller says. And Sutton is skeptical: “Predation on larvae is a normal thing,” he says. “The dramatic decline is almost surely human-induced.”
==========================
Cryptocoryne joshanii(Araceae) • A New Species Serendipitously Discovered in Sulu archipelago, Philippines
Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva
in Naive & Villanueva, 2018.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2018.63.248
Photos by: M.A.K. Naive.
ABSTRACT
A new species, Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva, from the island of Basilan, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. It is comparable to C. usteriana, but differs significantly in having lanceolate leaves, acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas and an erect spathe limb. Information on the geographical distribution, ecological data, phenology and conservation status as well as an identification key to the Philippine Crytocoryne species are provided.
KEY WORDS: Aroids, Basilan, Cryptocoryne, Mindanao, New species, Sulu archipelago, Philippines.
Fig. 1. Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva
A. Habit B. Spathe C. Leaf D. Cataphyll E. Kettle F. Tube, limb G. Spadix showing the male and female flowers.
Photos by: M.A.K. Naive.
Scale bar: C, D = 5 cm; E, F = 2 cm; G = 1 cm.
Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva, sp. nov.
Type: PHILIPPINES, Mindanao Region, Sulu Archipelago, Basilan Island, elev. 850 m, May 2013. R.J. Villanueva 001/2017 (holo HNUL, iso USTH) - Full locality data withheld owing to the risk of potential exploitation of wild populations for commercial purposes.
Diagnosis: Somewhat similar to C. usteriana in the spathe, but it differs significantly in having an acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas and an erect smooth limb. The leaves are clearly different by being smooth, light green with markings.
Distribution: This Philippine endemic species has only been observed and documented in Sulu archipelago, particularly on the island of Basilan, Philippines. It is very local and despite of extensive survey along the stream and in other areas, it occurs only on the site where the sample was collected.
Ecology: The population of this species was found growing in a slow flowing montane forest stream in the interior of Basilan Island. The forest is relatively dense with only 40% sunlight reaching the stream bed. The population grows on volcanic rock in the stream several meters from the waterfall at elevations of about 800– 1000 m a.s.l. The roots and rhizomes were noted to penetrate deep into the pebble/sandy substrate rich with decaying leaves. The entire clump was submerged or partly submerged with leaves exposed.
Eponomy: Named after Joshan Vlad A. Villanueva, son of the discoverer/second author.
Notes: Based on overall morphology, Cryptocoryne usteriana, appears to be the closest ally of C. joshanii. However, C. joshanii differs significantly in having these following characters: lanceolate leaves, an erect apex of the limb and in having acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas.
Mark Arcebal K. Naive and Reagan Joseph T. Villanueva. 2018. Cryptocoryne joshanii (Araceae), A New Species Serendipitously Discovered in Sulu archipelago, Philippines. Taiwania. 63(3); 248-250. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2018.63.248
==========================
Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva
in Naive & Villanueva, 2018.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2018.63.248
Photos by: M.A.K. Naive.
ABSTRACT
A new species, Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva, from the island of Basilan, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. It is comparable to C. usteriana, but differs significantly in having lanceolate leaves, acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas and an erect spathe limb. Information on the geographical distribution, ecological data, phenology and conservation status as well as an identification key to the Philippine Crytocoryne species are provided.
KEY WORDS: Aroids, Basilan, Cryptocoryne, Mindanao, New species, Sulu archipelago, Philippines.
Fig. 1. Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva
A. Habit B. Spathe C. Leaf D. Cataphyll E. Kettle F. Tube, limb G. Spadix showing the male and female flowers.
Photos by: M.A.K. Naive.
Scale bar: C, D = 5 cm; E, F = 2 cm; G = 1 cm.
Cryptocoryne joshanii Naive & Villanueva, sp. nov.
Type: PHILIPPINES, Mindanao Region, Sulu Archipelago, Basilan Island, elev. 850 m, May 2013. R.J. Villanueva 001/2017 (holo HNUL, iso USTH) - Full locality data withheld owing to the risk of potential exploitation of wild populations for commercial purposes.
Diagnosis: Somewhat similar to C. usteriana in the spathe, but it differs significantly in having an acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas and an erect smooth limb. The leaves are clearly different by being smooth, light green with markings.
Distribution: This Philippine endemic species has only been observed and documented in Sulu archipelago, particularly on the island of Basilan, Philippines. It is very local and despite of extensive survey along the stream and in other areas, it occurs only on the site where the sample was collected.
Ecology: The population of this species was found growing in a slow flowing montane forest stream in the interior of Basilan Island. The forest is relatively dense with only 40% sunlight reaching the stream bed. The population grows on volcanic rock in the stream several meters from the waterfall at elevations of about 800– 1000 m a.s.l. The roots and rhizomes were noted to penetrate deep into the pebble/sandy substrate rich with decaying leaves. The entire clump was submerged or partly submerged with leaves exposed.
Eponomy: Named after Joshan Vlad A. Villanueva, son of the discoverer/second author.
Notes: Based on overall morphology, Cryptocoryne usteriana, appears to be the closest ally of C. joshanii. However, C. joshanii differs significantly in having these following characters: lanceolate leaves, an erect apex of the limb and in having acicular, outwardly recurved, purplish red stigmas.
Mark Arcebal K. Naive and Reagan Joseph T. Villanueva. 2018. Cryptocoryne joshanii (Araceae), A New Species Serendipitously Discovered in Sulu archipelago, Philippines. Taiwania. 63(3); 248-250. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2018.63.248
==========================
Why zebrafish (almost) always have stripes
Mathematical model helps explain key role of one pigment cell
Source:
Ohio State University
Summary:
A mathematical model helps explain the key role that one pigment cells plays in making sure that each stripe on a zebrafish ends up exactly where it belongs.
Share:
FULL STORY
These images show how the researchers simulated two months of pattern development in zebrafish in their model.
Credit: Alexandria Volkening/Bjorn SandstedeOne of the most remarkable things about the iconic yellow and blue stripes of zebrafish is that they reliably appear at all.
Zebrafish begin life as transparent embryos, with three types of pigment cells on their skin. As they develop, the pigment cells somehow manage to organize themselves almost without fail into the stripes we all know.
Now researchers have developed a mathematical model that may explain the key role that one of those pigment cells plays in making sure each stripe ends up exactly where it belongs on the fish.
"It's amazing that you have these individual cells that can sort themselves into these reliable patterns," said Alexandria Volkening, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University's Mathematical Biosciences Institute.
"The cells move around on the skin to create stripes. It's like individual birds that know how to flock together and fly in formation."
This new model suggests that one of the pigment cell types -- called iridophores -- leads the process of cell organization. These cells provide redundancies in the cell interaction process that ensures that if one interaction fails, another one can take over.
The result is that zebrafish get their stripes, even when some of the cellular processes go wrong, she said.
Volkening conducted the research with Bjorn Sandstede, professor of applied mathematics at Brown University. Their study was published today in the journal Nature Communications.
Until recently, almost all research on zebrafish stripes focused on the other two pigment cells: the black cells (called melanophores) and the yellow cells (called xanthophores). It wasn't until 2013 that biologists discovered that iridophores also played a role.
The role of iridophores is definitely vital: Some mutations of zebrafish that don't have iridophores develop spots instead of stripes.
"In our mathematical model, we use what we know about the interactions of the other two cell types to explain what drives iridophore behavior. We found that we could predict what iridophores would do in a way that matches up well with what biologists have observed in zebrafish," she said.
Researchers have known that iridophores change their shape in carefully orchestrated patterns on the skin of zebrafish, and the changes in shape instruct the other two types of cells on where to go in ways that result in stripes.
The model explains what drives these shape changes.
The model showed, not surprisingly, that the process is extremely complex, Volkening said. But the complexity is necessary to build redundancy into the process. The researchers found that they could reduce the complexity in the model in some ways, and the zebrafish would still develop stripes.
"We think that is because iridophores are getting their signals from multiple places. If one interaction fails, there is another that can take its place," she said.
"Because of the redundancies, you can remove some interactions, and still get stripes. They're not perfect stripes, but they are similar."
However, there are cases when the process breaks down so much that stripes no longer form. That occurs in some mutations of zebrafish. Volkening said the model can account for these mutations, which adds to the likelihood that the model is correct.
"The biological discovery of the role of iridophores was a real paradigm shift in how we thought zebrafish stripes were created. This led to a lot of open questions, and our mathematical model provides an explanation for how iridophores behave on the fish skin," she said.
"We show that the complex interactions of these cells may be important for reliable stripe formation, but also key to why zebrafish have stripes but related fish have different patterns."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Ohio State University. Original written by Jeff Grabmeier. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Ohio State University. "Why zebrafish (almost) always have stripes: Mathematical model helps explain key role of one pigment cell." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 August 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180813133349.htm>.
==========================
Mathematical model helps explain key role of one pigment cell
Source:
Ohio State University
Summary:
A mathematical model helps explain the key role that one pigment cells plays in making sure that each stripe on a zebrafish ends up exactly where it belongs.
Share:
FULL STORY
These images show how the researchers simulated two months of pattern development in zebrafish in their model.
Credit: Alexandria Volkening/Bjorn SandstedeOne of the most remarkable things about the iconic yellow and blue stripes of zebrafish is that they reliably appear at all.
Zebrafish begin life as transparent embryos, with three types of pigment cells on their skin. As they develop, the pigment cells somehow manage to organize themselves almost without fail into the stripes we all know.
Now researchers have developed a mathematical model that may explain the key role that one of those pigment cells plays in making sure each stripe ends up exactly where it belongs on the fish.
"It's amazing that you have these individual cells that can sort themselves into these reliable patterns," said Alexandria Volkening, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University's Mathematical Biosciences Institute.
"The cells move around on the skin to create stripes. It's like individual birds that know how to flock together and fly in formation."
This new model suggests that one of the pigment cell types -- called iridophores -- leads the process of cell organization. These cells provide redundancies in the cell interaction process that ensures that if one interaction fails, another one can take over.
The result is that zebrafish get their stripes, even when some of the cellular processes go wrong, she said.
Volkening conducted the research with Bjorn Sandstede, professor of applied mathematics at Brown University. Their study was published today in the journal Nature Communications.
Until recently, almost all research on zebrafish stripes focused on the other two pigment cells: the black cells (called melanophores) and the yellow cells (called xanthophores). It wasn't until 2013 that biologists discovered that iridophores also played a role.
The role of iridophores is definitely vital: Some mutations of zebrafish that don't have iridophores develop spots instead of stripes.
"In our mathematical model, we use what we know about the interactions of the other two cell types to explain what drives iridophore behavior. We found that we could predict what iridophores would do in a way that matches up well with what biologists have observed in zebrafish," she said.
Researchers have known that iridophores change their shape in carefully orchestrated patterns on the skin of zebrafish, and the changes in shape instruct the other two types of cells on where to go in ways that result in stripes.
The model explains what drives these shape changes.
The model showed, not surprisingly, that the process is extremely complex, Volkening said. But the complexity is necessary to build redundancy into the process. The researchers found that they could reduce the complexity in the model in some ways, and the zebrafish would still develop stripes.
"We think that is because iridophores are getting their signals from multiple places. If one interaction fails, there is another that can take its place," she said.
"Because of the redundancies, you can remove some interactions, and still get stripes. They're not perfect stripes, but they are similar."
However, there are cases when the process breaks down so much that stripes no longer form. That occurs in some mutations of zebrafish. Volkening said the model can account for these mutations, which adds to the likelihood that the model is correct.
"The biological discovery of the role of iridophores was a real paradigm shift in how we thought zebrafish stripes were created. This led to a lot of open questions, and our mathematical model provides an explanation for how iridophores behave on the fish skin," she said.
"We show that the complex interactions of these cells may be important for reliable stripe formation, but also key to why zebrafish have stripes but related fish have different patterns."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Ohio State University. Original written by Jeff Grabmeier. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Alexandria Volkening, Björn Sandstede. Iridophores as a source of robustness in zebrafish stripes and variability in Danio patterns. Nature Communications, 2018; 9 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05629-z
Ohio State University. "Why zebrafish (almost) always have stripes: Mathematical model helps explain key role of one pigment cell." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 August 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180813133349.htm>.
==========================
Family evacuated due to California`s Carr Fire returns home to find pet fish alive
REDDING (KRON) - A family who had to evacuate from their home due to the Carr Fire got quite the happy surprise upon their arrival.
According to Cal Fire, firefighters with Cal Fire Engine 1489 and officers with the Corning Police Department fed "Grant" the fish while the family was away.
"Thank you Cal Fire Engine 1489 and Corning Police Department for ensuring Grant the fish got a snack while his owner was evacuated due to the #CarrFire Remember to have a plan for all your pets," Cal Fire said on Facebook.
This isn't the only time first responders are helping local residents and their pets/wildlife.
According to Lance Richards, firefighters also helped feed his chicken "even after my house burned."
Thank you firefighters and police officers!
==========================
REDDING (KRON) - A family who had to evacuate from their home due to the Carr Fire got quite the happy surprise upon their arrival.
According to Cal Fire, firefighters with Cal Fire Engine 1489 and officers with the Corning Police Department fed "Grant" the fish while the family was away.
"Thank you Cal Fire Engine 1489 and Corning Police Department for ensuring Grant the fish got a snack while his owner was evacuated due to the #CarrFire Remember to have a plan for all your pets," Cal Fire said on Facebook.
This isn't the only time first responders are helping local residents and their pets/wildlife.
According to Lance Richards, firefighters also helped feed his chicken "even after my house burned."
Thank you firefighters and police officers!
==========================
BKA West London Group Auction September 9th 2018
Sunday, September 9 at 9 AM - 4 PM
The Scout Hall, next to St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Road, West Molesey, Surrey, KT8 2QE (Approx. 11/2 miles west of Hampton Court Station)
ALL WELCOME
Never kept killifish ? these are rarely seen in the shops.
Doesn't matter, very colourful and most easily kept
PLEASE JOIN US
3 Auctions
2 Killifish (Red and Blue) starting at 12 noon, followed by an auction of any other fish.
Booking in from 10:45 am.
Only 10% commission.
Raffle and free refreshments.
Entrance Fee: £2 on the door
==========================
Fishing banned at town's lake after fish catch herpesBy Matthew CritchellCanvey Lake, Denham Road, Canvey, Essex.UK
A LAKE has been closed to the public following an outbreak of a disease which killed 100 fish.
Canvey Town Council has banned fishing at Canvey Lake after the spread of Koi Herpesvirus (KHV).
CEFAS took fish for testing after the deaths.
Concerns were raised about oxygen levels, inexperienced fisherman and also the KHV disease.
A spokesman for the town council said: "Following the notice of confirmed designation placed on Canvey Lake on August 8 and issued by the Fish Health Inspector of the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) acting as the competent authority for the purposes of the Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009, the Town Council can now confirm that examinations of samples taken by CEFAS from the dead common carp found evidence for the presence of koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease and that their diagnostic testing for these samples is now complete.
"The Town Council’s Community Warden continues to attend the site daily, walking banks and observing the fish stock where possible.
"There are no implications for human and animal health.
"For more information please contact the fish inspector on 01305 206700 or fhi@cefas.co.uk."
==========================
A LAKE has been closed to the public following an outbreak of a disease which killed 100 fish.
Canvey Town Council has banned fishing at Canvey Lake after the spread of Koi Herpesvirus (KHV).
CEFAS took fish for testing after the deaths.
Concerns were raised about oxygen levels, inexperienced fisherman and also the KHV disease.
A spokesman for the town council said: "Following the notice of confirmed designation placed on Canvey Lake on August 8 and issued by the Fish Health Inspector of the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) acting as the competent authority for the purposes of the Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009, the Town Council can now confirm that examinations of samples taken by CEFAS from the dead common carp found evidence for the presence of koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease and that their diagnostic testing for these samples is now complete.
"The Town Council’s Community Warden continues to attend the site daily, walking banks and observing the fish stock where possible.
"There are no implications for human and animal health.
"For more information please contact the fish inspector on 01305 206700 or fhi@cefas.co.uk."
==========================
Ancient hookups between different species may explain Lake Victoria’s stunning diversity of fishBy Elizabeth PennisiAug. 9, 2018 , 12:35 PM
WAIMEA, HAWAII--In the shallow waters of Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake, swim some 500 species of cichlid fish with a dizzying variety of appearances, habitats, and behaviors. Genomic studies have shown they arose from a few ancestral species in just 15,000 years, a pace that has left researchers baffled about how so much genetic variation could have evolved so quickly. Now, extensive sequencing of cichlids from around Lake Victoria suggests much of it was there at the start, in the cichlids' ancestors. Ancient and more recent dallying between cichlid species from multiple watersheds apparently led to genetically diverse hybrids that could quickly adapt to life in the lake's many niches.
Reported last week at the Origins of Adaptive Radiation meeting here, the work is "a tour de force, with many lines of evidence," says Marguerite Butler, a functional morphologist at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. It joins other research suggesting that hybridization is a powerful force in evolution. "What hybridization is doing is allowing the good stuff to be packed together," Butler says.
Some of Lake Victoria's cichlids nibble plants; others feed on invertebrates; big ones feast on other fish; lake bottom lovers consume detritus. Species vary in length from a few centimeters to about 30 centimeters; come in an array of shapes, colors, and patterns; and dwell in different parts of the lake. Mutations don't usually happen fast enough to produce such variety so quickly. "It's been really hard to figure out what's going on," says Rosemary Gillespie, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
e Seehausen, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Bern who has studied cichlids for more than 25 years, wondered whether hybridization could have generated the genetic raw material. In earlier research, his team collected cichlids from the rivers and lakes surrounding Lake Victoria and partly sequenced each species's DNA to build a family tree. Its branching pattern indicated that Lake Victoria's cichlids are closely related to a species from the Congo River and one from the Upper Nile River watershed, the group reported last year in Nature Communications.A close look at all their genomes suggested the two river species hybridized with each other long ago. Seehausen proposed that during a warm spell about 130,000 years ago, water from tributaries of the Malagarasi River, itself a tributary of the Congo, temporarily flowed into Lake Victoria, bringing Congo fish into contact with Upper Nile fish.
To explore the cichlids' genetic history in more detail, Seehausen and postdocs Matt McGee, Joana Meier, and David Marques have now sequenced 450 whole cichlid genomes, representing many varieties of 150 species from the area's lakes, and from the Congo, Upper Nile, and other nearby watersheds. Clues in the genomes suggest multiple episodes of mixing took place. Periods of drying have repeatedly caused Lake Victoria to disappear, and Seehausen and his team propose that fish in the remaining waterways evolved independently until wetter periods reunited them. This "fission-fusion-fission" process restored genetic diversity each time.
About 15,000 years ago, three groups of fish, themselves products of the ancient hybridizations, came together in Lake Victoria as it filled again. Their ancestry provided the "standing variation" that natural selection could pick from to help the fish adapt to a vast range of niches, producing the cichlid bounty seen today. "Hybridization may turn out to be the most powerful engine of new species and new adaptations," Seehausen says.
"It's mind-blowing," says Dolph Schluter, an evolutionary biologist at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. "All the variation required for speciation is already there" in the hybrids.
Studies of other species also suggest standing variation can speed evolution. Biologists trying to understand how marine stickle-backs adapted so quickly to living in freshwater have discovered that a crucial gene variant was already present—in low percentages—in the fishes' marine ancestors. At the meeting, researchers offered similar stories of standing variation jump-starting diversification, for example enabling long-winged beetles to evolve into short-winged ones on the Galápagos Islands. "I've never seen so many talks where you have evidence that genes are borrowed from old variation and further evolution is somehow facilitated by that," Schluter says.
Andrew Hendry, an evolutionary biologist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, cautions colleagues not to completely dismiss new mutations in rapid species diversification: "What's not clear to me is whether [the role of ancient hybridization] is a general phenomenon," he says.
Regardless, "The implications for conservation are blaring," says Oliver Ryder, who heads conservation genetics efforts at the San Diego Zoo in California. Endangered species are currently managed as reproductively isolated units, and conservationists are reluctant to bolster populations by breeding the threatened animal with related species or populations. Eight years ago, however, a controversial program that mated Florida panthers with Texas cougars helped rescue the former from extinction. Studies such as Seehausen's, says Ryder, suggest that in the long run, hybridization is important to preserving a species's evolutionary potential.
Posted in: doi:10.1126/science.aav0560
==========================
WAIMEA, HAWAII--In the shallow waters of Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake, swim some 500 species of cichlid fish with a dizzying variety of appearances, habitats, and behaviors. Genomic studies have shown they arose from a few ancestral species in just 15,000 years, a pace that has left researchers baffled about how so much genetic variation could have evolved so quickly. Now, extensive sequencing of cichlids from around Lake Victoria suggests much of it was there at the start, in the cichlids' ancestors. Ancient and more recent dallying between cichlid species from multiple watersheds apparently led to genetically diverse hybrids that could quickly adapt to life in the lake's many niches.
Reported last week at the Origins of Adaptive Radiation meeting here, the work is "a tour de force, with many lines of evidence," says Marguerite Butler, a functional morphologist at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. It joins other research suggesting that hybridization is a powerful force in evolution. "What hybridization is doing is allowing the good stuff to be packed together," Butler says.
Some of Lake Victoria's cichlids nibble plants; others feed on invertebrates; big ones feast on other fish; lake bottom lovers consume detritus. Species vary in length from a few centimeters to about 30 centimeters; come in an array of shapes, colors, and patterns; and dwell in different parts of the lake. Mutations don't usually happen fast enough to produce such variety so quickly. "It's been really hard to figure out what's going on," says Rosemary Gillespie, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
e Seehausen, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Bern who has studied cichlids for more than 25 years, wondered whether hybridization could have generated the genetic raw material. In earlier research, his team collected cichlids from the rivers and lakes surrounding Lake Victoria and partly sequenced each species's DNA to build a family tree. Its branching pattern indicated that Lake Victoria's cichlids are closely related to a species from the Congo River and one from the Upper Nile River watershed, the group reported last year in Nature Communications.A close look at all their genomes suggested the two river species hybridized with each other long ago. Seehausen proposed that during a warm spell about 130,000 years ago, water from tributaries of the Malagarasi River, itself a tributary of the Congo, temporarily flowed into Lake Victoria, bringing Congo fish into contact with Upper Nile fish.
To explore the cichlids' genetic history in more detail, Seehausen and postdocs Matt McGee, Joana Meier, and David Marques have now sequenced 450 whole cichlid genomes, representing many varieties of 150 species from the area's lakes, and from the Congo, Upper Nile, and other nearby watersheds. Clues in the genomes suggest multiple episodes of mixing took place. Periods of drying have repeatedly caused Lake Victoria to disappear, and Seehausen and his team propose that fish in the remaining waterways evolved independently until wetter periods reunited them. This "fission-fusion-fission" process restored genetic diversity each time.
About 15,000 years ago, three groups of fish, themselves products of the ancient hybridizations, came together in Lake Victoria as it filled again. Their ancestry provided the "standing variation" that natural selection could pick from to help the fish adapt to a vast range of niches, producing the cichlid bounty seen today. "Hybridization may turn out to be the most powerful engine of new species and new adaptations," Seehausen says.
"It's mind-blowing," says Dolph Schluter, an evolutionary biologist at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. "All the variation required for speciation is already there" in the hybrids.
Studies of other species also suggest standing variation can speed evolution. Biologists trying to understand how marine stickle-backs adapted so quickly to living in freshwater have discovered that a crucial gene variant was already present—in low percentages—in the fishes' marine ancestors. At the meeting, researchers offered similar stories of standing variation jump-starting diversification, for example enabling long-winged beetles to evolve into short-winged ones on the Galápagos Islands. "I've never seen so many talks where you have evidence that genes are borrowed from old variation and further evolution is somehow facilitated by that," Schluter says.
Andrew Hendry, an evolutionary biologist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, cautions colleagues not to completely dismiss new mutations in rapid species diversification: "What's not clear to me is whether [the role of ancient hybridization] is a general phenomenon," he says.
Regardless, "The implications for conservation are blaring," says Oliver Ryder, who heads conservation genetics efforts at the San Diego Zoo in California. Endangered species are currently managed as reproductively isolated units, and conservationists are reluctant to bolster populations by breeding the threatened animal with related species or populations. Eight years ago, however, a controversial program that mated Florida panthers with Texas cougars helped rescue the former from extinction. Studies such as Seehausen's, says Ryder, suggest that in the long run, hybridization is important to preserving a species's evolutionary potential.
Posted in: doi:10.1126/science.aav0560
==========================
Valuable Koi culled due to outbreak of fish herpes
By Kirsty Hough Echo Newspaper
HUNDREDS of fish at a pet shop have had to be killed after contracting herpes.
The Koi at Swallow Aquatics, in London Road, Rayleigh, were found to have Koi herpesvirus (KHV).
KHV is a viral disease which can quickly spread between Koi and can wipe out whole schools of fish.There is no cure and all those affected have to be killed.
A similar outbreak has occurred at Canvey Lake, but it is not thought the two incidents are linked.
KHV poses no risk to human health.
A Fish Health Inspectorate spokesperson said: "Following the detection and confirmation of Koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease at a retail premises in Essex, and in order to prevent the spread of the disease, the infected fish were humanely destroyed, and the holding facilities disinfected.
"The business has worked in close cooperation with the Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate in ensuring the effective control of this disease outbreak."
Gavin Marlow, operations manager at Swallow Aquatics, said: "On the 16th of July we were diagnosed with KHV (Koi Herpes Virus) in an isolated area of our premises by CEFAS (Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science).
"We were fully cooperative with the authorities in culling the necessary fish, sterilising and disinfecting the appropriate system.
"We believe the virus to of entered our premises on a shipment we received on the 14th of June 2018.
"We are urging any customers who have purchased Koi from us between this date and the 6th of July to contact us on koicarp@swallowaquatics.co.uk if they have any concerns.
"If you do suspect you have KHV in your pond, then you will also be required by law to contact CEFAS
"We can assure you that we are now back up and running and have been fortunate enough to find a new supplier of stunning Japanese Koi."
For more information on KHV and symptoms, please visit www.gov.uk/government/news/outbreaks-of-koi-herpes-viru
==========================
By Kirsty Hough Echo Newspaper
HUNDREDS of fish at a pet shop have had to be killed after contracting herpes.
The Koi at Swallow Aquatics, in London Road, Rayleigh, were found to have Koi herpesvirus (KHV).
KHV is a viral disease which can quickly spread between Koi and can wipe out whole schools of fish.There is no cure and all those affected have to be killed.
A similar outbreak has occurred at Canvey Lake, but it is not thought the two incidents are linked.
KHV poses no risk to human health.
A Fish Health Inspectorate spokesperson said: "Following the detection and confirmation of Koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease at a retail premises in Essex, and in order to prevent the spread of the disease, the infected fish were humanely destroyed, and the holding facilities disinfected.
"The business has worked in close cooperation with the Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate in ensuring the effective control of this disease outbreak."
Gavin Marlow, operations manager at Swallow Aquatics, said: "On the 16th of July we were diagnosed with KHV (Koi Herpes Virus) in an isolated area of our premises by CEFAS (Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science).
"We were fully cooperative with the authorities in culling the necessary fish, sterilising and disinfecting the appropriate system.
"We believe the virus to of entered our premises on a shipment we received on the 14th of June 2018.
"We are urging any customers who have purchased Koi from us between this date and the 6th of July to contact us on koicarp@swallowaquatics.co.uk if they have any concerns.
"If you do suspect you have KHV in your pond, then you will also be required by law to contact CEFAS
"We can assure you that we are now back up and running and have been fortunate enough to find a new supplier of stunning Japanese Koi."
For more information on KHV and symptoms, please visit www.gov.uk/government/news/outbreaks-of-koi-herpes-viru
==========================
This new licence law comes in England inOctober 1st re commercial sales of Animals including Fish.
It`ll take until October to read it!
ANIMAL ACTIVITIES LICENSING ENGLAND
THE ANIMAL WELFARE (LICENSING OF ACTIVITIES INVOLVING ANIMALS) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2018
Part L –
Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels.
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It`ll take until October to read it!
ANIMAL ACTIVITIES LICENSING ENGLAND
THE ANIMAL WELFARE (LICENSING OF ACTIVITIES INVOLVING ANIMALS) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2018
Part L –
Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels. Part L – Fish “Coldwater” refers to freshwater ornamental fish species including, but not limited to: Goldfish (all varieties), common carp (including Koi), Tench, Orfe, Rudd and sturgeon species, which are kept in unheated aquaria/vats/ponds; “Tropical freshwater” refers to all those freshwater ornamental fish species which require to be kept in heated aquaria; “Tropical Marine” refers to all those ornamental fish species which require to be kept in sea water and heated aquaria; “Temperate” refers to those species that are suitable for unheated aquaria kept in centrally heated rooms only; “Centralised systems” refers to multiple aquaria or vats which are connected via pipework to a central sump tank and filter. Water is circulated through the system such that no water travels directly from one aquaria/vat to another but always via a biological filter and (possibly) other devices such as UV, ozone etc. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of the whole system. “Standalone system” refers to aquaria or vats which do not share water with others. Filtration (and heating) is provided individually to each aquarium/vat. Water quality in such systems is wholly dependent on the management of each individual aquarium/vat; 3.0 Use, Number and Type of Animal There are in excess of 4000 species of fish in trade whose welfare 76 Temperature must be maintained within the optimal range for the fish species housed and kept as stable as possible (see Table L-01 for temperature ranges). Changes in temperature must take place gradually. For centralised systems, the water temperature must be appropriate to meet the husbandry requirements and temperature range for that fish category i.e. coldwater, tropical freshwater, tropical marine, and will usually be set at the mid-range between different species within a category Water temperature for temperate fish must never fall below 17oC. Temperate fish are defined as those sold as being suitable for unheated aquariums, kept in centrally heated rooms only. Consideration must be given to the few fish species to which this is considered to be suitable and purchasers must be advised accordingly as to appropriate conditions to meet the welfare needs of the fish. In the case of doubt, licence holders must adopt a cautious attitude (i.e. unless the species is a recognised coldwater species, it must be kept in a heated aquaria i.e. in an aquarium with a thermostatically controlled heater). Temperatures must be monitored daily and checked weekly with any deviations from the expected range being recorded. At high temperatures it may be necessary to provide supplementary aeration or oxygenation of enclosure water TABLE L-01: TEMPERATURE RANGES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH Category Fish group(s) – by common name Temperature range Coldwater Goldfish (kept in aquariums) 4 to 25°C Fancy goldfish (all varieties) 4 to 25°C Pond fish (including goldfish, Koi carp, Orfe, Rudd & Tench 4 to 24°C Hillstream Loach, White Cloud Mountain, Minnows & Weather Loaches 17 to 23°C Tetras, Rasboras & Danios 18 to 27°C Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies & Platies 18 to 28°C Barbs 20 to 27°C Bettas, Gouramis & Paradise fish Majority will tolerate a range of 22 to 28°C. Paradise fish can tolerate cooler temperatures of 17°C Rainbowfish 21 to 28°C Freshwater sharks (not related to true sharks) 22 to 26°C 77 Tropical Freshwater Dwarf Cichlids Mid range of 23 to 28°C Discus 26 to 30°C American Cichlids e.g. Angelfish, Oscar, Parrot Cichlid, Severum, Firemouth Cichlid, Convict Cichlid & Jack Dempsey 22 to 28°C African Malawi Cichlids 23 to 28°C Freshwater stingrays, Knifefish & Elephant noses 20 to 26°C Piranhas, Snakeheads & Wolf fish 22 to 27°C Catfish e.g. Corydoras, Suckermouth catfish 21 to 28°C Tropical algae eaters e.g. Plecs (Plecostomus) 20 to 28°C Killifish 20 to 26°C Loches (family Cobitidae) 20 to 26°C Large fish e.g. Giraffe catfish, Pacu, Giant Gourami 22 to 28°C Monos, Scats, Archers & Puffers (brackish water) 22 to 30°C Marine Clownfish, Damsels, Chromis & Basslets 23 to 28°C Blennies, Gobies, Jawfish, Dwarf Wrasse & Dartfish 23 to 28°C Butterflyfish, Tangs 23 to 28°C Dwarf angelfish 23 to 28°C Angelfish 23 to 28°C Seahorses & Pipefish 23 to 28°C Morays, Groupers & Triggerfish 23 to 26°C Poisonous & venomous fish e.g. lionfish, scorpionfish, boxfish, frogfish, rabbitfish & pufferfish 23 to 26°C 78 Higher standard A suitable temperature range for the fish must be displayed on each tank. 5.2 Water quality Minimum water standards must comply with those outlined in table L-02 Water quality must be checked weekly and records kept of all tests. Water testing must take place in stocked tanks. Centralised systems must be tested weekly. 10% of individually filtered tanks or vats must be tested weekly. On aquaria or vats in which visual inspection indicates unusual behaviour or deaths, and any necessary remedial action must be undertaken and recorded. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and their accumulation must be avoided. Fish must not be subject to sudden fluctuation in chemical composition of their water, other than for the controlled treatment of disease or as part of a controlled breeding programme. In case of doubt expert advice must be sought. Higher standards Water quality must be assessed 3 times weekly and documented. There must be evidence that UV systems are maintained regularly. Light Fish must be maintained on an appropriate photoperiod (i.e. day/night cycle) as far as possible. For fish kept in outdoor ponds, vats and stock tanks shade from direct sunlight must be provided, for example, by the provision of plants or other shade Higher standard For premises with no natural light there must be automated systems and/or procedures to ensure gradual change in light levels.
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African killifish becomes fastest maturing vertebrate on record ((Nothobranchius furzeri )
Summary:
For most of the year, annual killifish persist as diapausing embryos buried in sediments across the African savannah. When rainwater fills small depressions across the landscape, the fish must hatch, grow, mature, and produce the next generation before the pool dries up. Researchers have found that these small fish condense their life cycle even more in the wild than expected based on studies in the lab.
Share:
FULL STORY
This figure shows the studied habitat and corresponding fish at the age of 1, 2, and 3 weeks after its filling with water.
Credit: Milan Vrtílek, Jakub Žák, Martin Reichard.Annual killifish are known to live their lives at one of two speeds: "pause" or "fast-forward." For most of the year, the tiny freshwater fish persist as diapausing embryos buried in sediments across the African savannah, much like plant seeds. When rainwater fills small depressions across the landscape, the fish must hatch, grow, mature, and produce the next generation before the pool dries up.
Now, researchers reporting on August 6 in Current Biology have found that these small fish in the wild persist by condensing their life cycle even more than expected based on studies in the lab. The new studies show that, after hatching from a tiny egg just one millimeter in size, the fish grow to their full body size (four or five centimeters) and begin reproducing in just two weeks. The researchers report that this is, to their knowledge, "the fastest rate of sexual maturation recorded for a vertebrate."
"We guessed that some populations of this species could achieve very rapid growth and sexual maturation under particular conditions," says Martin Reichard of the Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences. "But we have found that this rapid maturation is the norm rather than a rare exception."
The findings also show that the fishes' lifespan is quite flexible. Reichard says that the typical rate in the lab is three or four weeks under optimal conditions. However, some studies have reported that the fish reach sexual maturity in up to 10 weeks -- five times longer than what the researchers have now observed in the wild.
Reichard's lab is primarily interested in the aging process in wild populations. In most vertebrates, aging happens gradually, taking years to achieve. By studying the killifish, they're able to capture the whole process, following several populations over the course of their whole life in a matter of months. In that short time, the fish show all the signs expected with normal aging, including marked functional declines.
Reichard's team made their discoveries by surveying natural populations of the killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) across its range in southern Mozambique between January and May 2016. They collected the fish from eight separate pools within a period of three weeks after the pools first filled with rainwater. By comparing the timing of the pools' filling and the estimated age of the fish, they determined that the fish hatched within three days of rain. Careful analysis of male and female gonads found that individuals of both sexes were fully mature within 14 or 15 days.
The findings are yet another reminder of how little we know about the diversity of life histories in the wild, Reichard says. His team will continue to analyze the aging patterns in these ephemeral populations. They also hope to explore differences seen within populations, including the reasons why killifish males tend to die sooner than females.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cell Press. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Summary:
For most of the year, annual killifish persist as diapausing embryos buried in sediments across the African savannah. When rainwater fills small depressions across the landscape, the fish must hatch, grow, mature, and produce the next generation before the pool dries up. Researchers have found that these small fish condense their life cycle even more in the wild than expected based on studies in the lab.
Share:
FULL STORY
This figure shows the studied habitat and corresponding fish at the age of 1, 2, and 3 weeks after its filling with water.
Credit: Milan Vrtílek, Jakub Žák, Martin Reichard.Annual killifish are known to live their lives at one of two speeds: "pause" or "fast-forward." For most of the year, the tiny freshwater fish persist as diapausing embryos buried in sediments across the African savannah, much like plant seeds. When rainwater fills small depressions across the landscape, the fish must hatch, grow, mature, and produce the next generation before the pool dries up.
Now, researchers reporting on August 6 in Current Biology have found that these small fish in the wild persist by condensing their life cycle even more than expected based on studies in the lab. The new studies show that, after hatching from a tiny egg just one millimeter in size, the fish grow to their full body size (four or five centimeters) and begin reproducing in just two weeks. The researchers report that this is, to their knowledge, "the fastest rate of sexual maturation recorded for a vertebrate."
"We guessed that some populations of this species could achieve very rapid growth and sexual maturation under particular conditions," says Martin Reichard of the Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences. "But we have found that this rapid maturation is the norm rather than a rare exception."
The findings also show that the fishes' lifespan is quite flexible. Reichard says that the typical rate in the lab is three or four weeks under optimal conditions. However, some studies have reported that the fish reach sexual maturity in up to 10 weeks -- five times longer than what the researchers have now observed in the wild.
Reichard's lab is primarily interested in the aging process in wild populations. In most vertebrates, aging happens gradually, taking years to achieve. By studying the killifish, they're able to capture the whole process, following several populations over the course of their whole life in a matter of months. In that short time, the fish show all the signs expected with normal aging, including marked functional declines.
Reichard's team made their discoveries by surveying natural populations of the killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) across its range in southern Mozambique between January and May 2016. They collected the fish from eight separate pools within a period of three weeks after the pools first filled with rainwater. By comparing the timing of the pools' filling and the estimated age of the fish, they determined that the fish hatched within three days of rain. Careful analysis of male and female gonads found that individuals of both sexes were fully mature within 14 or 15 days.
The findings are yet another reminder of how little we know about the diversity of life histories in the wild, Reichard says. His team will continue to analyze the aging patterns in these ephemeral populations. They also hope to explore differences seen within populations, including the reasons why killifish males tend to die sooner than females.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cell Press. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Milan Vrtílek, Jakub Žák, Martin Pšenička, Martin Reichard. Extremely rapid maturation of a wild African annual fish. Current Biology, 2018; 28 (15): R822 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.031
==========================
This native New Zealand fish (Neochanna burrowsius) may soon be extinct, scientists warn
This mudfish is small, but staunch: It favours slow-moving, swampy creeks and can live outside of water for months on end, entering a kind of semi-hibernation beneath damp logs or burrowed in the dirt.
But scientists say the Canterbury mudfish is at risk of becoming the second native fish known to have become extinct in New Zealand.
A review of the conservation status of freshwater fish, released on Thursday by the Department of Conservation (DOC), concluded three-quarters of New Zealand's 51 known native fish species were threatened.
But the panel of scientists who authored the report made special mention of the Canterbury mudfish, which is on life support as a species.
"Little has changed to benefit the Canterbury mudfish since it was first classified as nationally critical [in 2009] and its persistence is now tenuous," the report said.
"Urgent action to protect Canterbury mudfish habitat is needed to avert its extinction."
The species, which is a taonga to Ngāi Tahu, is nationally critical with the qualifier "conservation dependent", meaning it would likely move up a threat ranking if current management stopped.
The next threat ranking is extinct.
Only one fish species is known to have become extinct in New Zealand - the Grayling, which was last seen in 1923. The grayling, ironically, is our only freshwater fish specifically protected by law, a status it received several decades after its extinction.
Protecting the Canterbury mudfish has been a losing battle for authorities, in part because much of the species' habitat is on private land. Around 5 per cent of its known habitat is in DOC reserves.
Its total habitat has been estimated at 24ha, in small fragments spread across the entire Canterbury region. The species likely prospered before human settlement, when large parts of the plains were covered in wetlands. Around 90 per cent of those wetlands were drained, primarily for farming.
The scientists said drought conditions were also a threat to the species, exacerbated by water abstraction for irrigation.
The report's corresponding author, DOC freshwater science advisor Dr Nicholas Dunn, said that when the Canterbury mudfish was first listed as nationally critical, its population had been expected to fall by 70 percent within a decade.
"From the information we have, we're fairly confident it is above that 70 per cent decline rate," he said.
"The habitats it occurs in are very small, on average a third of a hectare and often in ephemeral wetlands, which themselves are an endangered ecosystem type."
Unlike migratory species, such as whitebait, if a population goes locally extinct it is unlikely to return naturally. Dunn said the greatest threat to the mudfish was the removal of habitat, which largely happened through agricultural development.
"These habitats have very little protection under either the district plans or the regional plans, and because they're ephemeral they can dry in prolonged droughts," he said.
"With very little restrictions on activities, predominantly agricultural activities, they're quite prone to development."
There were few changes to the conservation status of other species. The five whitebait species remained threatened, as did the longfin eel.
The panel noted that longfin eel populations appeared to be stable or increasing in commercial fisheries, which was promising. It remained concerned, however, about ongoing degradation of the eels' habitat in lowland areas, particularly declining water quality and issues with fish passages.
It was revealed earlier this year that longfin eels are likely being routinely maimed and killed by pump systems that are supposed to allow safe fish passage.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said the plight of the Canterbury mudfish was a sad consequence of changes made to the landscape.
“Much of the Canterbury mudfish habitat is on private land and is severely impacted by agriculture," she said.
"[I]t’s sad but not surprising that the loss of aquatic and other wetland habitat has had a major impact on Canterbury mudfish and other wetland-dependent indigenous freshwater fish.”
She said although the longfin eel's status was unchanged, it should not be an excuse for complacency, as commercial fisheries were only a small part of its habitat.
"The degradation and loss of longfin eel habitat outside these fishing sites is concerning, especially in lowland areas, and the obstruction of fish passage continues to be a problem."
Five species had their conservation status changed. The lowland longjaw galaxias (Waitaki River) moved down a threat ranking due to conservation management, and two other species - Pomahaka galaxias and redfin bully - moved down due to better knowledge of their habitat.
Two species, the giant bully and southern flathead galaxias, moved up a threat status due to better knowledge of their habitat.
==========================
This mudfish is small, but staunch: It favours slow-moving, swampy creeks and can live outside of water for months on end, entering a kind of semi-hibernation beneath damp logs or burrowed in the dirt.
But scientists say the Canterbury mudfish is at risk of becoming the second native fish known to have become extinct in New Zealand.
A review of the conservation status of freshwater fish, released on Thursday by the Department of Conservation (DOC), concluded three-quarters of New Zealand's 51 known native fish species were threatened.
But the panel of scientists who authored the report made special mention of the Canterbury mudfish, which is on life support as a species.
"Little has changed to benefit the Canterbury mudfish since it was first classified as nationally critical [in 2009] and its persistence is now tenuous," the report said.
"Urgent action to protect Canterbury mudfish habitat is needed to avert its extinction."
The species, which is a taonga to Ngāi Tahu, is nationally critical with the qualifier "conservation dependent", meaning it would likely move up a threat ranking if current management stopped.
The next threat ranking is extinct.
Only one fish species is known to have become extinct in New Zealand - the Grayling, which was last seen in 1923. The grayling, ironically, is our only freshwater fish specifically protected by law, a status it received several decades after its extinction.
Protecting the Canterbury mudfish has been a losing battle for authorities, in part because much of the species' habitat is on private land. Around 5 per cent of its known habitat is in DOC reserves.
Its total habitat has been estimated at 24ha, in small fragments spread across the entire Canterbury region. The species likely prospered before human settlement, when large parts of the plains were covered in wetlands. Around 90 per cent of those wetlands were drained, primarily for farming.
The scientists said drought conditions were also a threat to the species, exacerbated by water abstraction for irrigation.
The report's corresponding author, DOC freshwater science advisor Dr Nicholas Dunn, said that when the Canterbury mudfish was first listed as nationally critical, its population had been expected to fall by 70 percent within a decade.
"From the information we have, we're fairly confident it is above that 70 per cent decline rate," he said.
"The habitats it occurs in are very small, on average a third of a hectare and often in ephemeral wetlands, which themselves are an endangered ecosystem type."
Unlike migratory species, such as whitebait, if a population goes locally extinct it is unlikely to return naturally. Dunn said the greatest threat to the mudfish was the removal of habitat, which largely happened through agricultural development.
"These habitats have very little protection under either the district plans or the regional plans, and because they're ephemeral they can dry in prolonged droughts," he said.
"With very little restrictions on activities, predominantly agricultural activities, they're quite prone to development."
There were few changes to the conservation status of other species. The five whitebait species remained threatened, as did the longfin eel.
The panel noted that longfin eel populations appeared to be stable or increasing in commercial fisheries, which was promising. It remained concerned, however, about ongoing degradation of the eels' habitat in lowland areas, particularly declining water quality and issues with fish passages.
It was revealed earlier this year that longfin eels are likely being routinely maimed and killed by pump systems that are supposed to allow safe fish passage.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said the plight of the Canterbury mudfish was a sad consequence of changes made to the landscape.
“Much of the Canterbury mudfish habitat is on private land and is severely impacted by agriculture," she said.
"[I]t’s sad but not surprising that the loss of aquatic and other wetland habitat has had a major impact on Canterbury mudfish and other wetland-dependent indigenous freshwater fish.”
She said although the longfin eel's status was unchanged, it should not be an excuse for complacency, as commercial fisheries were only a small part of its habitat.
"The degradation and loss of longfin eel habitat outside these fishing sites is concerning, especially in lowland areas, and the obstruction of fish passage continues to be a problem."
Five species had their conservation status changed. The lowland longjaw galaxias (Waitaki River) moved down a threat ranking due to conservation management, and two other species - Pomahaka galaxias and redfin bully - moved down due to better knowledge of their habitat.
Two species, the giant bully and southern flathead galaxias, moved up a threat status due to better knowledge of their habitat.
==========================
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!! Potato chips wrapper found inside a COELACANTH. Please properly dispose of your trash! via @Seasaver
Retweeted @ Dr Solomon David
The Coelocanths have survived for several million years for Crisp packet to kill them off!
==========================
Retweeted @ Dr Solomon David
The Coelocanths have survived for several million years for Crisp packet to kill them off!
==========================
There’s a Swarm of Raffle Prizes Headed to ReefStock Conference AustraliaRES
0If you know whats good, then surely by now you know that we’re taking our ten year old ReefStock conference to Sydney next week for Australia’s first full-on, modern reef aquarium conference. Australia is well known in the aquarium world for being a source of some of the best and most exotic corals, and their reefers and reef aquarium scene is overdue to have a community event like ReefStock.
We’ve already told you about the veteran speakers that will be presenting at ReefStock, as well as the incredible corals that Australian dealers, collectors and propagators will be bringing to Sydney for ReefStock. What the Aussie reefers aren’t prepared for is a mountain of great aquarium raffle prizes.
We’ve collected high performance and valuable aquarium gear from all over the world to make sure as many ReefStock attendees get the hook up on the gear they need for their reef tank. For lights we’ve got the Illumagic Style, Ecotech Radion G4 Pro, AquaIllumination Hydra 52 & Prime, and the Aquatic Life Hybrid T5/LED fixture.
There’ll be Vortech and Vectra pumps, Nyos skimmers, water purifiers from Aquatic Life, more reactors than you can shake a stick at, as well as a sump from My Reef Creations, and a Cade Mini Pro complete aquarium. Especially designed for ReefStock are Australian-made glass frag tanks which many of the vendors will be using to display livestock and one of these tanks will also be in the raffle, complete with skimmer, lights pumps etc.
READ A Rare Presentation by World Wide Corals at ReefStock 2018 [VIDEO]
Tickets will cost just one dollar each, with deals on bundles and this isn’t even ALL of the prizes that will be in the ReefStock raffles August 11th & 12th, happening twice on both days of the show. We can’t overstate how thrilled we are to make the reef aquarium community a little closer by bringing ReefStock to Australia and we’re sincerely excited to see everyone in Sydney very soon.
extracted from ReefBuilders
==========================
0If you know whats good, then surely by now you know that we’re taking our ten year old ReefStock conference to Sydney next week for Australia’s first full-on, modern reef aquarium conference. Australia is well known in the aquarium world for being a source of some of the best and most exotic corals, and their reefers and reef aquarium scene is overdue to have a community event like ReefStock.
We’ve already told you about the veteran speakers that will be presenting at ReefStock, as well as the incredible corals that Australian dealers, collectors and propagators will be bringing to Sydney for ReefStock. What the Aussie reefers aren’t prepared for is a mountain of great aquarium raffle prizes.
We’ve collected high performance and valuable aquarium gear from all over the world to make sure as many ReefStock attendees get the hook up on the gear they need for their reef tank. For lights we’ve got the Illumagic Style, Ecotech Radion G4 Pro, AquaIllumination Hydra 52 & Prime, and the Aquatic Life Hybrid T5/LED fixture.
There’ll be Vortech and Vectra pumps, Nyos skimmers, water purifiers from Aquatic Life, more reactors than you can shake a stick at, as well as a sump from My Reef Creations, and a Cade Mini Pro complete aquarium. Especially designed for ReefStock are Australian-made glass frag tanks which many of the vendors will be using to display livestock and one of these tanks will also be in the raffle, complete with skimmer, lights pumps etc.
READ A Rare Presentation by World Wide Corals at ReefStock 2018 [VIDEO]
Tickets will cost just one dollar each, with deals on bundles and this isn’t even ALL of the prizes that will be in the ReefStock raffles August 11th & 12th, happening twice on both days of the show. We can’t overstate how thrilled we are to make the reef aquarium community a little closer by bringing ReefStock to Australia and we’re sincerely excited to see everyone in Sydney very soon.
extracted from ReefBuilders
==========================
Reef-A-Palooza Is Coming To Chicago!ARES
0Industry Breaking News: Reef-A-Palooza America’s Largest Saltwater Aquarium Show has recently announced they are expanding to the mid-west part of the country. Reefapalooza is part of a small group of reef shows that have become an annual – cultural phenomenon. With Reef-A-Palooza originally starting over 15 years ago, has certainly come a long way from its humble beginnings in the back yard of the Southern California Marnie Society President/event founder Marc Trible.
The event certainly has grown over the years and now takes place annually in Florida, New York, California. With a high concentration of aquarium hobbyist and a demand for a saltwater trade show in the Midwest the Chicagoland Area has been chosen as the 4th location for the event. The Inaugural Reef-A-Palooza Chicago will take place at Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in October 2019.
The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel:
Stay at the venue where the event is taking place. The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. The venue is located just 13 miles from O’Hare International Airport and 26 miles from downtown Chicago, with easy access to I-355 and I-90 expressways.
The four-star hotel boasts 500 intuitively designed rooms and suites with deluxe amenities. Enjoy a fine dining experience at Sam & Harry’s Steak House, a relaxing meal at Gather Bar or Starbucks® coffee in the cafe. Maintain your workout routine in the complimentary fitness center with an indoor pool. Take the complimentary shuttle to Woodfield Mall where 300 stores and restaurants await you. Use the NAVIGATOR by Renaissance® program to find the perfect entertainment, shopping and dining near the enlightened, sophisticated hotel in Schaumburg, IL.
READ Reef-A-Palooza Orlando April 7 & 8, 2018, Caribe Royale All-SuitesVenue Info: Location
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel
1551 N. Thoreau Dr. · Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 USA
(847) 303-4100 [MAP]
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel features:
The Renaissance Schaumburg is pleased to offer the following discount group rates for Reef-A-Palooza Vendors & Attendees- Double/Double Standard/King Standard/Run of House of $129.00 per night
Event Info: Show Dates & Times
Saturday, October 19, 2019 11am-6pm
Sunday, October 20, 2019 11am-6pm
Single day tickets are $20.00 per person. Kids 10 and under are free.
Tickets will be available to pre-purchased on the Reef-A-Palooza Website. Cash tickets only at the door.
Self-parking is free at Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel for vendors & attendees!
What to expect:
You can expect to see some of your favorite local fish stores exhibiting along with some of the industry’s top dry good manufactures. Also exhibiting will be some best of the best coral farmers, online vendors and captive fish breeders in North America. Many will have products for sale at their booth such as Live Corals, Fish, Inverts and dry goods.
Educational Speakers:
Feed your brain with valuable reef knowledge. Both days (included in your admission price) educational seminars will be taking place from some of the industry leading experts.
Welcome Bags
There will be 500 Welcome Bags passed out to the first 500 people in line (each day) If you interested in a Welcome Bag you’re going to want to make plans to get there early before the doors open.
Some of the items that have been in the Welcome Bags in past shows include: pens, t-shirts, flash drives, food samples, touch screen cleaning cloths, paper pads, car stickers, key chains, bracelets, flashlights, and coupons.
Reef-A-Palooza New York Pre Show Lineup 2018
extracted from ReefBuilders
==========================
0Industry Breaking News: Reef-A-Palooza America’s Largest Saltwater Aquarium Show has recently announced they are expanding to the mid-west part of the country. Reefapalooza is part of a small group of reef shows that have become an annual – cultural phenomenon. With Reef-A-Palooza originally starting over 15 years ago, has certainly come a long way from its humble beginnings in the back yard of the Southern California Marnie Society President/event founder Marc Trible.
The event certainly has grown over the years and now takes place annually in Florida, New York, California. With a high concentration of aquarium hobbyist and a demand for a saltwater trade show in the Midwest the Chicagoland Area has been chosen as the 4th location for the event. The Inaugural Reef-A-Palooza Chicago will take place at Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in October 2019.
The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel:
Stay at the venue where the event is taking place. The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. The venue is located just 13 miles from O’Hare International Airport and 26 miles from downtown Chicago, with easy access to I-355 and I-90 expressways.
The four-star hotel boasts 500 intuitively designed rooms and suites with deluxe amenities. Enjoy a fine dining experience at Sam & Harry’s Steak House, a relaxing meal at Gather Bar or Starbucks® coffee in the cafe. Maintain your workout routine in the complimentary fitness center with an indoor pool. Take the complimentary shuttle to Woodfield Mall where 300 stores and restaurants await you. Use the NAVIGATOR by Renaissance® program to find the perfect entertainment, shopping and dining near the enlightened, sophisticated hotel in Schaumburg, IL.
READ Reef-A-Palooza Orlando April 7 & 8, 2018, Caribe Royale All-SuitesVenue Info: Location
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel
1551 N. Thoreau Dr. · Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 USA
(847) 303-4100 [MAP]
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel features:
- 100,000 square feet exhibitor-friendly convention center plus an additional 48,000 square feet of attached meeting space.
- 500 luxuriously styled guest rooms.
- Sam & Harry’s Steakhouse.
- RENdezvous Café featuring Starbucks® coffee.
- Gather Bar featuring great meals and delicious cocktails.
- 24-hour hotel fitness center and indoor pool.
- 24-hour full-service business center.
- Wired and wireless internet in guest rooms, and wireless internet access in public spaces.
The Renaissance Schaumburg is pleased to offer the following discount group rates for Reef-A-Palooza Vendors & Attendees- Double/Double Standard/King Standard/Run of House of $129.00 per night
Event Info: Show Dates & Times
Saturday, October 19, 2019 11am-6pm
Sunday, October 20, 2019 11am-6pm
Single day tickets are $20.00 per person. Kids 10 and under are free.
Tickets will be available to pre-purchased on the Reef-A-Palooza Website. Cash tickets only at the door.
Self-parking is free at Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel for vendors & attendees!
What to expect:
You can expect to see some of your favorite local fish stores exhibiting along with some of the industry’s top dry good manufactures. Also exhibiting will be some best of the best coral farmers, online vendors and captive fish breeders in North America. Many will have products for sale at their booth such as Live Corals, Fish, Inverts and dry goods.
Educational Speakers:
Feed your brain with valuable reef knowledge. Both days (included in your admission price) educational seminars will be taking place from some of the industry leading experts.
Welcome Bags
There will be 500 Welcome Bags passed out to the first 500 people in line (each day) If you interested in a Welcome Bag you’re going to want to make plans to get there early before the doors open.
Some of the items that have been in the Welcome Bags in past shows include: pens, t-shirts, flash drives, food samples, touch screen cleaning cloths, paper pads, car stickers, key chains, bracelets, flashlights, and coupons.
Reef-A-Palooza New York Pre Show Lineup 2018
extracted from ReefBuilders
==========================
This issue of PetFish Monthly is now available for free download at:-
aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
==========================
aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
==========================
Hippocampus japapigu, the Japanese Pygmy Seahorse officially Described
JAKE ADAMS
0Hippocampus japapigu is a precious new species of seahorse that was recently described from Japan. Despite its recent description, this very tiny seahorse has been documented for over a decade in the waters of Japan and was previously believed to be a variant of Pontohi’s seahorse, Hippocampus pontohi.
What this really tiny, barely half-inch pygmy seahorse lacks in size it more than make up for with an exquisite color and pattern, if your vision is good enough to see it. The Japanese pygmy seahorse clocks in at barely 16 mm but it displays a very attractive honeycomb pattern which is punctuated with a series of red spots on the tail and the occasional colored branched filaments on its back.
Hippocampus japapigu above with the related H. pontohi below.While you might not be able to tell the difference in the wild, in close up images the japanese pygmy seahorse is differentiated from Pontohi’s pygmy seahorse by the fine reticulated pattern over a good part of the body and face. Like other pygmy seahorses, Hippocampus japapigu only has a single gill opening which is a very unique trait and very different from the much more numerous large seahorse species. [ZooKeys]
From ReefBuilders
==========================
JAKE ADAMS
0Hippocampus japapigu is a precious new species of seahorse that was recently described from Japan. Despite its recent description, this very tiny seahorse has been documented for over a decade in the waters of Japan and was previously believed to be a variant of Pontohi’s seahorse, Hippocampus pontohi.
What this really tiny, barely half-inch pygmy seahorse lacks in size it more than make up for with an exquisite color and pattern, if your vision is good enough to see it. The Japanese pygmy seahorse clocks in at barely 16 mm but it displays a very attractive honeycomb pattern which is punctuated with a series of red spots on the tail and the occasional colored branched filaments on its back.
Hippocampus japapigu above with the related H. pontohi below.While you might not be able to tell the difference in the wild, in close up images the japanese pygmy seahorse is differentiated from Pontohi’s pygmy seahorse by the fine reticulated pattern over a good part of the body and face. Like other pygmy seahorses, Hippocampus japapigu only has a single gill opening which is a very unique trait and very different from the much more numerous large seahorse species. [ZooKeys]
From ReefBuilders
==========================
Sunscreen chemicals in water may harm fish embryos“
Joint Effects of Multiple UV Filters on Zebrafish Embryo Development”
Environmental Science & Technology
For most people, a trip to the beach involves slathering on a thick layer of sunscreen to protect against sunburn and skin cancer. However, savvy beachgoers know to reapply sunscreen every few hours because it eventually washes off. Now researchers, reporting in ACS’ journalEnvironmental Science & Technology, have detected high levels of sunscreen chemicals in the waters of Shenzhen, China, and they also show that the products can affect zebrafish embryo development.
A painful sunburn can ruin a vacation, and too much sun can also lead to more serious problems like premature skin aging and melanoma. Therefore, manufacturers have added ultraviolet (UV) filters to many personal care products, including sunscreens, moisturizers and makeup. Scientists have detected these substances in the environment, but most studies have concluded that individual sunscreen chemicals are not present at high-enough levels to harm people or animals. Kelvin Sze-Yin Leung wondered if combinations of UV filters may be more harmful than individual compounds, and whether these chemicals could have long-term effects that previous studies hadn’t considered.
Leung and his team began by analyzing the levels of nine common UV filters in surface waters of Shenzhen, China --- a rapidly growing city with more than 20 popular recreational beaches. They found seven of the nine chemicals in Shenzhen waters, including public beaches, a harbor and, surprisingly, a reservoir and tap water. Next, the researchers moved to the lab where they fed zebrafish, a common model organism, brine shrimp that had been exposed to three of the most prevalent chemicals, alone or in mixtures. Although the adult fish had no visible problems, their offspring showed abnormalities. These outcomes were mostly observed for longer-term exposures (47 days) and elevated levels of the chemicals (higher than what is likely to occur in the environment.) The effects of different UV filters and mixtures of these substances varied in often-unpredictable ways, suggesting that further studies are needed to determine how these chemicals impact living systems.
The authors acknowledge funding from the Shenzhen Science, Technology and Innovation Commission, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Hong Kong Baptist University.
==========================
Joint Effects of Multiple UV Filters on Zebrafish Embryo Development”
Environmental Science & Technology
For most people, a trip to the beach involves slathering on a thick layer of sunscreen to protect against sunburn and skin cancer. However, savvy beachgoers know to reapply sunscreen every few hours because it eventually washes off. Now researchers, reporting in ACS’ journalEnvironmental Science & Technology, have detected high levels of sunscreen chemicals in the waters of Shenzhen, China, and they also show that the products can affect zebrafish embryo development.
A painful sunburn can ruin a vacation, and too much sun can also lead to more serious problems like premature skin aging and melanoma. Therefore, manufacturers have added ultraviolet (UV) filters to many personal care products, including sunscreens, moisturizers and makeup. Scientists have detected these substances in the environment, but most studies have concluded that individual sunscreen chemicals are not present at high-enough levels to harm people or animals. Kelvin Sze-Yin Leung wondered if combinations of UV filters may be more harmful than individual compounds, and whether these chemicals could have long-term effects that previous studies hadn’t considered.
Leung and his team began by analyzing the levels of nine common UV filters in surface waters of Shenzhen, China --- a rapidly growing city with more than 20 popular recreational beaches. They found seven of the nine chemicals in Shenzhen waters, including public beaches, a harbor and, surprisingly, a reservoir and tap water. Next, the researchers moved to the lab where they fed zebrafish, a common model organism, brine shrimp that had been exposed to three of the most prevalent chemicals, alone or in mixtures. Although the adult fish had no visible problems, their offspring showed abnormalities. These outcomes were mostly observed for longer-term exposures (47 days) and elevated levels of the chemicals (higher than what is likely to occur in the environment.) The effects of different UV filters and mixtures of these substances varied in often-unpredictable ways, suggesting that further studies are needed to determine how these chemicals impact living systems.
The authors acknowledge funding from the Shenzhen Science, Technology and Innovation Commission, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Hong Kong Baptist University.
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Fish reproduction: Weather Loach female clones found on Hokkaido Island
Source:
Hokkaido University
Summary:
A DNA probing technique clarifies the mechanism behind clonal reproduction of female dojo loach fish, also providing insight into the ancestral origin of the clonal population.
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FULL STORY
This is a dojo loach.also known as the Weather Loach in the UK
Credit: Photo taken by Takafumi FujimotoA DNA probing technique clarifies the mechanism behind clonal reproduction of female dojo loach fish, also providing insight into the ancestral origin of the clonal population.
Hokkaido University researchers have developed a technique that allows them to track chromosomes during egg production in dojo loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. The study uncovered how female clones double their chromosomes twice to assure clonal reproduction.
The dojo loach is a bottom-dwelling freshwater fish native to East Asia. The majority are sexually reproducing male and female fish. Their 'somatic' non-reproductive cells contain a full set of 50 chromosomes -- 25 from each parent -- while their reproductive egg and sperm cells contain 25 chromosomes.
However, a population of female clones of the species can be found in Hokkaido Island and other areas of Japan. Unlike the sexually reproducing female population, both their somatic and reproductive eggs contain 50 chromosomes, assuring their clonal reproduction. How the reproductive process leads to 50 chromosomes in egg cells has been unclear.
To better understand this mechanism, a research team including Masamichi Kuroda and Takafumi Fujimoto of Hokkaido University's Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences developed DNA probes to track the chromosomes in dojo loach's somatic and reproductive cells. Previous studies have suggested that the female clone population arose when two genetically distinct groups within the species, called A and B for simplicity, mated. Kuroda and his colleagues developed a fluorescent DNA probe that binds to specific chromosomal regions derived from type B.
According to the results published in Chromosome Research, the fluorescent signals indicated that somatic cells of the female clones have 25 chromosomes derived from type B, providing evidence that their ancestral origin arose when type A and B mated. They then looked into the process of egg production using the DNA probes. In the sexually reproducing dojo loach, reproductive cells divided through the normal process of meiosis, in which a single cell containing a full set of 50 chromosomes produces one egg containing 25 chromosomes. This requires doubling chromosomes once.
In the female clones, the team found that the chromosomal material doubles twice so that when it divides, each results in an egg cell containing a full set of 50 chromosomes. Fish sperm activates these egg cells to start developing embryos without incorporating their genetic material into them.
Moreover, their data suggested that sister chromosomes doubled from the same chromosome make pairs so that recombination between the chromosomes does not affect their clonality. Such recombination normally occurs between paternally-derived and maternally-derived chromosomes.
"This is the first time that 'cytogenetic' evidence has been found for this type of chromosomal duplication in a unisexual, ray-finned fish. Further study could help develop a seedling production that can produce a large population of clone fish with desirable characteristics," says Takafumi Fujimoto.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Hokkaido University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Source:
Hokkaido University
Summary:
A DNA probing technique clarifies the mechanism behind clonal reproduction of female dojo loach fish, also providing insight into the ancestral origin of the clonal population.
Share:
FULL STORY
This is a dojo loach.also known as the Weather Loach in the UK
Credit: Photo taken by Takafumi FujimotoA DNA probing technique clarifies the mechanism behind clonal reproduction of female dojo loach fish, also providing insight into the ancestral origin of the clonal population.
Hokkaido University researchers have developed a technique that allows them to track chromosomes during egg production in dojo loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. The study uncovered how female clones double their chromosomes twice to assure clonal reproduction.
The dojo loach is a bottom-dwelling freshwater fish native to East Asia. The majority are sexually reproducing male and female fish. Their 'somatic' non-reproductive cells contain a full set of 50 chromosomes -- 25 from each parent -- while their reproductive egg and sperm cells contain 25 chromosomes.
However, a population of female clones of the species can be found in Hokkaido Island and other areas of Japan. Unlike the sexually reproducing female population, both their somatic and reproductive eggs contain 50 chromosomes, assuring their clonal reproduction. How the reproductive process leads to 50 chromosomes in egg cells has been unclear.
To better understand this mechanism, a research team including Masamichi Kuroda and Takafumi Fujimoto of Hokkaido University's Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences developed DNA probes to track the chromosomes in dojo loach's somatic and reproductive cells. Previous studies have suggested that the female clone population arose when two genetically distinct groups within the species, called A and B for simplicity, mated. Kuroda and his colleagues developed a fluorescent DNA probe that binds to specific chromosomal regions derived from type B.
According to the results published in Chromosome Research, the fluorescent signals indicated that somatic cells of the female clones have 25 chromosomes derived from type B, providing evidence that their ancestral origin arose when type A and B mated. They then looked into the process of egg production using the DNA probes. In the sexually reproducing dojo loach, reproductive cells divided through the normal process of meiosis, in which a single cell containing a full set of 50 chromosomes produces one egg containing 25 chromosomes. This requires doubling chromosomes once.
In the female clones, the team found that the chromosomal material doubles twice so that when it divides, each results in an egg cell containing a full set of 50 chromosomes. Fish sperm activates these egg cells to start developing embryos without incorporating their genetic material into them.
Moreover, their data suggested that sister chromosomes doubled from the same chromosome make pairs so that recombination between the chromosomes does not affect their clonality. Such recombination normally occurs between paternally-derived and maternally-derived chromosomes.
"This is the first time that 'cytogenetic' evidence has been found for this type of chromosomal duplication in a unisexual, ray-finned fish. Further study could help develop a seedling production that can produce a large population of clone fish with desirable characteristics," says Takafumi Fujimoto.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Hokkaido University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Masamichi Kuroda, Takafumi Fujimoto, Masaru Murakami, Etsuro Yamaha, Katsutoshi Arai. Clonal reproduction assured by sister chromosome pairing in dojo loach, a teleost fish. Chromosome Research, 2018; DOI: 10.1007/s10577-018-9581-4
==========================
Channa stiktos • Integrative Taxonomy Reveals A New Species of Snakehead Fish (Teleostei: Channidae) from Mizoram, North Eastern India
Channa stiktos
Lalramliana, Knight, Lalhlimpuia & Singh, 2018
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 68(2).
Abstract
Channa stiktos, a new species of snakehead fish, is described from the River Kaladan and its tributaries, Mizoram, North Eastern India based on comparison of morphological and molecular features with closely related species. Channa stiktos is morphologically similar to C. ornatipinnis described from the Rakhine State of Myanmar, however, differs from it in having black spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head (vs. no spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head, but rather spots restricted to the post-orbital lateral region of the head), and lacking dark spot on the anal fin of juveniles (vs. presence of series of upto 10 dark spots). The molecular analysis, based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, shows that C. stiktos is distinct from other close Channa species, except clade 3 of C. ornatipinnis, available in the GenBank (interspecies distance ranges from 8.24–25.33%). Channa stiktos clustered cohesively with clade 3 of C. ornatipinnis (only 1.43% genetic distance) indicating that they are conspecific. The genetic distance between Channa stiktos and C. ornatipinnis (from the type locality and another locality in the Ayeyarwaddy basin) are 8.24–8.59%, and between C. stiktos and C. pulchra is 12.92%, supporting the conclusion that they are different species.
Key words Channa ornatipinnis, C. pulchra, COI, Taxonomy, Freshwater fish, River Kaladan, Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot.
Fig. Channa stiktos sp. nov. live specimens from Tiau River, Mizoram, India. A: ca. 35 mm SL; B: ca. 90 mm SL; C: ca. 110 mm SL; D: ca. 120 mm SL.
Channa stiktos sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Channa stiktos is distinguished from all other species of Channa, except C. ornatipinnis, C. pulchra, C. pardalis, C. melanostigma and C. stewartii, by a unique colour pattern consisting of numerous large, black spots on the head and the body. Channa stiktos is distinguished from C. ornatipinnis in having black spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head (vs. no spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head, but rather spots restricted to the post-orbital lateral region of the head), and absence of dark spot on the anal fin of juveniles (vs. presence of series of up to 10 dark spots).
It can be distinguished from Channa pulchra in having black spots on the body well distributed above and below the lateral line (vs. sparsely distributed or absent on the body below the lateral line); from C. pardalis in having black spots all over the head (vs. spots restricted to post-orbital region of the head); and from both C. stewartii and C. melanostigma in having well defined black spots on the head (vs. spots on the head absent, and restricted to the body).
Etymology. The specific epithet ‘stiktos’ meaning ‘spotted’ in Greek, referring to the numerous conspicuous spots present on the body. It is use as an adjective.
Distribution and habitat. Channa stiktos was collected from the Ianava, Niawh and Tiau Rivers of the Kaladan River drainage, Mizoram, North Eastern India (Fig. 3). The streams were clear, slow flowing with cobble substrate and no aquatic vegetation (Fig. 4).
Lalramliana, John Daniel Marcus Knight, Denis Van Lalhlimpuia and Mahender Singh. 2018. Integrative Taxonomy Reveals A New Species of Snakehead Fish, Channa stiktos (Teleostei: Channidae), from Mizoram, North Eastern India. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 68(2).
senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/publikationen/vertebratezoology/vz68-2/05_vertebrate_zoology_68_2_lalramliana_et_al_165-175.pdf
==========================
Channa stiktos
Lalramliana, Knight, Lalhlimpuia & Singh, 2018
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 68(2).
Abstract
Channa stiktos, a new species of snakehead fish, is described from the River Kaladan and its tributaries, Mizoram, North Eastern India based on comparison of morphological and molecular features with closely related species. Channa stiktos is morphologically similar to C. ornatipinnis described from the Rakhine State of Myanmar, however, differs from it in having black spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head (vs. no spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head, but rather spots restricted to the post-orbital lateral region of the head), and lacking dark spot on the anal fin of juveniles (vs. presence of series of upto 10 dark spots). The molecular analysis, based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, shows that C. stiktos is distinct from other close Channa species, except clade 3 of C. ornatipinnis, available in the GenBank (interspecies distance ranges from 8.24–25.33%). Channa stiktos clustered cohesively with clade 3 of C. ornatipinnis (only 1.43% genetic distance) indicating that they are conspecific. The genetic distance between Channa stiktos and C. ornatipinnis (from the type locality and another locality in the Ayeyarwaddy basin) are 8.24–8.59%, and between C. stiktos and C. pulchra is 12.92%, supporting the conclusion that they are different species.
Key words Channa ornatipinnis, C. pulchra, COI, Taxonomy, Freshwater fish, River Kaladan, Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot.
Fig. Channa stiktos sp. nov. live specimens from Tiau River, Mizoram, India. A: ca. 35 mm SL; B: ca. 90 mm SL; C: ca. 110 mm SL; D: ca. 120 mm SL.
Channa stiktos sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Channa stiktos is distinguished from all other species of Channa, except C. ornatipinnis, C. pulchra, C. pardalis, C. melanostigma and C. stewartii, by a unique colour pattern consisting of numerous large, black spots on the head and the body. Channa stiktos is distinguished from C. ornatipinnis in having black spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head (vs. no spots on dorsal and ventral sides of the head, but rather spots restricted to the post-orbital lateral region of the head), and absence of dark spot on the anal fin of juveniles (vs. presence of series of up to 10 dark spots).
It can be distinguished from Channa pulchra in having black spots on the body well distributed above and below the lateral line (vs. sparsely distributed or absent on the body below the lateral line); from C. pardalis in having black spots all over the head (vs. spots restricted to post-orbital region of the head); and from both C. stewartii and C. melanostigma in having well defined black spots on the head (vs. spots on the head absent, and restricted to the body).
Etymology. The specific epithet ‘stiktos’ meaning ‘spotted’ in Greek, referring to the numerous conspicuous spots present on the body. It is use as an adjective.
Distribution and habitat. Channa stiktos was collected from the Ianava, Niawh and Tiau Rivers of the Kaladan River drainage, Mizoram, North Eastern India (Fig. 3). The streams were clear, slow flowing with cobble substrate and no aquatic vegetation (Fig. 4).
Lalramliana, John Daniel Marcus Knight, Denis Van Lalhlimpuia and Mahender Singh. 2018. Integrative Taxonomy Reveals A New Species of Snakehead Fish, Channa stiktos (Teleostei: Channidae), from Mizoram, North Eastern India. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 68(2).
senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/publikationen/vertebratezoology/vz68-2/05_vertebrate_zoology_68_2_lalramliana_et_al_165-175.pdf
==========================
Rhinogobius immaculatus • A New Species of Freshwater Goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Qiantang River, China
Rhinogobius immaculatus
Li, Li & Chen, 2018
DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.065
Abstract
A new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov., is described here from the Qiantang River in China. It is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: second dorsal-fin rays I, 7–9; anal-fin rays I, 6–8; pectoral-fin rays 14–15; longitudinal scales 29–31; transverse scales 7–9; predorsal scales 2–5; vertebrae 27 (rarely 28); preopercular canal absent or with two pores; a red oblique stripe below eye in males; branchiostegal membrane mostly reddish-orange, with 3–6 irregular discrete or connected red blotches on posterior branchiostegal membrane and lower operculum in males; caudal-fin base with a median black spot; and no black blotch on anterior part of first dorsal fin in males.
Keywords: Gobiidae, Rhinogobius, New species, Qiantang River, China
Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Most similar to Rhinogobius wuyanlingensis in number of vertebrae (27) and preopercular canal pores (2 or 0 vs. 2), but differing by fewer pectoral-fin rays (14–15 vs. 17–18), fewer anal-fin rays (I, 6–7 vs. I, 8), fewer transverse scales (7–9, modally 8 vs. 9–10), absence of a black blotch on anterior part of first dorsal fin in males (vs. present), and branchiostegal membrane mostly reddish-orange, with irregular blotches posteriorly in males (vs. with red stripes).
....
Distribution and ecology: Known only from streams of the Qiantang River basin in Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces, China (Figure 6). Most often found in shallow (10–50 cm deep) low-gradient streams, with sand and gravel mixed substrate.
Adult Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov. are small in size. The smallest female with mature oocytes was 22.4 mm SL. The largest specimen collected in the field was 26.3 mm SL. The largest captive specimen kept in an aquarium for 29 months was 32.8 mm SL.
Etymology: The specific name, immaculatus, is derived from Latin in (without) and maculatus (spotted), an adjective, alluding to the absence of a black blotch on the anterior part of the dorsal fin in adult males.
Fan Li, Shan Li and Jia-Kuan Chen. 2018. Rhinogobius immaculatus, A New Species of Freshwater Goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Qiantang River, China. Zoological Research. 39(6); 396-405. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.065
==========================
Rhinogobius immaculatus
Li, Li & Chen, 2018
DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.065
Abstract
A new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov., is described here from the Qiantang River in China. It is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: second dorsal-fin rays I, 7–9; anal-fin rays I, 6–8; pectoral-fin rays 14–15; longitudinal scales 29–31; transverse scales 7–9; predorsal scales 2–5; vertebrae 27 (rarely 28); preopercular canal absent or with two pores; a red oblique stripe below eye in males; branchiostegal membrane mostly reddish-orange, with 3–6 irregular discrete or connected red blotches on posterior branchiostegal membrane and lower operculum in males; caudal-fin base with a median black spot; and no black blotch on anterior part of first dorsal fin in males.
Keywords: Gobiidae, Rhinogobius, New species, Qiantang River, China
Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Most similar to Rhinogobius wuyanlingensis in number of vertebrae (27) and preopercular canal pores (2 or 0 vs. 2), but differing by fewer pectoral-fin rays (14–15 vs. 17–18), fewer anal-fin rays (I, 6–7 vs. I, 8), fewer transverse scales (7–9, modally 8 vs. 9–10), absence of a black blotch on anterior part of first dorsal fin in males (vs. present), and branchiostegal membrane mostly reddish-orange, with irregular blotches posteriorly in males (vs. with red stripes).
....
Distribution and ecology: Known only from streams of the Qiantang River basin in Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces, China (Figure 6). Most often found in shallow (10–50 cm deep) low-gradient streams, with sand and gravel mixed substrate.
Adult Rhinogobius immaculatus sp. nov. are small in size. The smallest female with mature oocytes was 22.4 mm SL. The largest specimen collected in the field was 26.3 mm SL. The largest captive specimen kept in an aquarium for 29 months was 32.8 mm SL.
Etymology: The specific name, immaculatus, is derived from Latin in (without) and maculatus (spotted), an adjective, alluding to the absence of a black blotch on the anterior part of the dorsal fin in adult males.
Fan Li, Shan Li and Jia-Kuan Chen. 2018. Rhinogobius immaculatus, A New Species of Freshwater Goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Qiantang River, China. Zoological Research. 39(6); 396-405. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.065
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More information at:-
www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/news/fishkeeping-news/articles/2017/8/10/discover-a-festival-of-first-class-fish-this-october
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www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/news/fishkeeping-news/articles/2017/8/10/discover-a-festival-of-first-class-fish-this-october
==========================
Dysommina orientalis • A New Species of the Genus Dysommina (Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae: Ilyophinae) from the Western Pacific
Dysommina orientalis
Tighe, Ho & Hatooka, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4454.1.6
Abstract
Dysommina orientalis, a new species of Ilyophine eel from off Taiwan and Japan is described and illustrated. The species had long been recognized as Dysommina rugosa in the western Pacific and is distinguished from D. rugosa by a lower number of predorsal vertebrae, a higher number of total vertebrae, shorter head length, smaller eye size, reduced vomerine dentition, and an increased number of both mandibular and maxillary teeth, as well as significant differences in DNA sequence in COI and 16S.
Keywords: Pisces, Teleostei, taxonomy, Dysommina orientalis sp. nov., distribution
Kenneth A Tighe, Hsuan-Ching Ho and Kiyotaka Hatooka. 2018. A New Species of the Genus Dysommina (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae: Ilyophinae) from the Western Pacific. Zootaxa. 4454(1); 43–51. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4454.1.6
==========================
Dysommina orientalis
Tighe, Ho & Hatooka, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4454.1.6
Abstract
Dysommina orientalis, a new species of Ilyophine eel from off Taiwan and Japan is described and illustrated. The species had long been recognized as Dysommina rugosa in the western Pacific and is distinguished from D. rugosa by a lower number of predorsal vertebrae, a higher number of total vertebrae, shorter head length, smaller eye size, reduced vomerine dentition, and an increased number of both mandibular and maxillary teeth, as well as significant differences in DNA sequence in COI and 16S.
Keywords: Pisces, Teleostei, taxonomy, Dysommina orientalis sp. nov., distribution
Kenneth A Tighe, Hsuan-Ching Ho and Kiyotaka Hatooka. 2018. A New Species of the Genus Dysommina (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae: Ilyophinae) from the Western Pacific. Zootaxa. 4454(1); 43–51. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4454.1.6
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PetFish Monthly which became Practical Fishkeeping for December 1975 is now free to download at:-
aqua-worlduk.weebly .com
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aqua-worlduk.weebly .com
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Trichomycterus rosablanca (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) a new species of hipogean catfish from the Colombian Andes
DOI: 10.21068/c2018.v19s1a09
Article (PDF Available) ·
DOI: 10.21068/c2018.v19s1a09
Abstract
Trichomycterus rosablanca is described as a new troglobitic catfish species from caves in southeastern Santander, Colombia. These caves are drained by the Carare River of the Magdalena River basin. The new species is characterized by the advanced condition in the typical troglomorphisms found in other congeneric cave-dwelling species, such as absence of eyes and pigmentation. Trichomycterus rosablanca is diagnosed by the following putative autapomorphies: 1) presence of a circular foramen in the main body of the interopercle, dorsal to the interopercular plate supporting the odontodes, and 2) presence of a single sensory pore in the posteriormost section of the infraorbital canal. Trichomycterus rosablanca can be distinguished from all known Trichomycterus species from Colombia by having the supraorbital canal interrupted in the nasal section, resulting in the pattern of s1, s2, s3, and s6 sensory pores, and the lachrimal/antorbital bone not enclosing the anteriormost section of the infraorbital canal. The genetic distinctiveness of Trichomycterus rosablanca is confirmed by GMYC and genetic distance method analyses of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene sequence. The description of this species places Colombia as the second most diverse country in the continent in terms of number of cave fish species and calls the attention on the conservation efforts needed to guarantee the permanence of this remarkable diversity of hypogean fishes.
==========================
DOI: 10.21068/c2018.v19s1a09
Article (PDF Available) ·
DOI: 10.21068/c2018.v19s1a09
Abstract
Trichomycterus rosablanca is described as a new troglobitic catfish species from caves in southeastern Santander, Colombia. These caves are drained by the Carare River of the Magdalena River basin. The new species is characterized by the advanced condition in the typical troglomorphisms found in other congeneric cave-dwelling species, such as absence of eyes and pigmentation. Trichomycterus rosablanca is diagnosed by the following putative autapomorphies: 1) presence of a circular foramen in the main body of the interopercle, dorsal to the interopercular plate supporting the odontodes, and 2) presence of a single sensory pore in the posteriormost section of the infraorbital canal. Trichomycterus rosablanca can be distinguished from all known Trichomycterus species from Colombia by having the supraorbital canal interrupted in the nasal section, resulting in the pattern of s1, s2, s3, and s6 sensory pores, and the lachrimal/antorbital bone not enclosing the anteriormost section of the infraorbital canal. The genetic distinctiveness of Trichomycterus rosablanca is confirmed by GMYC and genetic distance method analyses of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene sequence. The description of this species places Colombia as the second most diverse country in the continent in terms of number of cave fish species and calls the attention on the conservation efforts needed to guarantee the permanence of this remarkable diversity of hypogean fishes.
==========================
Last-ditch effort by volunteers to save more than 1,000 goldfish after their pond dries out in the heatwaveVolunteers made a last minute effort to save more than 1,000 goldfish after their pond started to dry out in the heatwave.
The pond at Wild Park in Brighton was home to thousands of goldfish before soaring temperatures saw the water evaporate. The volunteers were faced with dead fish floating in the rancid smelling pond and baking in the summer sun.
Some were gasping for air as they were plucked from the pond. Much of the water had evaporated and only a small area was still covered with around one or two inches of water.
Volunteers made a last minute effort to save more than a thousand goldfish after their pond started to dry out in the summer heatwave
The pond at Wild Park in Brighton was home to thousands of goldfish before soaring temperatures saw the water evaporate
Steven Liddle, of Lancing, West Sussex said: 'I came down straight away to see what was happening.It's so sad seeing the fish floating on top the water and there's so many dead ones in here that no doubt some bird has had these for breakfast.'
Locals visited the pond throughout the afternoon, scooping out the ailing fish into buckets from the bank of the pond. The dozen volunteers navigated the cloudy pond - each one sifting through clay trying to save as much wildlife as they could.
Barefoot volunteers brave enough to venture further into the water faced an variety of unknown sharp objects lurking beneath the water, which scratched their feet.
Mr Liddle said: 'It's very hard trying to get them out of the pond. It feels as if you're standing on rocks and bits of branches, sharp bits. And it absolutely stinks.'
Some volunteers, who have been working for three days, planned their last-minute push after the 27 degree weather began to evaporate the pond's remaining water - leaving more than a thousand fish trapped and facing death.
Locals visited the pond throughout the afternoon, scooping out the ailing fish into buckets from the bank of the pond
The volunteers were faced with dead fish floating in the rancid smelling pond and baking in the summer sun
They developed a relay system to get the fish out of the rapidly drying pond. The goldfish were put into tubs ready for transport to new homes across the city.
Kim Harris travelled from Lancing to help save and rehome the fish in peril. She said: 'We've got a pond in our garden and thought we would come and help them rescue the fish.
'Hopefully we'll be able to save a lot of them and give them some new homes. We're going to take as many as we can. We can maybe rehome around 200 of them.'
The group were led by Sue Davis from Hollingdean. A regular frequenter of the Wild Park area and animal lover, she felt compelled to help rescue the wildlife by bringing people together, lobbying the council, and lobbying the environment agency to do something about it.
She said: 'We thought we were going to have to save a couple of hundred fish. But after looking it's more like a couple of thousand fish in there. We're looking for people with ponds and pond water because I just can't take any more fish.'
Ms David said her volunteers have already saved and rehomed more than a thousand goldfish.
The goldfish were put into tubs ready for transport to new homes across the city after being rescued from the pond
The dozen volunteers navigated the cloudy pond - each one sifting through clay trying to save as much wildlife as they could
Her daughter, 19-year-old Miya Davis, has been helping in the rescue effort. She said: 'It's not nice. I love animals as much as my mum and we've always had fish. I've been helping to transport fish from the pond up to where we have the van.'
Independent councillor for Hollingdean and Stanmer, Michael Inkpin-Leissner, was among the rescue team and was not afraid to get his hands dirty.
He said: 'I was told about this by my mother-in-law who has been involved in helping the wildlife. As soon as I heard I came straight away to help the fishes.'
He said: 'I'm a little bit disappointed in the council to be honest that they didn't have an eye on this. They have to get the basic things right and this is a basic thing because we don't want animals to suffer.
'Something needs to be done quickly and so councillor Daniel Yates, you are the leader of the council, please do something about it.'
An RSPCA representative visited the pond earlier in the day and was lobbying to get the pond filled back up with water.
from the Mail
==========================
The pond at Wild Park in Brighton was home to thousands of goldfish before soaring temperatures saw the water evaporate. The volunteers were faced with dead fish floating in the rancid smelling pond and baking in the summer sun.
Some were gasping for air as they were plucked from the pond. Much of the water had evaporated and only a small area was still covered with around one or two inches of water.
Volunteers made a last minute effort to save more than a thousand goldfish after their pond started to dry out in the summer heatwave
The pond at Wild Park in Brighton was home to thousands of goldfish before soaring temperatures saw the water evaporate
Steven Liddle, of Lancing, West Sussex said: 'I came down straight away to see what was happening.It's so sad seeing the fish floating on top the water and there's so many dead ones in here that no doubt some bird has had these for breakfast.'
Locals visited the pond throughout the afternoon, scooping out the ailing fish into buckets from the bank of the pond. The dozen volunteers navigated the cloudy pond - each one sifting through clay trying to save as much wildlife as they could.
Barefoot volunteers brave enough to venture further into the water faced an variety of unknown sharp objects lurking beneath the water, which scratched their feet.
Mr Liddle said: 'It's very hard trying to get them out of the pond. It feels as if you're standing on rocks and bits of branches, sharp bits. And it absolutely stinks.'
Some volunteers, who have been working for three days, planned their last-minute push after the 27 degree weather began to evaporate the pond's remaining water - leaving more than a thousand fish trapped and facing death.
Locals visited the pond throughout the afternoon, scooping out the ailing fish into buckets from the bank of the pond
The volunteers were faced with dead fish floating in the rancid smelling pond and baking in the summer sun
They developed a relay system to get the fish out of the rapidly drying pond. The goldfish were put into tubs ready for transport to new homes across the city.
Kim Harris travelled from Lancing to help save and rehome the fish in peril. She said: 'We've got a pond in our garden and thought we would come and help them rescue the fish.
'Hopefully we'll be able to save a lot of them and give them some new homes. We're going to take as many as we can. We can maybe rehome around 200 of them.'
The group were led by Sue Davis from Hollingdean. A regular frequenter of the Wild Park area and animal lover, she felt compelled to help rescue the wildlife by bringing people together, lobbying the council, and lobbying the environment agency to do something about it.
She said: 'We thought we were going to have to save a couple of hundred fish. But after looking it's more like a couple of thousand fish in there. We're looking for people with ponds and pond water because I just can't take any more fish.'
Ms David said her volunteers have already saved and rehomed more than a thousand goldfish.
The goldfish were put into tubs ready for transport to new homes across the city after being rescued from the pond
The dozen volunteers navigated the cloudy pond - each one sifting through clay trying to save as much wildlife as they could
Her daughter, 19-year-old Miya Davis, has been helping in the rescue effort. She said: 'It's not nice. I love animals as much as my mum and we've always had fish. I've been helping to transport fish from the pond up to where we have the van.'
Independent councillor for Hollingdean and Stanmer, Michael Inkpin-Leissner, was among the rescue team and was not afraid to get his hands dirty.
He said: 'I was told about this by my mother-in-law who has been involved in helping the wildlife. As soon as I heard I came straight away to help the fishes.'
He said: 'I'm a little bit disappointed in the council to be honest that they didn't have an eye on this. They have to get the basic things right and this is a basic thing because we don't want animals to suffer.
'Something needs to be done quickly and so councillor Daniel Yates, you are the leader of the council, please do something about it.'
An RSPCA representative visited the pond earlier in the day and was lobbying to get the pond filled back up with water.
from the Mail
==========================
PetFish Monthly for October 1975 which is Number 6 of Volume 10 is now online at:-
aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
This is an ongoing project to conserve old magazines so that all aquarists can enjoy the efforts of past aquarists and Societies in the formation of our hobby
========================================
aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
This is an ongoing project to conserve old magazines so that all aquarists can enjoy the efforts of past aquarists and Societies in the formation of our hobby
========================================
Bigger eyes but reduced brain power in nocturnal fishes
Source:
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University
Summary:
How does living life in darkness influence the way nocturnal fishes see? A new study finds out.
Share:
FULL STORY
Nocturnal fish have large eyes as an adaptation to light-deficient environments.
Credit: Alex DornburgCoral reefs buzz with activity around the clock. As the day-active fishes retreat at dusk, the night-active or nocturnal fishes venture out to forage and hunt. Equipped with special traits, these fishes are adapted to lead a life in darkness. So how do the dark surroundings influence the way they see?
An international team of scientists led by Dr. Teresa Iglesias and Prof. Evan Economo from Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) set out to investigate this question. They examined how the brains of nocturnal fishes adapt to the low-light conditions they live in. Their findings were recently published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
The retina of the eye has on its surface two types of specialized nerve cells: cones and rods. While cones are activated in bright light, rods work better in dim light. The information captured by these cells is transported by nerves to the visual processing centers in the brain and pieced together into coherent images. In most vertebrates, a brain region called the optic tectum processes visual information, explains Prof. Economo. However, "it is unclear how it should change to maximize effectiveness of low-light vision," he adds.
To find out, the research team compared the sizes of optic tecta within the brains of fishes that are active during the day and those active at night. More than a hundred fishes from nearly 66 different species were caught from reefs around Hawaii and North Carolina, USA. This catch comprising 44 day-active species and 16 nocturnal species with a wide range of food habits: some ate other fish, others fed on microscopic plankton, and still others were bottom dwelling scavengers. Once caught, the fishes were photographed and their heads preserved in formalin. Later in the lab, the researchers measured the size of each fish's eye and lens, then scanned the animals' preserved brains using micro CT scanners.
Bright environments are rich in visual information such as colors, patterns and textures, and deciphering them requires more complex processing than deciphering poorly-lit environments. Take photographs, for example: the latest camera can capture rich colors and minute details of a person or an object. On the other hand, the black and white photographs from an old family album do not reveal as much. Likewise, optic tectum in the brain must be able to process color, pattern and brightness.
The eyes of squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus), a common nocturnal inhabitant of coral reefs, are almost three times larger than the eyes of day-active fishes of similar body size. Other nocturnal fishes also follow this design pattern. The optic tecta in nocturnal fishes might adapt to darkness by expanding, in order to process the larger volume of information that larger eyes might take in, or it could shrink if the information from low light environments is reduced. Initially, the researchers speculated that retina in such fishes would be loaded with more rods and cones than the day-active fishes, and thus require larger optic tecta to process it.
To their surprise, however, they found that the optic tecta of squirrelfish and other nocturnal fishes were smaller than those of day hunters, suggesting that their brains have sacrificed capabilities that are not as useful at night. Since color is not visible in light-deficient environments, these fishes have limited color acuity and limited depth of vision, but instead, they are adept at detecting movement.
The study also suggests that behavioral traits like the ability of some fishes to camouflage can influence the size of the optic tecta. Among the 66 species of fishes that the scientists sampled, the peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) was found to have the largest optic tectum amongst all. Peacock flounders dwell on sandy floors of reefs and are active during the day, though they prefer to hunt at night. Like chameleons, they are masters of camouflage, and can mimic their surroundings to blend in. This trait, according to the scientists, may explain why peacock flounders possess such highly-developed optic tecta. "Their visual centers may be important for adopting the correct camouflage, but they are also important for detecting predator movements in both bright and dim light," says Dr. Iglesias.
We still have much to learn about how the environment and behavior of a species can shape the evolution of its brain, the scientists say. However, they believe these findings may help understand how changes in habitat due to human activities, such as light pollution, can interfere with the neuro-sensory capabilities of fishes and other organisms.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University. Original written by Ipsita Herlekar. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Source:
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University
Summary:
How does living life in darkness influence the way nocturnal fishes see? A new study finds out.
Share:
FULL STORY
Nocturnal fish have large eyes as an adaptation to light-deficient environments.
Credit: Alex DornburgCoral reefs buzz with activity around the clock. As the day-active fishes retreat at dusk, the night-active or nocturnal fishes venture out to forage and hunt. Equipped with special traits, these fishes are adapted to lead a life in darkness. So how do the dark surroundings influence the way they see?
An international team of scientists led by Dr. Teresa Iglesias and Prof. Evan Economo from Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) set out to investigate this question. They examined how the brains of nocturnal fishes adapt to the low-light conditions they live in. Their findings were recently published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
The retina of the eye has on its surface two types of specialized nerve cells: cones and rods. While cones are activated in bright light, rods work better in dim light. The information captured by these cells is transported by nerves to the visual processing centers in the brain and pieced together into coherent images. In most vertebrates, a brain region called the optic tectum processes visual information, explains Prof. Economo. However, "it is unclear how it should change to maximize effectiveness of low-light vision," he adds.
To find out, the research team compared the sizes of optic tecta within the brains of fishes that are active during the day and those active at night. More than a hundred fishes from nearly 66 different species were caught from reefs around Hawaii and North Carolina, USA. This catch comprising 44 day-active species and 16 nocturnal species with a wide range of food habits: some ate other fish, others fed on microscopic plankton, and still others were bottom dwelling scavengers. Once caught, the fishes were photographed and their heads preserved in formalin. Later in the lab, the researchers measured the size of each fish's eye and lens, then scanned the animals' preserved brains using micro CT scanners.
Bright environments are rich in visual information such as colors, patterns and textures, and deciphering them requires more complex processing than deciphering poorly-lit environments. Take photographs, for example: the latest camera can capture rich colors and minute details of a person or an object. On the other hand, the black and white photographs from an old family album do not reveal as much. Likewise, optic tectum in the brain must be able to process color, pattern and brightness.
The eyes of squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus), a common nocturnal inhabitant of coral reefs, are almost three times larger than the eyes of day-active fishes of similar body size. Other nocturnal fishes also follow this design pattern. The optic tecta in nocturnal fishes might adapt to darkness by expanding, in order to process the larger volume of information that larger eyes might take in, or it could shrink if the information from low light environments is reduced. Initially, the researchers speculated that retina in such fishes would be loaded with more rods and cones than the day-active fishes, and thus require larger optic tecta to process it.
To their surprise, however, they found that the optic tecta of squirrelfish and other nocturnal fishes were smaller than those of day hunters, suggesting that their brains have sacrificed capabilities that are not as useful at night. Since color is not visible in light-deficient environments, these fishes have limited color acuity and limited depth of vision, but instead, they are adept at detecting movement.
The study also suggests that behavioral traits like the ability of some fishes to camouflage can influence the size of the optic tecta. Among the 66 species of fishes that the scientists sampled, the peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) was found to have the largest optic tectum amongst all. Peacock flounders dwell on sandy floors of reefs and are active during the day, though they prefer to hunt at night. Like chameleons, they are masters of camouflage, and can mimic their surroundings to blend in. This trait, according to the scientists, may explain why peacock flounders possess such highly-developed optic tecta. "Their visual centers may be important for adopting the correct camouflage, but they are also important for detecting predator movements in both bright and dim light," says Dr. Iglesias.
We still have much to learn about how the environment and behavior of a species can shape the evolution of its brain, the scientists say. However, they believe these findings may help understand how changes in habitat due to human activities, such as light pollution, can interfere with the neuro-sensory capabilities of fishes and other organisms.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University. Original written by Ipsita Herlekar. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Teresa L. Iglesias, Alex Dornburg, Dan L. Warren, Peter C. Wainwright, Lars Schmitz, Evan P. Economo. Eyes Wide Shut: the impact of dim-light vision on neural investment in marine teleosts. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2018; DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13299
==========================
Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Catfish Species Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840) (Pisces: Claroteidae) from Lake Turkana in East Africa: Taxonomic Iimplications.
Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840)
in Okwiri, Cao, Nyi & Zhang, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.1.8
Abstract
Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences of two specimens here recognized as Auchenoglanis occidentalis from Lake Turkana in the Ethiopian section were determined. A COI gene-based phylogenetic analysis was performed for these along with sequences of African catfish species from the family Clarotidae available in GenBank. Based on results of this analysis, it is concluded that (1) the currently identified A. occidentalis is a species complex that includes several distinct species; (2) the Niger River basin harbors two distinct species of Auchenoglanis, one of which occurs in Lake Turkana, as well as A. biscutatus; and (3) A. sacchii is likely a valid species, but it is not the endemic species of Lake Turkana. It is suggested here that species diversity of Auchenoglanis requires further study based on molecular and morphological evidence.
Keywords: Pisces, Lake Turkana, Auchenoglanis occidentalis, COI, phylogenetic analysis, taxonomic implication
Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840)
Brian Okwiri, Liang Cao, Dorothy Wanja Nyingi and E. Zhang. 2018. Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Catfish Species Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840) (Pisces: Claroteidae) from Lake Turkana in East Africa: Taxonomic Iimplications. Zootaxa. 4450(1); 115–124. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.1.8
==========================
Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840)
in Okwiri, Cao, Nyi & Zhang, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.1.8
Abstract
Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences of two specimens here recognized as Auchenoglanis occidentalis from Lake Turkana in the Ethiopian section were determined. A COI gene-based phylogenetic analysis was performed for these along with sequences of African catfish species from the family Clarotidae available in GenBank. Based on results of this analysis, it is concluded that (1) the currently identified A. occidentalis is a species complex that includes several distinct species; (2) the Niger River basin harbors two distinct species of Auchenoglanis, one of which occurs in Lake Turkana, as well as A. biscutatus; and (3) A. sacchii is likely a valid species, but it is not the endemic species of Lake Turkana. It is suggested here that species diversity of Auchenoglanis requires further study based on molecular and morphological evidence.
Keywords: Pisces, Lake Turkana, Auchenoglanis occidentalis, COI, phylogenetic analysis, taxonomic implication
Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840)
Brian Okwiri, Liang Cao, Dorothy Wanja Nyingi and E. Zhang. 2018. Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Catfish Species Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840) (Pisces: Claroteidae) from Lake Turkana in East Africa: Taxonomic Iimplications. Zootaxa. 4450(1); 115–124. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.1.8
==========================
Elastic slingshot powers snipefish (Macroramphosus scolopax) feeding
Source:
University of California - Davis
Summary:
The snipefish, an ocean-dwelling relative of the seahorse, has a very long, skinny snout ending in a tiny mouth. A recent study shows that snipefish feed with an elastic-boosted head flick at almost unprecedented speed.
Share:
FULL STORY
The snipefish, an ocean-dwelling relative of the seahorse, has a very long, skinny snout ending in a tiny mouth. A recent study by UC Davis graduate student Sarah Longo shows that snipefish feed with an elastic-boosted head flick at almost unprecedented speed.
"At as little as two milliseconds, it's among the fastest feeding events ever recorded for fish," said Longo, now a postdoctoral researcher at Duke University.
Snipefish, seahorses and pipefish all have long, skinny snouts and use "pivot feeding" to capture food, Longo said, meaning that they pivot their head rapidly to bring their mouth up close to the prey and suck it in.
"Not only do they pivot, but they pivot faster than their muscles should allow," she said.
Seahorses and pipefish have recently been shown to get around this problem by storing energy in an elastic recoil mechanism. Longo wanted to know if snipefish were up to the same thing.
She first used high-speed video cameras to record snipefish feeding in the lab. Based on those videos, Longo was able to measure how fast the fish pivoted their heads and estimate the amount of energy involved.
Elastic recoil rapidly releases stored energy
The snipefish feeding strike took from two to 7.5 milliseconds from start to prey capture, with an instantaneous power requirement averaging 2800 Watts per kilogram of body weight. The power estimates ranged as high as 5500 Watts per kilogram.
Longo used micro computed tomography and digital X-ray imaging to examine the bones and tendons inside the snipefish's head. She found that the fish use a latched elastic recoil mechanism -- like a slingshot, or a compressed spring -- to power their feeding strike.
"This mechanism behaves analogous to a slingshot, but instead of a rubber band, the fish stores energy in tendons," Longo said. The mechanism involves a set of bones in the snipefish head and is latched in place by the specific arrangement of a small pair of hyoid bones located below the eye in the "cheek" region of the fish. With the hyoid latched, muscles behind the head put the tendon under tension. A small movement of the hyoid by a muscle releases the latch and unleashes the stored energy.
The discovery has implications for the evolution of this order of fishes, she said. Elastic recoil mechanisms are now known in three types of fish in two families in this group: Seahorses, pipefish and now snipefish. That means that the mechanism may have evolved either very early in the history of the group, or evolved separately in the snipefish and the more closely related pipefish and seahorses.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=BVhRrppZ0to
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of California - Davis. Original written by Andy Fell. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Source:
University of California - Davis
Summary:
The snipefish, an ocean-dwelling relative of the seahorse, has a very long, skinny snout ending in a tiny mouth. A recent study shows that snipefish feed with an elastic-boosted head flick at almost unprecedented speed.
Share:
FULL STORY
The snipefish, an ocean-dwelling relative of the seahorse, has a very long, skinny snout ending in a tiny mouth. A recent study by UC Davis graduate student Sarah Longo shows that snipefish feed with an elastic-boosted head flick at almost unprecedented speed.
"At as little as two milliseconds, it's among the fastest feeding events ever recorded for fish," said Longo, now a postdoctoral researcher at Duke University.
Snipefish, seahorses and pipefish all have long, skinny snouts and use "pivot feeding" to capture food, Longo said, meaning that they pivot their head rapidly to bring their mouth up close to the prey and suck it in.
"Not only do they pivot, but they pivot faster than their muscles should allow," she said.
Seahorses and pipefish have recently been shown to get around this problem by storing energy in an elastic recoil mechanism. Longo wanted to know if snipefish were up to the same thing.
She first used high-speed video cameras to record snipefish feeding in the lab. Based on those videos, Longo was able to measure how fast the fish pivoted their heads and estimate the amount of energy involved.
Elastic recoil rapidly releases stored energy
The snipefish feeding strike took from two to 7.5 milliseconds from start to prey capture, with an instantaneous power requirement averaging 2800 Watts per kilogram of body weight. The power estimates ranged as high as 5500 Watts per kilogram.
Longo used micro computed tomography and digital X-ray imaging to examine the bones and tendons inside the snipefish's head. She found that the fish use a latched elastic recoil mechanism -- like a slingshot, or a compressed spring -- to power their feeding strike.
"This mechanism behaves analogous to a slingshot, but instead of a rubber band, the fish stores energy in tendons," Longo said. The mechanism involves a set of bones in the snipefish head and is latched in place by the specific arrangement of a small pair of hyoid bones located below the eye in the "cheek" region of the fish. With the hyoid latched, muscles behind the head put the tendon under tension. A small movement of the hyoid by a muscle releases the latch and unleashes the stored energy.
The discovery has implications for the evolution of this order of fishes, she said. Elastic recoil mechanisms are now known in three types of fish in two families in this group: Seahorses, pipefish and now snipefish. That means that the mechanism may have evolved either very early in the history of the group, or evolved separately in the snipefish and the more closely related pipefish and seahorses.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=BVhRrppZ0to
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of California - Davis. Original written by Andy Fell. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Sarah J. Longo, Tyler Goodearly, Peter C. Wainwright. Extremely fast feeding strikes are powered by elastic recoil in a seahorse relative, the snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2018; 285 (1882): 20181078 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1078
==========================
For further details contact FancyGuppiesUK@outlook.com.
==========================
==========================
STAMPS Open Show & Auction AUGUST 5TH 2018
· Hosted by Anthony King
Share
- lSunday, August 5 at 10 AM - 4:30 PM
- Young Charles Centre
NE34 0 - South Shields
Details
The best show in the North East and a cracking auction alongside it. Why not try your hand at showing fish, whether you're a novice or experienced fish keeper. Any information required please message the page or leave a comment here and we'll get back to you. Also anyone looking to book an auction lot please leave a comment. AT:- http://www.facebook.com/events/162575987744500/?active_tab=discussion
==========================
20,000 litres of water from River Severn pumped into Shrewsbury's Dingle to save fish
By Aimee Jones | Shrewsbury
One of Shrewsbury's most famous features had to be filled with 20,000 litres of water from the River Severn to save fish from the heat.
Water being pumped from the River Severn in Shrewsbury to The Dingle. Photo: @SFRS_ShrewsThe water levels in the pool at The Dingle became critically low, which meant the hundreds of fish were at risk of dying.
Areas of the Dingle had completely dried up because of the recent heatwave and a lack of rainfall.
20,000 litres of water has been pumped into the pool at The DingleIt meant oxygen levels fell dramatically, putting the fish in peril.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service stepped in to save the hundreds of fish including carp, some of which are believed to be about 50 years old.
Watch manager Ross Donnelly said the firefighters treated it as a practice session for when water needs to be pumped from the Severn to fight a fire.
"We've lifted 20,000 litres of fresh open water from the River Severn and pumped it about 200 metres into the Dingle," he said.
"It's is not something we routinely do but it was a last resort to save the fish.
"It took about 40 minutes, so not very long. Our pump is fairly large and can move 500 litres of water a minute."
Mr Donnelly said it was a good opportunity to practice water pumping at a busy time of year.
"The number of calls were getting in the area at the moment is huge," he added.
"In another situation, we could be needed to pump this water to put out a serious fire.
==========================
By Aimee Jones | Shrewsbury
One of Shrewsbury's most famous features had to be filled with 20,000 litres of water from the River Severn to save fish from the heat.
Water being pumped from the River Severn in Shrewsbury to The Dingle. Photo: @SFRS_ShrewsThe water levels in the pool at The Dingle became critically low, which meant the hundreds of fish were at risk of dying.
Areas of the Dingle had completely dried up because of the recent heatwave and a lack of rainfall.
20,000 litres of water has been pumped into the pool at The DingleIt meant oxygen levels fell dramatically, putting the fish in peril.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service stepped in to save the hundreds of fish including carp, some of which are believed to be about 50 years old.
Watch manager Ross Donnelly said the firefighters treated it as a practice session for when water needs to be pumped from the Severn to fight a fire.
"We've lifted 20,000 litres of fresh open water from the River Severn and pumped it about 200 metres into the Dingle," he said.
"It's is not something we routinely do but it was a last resort to save the fish.
"It took about 40 minutes, so not very long. Our pump is fairly large and can move 500 litres of water a minute."
Mr Donnelly said it was a good opportunity to practice water pumping at a busy time of year.
"The number of calls were getting in the area at the moment is huge," he added.
"In another situation, we could be needed to pump this water to put out a serious fire.
==========================
Glowing bacteria on deep-sea fish shed light on evolution, 'third type of symbiosis
Source:
Cornell University
Summary:
For the first time, scientists have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of bacteria that live in anglerfish bulbs. The bacteria were taken from fish specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.
FULL STORY
Female deep-sea anglerfish captured in the Gulf of Mexico. A humpback blackdevil, Melanocetus johnsonii (top), and a triplewart seadevil, Cryptopsaras couesii (bottom).
Credit: Danté FenolioYou may recognize the anglerfish from its dramatic appearance in the hit animated film Finding Nemo, as it was very nearly the demise of clownfish Marlin and blue-tang fish Dory. It lives most of its life in total darkness more than 1,000 meters below the ocean surface. Female anglerfish sport a glowing lure on top of their foreheads, basically a pole with a light bulb on its end, where bioluminescent bacteria live. The light-emitting lure attracts both prey and potential mates to the fish.
Despite its recent fame, little is known about anglerfish and their symbiotic relationship with these brilliant bacteria, because the fish are difficult to acquire and study.
For the first time, scientists have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of bacteria that live in anglerfish bulbs. The bacteria were taken from fish specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.
The researchers report their findings in a new study, published in the journal mBio. The analysis revealed that the bacteria have lost some of the genes that are needed to live freely in the water. That's because the fish and bacteria developed a tight, mutually beneficial relationship, where the bacteria generate light while the fish supplies nutrients to the microbe.
"What's particularly interesting about this specific example is that we see evidence that this evolution is still underway, even though the fish themselves evolved about 100 million years ago," said Tory Hendry, assistant professor of microbiology at Cornell University and the paper's lead author. "The bacteria are still losing genes, and it's unclear why."
Most of the known symbiotic relationships between organisms and bacteria are between either a host and free-living bacteria that don't evolve to maintain a symbiosis, or a host and intracellular bacteria that live inside the host's cells and undergo huge reductions in their genomes through evolution.
The bacteria inside the bulb in anglerfish represents a third type of symbiosis, where preliminary data suggest these bacteria may move from the anglerfish bulb to the water. "It's a new paradigm in our understanding of symbiosis in general; this is a third type of situation where the bacteria are not actually stuck with their host but they are undergoing evolution," Hendry said.
Genetic sequencing showed that the genomes of these anglerfish bioluminescent bacteria are 50 percent reduced compared with their free-swimming relatives. The bacteria have lost most of the genes associated with making amino acids and breaking down nutrients other than glucose, suggesting the fish may be supplying the bacteria with nutrients and amino acids.
At the same time, the bacteria have retained some genes that are useful in water outside the host. They have full pathways to make a flagellum, a corkscrew tail for moving in water. The bacteria had lost most of the genes involved in sensing chemical cues in the environment that may lead to food or other useful compounds, though a few remained, leaving a subset of chemicals they still respond to. "They were pared down to something they cared about," Hendry said.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cornell University. Original written by Krishna Ramanujan. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cornell University. "Glowing bacteria on deep-sea fish shed light on evolution, 'third type' of symbiosis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 July 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180718143050.htm>.
==========================
Source:
Cornell University
Summary:
For the first time, scientists have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of bacteria that live in anglerfish bulbs. The bacteria were taken from fish specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.
FULL STORY
Female deep-sea anglerfish captured in the Gulf of Mexico. A humpback blackdevil, Melanocetus johnsonii (top), and a triplewart seadevil, Cryptopsaras couesii (bottom).
Credit: Danté FenolioYou may recognize the anglerfish from its dramatic appearance in the hit animated film Finding Nemo, as it was very nearly the demise of clownfish Marlin and blue-tang fish Dory. It lives most of its life in total darkness more than 1,000 meters below the ocean surface. Female anglerfish sport a glowing lure on top of their foreheads, basically a pole with a light bulb on its end, where bioluminescent bacteria live. The light-emitting lure attracts both prey and potential mates to the fish.
Despite its recent fame, little is known about anglerfish and their symbiotic relationship with these brilliant bacteria, because the fish are difficult to acquire and study.
For the first time, scientists have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of bacteria that live in anglerfish bulbs. The bacteria were taken from fish specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.
The researchers report their findings in a new study, published in the journal mBio. The analysis revealed that the bacteria have lost some of the genes that are needed to live freely in the water. That's because the fish and bacteria developed a tight, mutually beneficial relationship, where the bacteria generate light while the fish supplies nutrients to the microbe.
"What's particularly interesting about this specific example is that we see evidence that this evolution is still underway, even though the fish themselves evolved about 100 million years ago," said Tory Hendry, assistant professor of microbiology at Cornell University and the paper's lead author. "The bacteria are still losing genes, and it's unclear why."
Most of the known symbiotic relationships between organisms and bacteria are between either a host and free-living bacteria that don't evolve to maintain a symbiosis, or a host and intracellular bacteria that live inside the host's cells and undergo huge reductions in their genomes through evolution.
The bacteria inside the bulb in anglerfish represents a third type of symbiosis, where preliminary data suggest these bacteria may move from the anglerfish bulb to the water. "It's a new paradigm in our understanding of symbiosis in general; this is a third type of situation where the bacteria are not actually stuck with their host but they are undergoing evolution," Hendry said.
Genetic sequencing showed that the genomes of these anglerfish bioluminescent bacteria are 50 percent reduced compared with their free-swimming relatives. The bacteria have lost most of the genes associated with making amino acids and breaking down nutrients other than glucose, suggesting the fish may be supplying the bacteria with nutrients and amino acids.
At the same time, the bacteria have retained some genes that are useful in water outside the host. They have full pathways to make a flagellum, a corkscrew tail for moving in water. The bacteria had lost most of the genes involved in sensing chemical cues in the environment that may lead to food or other useful compounds, though a few remained, leaving a subset of chemicals they still respond to. "They were pared down to something they cared about," Hendry said.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cornell University. Original written by Krishna Ramanujan. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Tory A. Hendry, Lindsay L. Freed, Dana Fader, Danté Fenolio, Tracey T. Sutton, Jose V. Lopez. Ongoing Transposon-Mediated Genome Reduction in the Luminous Bacterial Symbionts of Deep-Sea Ceratioid Anglerfishes. mBio, 2018; 9 (3): e01033-18 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01033-18
Cornell University. "Glowing bacteria on deep-sea fish shed light on evolution, 'third type' of symbiosis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 July 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180718143050.htm>.
==========================
Spectrolebias gracilis • A New Miniature Cryptic Species of the Seasonal Killifish Genus Spectrolebias (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) from the Tocantins River basin, central Brazil
Spectrolebias gracilis Costa & Amorim, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28085
Abstract
The miniature seasonal killifish Spectrolebias costae, first described for the middle Araguaia River basin, has been also recorded from two areas in the middle Tocantins River basin, from where male specimens exhibit some differences in their colour pattern. Analyses directed to species delineation (GMYC and bPTP), using a fragment of the mitochondrial gene COI, strongly support two species, S. costae from the Araguaia River basin and a new species from the Tocantins River basin. Spectrolebias gracilis sp. n. is described on the basis of specimens collected from two localities separated by about 530 km, Canabrava River floodplains near Alvorada do Tocantins and Tocantins River floodplains near Palmeirante. Field inventories were unsuccessful in finding additional populations in the region, which is attributed to the high environmental degradation, including several large dams that have permanently inundated typical killifish habitats. Spectrolebias gracilis is member of a clade also including S. costae, S. inaequipinnatus, and S. semiocellatus, diagnosed by having the dorsal and anal fins in males with iridescent dots restricted to their basal portion, caudal fin in males hyaline, and caudal-fin base with two pairs of neuromasts. Within this clade, a single miniaturisation event is supported for the most recent common ancestor of the subclade comprising S. costae and S. gracilis, which differ from other congeners by reaching only about 20 mm standard length as maximum adult size.
Key Words: Amazon, Biodiversity conservation, Integrative taxonomy, Miniaturization, Molecular taxonomy, Species delimitation
Taxonomic accounts
Spectrolebias gracilis sp. n.
Diagnosis: Spectrolebias gracilis is member of a clade endemic to the Araguaia-Tocantins River System, also including S. costae, S. semiocellatus Costa & Nielsen, 1997 and S. inaequipinnatus Costa & Brasil, 2008, and morphologically diagnosed by: dorsal and anal fins in males with iridescent dots restricted to the basal portion of fins (vs. scattered over the whole fin), caudal fin in males hyaline (vs. variably coloured, usually dark red or grey), caudal-fin base with two pairs of neuromasts (vs. one). Spectrolebias gracilis is similar to S. costae and distinguished from S. semiocellatus and S. inaequipinnatus by having dorsal fin rounded in males (vs. pointed), dark brown to black pigmentation on the flank in males (vs. light brownish grey), and a subdistal bright blue stripe on the dorsal and anal fins in males (vs. subdistal bright blue absent). Spectrolebias gracilis differs from S. costae by the iridescent light blue colour pattern in males, comprising the presence of 10–12 small blue spots irregularly arranged on opercle, surrounded by diffuse blue iridescence (Fig. 4; vs. 6–8 small blue spots, usually arranged in three vertical series, contrasting with dark brown colour ground, Fig. 3) and one or two series of dots irregularly arranged on the basal portion of the dorsal fin (Fig. 4; vs. blue dots arranged in single longitudinal row close to fin base, Fig. 3).
....
Etymology: From the Latin gracilis, meaning thin, referring to the thin body of the small-sized new species.
Distribution and habitat: Spectrolebias gracilis is known from temporary pools of two localities of the middle Tocantins River basin, central Brazil (Fig. 6). In both localities pools were shallow, about 80 cm in deeper places, and densely occupied by aquatic vegetation.
Wilson J. E. M. Costa and Pedro F. Amorim. 2018. A New Miniature Cryptic Species of the Seasonal Killifish Genus Spectrolebias from the Tocantins River basin, central Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution. 94(2): 359-368. DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28085
==========================
Spectrolebias gracilis Costa & Amorim, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28085
Abstract
The miniature seasonal killifish Spectrolebias costae, first described for the middle Araguaia River basin, has been also recorded from two areas in the middle Tocantins River basin, from where male specimens exhibit some differences in their colour pattern. Analyses directed to species delineation (GMYC and bPTP), using a fragment of the mitochondrial gene COI, strongly support two species, S. costae from the Araguaia River basin and a new species from the Tocantins River basin. Spectrolebias gracilis sp. n. is described on the basis of specimens collected from two localities separated by about 530 km, Canabrava River floodplains near Alvorada do Tocantins and Tocantins River floodplains near Palmeirante. Field inventories were unsuccessful in finding additional populations in the region, which is attributed to the high environmental degradation, including several large dams that have permanently inundated typical killifish habitats. Spectrolebias gracilis is member of a clade also including S. costae, S. inaequipinnatus, and S. semiocellatus, diagnosed by having the dorsal and anal fins in males with iridescent dots restricted to their basal portion, caudal fin in males hyaline, and caudal-fin base with two pairs of neuromasts. Within this clade, a single miniaturisation event is supported for the most recent common ancestor of the subclade comprising S. costae and S. gracilis, which differ from other congeners by reaching only about 20 mm standard length as maximum adult size.
Key Words: Amazon, Biodiversity conservation, Integrative taxonomy, Miniaturization, Molecular taxonomy, Species delimitation
Taxonomic accounts
Spectrolebias gracilis sp. n.
Diagnosis: Spectrolebias gracilis is member of a clade endemic to the Araguaia-Tocantins River System, also including S. costae, S. semiocellatus Costa & Nielsen, 1997 and S. inaequipinnatus Costa & Brasil, 2008, and morphologically diagnosed by: dorsal and anal fins in males with iridescent dots restricted to the basal portion of fins (vs. scattered over the whole fin), caudal fin in males hyaline (vs. variably coloured, usually dark red or grey), caudal-fin base with two pairs of neuromasts (vs. one). Spectrolebias gracilis is similar to S. costae and distinguished from S. semiocellatus and S. inaequipinnatus by having dorsal fin rounded in males (vs. pointed), dark brown to black pigmentation on the flank in males (vs. light brownish grey), and a subdistal bright blue stripe on the dorsal and anal fins in males (vs. subdistal bright blue absent). Spectrolebias gracilis differs from S. costae by the iridescent light blue colour pattern in males, comprising the presence of 10–12 small blue spots irregularly arranged on opercle, surrounded by diffuse blue iridescence (Fig. 4; vs. 6–8 small blue spots, usually arranged in three vertical series, contrasting with dark brown colour ground, Fig. 3) and one or two series of dots irregularly arranged on the basal portion of the dorsal fin (Fig. 4; vs. blue dots arranged in single longitudinal row close to fin base, Fig. 3).
....
Etymology: From the Latin gracilis, meaning thin, referring to the thin body of the small-sized new species.
Distribution and habitat: Spectrolebias gracilis is known from temporary pools of two localities of the middle Tocantins River basin, central Brazil (Fig. 6). In both localities pools were shallow, about 80 cm in deeper places, and densely occupied by aquatic vegetation.
Wilson J. E. M. Costa and Pedro F. Amorim. 2018. A New Miniature Cryptic Species of the Seasonal Killifish Genus Spectrolebias from the Tocantins River basin, central Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution. 94(2): 359-368. DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28085
==========================
Newly discovered shark species honors female pioneerSqualus clarkae named for Eugenie Clark
Source:
Florida Institute of Technology
Summary:
The 'Shark Lady,' has received the ultimate ichthyologist honor: having a new species of shark, Squalus clarkae, named after her.
Share:
FULL STORY
Eugenie Clark was a pioneer in shark biology, known around the world for her illuminating research on shark behavior. But she was a pioneer in another critical way, as one of the first women of prominence in the male-dominated field of marine biology.
Fondly labeled the "Shark Lady," Clark, who founded Mote Marine Laboratory and continued studying fishes until she passed away in 2015 at age 92, will now be recognized with another distinction: namesake of a newly discovered species of dogfish shark.
The species, named Squalus clarkae, also known as Genie's Dogfish, was identified from the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic Ocean. The confirmation of this new species was reported this month in the journal Zootaxa.
Florida Institute of Technology assistant professor and shark biologist Toby Daly-Engel was among the paper's four author's, along with marine scientists Mariah Pfleger of Oceana, the lead author and Daly-Engel's former graduate student, and Florida State University's Dean Grubbs and Chip Cotton.
Before their findings, researchers labeled this species of dogfish shark Squalus mitsukurii. However, using new genetic testing and morphology, the study of an organism through physical appearance, they discovered and classified Genie's Dogfish as a new species.
"Deep-sea sharks are all shaped by similar evolutionary pressure, so they end up looking a lot alike," Daly-Engel said. "So we rely on DNA to tell us how long a species has been on its own, evolutionarily, and how different it is."
"This type of research is essential to the conservation and management of sharks, which currently face a multitude of threats, from overfishing and bycatch, to the global shark fin trade," added Pfleger, marine scientist for the responsible fishing and sharks campaigns at Oceana. "Many fisheries around the world are starting to fish in deeper and deeper waters and unfortunately, much less is known about many of the creatures that live in the deep. The first step to successfully conserving these species that live in deeper waters, like Genie's Dogfish, is finding out what is down there in the first place."
For Daly-Engel, the discovery goes beyond science.
At an early age, she was drawn to Clark and her books. As Daly-Engel advanced in her career, she saw Clark's impact as one of the early members of the American Elasmobranch Society, a group Daly-Engel later joined and through which she met Clark.
"She is the mother of us all," Daly-Engel said. "She was not just the first female shark biologist, she was one of the first people to study sharks."
The feeling rings true for Pfleger, as well. "Dr. Clark was a trailblazer for women in shark biology. Her work showed me that it was possible to make my mark in a male-dominated field. This paper is a perfect example of how her career has influenced multiple generations of women in science: the first author is a woman who graduated from a woman-led lab."
"Genie was aptly nicknamed the 'Shark Lady' because her shark research was so innovative and she was dedicated to teaching the truth about sharks," said Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote. "Not only was she responsible for establishing Mote's legacy of more than 60 years in shark research, but also, her discoveries inspired people around the world to develop a sense of eagerness and passion for understanding and ultimately protecting these fascinating animals."
As founding director of Mote Marine Laboratory, Clark was very familiar with the Gulf of Mexico. For a trailblazer in the world of shark biology, it is fitting that the new species of shark would be named after her, Daly-Engel said.
"Genie established Mote and she lived on the Gulf of Mexico coast," she said. "She did a lot to advance our understanding of marine biodiversity there. So naming the dogfish shark from the Gulf of Mexico after her is the most appropriate thing in the world."
About Eugenie Clark
Eugenie Clark, an ichthyologist, was a world authority on fishes -- particularly sharks and tropical sand fishes. A courageous diver and explorer, Clark conducted 72 submersible dives as deep as 12,000 feet and led over 200 field research expeditions to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Caribbean, Mexico, Japan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Indonesia and Borneo to study sand fishes, whale sharks, deep sea sharks and spotted oceanic triggerfish. In 1955, Clark started the one-room Cape Haze Marine Laboratory in Placida, Fla., with her fisherman assistant and with philanthropic support and encouragement from the Vanderbilt family. That lab became Mote Marine Laboratory in 1967 to honor major benefactor William R. Mote. Today, Mote is based on City Island, Sarasota, and it hosts more than 20 diverse research and conservation programs along with extensive informal science education programs.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Florida Institute of Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Source:
Florida Institute of Technology
Summary:
The 'Shark Lady,' has received the ultimate ichthyologist honor: having a new species of shark, Squalus clarkae, named after her.
Share:
FULL STORY
Eugenie Clark was a pioneer in shark biology, known around the world for her illuminating research on shark behavior. But she was a pioneer in another critical way, as one of the first women of prominence in the male-dominated field of marine biology.
Fondly labeled the "Shark Lady," Clark, who founded Mote Marine Laboratory and continued studying fishes until she passed away in 2015 at age 92, will now be recognized with another distinction: namesake of a newly discovered species of dogfish shark.
The species, named Squalus clarkae, also known as Genie's Dogfish, was identified from the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic Ocean. The confirmation of this new species was reported this month in the journal Zootaxa.
Florida Institute of Technology assistant professor and shark biologist Toby Daly-Engel was among the paper's four author's, along with marine scientists Mariah Pfleger of Oceana, the lead author and Daly-Engel's former graduate student, and Florida State University's Dean Grubbs and Chip Cotton.
Before their findings, researchers labeled this species of dogfish shark Squalus mitsukurii. However, using new genetic testing and morphology, the study of an organism through physical appearance, they discovered and classified Genie's Dogfish as a new species.
"Deep-sea sharks are all shaped by similar evolutionary pressure, so they end up looking a lot alike," Daly-Engel said. "So we rely on DNA to tell us how long a species has been on its own, evolutionarily, and how different it is."
"This type of research is essential to the conservation and management of sharks, which currently face a multitude of threats, from overfishing and bycatch, to the global shark fin trade," added Pfleger, marine scientist for the responsible fishing and sharks campaigns at Oceana. "Many fisheries around the world are starting to fish in deeper and deeper waters and unfortunately, much less is known about many of the creatures that live in the deep. The first step to successfully conserving these species that live in deeper waters, like Genie's Dogfish, is finding out what is down there in the first place."
For Daly-Engel, the discovery goes beyond science.
At an early age, she was drawn to Clark and her books. As Daly-Engel advanced in her career, she saw Clark's impact as one of the early members of the American Elasmobranch Society, a group Daly-Engel later joined and through which she met Clark.
"She is the mother of us all," Daly-Engel said. "She was not just the first female shark biologist, she was one of the first people to study sharks."
The feeling rings true for Pfleger, as well. "Dr. Clark was a trailblazer for women in shark biology. Her work showed me that it was possible to make my mark in a male-dominated field. This paper is a perfect example of how her career has influenced multiple generations of women in science: the first author is a woman who graduated from a woman-led lab."
"Genie was aptly nicknamed the 'Shark Lady' because her shark research was so innovative and she was dedicated to teaching the truth about sharks," said Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote. "Not only was she responsible for establishing Mote's legacy of more than 60 years in shark research, but also, her discoveries inspired people around the world to develop a sense of eagerness and passion for understanding and ultimately protecting these fascinating animals."
As founding director of Mote Marine Laboratory, Clark was very familiar with the Gulf of Mexico. For a trailblazer in the world of shark biology, it is fitting that the new species of shark would be named after her, Daly-Engel said.
"Genie established Mote and she lived on the Gulf of Mexico coast," she said. "She did a lot to advance our understanding of marine biodiversity there. So naming the dogfish shark from the Gulf of Mexico after her is the most appropriate thing in the world."
About Eugenie Clark
Eugenie Clark, an ichthyologist, was a world authority on fishes -- particularly sharks and tropical sand fishes. A courageous diver and explorer, Clark conducted 72 submersible dives as deep as 12,000 feet and led over 200 field research expeditions to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Caribbean, Mexico, Japan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Indonesia and Borneo to study sand fishes, whale sharks, deep sea sharks and spotted oceanic triggerfish. In 1955, Clark started the one-room Cape Haze Marine Laboratory in Placida, Fla., with her fisherman assistant and with philanthropic support and encouragement from the Vanderbilt family. That lab became Mote Marine Laboratory in 1967 to honor major benefactor William R. Mote. Today, Mote is based on City Island, Sarasota, and it hosts more than 20 diverse research and conservation programs along with extensive informal science education programs.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Florida Institute of Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Mariah O. Pfleger, R. Dean Grubbs, Charles F. Cotton, Toby S. Daly-Engel. Squalus clarkae sp. nov., a new dogfish shark from the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, with comments on the Squalus mitsukurii species complex. Zootaxa, 2018; 4444 (2): 101 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.2.1
==========================
N.E.T.S. TROPICAL FISH AND PLANTS AUCTION
7th of October 2018
N.E.TS. Auctions just keep getting bigger and better every year. and the society wants to give something back. So we've decided to hire the hall and have a 100% charity auction.
So all money raised from
commission for sellers (15%)
dry goods tables (£10 each)
donations
door entry fee
and the sale of raffle tickets
Will be halved and given to our two chosen charity's MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT AND THE BRITISH HEARTH FOUNDATION
So come along along and buy or sell. DOORS OPEN AT 10am auction starts 11am
https://www.facebook.com/events/150637292310551/
NETS Charity auction (Fish + Plants only)
October 7 at 10 AM
Teams social club in Gateshead
==========================
Despite fish concerns, Mazda Toyota can resume project
The spring pygmy sunfish. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service photo)
By Paul Gattis
pgattis@al.com
A day after Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA announced a suspension of site preparation for its $1.6 billion plant in west Huntsville due to concerns over a rare fish species that live near the site, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said the auto plant can move forward whenever it wants.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said work on the plant may resume as soon as next week.
The unexpected shutdown of work on the state's largest economic development project in the rural Limestone County site was announced Thursday by Toyota officials as well as the city of Huntsville.
Endangered fish holds up Mazda Toyota plant
A groundbreaking for the plant is expected later this year and production is planned to begin in 2021.
At issue was protecting the habitat of the spring pygmy sunfish, a one-inch long fish deemed a "threatened species" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found only in a spring near the site of the plant.
Denise Rowell, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said in an interview Friday with AL.com that the temporary work stoppage came as a surprise.
"Our office has provided technical assistance on best management practices, strategies and conservation practices aimed at avoiding impacts to the federally-listed species, such as the spring pygmy sunfish," Rowell said. "We've been working with (Mazda Toyota) closely. They want to do the right thing and we want them to do the right thing."
In Thursday's statement, Toyota said construction had stopped temporarily "to allow for additional technical surveys to be completed and confirm that the sunfish will be protected."
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last month against the federal government to protect the spring pygmy sunfish habitat near the plant.
"We are aware of the Center for Biological Diversity's concerns regarding the sunfish," Toyota's statement on Thursday said. "Throughout the planning and design of this project we continue to work closely with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the city of Huntsville and our joint venture partner, Mazda, to ensure that the necessary protections are in place. Mazda and Toyota continue to make environmental preservation a priority and we are committed to developing the property sustainability."
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle updated the city council at Thursday's meeting about the work stoppage and said afterward that Mazda Toyota had brought in an independent consultant to confirm the construction project would not harm the sunfish home.
"Toyota, to their credit, said let's make sure one last time," Battle said. "We have studies that show we're in great shape there, that we're protecting the habitat - probably protecting it better than when it was farmland. Toyota said let's look at it one more time."
Toyota described the work stoppage as a "short-term suspension."
"We're looking forward to getting back to operation and getting back to construction next week," Battle said.
n email statement to AL.com, Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the Mazda Toyota project should continue as planned.
"There is no concern with regard to this delay," Canfield said. "This decision was made and communicated in advance by the Mazda Toyota (joint venture) to give all parties the opportunity to address and resolve the Spring Pygmy Sunfish issue.
"It is expected to be a brief delay as everyone addresses this one issue in good faith."
Rowell said U.S. Fish & Wildlife has worked with Mazda Toyota before site work began earlier this year. USFW officials first met with representatives from the city of Huntsville on Feb. 6. And on April 18, Toyota officials spent most of the day at the USFW facility in Daphne.
"They are not building on spring pygmy sunfish habitat," Rowell said. "They are building adjacent to it. But they have reached out to us and they want to do the right thing. We are guiding them in best management practices. We're going to guide them throughout the process."
==========================
The spring pygmy sunfish. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service photo)
By Paul Gattis
pgattis@al.com
A day after Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA announced a suspension of site preparation for its $1.6 billion plant in west Huntsville due to concerns over a rare fish species that live near the site, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said the auto plant can move forward whenever it wants.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said work on the plant may resume as soon as next week.
The unexpected shutdown of work on the state's largest economic development project in the rural Limestone County site was announced Thursday by Toyota officials as well as the city of Huntsville.
Endangered fish holds up Mazda Toyota plant
A groundbreaking for the plant is expected later this year and production is planned to begin in 2021.
At issue was protecting the habitat of the spring pygmy sunfish, a one-inch long fish deemed a "threatened species" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found only in a spring near the site of the plant.
Denise Rowell, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said in an interview Friday with AL.com that the temporary work stoppage came as a surprise.
"Our office has provided technical assistance on best management practices, strategies and conservation practices aimed at avoiding impacts to the federally-listed species, such as the spring pygmy sunfish," Rowell said. "We've been working with (Mazda Toyota) closely. They want to do the right thing and we want them to do the right thing."
In Thursday's statement, Toyota said construction had stopped temporarily "to allow for additional technical surveys to be completed and confirm that the sunfish will be protected."
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last month against the federal government to protect the spring pygmy sunfish habitat near the plant.
"We are aware of the Center for Biological Diversity's concerns regarding the sunfish," Toyota's statement on Thursday said. "Throughout the planning and design of this project we continue to work closely with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the city of Huntsville and our joint venture partner, Mazda, to ensure that the necessary protections are in place. Mazda and Toyota continue to make environmental preservation a priority and we are committed to developing the property sustainability."
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle updated the city council at Thursday's meeting about the work stoppage and said afterward that Mazda Toyota had brought in an independent consultant to confirm the construction project would not harm the sunfish home.
"Toyota, to their credit, said let's make sure one last time," Battle said. "We have studies that show we're in great shape there, that we're protecting the habitat - probably protecting it better than when it was farmland. Toyota said let's look at it one more time."
Toyota described the work stoppage as a "short-term suspension."
"We're looking forward to getting back to operation and getting back to construction next week," Battle said.
n email statement to AL.com, Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the Mazda Toyota project should continue as planned.
"There is no concern with regard to this delay," Canfield said. "This decision was made and communicated in advance by the Mazda Toyota (joint venture) to give all parties the opportunity to address and resolve the Spring Pygmy Sunfish issue.
"It is expected to be a brief delay as everyone addresses this one issue in good faith."
Rowell said U.S. Fish & Wildlife has worked with Mazda Toyota before site work began earlier this year. USFW officials first met with representatives from the city of Huntsville on Feb. 6. And on April 18, Toyota officials spent most of the day at the USFW facility in Daphne.
"They are not building on spring pygmy sunfish habitat," Rowell said. "They are building adjacent to it. But they have reached out to us and they want to do the right thing. We are guiding them in best management practices. We're going to guide them throughout the process."
==========================
Platichthys solemdali • A New Flounder Species(Actinopterygii, Pleuronectiformes) From the Baltic Sea
Platichthys solemdali
Momigliano, Denys, Jokinen & Merilä, 2018
DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00225
photo: Mats Westerbom
The European flounder Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus, 1758) displays two contrasting reproductive behaviors in the Baltic Sea: offshore spawning of pelagic eggs and coastal spawning of demersal eggs, a behavior observed exclusively in the Baltic Sea. Previous studies showed marked differences in behavioral, physiological, and life-history traits of flounders with pelagic and demersal eggs. Furthermore, a recent study demonstrated that flounders with pelagic and demersal eggs represent two reproductively isolated, parapatric species arising from two distinct colonization events from the same ancestral population. Using morphological data we first established that the syntypes on which the original description ofP. flesus was based belong to the pelagic-spawning lineage. We then used a combination of morphological and physiological characters as well as genome-wide genetic data to describe flounders with demersal eggs as a new species: Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. The new species can be clearly distinguished from P. flesus based on egg morphology, egg and sperm physiology as well as via population genetic and phylogenetic analyses. While the two species do show some minor morphological differences in the number of anal and dorsal fin rays, no external morphological feature can be used to unambiguously identify individuals to species. Therefore, we developed a simple molecular diagnostic test able to unambiguously distinguish P. solemdali from P. flesus with a single PCR reaction, a tool that should be useful to fishery scientists and managers, as well as to ecologists studying these species.
Family Pleuronectidae Rafinesque 1815
Genus Platichthys Girard 1854
Platichthys solemdali sp. nov.
Baltic flounder
Diagnosis: Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. is diagnosable from P. stellatus by the absence of stripes on the dorsal and anal fin rays [Figures 6A, 2B; vs. presence of stripes for P. stellatus (Morrow, 1980)]. It can be distinguished with more than 99.999% certainty from P. flesus using genotypes of at least three of the outlier loci which were genotyped in this study (Loci 886, 3599, and 1822) by comparison with publically available reference data deposited in the Dryad digital repository (Momigliano et al., 2017a). P. solemdali sp. nov. (N = 50) has 46–59 dorsal fin rays vs. 51–66 for P. flesus recorded in this study, in Voronina (1999) and in Galleguillos and Ward (1982), and 35–41 anal fin rays vs. 35–45 in P. flesus from this study, Voronina (1999) and Galleguillos and Ward (1982). Hence, none of these meristic characters provide unambiguous species diagnosis. However, reproductive traits (viz. egg morphology and buoyancy, as well as sperm physiology) are unambiguous diagnostic characters. Eggs of P. solemdali sp. nov. become neutrally buoyant at salinities between 16 and 21.5 psu and are 0.99 ± 0.05 mm in diameter (Table 6; Figure 7), whereas the eggs of P. flesus in the Baltic Sea are larger (1.3–1.5 mm) and reach neutral buoyancy between 11 and 18 psu (Table 6; Nissling et al., 2002). Spermatozoa of P. solemdali sp. nov. activate at minimum salinities between 2 and 4 psu, in contrast to a required salinity above 10 psu for P. flesus (Table 7).
Geographic distribution: P. solemdali sp. nov. is endemic to the Baltic Sea, where it has a wide distribution in coastal and bank areas across the region up to the Gulf of Finland and the southern Bothnian Sea. Confirmed individuals of P. solemdali sp. nov. have been sampled as far south as Öland (SD 27) (species identity confirmed via genetic analyses, Figure 1) and Hanö Bay (SD 25) (based on egg morphology, see Wallin, 2016; Nissling et al., 2017). In a recent paper Orio et al. (2017) suggested that environmental conditions in the entire southern Baltic Sea are suitable for demersal spawning flounders, and already Mielck and Künne (1935) reported ripe female flounders with small eggs from shallow low-saline (6–7‰) areas in the southern Baltic Sea (Oder Bank, SD 24). However, the current occurrence of P. solemdali sp. nov. in the southern regions is poorly known and, hence, it is still unclear whether the species is found throughout the coastal Baltic Sea area.
Habitat: P. solemdali sp. nov. lives in brackish water of varying salinities in the coastal zone at 0.5–50 m depth on soft and hard bottoms.
Etymology: This species is dedicated to Per Solemdal (1941–2016) who was the first researcher to study the Baltic Sea flounder's eggs and sperm in connection to salinity and discovered that “the specific gravity of the eggs is a fixed population characteristic which is almost unchangeable” (Solemdal, 1973) laying the foundations on which many subsequent studies on local adaptation and speciation of Baltic Sea marine fishes were built.
Paolo Momigliano, Gaël P. J. Denys, Henri Jokinen and Juha Merilä. 2018. Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. (Actinopterygii, Pleuronectiformes): A New Flounder Species From the Baltic Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00225
twitter.com/PaoloMomigliano/status/1006097960264982528
twitter.com/jokinen_henri/status/1017186831773904902
twitter.com/FrontMarineSci/status/1017165904897982466
The first endemic Baltic Sea fish species received its name phys.org/news/2018-07-endemic-baltic-sea-fish-species.html via @physorg_com
==========================
Platichthys solemdali
Momigliano, Denys, Jokinen & Merilä, 2018
DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00225
photo: Mats Westerbom
The European flounder Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus, 1758) displays two contrasting reproductive behaviors in the Baltic Sea: offshore spawning of pelagic eggs and coastal spawning of demersal eggs, a behavior observed exclusively in the Baltic Sea. Previous studies showed marked differences in behavioral, physiological, and life-history traits of flounders with pelagic and demersal eggs. Furthermore, a recent study demonstrated that flounders with pelagic and demersal eggs represent two reproductively isolated, parapatric species arising from two distinct colonization events from the same ancestral population. Using morphological data we first established that the syntypes on which the original description ofP. flesus was based belong to the pelagic-spawning lineage. We then used a combination of morphological and physiological characters as well as genome-wide genetic data to describe flounders with demersal eggs as a new species: Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. The new species can be clearly distinguished from P. flesus based on egg morphology, egg and sperm physiology as well as via population genetic and phylogenetic analyses. While the two species do show some minor morphological differences in the number of anal and dorsal fin rays, no external morphological feature can be used to unambiguously identify individuals to species. Therefore, we developed a simple molecular diagnostic test able to unambiguously distinguish P. solemdali from P. flesus with a single PCR reaction, a tool that should be useful to fishery scientists and managers, as well as to ecologists studying these species.
Family Pleuronectidae Rafinesque 1815
Genus Platichthys Girard 1854
Platichthys solemdali sp. nov.
Baltic flounder
Diagnosis: Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. is diagnosable from P. stellatus by the absence of stripes on the dorsal and anal fin rays [Figures 6A, 2B; vs. presence of stripes for P. stellatus (Morrow, 1980)]. It can be distinguished with more than 99.999% certainty from P. flesus using genotypes of at least three of the outlier loci which were genotyped in this study (Loci 886, 3599, and 1822) by comparison with publically available reference data deposited in the Dryad digital repository (Momigliano et al., 2017a). P. solemdali sp. nov. (N = 50) has 46–59 dorsal fin rays vs. 51–66 for P. flesus recorded in this study, in Voronina (1999) and in Galleguillos and Ward (1982), and 35–41 anal fin rays vs. 35–45 in P. flesus from this study, Voronina (1999) and Galleguillos and Ward (1982). Hence, none of these meristic characters provide unambiguous species diagnosis. However, reproductive traits (viz. egg morphology and buoyancy, as well as sperm physiology) are unambiguous diagnostic characters. Eggs of P. solemdali sp. nov. become neutrally buoyant at salinities between 16 and 21.5 psu and are 0.99 ± 0.05 mm in diameter (Table 6; Figure 7), whereas the eggs of P. flesus in the Baltic Sea are larger (1.3–1.5 mm) and reach neutral buoyancy between 11 and 18 psu (Table 6; Nissling et al., 2002). Spermatozoa of P. solemdali sp. nov. activate at minimum salinities between 2 and 4 psu, in contrast to a required salinity above 10 psu for P. flesus (Table 7).
Geographic distribution: P. solemdali sp. nov. is endemic to the Baltic Sea, where it has a wide distribution in coastal and bank areas across the region up to the Gulf of Finland and the southern Bothnian Sea. Confirmed individuals of P. solemdali sp. nov. have been sampled as far south as Öland (SD 27) (species identity confirmed via genetic analyses, Figure 1) and Hanö Bay (SD 25) (based on egg morphology, see Wallin, 2016; Nissling et al., 2017). In a recent paper Orio et al. (2017) suggested that environmental conditions in the entire southern Baltic Sea are suitable for demersal spawning flounders, and already Mielck and Künne (1935) reported ripe female flounders with small eggs from shallow low-saline (6–7‰) areas in the southern Baltic Sea (Oder Bank, SD 24). However, the current occurrence of P. solemdali sp. nov. in the southern regions is poorly known and, hence, it is still unclear whether the species is found throughout the coastal Baltic Sea area.
Habitat: P. solemdali sp. nov. lives in brackish water of varying salinities in the coastal zone at 0.5–50 m depth on soft and hard bottoms.
Etymology: This species is dedicated to Per Solemdal (1941–2016) who was the first researcher to study the Baltic Sea flounder's eggs and sperm in connection to salinity and discovered that “the specific gravity of the eggs is a fixed population characteristic which is almost unchangeable” (Solemdal, 1973) laying the foundations on which many subsequent studies on local adaptation and speciation of Baltic Sea marine fishes were built.
Paolo Momigliano, Gaël P. J. Denys, Henri Jokinen and Juha Merilä. 2018. Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. (Actinopterygii, Pleuronectiformes): A New Flounder Species From the Baltic Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00225
twitter.com/PaoloMomigliano/status/1006097960264982528
twitter.com/jokinen_henri/status/1017186831773904902
twitter.com/FrontMarineSci/status/1017165904897982466
The first endemic Baltic Sea fish species received its name phys.org/news/2018-07-endemic-baltic-sea-fish-species.html via @physorg_com
==========================
Trimma blematium & T. meityae • Two New Species of Blue-eyed Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from New Guinea
Trimma blematium
Winterbottom & Erdmann, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.4.7
Abstract
Two new species of Trimma are described from New Guinea, one at the southeastern end at Normanby Island (Milne Bay Province), the other from Cendrawasih Bay, West Papua, on the north-east coast. The dorsal surface of the eye of both species is blue in life, a characteristic not reported elsewhere in the genus. Although the two species look very similar in life, and both occupy similar mesophotic rubble habitats in the 50-70 m depth range, they are separated both genetically (7.7% pairwise genetic distance in COI) and morphologically. Trimma blematium has 16 pectoral fin rays, a branched 5th pelvic fin ray, and 7 papillae in row p, whereas T. meityae has 17–18 pectoral fin rays, an unbranched 5th pelvic fin ray, and 8 papillae in row p. In live specimens, the blue colour over the top of the eyes is much darker in T. blematium than in T. meityae. The type localities are separated by almost 2,000 km (straight-line distance).
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Western Pacific, coral reef gobies, COI gene
Richard Winterbottom and Mark V. Erdmann. 2018. Two New Species of Blue-eyed Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from New Guinea. Zootaxa. 4444(4); 471–483. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.4.7
==========================
Trimma blematium
Winterbottom & Erdmann, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.4.7
Abstract
Two new species of Trimma are described from New Guinea, one at the southeastern end at Normanby Island (Milne Bay Province), the other from Cendrawasih Bay, West Papua, on the north-east coast. The dorsal surface of the eye of both species is blue in life, a characteristic not reported elsewhere in the genus. Although the two species look very similar in life, and both occupy similar mesophotic rubble habitats in the 50-70 m depth range, they are separated both genetically (7.7% pairwise genetic distance in COI) and morphologically. Trimma blematium has 16 pectoral fin rays, a branched 5th pelvic fin ray, and 7 papillae in row p, whereas T. meityae has 17–18 pectoral fin rays, an unbranched 5th pelvic fin ray, and 8 papillae in row p. In live specimens, the blue colour over the top of the eyes is much darker in T. blematium than in T. meityae. The type localities are separated by almost 2,000 km (straight-line distance).
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Western Pacific, coral reef gobies, COI gene
Richard Winterbottom and Mark V. Erdmann. 2018. Two New Species of Blue-eyed Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from New Guinea. Zootaxa. 4444(4); 471–483. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.4.7
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For Show Schedule & details follow:
http://www.fbas.co.uk/2018%20ASAS%20Schedule.pdf
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http://www.fbas.co.uk/2018%20ASAS%20Schedule.pdf
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Tropical fish: Farming’s alternative diversification
Indoor fish-farming is growing in appeal as producers look to find low-cost enterprises that use existing farm buildings and infrastructure.
Researchers at the University of Stirling have been developing small-scale, warm-water production systems for growing tilapia, a tropical fish with a firm white meat, as a diversification for UK farmers.
Tilapia, which is proving popular in the USA, has recently been introduced to the UK and is being promoted as sustainable substitute for other white fish such as cod.
Tilapia are already noted as a highly suitable species for low cost aquaculture as they can thrive on a low protein diet.
Being a tropical species, tilapia require a temperature of around 27C to grow, and under optimum conditions can reach a market size of 500g in six to eight months, compared to 18-24 months for rainbow trout currently grown in the UK.
Despite the prevailing British climate, appropriate use of insulation can keep energy costs low. There is significant potential for UK farmers to produce tilapia by insulating underused farm buildings, according to researchers at Stirling.
Market research suggests niche markets across the country are growing as awareness and acceptance increase. Three tilapia target groups in the UK have been identified: ethnic green and the gastro-pub set (a growing component of the wider foodservice market). Recent developments in the USA were also noted where consumption of this white fleshed fish has moved well beyond niche markets to become more mainstream (in 2006 it is estimated that the US market imported over 400,000t of tilapia, more than four times that of 2001).
The research team is now looking to develop and test a prototype recirculation system on farm and therefore would be interested in hearing from willing farmers.
Indoor fish-farming is growing in appeal as producers look to find low-cost enterprises that use existing farm buildings and infrastructure.
Researchers at the University of Stirling have been developing small-scale, warm-water production systems for growing tilapia, a tropical fish with a firm white meat, as a diversification for UK farmers.
Tilapia, which is proving popular in the USA, has recently been introduced to the UK and is being promoted as sustainable substitute for other white fish such as cod.
Tilapia are already noted as a highly suitable species for low cost aquaculture as they can thrive on a low protein diet.
Being a tropical species, tilapia require a temperature of around 27C to grow, and under optimum conditions can reach a market size of 500g in six to eight months, compared to 18-24 months for rainbow trout currently grown in the UK.
Despite the prevailing British climate, appropriate use of insulation can keep energy costs low. There is significant potential for UK farmers to produce tilapia by insulating underused farm buildings, according to researchers at Stirling.
Market research suggests niche markets across the country are growing as awareness and acceptance increase. Three tilapia target groups in the UK have been identified: ethnic green and the gastro-pub set (a growing component of the wider foodservice market). Recent developments in the USA were also noted where consumption of this white fleshed fish has moved well beyond niche markets to become more mainstream (in 2006 it is estimated that the US market imported over 400,000t of tilapia, more than four times that of 2001).
The research team is now looking to develop and test a prototype recirculation system on farm and therefore would be interested in hearing from willing farmers.
- Interested farmers should contact William Leschen (01786 467 899, wl2@stir.ac.uk) or Francis Murray (01786 467 926, fjm3@stir.ac.uk) at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling for details.
Chromis katoi, a new species of damselfish from the Izu Islands, Japan, with a key to species in the Chromis notata species complex (Perciforms: Pomacentridae).
Abstract
Chromis katoi n. sp., a new damselfish (Pomacentridae) belonging to the Chromis notataspecies complex, is described on the basis of 11 specimens collected at a depth of 18 m off Hachijo Island, Izu Islands, Japan. The new species is similar to C. notata in having an indistinct white blotch at the end of the dorsal-fin base, and 4 or 5 and 11 or 12 scale rows above and below the lateral line, respectively, but differs in having the spinous portion of the dorsal fin yellowish in adults (vs. entire dorsal fin brownish in the latter), the caudal fin dusky yellow in adults (vs. each caudal-fin lobe with a broad horizontal dark band), the body entirely yellow in juveniles (vs. grayish to brownish throughout life), fewer dorsal-fin soft rays, more tubed lateral-line scales, pectoral-fin rays and gill rakers, and greater body depth and pre-anal-fin length. A key to species in the C. notata species complex is provided.
PDF (253 KB)
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Abstract
Chromis katoi n. sp., a new damselfish (Pomacentridae) belonging to the Chromis notataspecies complex, is described on the basis of 11 specimens collected at a depth of 18 m off Hachijo Island, Izu Islands, Japan. The new species is similar to C. notata in having an indistinct white blotch at the end of the dorsal-fin base, and 4 or 5 and 11 or 12 scale rows above and below the lateral line, respectively, but differs in having the spinous portion of the dorsal fin yellowish in adults (vs. entire dorsal fin brownish in the latter), the caudal fin dusky yellow in adults (vs. each caudal-fin lobe with a broad horizontal dark band), the body entirely yellow in juveniles (vs. grayish to brownish throughout life), fewer dorsal-fin soft rays, more tubed lateral-line scales, pectoral-fin rays and gill rakers, and greater body depth and pre-anal-fin length. A key to species in the C. notata species complex is provided.
PDF (253 KB)
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First record of Laimosemion xiphidius (Huber 1979) (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) in Brazil.
Abstract
The first record for the rivulid killifish Laimosemion xiphidius (Huber) for Brazil is presented. The species was recorded in a small tributary of the Oyapock River (Rio Oiapoque in Brazil), Amapá state, at the border with French Guyana. The potential occuurence of the species in other sites in Brazil is remarked.
PDF (554 KB)
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Abstract
The first record for the rivulid killifish Laimosemion xiphidius (Huber) for Brazil is presented. The species was recorded in a small tributary of the Oyapock River (Rio Oiapoque in Brazil), Amapá state, at the border with French Guyana. The potential occuurence of the species in other sites in Brazil is remarked.
PDF (554 KB)
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Chromis torquata The New Damselfish Species from Mauritius and Réunion
Chromis torquata, the new Chromis/Damselfish species from Mauritus and Réunion. Image credit: Gerald R. Allen/aqua
Dr. Gerald R. Allen’s latest species description brings a new Chromis to our attention. His discovery is chronicled in the journal article, Chromis torquata, a new species of damselfish (Pomacentridae) from Mauritius and Réunion, which was published in the latest edition of aqua, the journal of ichthyology (Volume 24, issue 1). The paper’s abstract is below.
Abstract
A new species of pomacentrid fish, Chromis torquata, is described from six specimens, 22.0-91.9 mm SL collected in 30 m at Mauritius in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It also occurs at nearby Réunion, based on photographic evidence. The new species belongs to the C. xanthura complex, which also contains C. anadema (Japan and Micronesia to Marquesas and Pitcairn Island), C. opercularis (East Africa to Christmas Island, Indian Ocean), and C. xanthura (Indonesia to Japan, eastward to Fiji and Tonga).
Diagnostic features for the new species include usual counts of XIII, 11 dorsal rays, II, 11 anal rays, 19 pectoral rays, 3 spiniform caudal rays, 17-19 tubed lateral-line scales, and a distinctive colour pattern that includes a broad dark band immediately behind the head, extending downward to the body side of the pectoral-fin axil. The maximum width of the dark band is equal to or greater than the horizontal eye diameter in C. torquata, but the similarly-positioned band of the other species in the complex is clearly less than the eye diameter.
The new species also differs in having the entire iris orange-yellow, compared with a narrow rim of yellow around the pupil in the other three species.
Find the Paper
The full species description is available for purchase at https://aqua-aquapress.com/product/241_chromis-torquata/
==========================
Chromis torquata, the new Chromis/Damselfish species from Mauritus and Réunion. Image credit: Gerald R. Allen/aqua
Dr. Gerald R. Allen’s latest species description brings a new Chromis to our attention. His discovery is chronicled in the journal article, Chromis torquata, a new species of damselfish (Pomacentridae) from Mauritius and Réunion, which was published in the latest edition of aqua, the journal of ichthyology (Volume 24, issue 1). The paper’s abstract is below.
Abstract
A new species of pomacentrid fish, Chromis torquata, is described from six specimens, 22.0-91.9 mm SL collected in 30 m at Mauritius in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It also occurs at nearby Réunion, based on photographic evidence. The new species belongs to the C. xanthura complex, which also contains C. anadema (Japan and Micronesia to Marquesas and Pitcairn Island), C. opercularis (East Africa to Christmas Island, Indian Ocean), and C. xanthura (Indonesia to Japan, eastward to Fiji and Tonga).
Diagnostic features for the new species include usual counts of XIII, 11 dorsal rays, II, 11 anal rays, 19 pectoral rays, 3 spiniform caudal rays, 17-19 tubed lateral-line scales, and a distinctive colour pattern that includes a broad dark band immediately behind the head, extending downward to the body side of the pectoral-fin axil. The maximum width of the dark band is equal to or greater than the horizontal eye diameter in C. torquata, but the similarly-positioned band of the other species in the complex is clearly less than the eye diameter.
The new species also differs in having the entire iris orange-yellow, compared with a narrow rim of yellow around the pupil in the other three species.
Find the Paper
The full species description is available for purchase at https://aqua-aquapress.com/product/241_chromis-torquata/
==========================
Cynolebias akroa, a new species of annual fish (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the rio Preto, São Francisco basin, northeastern Brazil,.
Abstract
A new species of Cynolebias is described from temporary pools from the Rio Preto drainage, São Francisco basin, Bahia, Brazil, within the Caatinga domain. The type-locality is an altered aquatic environment, with the presence of exotic fish species and in contact with a permanent watercourse. Cynolebias akroa sp. n., along with Hypsolebias faouri, that inhabits the same annual pool, are in great danger of extinction. Cynolebias akroa sp. n., appears to be more closely related to Cynolebias parnaibensis, with which it shares several features, than to the remaining species of Cynolebias from the middle Rio São Francisco basin. Cynolebias akroa sp. n. differs from other species of Cynolebias by the male color pattern, relative position of dorsal fin to the anal fin, pelvic-fin rays counts, shape of the urogenital papilla, and cephalic neuromast pattern.
PDF (616 KB)
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Abstract
A new species of Cynolebias is described from temporary pools from the Rio Preto drainage, São Francisco basin, Bahia, Brazil, within the Caatinga domain. The type-locality is an altered aquatic environment, with the presence of exotic fish species and in contact with a permanent watercourse. Cynolebias akroa sp. n., along with Hypsolebias faouri, that inhabits the same annual pool, are in great danger of extinction. Cynolebias akroa sp. n., appears to be more closely related to Cynolebias parnaibensis, with which it shares several features, than to the remaining species of Cynolebias from the middle Rio São Francisco basin. Cynolebias akroa sp. n. differs from other species of Cynolebias by the male color pattern, relative position of dorsal fin to the anal fin, pelvic-fin rays counts, shape of the urogenital papilla, and cephalic neuromast pattern.
PDF (616 KB)
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Evolution in caves: selection from darkness causes spinal deformities in teleost fishes
Julián Torres-Dowdall, Nidal Karagic, Martin Plath, Rüdiger Riesch
Published 6 June 2018.DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0197AbstractOnly few fish species have successfully colonized subterranean habitats, but the underlying biological constraints associated with this are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the influence of permanent darkness on spinal-column development in one species (Midas cichlid, Amphilophus citrinellus) with no known cave form, and one (Atlantic molly, Poecilia mexicana) with two phylogenetically young cave forms. Specifically, fish were reared under a normal light : dark cycle or in permanent darkness (both species). We also surveyed wild-caught cave and surface ecotypes of P. mexicana. In both species, permanent darkness was associated with significantly higher rates of spinal deformities (especially in A. citrinellus). This suggests strong developmental (intrinsic) constraints on the successful colonization of subterranean environments in teleost fishes and might help explain the relative paucity of cave-adapted lineages. Our results add depth to our understanding of the aspects of selection driving trait divergence and maintaining reproductive isolation in cave faunas.
Footnotes
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Julián Torres-Dowdall, Nidal Karagic, Martin Plath, Rüdiger Riesch
Published 6 June 2018.DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0197AbstractOnly few fish species have successfully colonized subterranean habitats, but the underlying biological constraints associated with this are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the influence of permanent darkness on spinal-column development in one species (Midas cichlid, Amphilophus citrinellus) with no known cave form, and one (Atlantic molly, Poecilia mexicana) with two phylogenetically young cave forms. Specifically, fish were reared under a normal light : dark cycle or in permanent darkness (both species). We also surveyed wild-caught cave and surface ecotypes of P. mexicana. In both species, permanent darkness was associated with significantly higher rates of spinal deformities (especially in A. citrinellus). This suggests strong developmental (intrinsic) constraints on the successful colonization of subterranean environments in teleost fishes and might help explain the relative paucity of cave-adapted lineages. Our results add depth to our understanding of the aspects of selection driving trait divergence and maintaining reproductive isolation in cave faunas.
Footnotes
- Electronic supplementary material is available online at https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4106915.
- Received March 21, 2018.
- Accepted May 8, 2018.
- © 2018 The Author(s)
==========================
We would like to draw attention to this exhibition, which we also participate in. Besides exhibition bulls from us, there is a small book table from Kaos-Aquaristic on site. You will get a small but fine selection of rare and desired guppy literature, which you can also purchase for sale. Special highlights will be titles from Japan, Taiwan and "Reprints" old English standards. We are looking forward to your visit!
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Schistura larketensis• A New Cavernicolous Fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India
Schistura larketensis
Choudhury, Mukhim, Basumatary, Warbah & Sarma, 2017
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.1.5
mongabay.com
Abstract
Schistura larketensis, a new species of cavernicolous loach, is described from Khung, a limestone cave in Meghalaya, India. The species differs from Schistura papulifera, its only troglomorphic congener from northeast India, in having a smooth ventral surface of the head, the presence of a small cylindrical axillary pelvic lobe, and the presence of three pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Apart from these differences, the species can be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura from the Brahmaputra River and neighboring basins by the complete absence (or only vestigial presence) of eyes.
Keywords: Pisces, cavefish, new species, Krem Khung, Krem Synrang Pamiang
FIGURE Live colouration of Schistura larketensis, GUMF uncat, about 52 mm SL; India: Meghalaya: Krem Khung.
Schistura larketensis, new species
Etymology. The species name is derived from the ‘Larket’ village, the locality of Krem Khung. This name is proposed so as to encourage the village to take up biodiversity conservation as it is already in the process of constituting a Biodiversity Management Committee under the Indian Biodiversity Act.
Habitat. The new species was collected from a small stagnant pool a few square meters in area and about 1 m in depth, located in a wet passage some 500 m from the main entrance of Krem Khung. The pool bed is mostly sandy with scattered pebbles (Fig. 5). The water was clear, pH 8.6, and a very low D.O. of 1.1 ppm when analyzed in the month of April 2015. No other macrofauna were recorded inside the cave except weakly-pigmented crabs and crayfish, crickets, cockroaches and millipedes.
Distribution. ...., East Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya, India.
Hrishikesh Choudhury, D. Khlur B. Mukhim, Sudem Basumatary, Deisakee P Warbah and Dandadhar Sarma. 2017. Schistura larketensis, A New Cavernicolous Fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Zootaxa. 4353(1); 89-100. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.1.5
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Schistura larketensis
Choudhury, Mukhim, Basumatary, Warbah & Sarma, 2017
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.1.5
mongabay.com
Abstract
Schistura larketensis, a new species of cavernicolous loach, is described from Khung, a limestone cave in Meghalaya, India. The species differs from Schistura papulifera, its only troglomorphic congener from northeast India, in having a smooth ventral surface of the head, the presence of a small cylindrical axillary pelvic lobe, and the presence of three pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Apart from these differences, the species can be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura from the Brahmaputra River and neighboring basins by the complete absence (or only vestigial presence) of eyes.
Keywords: Pisces, cavefish, new species, Krem Khung, Krem Synrang Pamiang
FIGURE Live colouration of Schistura larketensis, GUMF uncat, about 52 mm SL; India: Meghalaya: Krem Khung.
Schistura larketensis, new species
Etymology. The species name is derived from the ‘Larket’ village, the locality of Krem Khung. This name is proposed so as to encourage the village to take up biodiversity conservation as it is already in the process of constituting a Biodiversity Management Committee under the Indian Biodiversity Act.
Habitat. The new species was collected from a small stagnant pool a few square meters in area and about 1 m in depth, located in a wet passage some 500 m from the main entrance of Krem Khung. The pool bed is mostly sandy with scattered pebbles (Fig. 5). The water was clear, pH 8.6, and a very low D.O. of 1.1 ppm when analyzed in the month of April 2015. No other macrofauna were recorded inside the cave except weakly-pigmented crabs and crayfish, crickets, cockroaches and millipedes.
Distribution. ...., East Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya, India.
Hrishikesh Choudhury, D. Khlur B. Mukhim, Sudem Basumatary, Deisakee P Warbah and Dandadhar Sarma. 2017. Schistura larketensis, A New Cavernicolous Fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Zootaxa. 4353(1); 89-100. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.1.5
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Pethia sahit • A New Syntopic Species of Small Barb (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Western Ghats of India
Pethia sahit
Katwate, Kumkar, Raghavan & Dahanukar, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4434.3.8
Abstract
A new species of the cyprinid genus Pethia is described from the Hiranyakeshi, a tributary of the Krishna River system in the Western Ghats mountain ranges of peninsular India. The new species, Pethia sahit, is syntopic—and shoals together—with Pethia longicauda, a species described recently from the same river. Pethia sahit is distinguished from P. longicauda and its congeners by a combination of characters like, incomplete lateral line with 3–6 pored scales; 19–22 scales in lateral series; 4½ scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral-line row and 2½ scales between lateral line row and pelvic-fin origin; intercalated scale row originates above and after the 6th scale of the lateral-line scale row; dorsal fin originating behind the pelvic-fin origin; 4+13 abdominal and 12 caudal vertebrae; dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fins without any bands or spots, deep yellow-orange in color or deep red with a pale tint of orange in mature males; a dark-black vertically elongate humeral spot, overlapping the 4th lateral-line scale, extending over the base of one scale above and below the 4th scale; caudal peduncle spot dark, covering 14th–16th scales in lateral-line scale row. Genetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicates that P. sahit and P. longicauda are not sister taxa. Further, P. sahit has no genetically proximate congener in the Western Ghats region, and differs from known congeners from south and southeast Asia, for which genetic data are available, with genetic distance ranging from 11.8–16.4%.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater fish; integrative taxonomy; Pethia; sympatry
Unmesh Katwate, Pradeep Kumkar, Rajeev Raghavan and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. A New Syntopic Species of Small Barb from the Western Ghats of India (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4434(3); 529–546. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4434.3.8
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==========================
Pethia sahit
Katwate, Kumkar, Raghavan & Dahanukar, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4434.3.8
Abstract
A new species of the cyprinid genus Pethia is described from the Hiranyakeshi, a tributary of the Krishna River system in the Western Ghats mountain ranges of peninsular India. The new species, Pethia sahit, is syntopic—and shoals together—with Pethia longicauda, a species described recently from the same river. Pethia sahit is distinguished from P. longicauda and its congeners by a combination of characters like, incomplete lateral line with 3–6 pored scales; 19–22 scales in lateral series; 4½ scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral-line row and 2½ scales between lateral line row and pelvic-fin origin; intercalated scale row originates above and after the 6th scale of the lateral-line scale row; dorsal fin originating behind the pelvic-fin origin; 4+13 abdominal and 12 caudal vertebrae; dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fins without any bands or spots, deep yellow-orange in color or deep red with a pale tint of orange in mature males; a dark-black vertically elongate humeral spot, overlapping the 4th lateral-line scale, extending over the base of one scale above and below the 4th scale; caudal peduncle spot dark, covering 14th–16th scales in lateral-line scale row. Genetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicates that P. sahit and P. longicauda are not sister taxa. Further, P. sahit has no genetically proximate congener in the Western Ghats region, and differs from known congeners from south and southeast Asia, for which genetic data are available, with genetic distance ranging from 11.8–16.4%.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater fish; integrative taxonomy; Pethia; sympatry
Unmesh Katwate, Pradeep Kumkar, Rajeev Raghavan and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. A New Syntopic Species of Small Barb from the Western Ghats of India (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa. 4434(3); 529–546. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4434.3.8
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facebook.com/theUnmesh/posts/10209258035647119
==========================
Pimephales promelas
Assessing the efficacy of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) for mosquito control
Abstract
Mosquitoes function as important vectors for many diseases globally and can have substantial negative economic, environmental, and health impacts. Specifically, West Nile virus (WNv) is a significant and increasing threat to wildlife populations and human health throughout North America. Mosquito control is an important means of controlling the spread of WNv, as the virus is primarily spread between avian and mosquito vectors. This is of particular concern for avian host species such as the Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), in which WNv negatively impacts fitness parameters. Most mosquito control methods focus on the larval stages. In North America, control efforts are largely limited to larvicides, which require repeated application and have potentially negative ecological impacts. There are multiple potential advantages to using indigenous fish species as an alternative for larval control including lowered environmental impact, decreased costs in terms of time and financial inputs, and the potential for the establishment of self-sustaining fish populations. We tested the efficacy of using fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) as biological control for mosquito populations in livestock reservoirs of semiarid rangelands. We introduced minnows into 10 treatment reservoirs and monitored an additional 6 non-treated reservoirs as controls over 3 years. Adult mosquitoes of species known to transmit WNv (e.g., Culex tarsalis) were captured at each site and mosquito larvae were also present at all sites. Stable isotope analysis confirmed that introduced fathead minnows were feeding at the mosquito larvae trophic level in all but one treatment pond. Treatment ponds demonstrated suppressed levels of mosquito larva over each season compared to controls with a model-predicted 114% decrease in larva density within treatment ponds. Minnows established self-sustaining populations throughout the study in all reservoirs that maintained sufficient water levels. Minnow survival was not influenced by water quality. Though minnows did not completely eradicate mosquito larvae, minnows are a promising alternative to controlling mosquito larvae density within reservoirs. We caution that careful site selection is critical to avoid potential negative impacts, but suggest the introduction of fathead minnows in reservoirs can dramatically reduce mosquito larva abundance and potentially help mitigate vector-borne disease transmission.
More at ;_ PLOS ONE, 2018; 13 (4): e0194304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194304
========================
- Ryan T. Watchorn,
- Thomas Maechtle,
- Bradley C. Fedy
Abstract
Mosquitoes function as important vectors for many diseases globally and can have substantial negative economic, environmental, and health impacts. Specifically, West Nile virus (WNv) is a significant and increasing threat to wildlife populations and human health throughout North America. Mosquito control is an important means of controlling the spread of WNv, as the virus is primarily spread between avian and mosquito vectors. This is of particular concern for avian host species such as the Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), in which WNv negatively impacts fitness parameters. Most mosquito control methods focus on the larval stages. In North America, control efforts are largely limited to larvicides, which require repeated application and have potentially negative ecological impacts. There are multiple potential advantages to using indigenous fish species as an alternative for larval control including lowered environmental impact, decreased costs in terms of time and financial inputs, and the potential for the establishment of self-sustaining fish populations. We tested the efficacy of using fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) as biological control for mosquito populations in livestock reservoirs of semiarid rangelands. We introduced minnows into 10 treatment reservoirs and monitored an additional 6 non-treated reservoirs as controls over 3 years. Adult mosquitoes of species known to transmit WNv (e.g., Culex tarsalis) were captured at each site and mosquito larvae were also present at all sites. Stable isotope analysis confirmed that introduced fathead minnows were feeding at the mosquito larvae trophic level in all but one treatment pond. Treatment ponds demonstrated suppressed levels of mosquito larva over each season compared to controls with a model-predicted 114% decrease in larva density within treatment ponds. Minnows established self-sustaining populations throughout the study in all reservoirs that maintained sufficient water levels. Minnow survival was not influenced by water quality. Though minnows did not completely eradicate mosquito larvae, minnows are a promising alternative to controlling mosquito larvae density within reservoirs. We caution that careful site selection is critical to avoid potential negative impacts, but suggest the introduction of fathead minnows in reservoirs can dramatically reduce mosquito larva abundance and potentially help mitigate vector-borne disease transmission.
More at ;_ PLOS ONE, 2018; 13 (4): e0194304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194304
========================
Fish suffer stage fright?
June 15, 2018, University of St Andrews
Credit: University of St AndrewsArcherfish, famed for their ability to hunt prey by shooting them down with jets of water, seem to suffer social inhibition, according to new research led by the University of St Andrews.
The new study, published in Animal Behaviour (Friday 15 June), has discovered that archerfish take longer to make a shot when they are observed by another fish.
When shooting, archerfish need to 'aim', lining up their body with and focusing on their target, but sometimes they will aim without shooting. On those occasions the fish will reposition before aiming again and making a shot from a different position or angle.
The research, led by scientists from the Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution at St Andrews, in collaboration with Bayreuth University, Germany, found that when archerfish are observed by fish in a neighbouring tank, the shooting fish more frequently aim and reposition before making a shot. This change in behaviour may be a tactic to reduce competition from other archerfish.
Archerfish are capable of rapidly determining where and when a shot prey item will land; any archerfish that can see a shot being made can work out where the prey will land – as a result they may be able to get the prey item before the fish that made the effort to shoot. By hesitating before shooting archerfish may be able to find the time and position that allows them to reach their prey before a non-shooting thief.
Archerfish are renowned for behaviours and abilities that are considered cognitively sophisticated, for example being capable of compensating for the effects of light refraction while shooting and even learning to shoot rapidly moving targets. However, until recently little research has been conducted on the social factors that may affect them and their performance of their behaviour. This is the first study to be completed as part of a programme of research into social aspects of archerfish behaviour.
Lead researcher Nick Jones said: "Archerfish may be famous for their shooting ability, but they may be even more remarkable for their capacity for making rapid decisions with high accuracy. Our study suggests that archers are affected by social context and may sacrifice speed to better ensure success when foraging."
Explore further: Archerfish tune their shots to universal properties of prey adhesion
More information: Nick A.R. Jones et al. Presence of an audience and consistent interindividual differences affect archerfish shooting behaviour, Animal Behaviour(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.024
Journal reference: Animal Behaviour
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-06-fish-stage-fright.html#jCp
found on phys.org
==========================
June 15, 2018, University of St Andrews
Credit: University of St AndrewsArcherfish, famed for their ability to hunt prey by shooting them down with jets of water, seem to suffer social inhibition, according to new research led by the University of St Andrews.
The new study, published in Animal Behaviour (Friday 15 June), has discovered that archerfish take longer to make a shot when they are observed by another fish.
When shooting, archerfish need to 'aim', lining up their body with and focusing on their target, but sometimes they will aim without shooting. On those occasions the fish will reposition before aiming again and making a shot from a different position or angle.
The research, led by scientists from the Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution at St Andrews, in collaboration with Bayreuth University, Germany, found that when archerfish are observed by fish in a neighbouring tank, the shooting fish more frequently aim and reposition before making a shot. This change in behaviour may be a tactic to reduce competition from other archerfish.
Archerfish are capable of rapidly determining where and when a shot prey item will land; any archerfish that can see a shot being made can work out where the prey will land – as a result they may be able to get the prey item before the fish that made the effort to shoot. By hesitating before shooting archerfish may be able to find the time and position that allows them to reach their prey before a non-shooting thief.
Archerfish are renowned for behaviours and abilities that are considered cognitively sophisticated, for example being capable of compensating for the effects of light refraction while shooting and even learning to shoot rapidly moving targets. However, until recently little research has been conducted on the social factors that may affect them and their performance of their behaviour. This is the first study to be completed as part of a programme of research into social aspects of archerfish behaviour.
Lead researcher Nick Jones said: "Archerfish may be famous for their shooting ability, but they may be even more remarkable for their capacity for making rapid decisions with high accuracy. Our study suggests that archers are affected by social context and may sacrifice speed to better ensure success when foraging."
Explore further: Archerfish tune their shots to universal properties of prey adhesion
More information: Nick A.R. Jones et al. Presence of an audience and consistent interindividual differences affect archerfish shooting behaviour, Animal Behaviour(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.024
Journal reference: Animal Behaviour
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-06-fish-stage-fright.html#jCp
found on phys.org
==========================
==========================
3rd show in Basingstoke, Hampshire on July the 1st.
CLASSES
FA1 Furnished Aquaria
1a+b Barbs
2a Characins other than 2b or 2c
2b+c Characins.
3a+d Cichlids – A. O. V. & Angelfish
3b Cichlids – Rift Valley
3c Cichlids – Dwarf
4a+c Anabantoids
4b Betta Splendens
5 Egglaying Toothcarps - Killies
6 Catfish
7 Corydoras, Aspidoras & Brochis
8 Rasboras
9 Danios & White Cloud Mountain Minnows
10a+b Loaches & Botias
11a+b A. O. V. Egglayers & Labeo
11d Rainbows
12as Guppies – short-tail & endlers
12al Guppies – long-tail
12b Guppies - female
13c Swordtails – cultivated
13w Swordtails - wild
14c Platies – cultivated
14w Platies - wild
15c Mollies – cultivated
15w Mollies - wild
16a+b Livebearers excl goodeid
16g Livebearers - goodeid
17a Pairs of Tropical Egglayers
17b Pairs of AOV Tropical Livebearers excl goodeid
17cs Pairs of Guppies – short-tail & endlers
17cl Pairs of Guppies – long-tail
17g Pairs of Goodeid
17m Pairs of Mollies
17p Pairs of Platies
17s Pairs of Swordtails
18a Breeders Egglayers – teams of 4
18b Breeders AOV Livebearers excl goodeid – teams of 4
18cs Breeders Guppies – short-tail & endlers – teams of 4
18cl Breeders Guppies – long-tail – teams of 4
18g Breeders Goodeid – teams of 4
18m Breeders Mollies – teams of 4
18p Breeders Platies – teams of 4
18s Breeders Swordtails – teams of 4
19 Goldfish – Singletail
20 Goldfish – Twintail
21 AOV Coldwater
==========================
CLASSES
FA1 Furnished Aquaria
1a+b Barbs
2a Characins other than 2b or 2c
2b+c Characins.
3a+d Cichlids – A. O. V. & Angelfish
3b Cichlids – Rift Valley
3c Cichlids – Dwarf
4a+c Anabantoids
4b Betta Splendens
5 Egglaying Toothcarps - Killies
6 Catfish
7 Corydoras, Aspidoras & Brochis
8 Rasboras
9 Danios & White Cloud Mountain Minnows
10a+b Loaches & Botias
11a+b A. O. V. Egglayers & Labeo
11d Rainbows
12as Guppies – short-tail & endlers
12al Guppies – long-tail
12b Guppies - female
13c Swordtails – cultivated
13w Swordtails - wild
14c Platies – cultivated
14w Platies - wild
15c Mollies – cultivated
15w Mollies - wild
16a+b Livebearers excl goodeid
16g Livebearers - goodeid
17a Pairs of Tropical Egglayers
17b Pairs of AOV Tropical Livebearers excl goodeid
17cs Pairs of Guppies – short-tail & endlers
17cl Pairs of Guppies – long-tail
17g Pairs of Goodeid
17m Pairs of Mollies
17p Pairs of Platies
17s Pairs of Swordtails
18a Breeders Egglayers – teams of 4
18b Breeders AOV Livebearers excl goodeid – teams of 4
18cs Breeders Guppies – short-tail & endlers – teams of 4
18cl Breeders Guppies – long-tail – teams of 4
18g Breeders Goodeid – teams of 4
18m Breeders Mollies – teams of 4
18p Breeders Platies – teams of 4
18s Breeders Swordtails – teams of 4
19 Goldfish – Singletail
20 Goldfish – Twintail
21 AOV Coldwater
- Sunday, July 1 at 10 AM - 5 PM
- Kempshott Village Hall
Stratton Park. Pack Lane., RG22 5HN Basingstoke
==========================
Oryzias dopingdopingensis
A New Riverine Ricefish of the Genus Oryzias (Beloniformes, Adrianichthyidae) from Malili, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Oryzias dopingdopingensis
Mandagi, Mokodongan, Tanaka & Yamahira, 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-704
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
We describe Oryzias dopingdopingensis, a new species of ricefish, from Doping-doping River, a river in Malili in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The new riverine species is distinguished from lacustrine congeners in Malili Lakes by a combination of 33–36 scales along the lateral midline and body depths of 20.3–25.5% standard length (SL). Oryzias dopingdopingensis, new species, is also distinguished from all other Sulawesi Oryzias by a combination of 8–9 dorsal-fin rays, caudal peduncle depths of 10.2–11.4% SL, eye diameters of 8.5–9.9% SL, and maximum SL up to 35.8 mm. In breeding males, 5–8 black blotches or bars appear along the lateral midline. Analyses of mitochondrial ND2 sequences revealed that O. dopingdopingensis, new species, carry distinct haplotypes from those of the Malili lacustrine species, suggesting no hybridization between them, although Doping-doping River shares an estuarine region with the Malili Lake system. Instead, O. dopingdopingensis, new species, is in a monophyletic group with O. sarasinorum and O. eversi in western Sulawesi. However, unlike these two pelvic brooders, we observed that females of O. dopingdopingensis, new species, deposit eggs soon after spawning and exhibit no maternal care.
Fig. . Live adult male (Top) and female (Bottom) of Oryzias dopingdopingensis in the laboratory.
(Photographs by N. Hashimoto).
Oryzias dopingdopingensis, new species
Doping-doping Ricefish
New Japanese name: Dopindopin-medaka
...
Etymology.— The specific name, dopingdopingensis, denotes the occurrence of this species in the Doping-doping River, the type locality.
Ixchel F. Mandagi, Daniel F. Mokodongan, Rieko Tanaka and Kazunori Yamahira. 2018.A New Riverine Ricefish of the Genus Oryzias (Beloniformes, Adrianichthyidae) from Malili, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Copeia. 106(2):297-304. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-704
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/1006937303657435136
==========================
Oryzias dopingdopingensis
Mandagi, Mokodongan, Tanaka & Yamahira, 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-704
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
We describe Oryzias dopingdopingensis, a new species of ricefish, from Doping-doping River, a river in Malili in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The new riverine species is distinguished from lacustrine congeners in Malili Lakes by a combination of 33–36 scales along the lateral midline and body depths of 20.3–25.5% standard length (SL). Oryzias dopingdopingensis, new species, is also distinguished from all other Sulawesi Oryzias by a combination of 8–9 dorsal-fin rays, caudal peduncle depths of 10.2–11.4% SL, eye diameters of 8.5–9.9% SL, and maximum SL up to 35.8 mm. In breeding males, 5–8 black blotches or bars appear along the lateral midline. Analyses of mitochondrial ND2 sequences revealed that O. dopingdopingensis, new species, carry distinct haplotypes from those of the Malili lacustrine species, suggesting no hybridization between them, although Doping-doping River shares an estuarine region with the Malili Lake system. Instead, O. dopingdopingensis, new species, is in a monophyletic group with O. sarasinorum and O. eversi in western Sulawesi. However, unlike these two pelvic brooders, we observed that females of O. dopingdopingensis, new species, deposit eggs soon after spawning and exhibit no maternal care.
Fig. . Live adult male (Top) and female (Bottom) of Oryzias dopingdopingensis in the laboratory.
(Photographs by N. Hashimoto).
Oryzias dopingdopingensis, new species
Doping-doping Ricefish
New Japanese name: Dopindopin-medaka
...
Etymology.— The specific name, dopingdopingensis, denotes the occurrence of this species in the Doping-doping River, the type locality.
Ixchel F. Mandagi, Daniel F. Mokodongan, Rieko Tanaka and Kazunori Yamahira. 2018.A New Riverine Ricefish of the Genus Oryzias (Beloniformes, Adrianichthyidae) from Malili, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Copeia. 106(2):297-304. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-704
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/1006937303657435136
==========================
Hyphessobrycon piorskii • A New Species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin (Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil: Evidence from Morphological Data and DNA Barcoding
Hyphessobrycon piorskii
Guimarães, De Brito, Feitosa, Carvalho-Costa & Ottoni, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
Abstract
A new species of Hyphessobrycon is described for the upper Munim and Preguiças river basins, northeastern Brazil, supported by morphological and molecular species delimitation methods. This new species belongs to the Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto group, as it has the three main diagnostic character states of this assemblage: presence of a dark brown or black blotch on the dorsal fin, absence of a black midlateral stripe on its flank and the position of Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum. Our phylogenetic analysis also supported the allocation of the new species in this group; however, it was not possible to recover the species sister-group. Pristella maxillaris and Moenkhausia hemigrammoides were recovered as the sister-clade of the Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto group.
Keywords: Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto, integrative taxonomy, Pristellinae, rosy tetra clade
Figure . Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. A CICCAA 00698, paratype, 26.9 mm SL, Brazil: Maranhão State: Munim River basin; living specimen photographed immediately after collection
B CICCAA 00089, paratype, 25.2 mm SL, Brazil: Maranhão State: Munim River basin; living specimen photographed immediately after collection (photographed by Felipe Ottoni).
Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n.
Diagnosis:
(PAA). The new species Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n., promptly differs from most congeners except by species of Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin (vs. absence), no midlateral stripe on the body (vs. presence) and Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum (vs. downward).
The new species herein described differs from all of its congeners from Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto, with exception to H. bentosi and H. hasemani, by possessing an inconspicuous vertically elongated humeral spot [vs. approximately rounded humeral spot in H. copelandi, H. erythrostigma, H. jackrobertsi, H. minor, H. pando, H. paepkei, H. pyrrhonotus, H. roseus, H. socolofi, and H. sweglesi; humeral spot horizontally or posteriorly elongated in H. epicharis, H. khardinae, and H. werneri; conspicuous humeral spot in H. eques, H. haraldschultzi Travassos, 1960, H. micropterus, H. megalopterus, H. simulatus and H. takasei; and absence of humeral spot in H. compresus, H. dorsalis Zarske, 2014, H. georgettae, H. pulchripinnis, and H. rosaceus].
The new species differs from H. bentosi by the absence of an extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips (Figures 1, 2) [vs. extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips]; and from H. hasemani by the dorsal-fin black spot shape, which is located approximately at the middle of the fin’s depth, not reaching its tip [vs. extended along all the fin, reaching its tip in adults] and by presenting tri to unicuspid teeth in the inner row of premaxillary and dentary [vs. pentacuspid teeth].
....
Geographical distribution: Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. is presently known only from the upper Munim and Preguiças river basins, Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil (Figure 7).
Ecological notes: Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp.n. lives in shallow well-oxygenated streams with transparent waters flowing over different types of substrates (Figure 8). The streams where H. piorskii sp. n. specimens were collected varied from 0.90 to 10 meters wide, with a maximum depth of 1.60 meters. They possessed moderate water currents (0.1–0.7 m/s), with clear, sandy substrates with pebbles, mud, leaf litter, and submerged logs, often also presenting aquatic macrophytes. Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. was found near shore among aquatic vegetation, tree roots and fallen logs. Other species found at both sites were Anablepsoides vieirai Nielsen, 2016, Apistogramma piauiensis Kullander, 1980, Astyanax sp., Cichlasoma cf. zarskei, Copella arnoldi (Regan, 1912), Crenicichla brasiliensis (Bloch, 1792), Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840), Nannostomus beckfordi Günther, 1872, and Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795. Gut contents of C&S specimens contained algae and disarticulated arthropod remains.
Etymology: The name piorskii honors the ichthyologist Nivaldo Magalhães Piorski for his contributions to the ichthyologic knowledge of the Maranhão State.
Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Leonardo Manir Feitosa, Luís Fernando Carvalho-Costa and Felipe Polivanov Ottoni. 2018. A New Species of Hyphessobrycon Durbinfrom northeastern Brazil: Evidence from Morphological Data and DNA Barcoding (Characiformes, Characidae). ZooKeys. 765: 79-101. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
==========================
Hyphessobrycon piorskii
Guimarães, De Brito, Feitosa, Carvalho-Costa & Ottoni, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
Abstract
A new species of Hyphessobrycon is described for the upper Munim and Preguiças river basins, northeastern Brazil, supported by morphological and molecular species delimitation methods. This new species belongs to the Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto group, as it has the three main diagnostic character states of this assemblage: presence of a dark brown or black blotch on the dorsal fin, absence of a black midlateral stripe on its flank and the position of Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum. Our phylogenetic analysis also supported the allocation of the new species in this group; however, it was not possible to recover the species sister-group. Pristella maxillaris and Moenkhausia hemigrammoides were recovered as the sister-clade of the Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto group.
Keywords: Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto, integrative taxonomy, Pristellinae, rosy tetra clade
Figure . Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. A CICCAA 00698, paratype, 26.9 mm SL, Brazil: Maranhão State: Munim River basin; living specimen photographed immediately after collection
B CICCAA 00089, paratype, 25.2 mm SL, Brazil: Maranhão State: Munim River basin; living specimen photographed immediately after collection (photographed by Felipe Ottoni).
Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n.
Diagnosis:
(PAA). The new species Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n., promptly differs from most congeners except by species of Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin (vs. absence), no midlateral stripe on the body (vs. presence) and Weberian apparatus upward horizontal through dorsal margin of operculum (vs. downward).
The new species herein described differs from all of its congeners from Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto, with exception to H. bentosi and H. hasemani, by possessing an inconspicuous vertically elongated humeral spot [vs. approximately rounded humeral spot in H. copelandi, H. erythrostigma, H. jackrobertsi, H. minor, H. pando, H. paepkei, H. pyrrhonotus, H. roseus, H. socolofi, and H. sweglesi; humeral spot horizontally or posteriorly elongated in H. epicharis, H. khardinae, and H. werneri; conspicuous humeral spot in H. eques, H. haraldschultzi Travassos, 1960, H. micropterus, H. megalopterus, H. simulatus and H. takasei; and absence of humeral spot in H. compresus, H. dorsalis Zarske, 2014, H. georgettae, H. pulchripinnis, and H. rosaceus].
The new species differs from H. bentosi by the absence of an extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips (Figures 1, 2) [vs. extended and pointed dorsal and anal-fin tips]; and from H. hasemani by the dorsal-fin black spot shape, which is located approximately at the middle of the fin’s depth, not reaching its tip [vs. extended along all the fin, reaching its tip in adults] and by presenting tri to unicuspid teeth in the inner row of premaxillary and dentary [vs. pentacuspid teeth].
....
Geographical distribution: Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. is presently known only from the upper Munim and Preguiças river basins, Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil (Figure 7).
Ecological notes: Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp.n. lives in shallow well-oxygenated streams with transparent waters flowing over different types of substrates (Figure 8). The streams where H. piorskii sp. n. specimens were collected varied from 0.90 to 10 meters wide, with a maximum depth of 1.60 meters. They possessed moderate water currents (0.1–0.7 m/s), with clear, sandy substrates with pebbles, mud, leaf litter, and submerged logs, often also presenting aquatic macrophytes. Hyphessobrycon piorskii sp. n. was found near shore among aquatic vegetation, tree roots and fallen logs. Other species found at both sites were Anablepsoides vieirai Nielsen, 2016, Apistogramma piauiensis Kullander, 1980, Astyanax sp., Cichlasoma cf. zarskei, Copella arnoldi (Regan, 1912), Crenicichla brasiliensis (Bloch, 1792), Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840), Nannostomus beckfordi Günther, 1872, and Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795. Gut contents of C&S specimens contained algae and disarticulated arthropod remains.
Etymology: The name piorskii honors the ichthyologist Nivaldo Magalhães Piorski for his contributions to the ichthyologic knowledge of the Maranhão State.
Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Leonardo Manir Feitosa, Luís Fernando Carvalho-Costa and Felipe Polivanov Ottoni. 2018. A New Species of Hyphessobrycon Durbinfrom northeastern Brazil: Evidence from Morphological Data and DNA Barcoding (Characiformes, Characidae). ZooKeys. 765: 79-101. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.765.23157
==========================
Schistura scripta • A New Species of Schistura (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka
Schistura scripta Sudasinghe, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4422.4.2
Abstract
Schistura scripta, new species, is described from Nakiyadeniya in the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka. It can be distinguished from all other congeners from Sri Lankan and peninsular India by the combination of the following characters: an incomplete lateral line with 53–76 pores, ending beneath the dorsal-fin base or slightly beyond; 7–13 post-dorsal bars; 7½ branched dorsal-fin rays; absence of an axillary pelvic lobe; and absence of a suborbital flap.
Keywords: Pisces, Schistura notostigma, Schistura madhavai, biodiversity hotspot, microendemism
FIGURE . Variability of coloration in Schistura scripta in its natural habitat, not collected. Sri Lanka, Seethala Dola, Nakiyadeniya, Gin River basin.
A–C, adults, over 35 mm SL; D, adult male.
Schistura scripta, sp. nov.
Etymology. The species-name is a reference to the pattern of bars on the side of the body of this species resembling alphabetical characters; scripta, Latin, ‘written words’.
Hiranya Sudasinghe. 2018. A New Species of Schistura (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. 4422(4); 89–100. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4422.4.2
researchgate.net/publication/325358770_A_new_species_of_Schistura_Teleostei_Nemacheilidae_from_the_south-western_lowlands_of_Sri_Lanka
facebook.com/HiranyaSudasinghe/posts/10214457130794967
facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=832667503596465&id=100005596687444
==========================
Schistura scripta Sudasinghe, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4422.4.2
Abstract
Schistura scripta, new species, is described from Nakiyadeniya in the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka. It can be distinguished from all other congeners from Sri Lankan and peninsular India by the combination of the following characters: an incomplete lateral line with 53–76 pores, ending beneath the dorsal-fin base or slightly beyond; 7–13 post-dorsal bars; 7½ branched dorsal-fin rays; absence of an axillary pelvic lobe; and absence of a suborbital flap.
Keywords: Pisces, Schistura notostigma, Schistura madhavai, biodiversity hotspot, microendemism
FIGURE . Variability of coloration in Schistura scripta in its natural habitat, not collected. Sri Lanka, Seethala Dola, Nakiyadeniya, Gin River basin.
A–C, adults, over 35 mm SL; D, adult male.
Schistura scripta, sp. nov.
Etymology. The species-name is a reference to the pattern of bars on the side of the body of this species resembling alphabetical characters; scripta, Latin, ‘written words’.
Hiranya Sudasinghe. 2018. A New Species of Schistura (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. 4422(4); 89–100. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4422.4.2
researchgate.net/publication/325358770_A_new_species_of_Schistura_Teleostei_Nemacheilidae_from_the_south-western_lowlands_of_Sri_Lanka
facebook.com/HiranyaSudasinghe/posts/10214457130794967
facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=832667503596465&id=100005596687444
==========================
Effluent discharge kills over a thousand fish in Co Mayo
Brown trout and other species killed in prime spawning tributary of Robe River
Inland Fisheries officers assess the death toll in Claremorris
More than a thousand brown trout along with other species of fish have been killed following an effluent discharge into a river in Claremorris, Co Mayo.
The dead fish were found floating on the Ballygowan River on Wednesday evening in what is one of the prime spawning tributaries of the Robe River which falls into Lough Mask.
The fish kill was so substantial that it may take years for stocks in the river to recover because so many of the spawning fish have been killed.
Inland Fisheries head of operations Greg Forde said the pollution spill “wiped everything before it” and did a lot of long-term damage.
“Time is the only thing that will cure this. These are wild fish. We don’t believe in stocking where it is the native genetic stock. There is no substitute for nature,” he said.
The dead also included stone loachs and a protected species of crayfish.
The brown fish were found in an agitated state in the river on Tuesday evening. Inland Fisheries were alerted on Wednesday evening to the fish kill.
The fish were found lying dead on the surface of the water upside down.
There was no trace of the effluent left and fisheries officials believe that it had passed through the river at that stage.
Mr Forde said farmers have to exercise extreme care in spreading slurry because of the dry weather of late.
Water levels in some rivers are at an all time low, he explained, and a small amount of effluent can have “devastating results”.
He added: “Inland Fisheries Ireland is calling on all farmers and silage contractors, in particular, to be extremely careful in the current conditions to ensure that no effluent is released near drains, streams and rivers, and silage clamps are properly bunded.
“Extreme care should be taken when spreading slurry to avoid all water courses in order to protect our valuable natural rivers and streams.”
from the Irish Times
==========================
Brown trout and other species killed in prime spawning tributary of Robe River
Inland Fisheries officers assess the death toll in Claremorris
More than a thousand brown trout along with other species of fish have been killed following an effluent discharge into a river in Claremorris, Co Mayo.
The dead fish were found floating on the Ballygowan River on Wednesday evening in what is one of the prime spawning tributaries of the Robe River which falls into Lough Mask.
The fish kill was so substantial that it may take years for stocks in the river to recover because so many of the spawning fish have been killed.
Inland Fisheries head of operations Greg Forde said the pollution spill “wiped everything before it” and did a lot of long-term damage.
“Time is the only thing that will cure this. These are wild fish. We don’t believe in stocking where it is the native genetic stock. There is no substitute for nature,” he said.
The dead also included stone loachs and a protected species of crayfish.
The brown fish were found in an agitated state in the river on Tuesday evening. Inland Fisheries were alerted on Wednesday evening to the fish kill.
The fish were found lying dead on the surface of the water upside down.
There was no trace of the effluent left and fisheries officials believe that it had passed through the river at that stage.
Mr Forde said farmers have to exercise extreme care in spreading slurry because of the dry weather of late.
Water levels in some rivers are at an all time low, he explained, and a small amount of effluent can have “devastating results”.
He added: “Inland Fisheries Ireland is calling on all farmers and silage contractors, in particular, to be extremely careful in the current conditions to ensure that no effluent is released near drains, streams and rivers, and silage clamps are properly bunded.
“Extreme care should be taken when spreading slurry to avoid all water courses in order to protect our valuable natural rivers and streams.”
from the Irish Times
==========================
Pomacentrus pavo
Biota Introduces Captive-Bred Sapphire Damsels
30 May, 2018
A cute little juvenile Sapphire Damselfish, Pomacentrus pavo, now entering the marine aquarium trade as captive-bred.
The Sapphire Damselfish, Pomacentrus pavo, is also known as the Peacock Damsel or simply the Pavo Damsel. This species has been on CORAL Magazine’s captive-bred ornamental marine fish species list since we started keeping track in 2013, but it was never commercially available as captive-bred. That changed this week when Florida-based distributor Biota Aquariums announced the availability of captive-bred Sapphire Damsels, reared at the Biota Marine Life Nursery in Palau (Biota Palau).
While naturally widespread, this damselfish isn’t a routine offering in the aquarium trade. With a reputation for being among the more peaceful and social species (for a damselfish), it’s surprising that the species is not more commonly available. Similar, slightly smaller species, collectively known as Neon Damsels, are far more likely to be found in your local fish shop.
Biota Builds a Diverse Offering
Biota Aquariums continues to grow the diversity of fish and corals offered to the trade, having recently added other first-time offerings, including the White Spotted Dwarfgoby (Trimmacf. caesiura, also known as the Grooved Dwarfgoby) and the Pygmy White Spotted Filefish (Rudarius ercodes). Sales Manager Jake Phillips announced the new damsel in the company’s weekly newsletter, writing, “I’m also excited to announce the 3rd new species of fish this month. The Peacock Damselfish (Pomacentrus pavo). This bright blue damsel shows off a light yellow lyretail. They can grow to a size of about 3.5″. They are sparsely available in the hobby wild-caught, but this is a first captive-bred fish for Biota.”
Fishbase reports that the maximum size of this fish is 8.5 cm (3.3 inches), although show-sized specimens well over 4 inches have been encountered. With a gorgeous shade of blue on the body and yellow highlights on the fins in juveniles, combined with a beautiful lyretail, this damselfish stands out from the more commonly seen relatives. Mature fish have a graceful body shape with long flowing fins, including extensions on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. As adults, Peacock Damselfish are generally a solid blue-green color, although some will retain yellow caudal fins and some also show yellow pectoral fins.
Sapphire Damsels an Instant Success
In further discussion, Phillips shared more details about these adorable little damsels. “We are keeping them with the Striped Blennies (Meiacanthus grammistes) and they don’t seem to be too aggressive so far. ”
Just as quickly as they listed the fish, they were sold out. Said Phillips, “We weren’t expecting these to be such a hit. I had a few orders come in basically cleaning them all out. We should have another batch ready soon, but we’re still working on getting better yields, so quantities will be limited.”
Links
Learn more about the Biota Marine Life Nursery in Palau at http://biotapalau.com/
See more from Biota Aquariums at https://biotaaquariums.com/
from Reef to Rain forest media
==========================
30 May, 2018
A cute little juvenile Sapphire Damselfish, Pomacentrus pavo, now entering the marine aquarium trade as captive-bred.
The Sapphire Damselfish, Pomacentrus pavo, is also known as the Peacock Damsel or simply the Pavo Damsel. This species has been on CORAL Magazine’s captive-bred ornamental marine fish species list since we started keeping track in 2013, but it was never commercially available as captive-bred. That changed this week when Florida-based distributor Biota Aquariums announced the availability of captive-bred Sapphire Damsels, reared at the Biota Marine Life Nursery in Palau (Biota Palau).
While naturally widespread, this damselfish isn’t a routine offering in the aquarium trade. With a reputation for being among the more peaceful and social species (for a damselfish), it’s surprising that the species is not more commonly available. Similar, slightly smaller species, collectively known as Neon Damsels, are far more likely to be found in your local fish shop.
Biota Builds a Diverse Offering
Biota Aquariums continues to grow the diversity of fish and corals offered to the trade, having recently added other first-time offerings, including the White Spotted Dwarfgoby (Trimmacf. caesiura, also known as the Grooved Dwarfgoby) and the Pygmy White Spotted Filefish (Rudarius ercodes). Sales Manager Jake Phillips announced the new damsel in the company’s weekly newsletter, writing, “I’m also excited to announce the 3rd new species of fish this month. The Peacock Damselfish (Pomacentrus pavo). This bright blue damsel shows off a light yellow lyretail. They can grow to a size of about 3.5″. They are sparsely available in the hobby wild-caught, but this is a first captive-bred fish for Biota.”
Fishbase reports that the maximum size of this fish is 8.5 cm (3.3 inches), although show-sized specimens well over 4 inches have been encountered. With a gorgeous shade of blue on the body and yellow highlights on the fins in juveniles, combined with a beautiful lyretail, this damselfish stands out from the more commonly seen relatives. Mature fish have a graceful body shape with long flowing fins, including extensions on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. As adults, Peacock Damselfish are generally a solid blue-green color, although some will retain yellow caudal fins and some also show yellow pectoral fins.
Sapphire Damsels an Instant Success
In further discussion, Phillips shared more details about these adorable little damsels. “We are keeping them with the Striped Blennies (Meiacanthus grammistes) and they don’t seem to be too aggressive so far. ”
Just as quickly as they listed the fish, they were sold out. Said Phillips, “We weren’t expecting these to be such a hit. I had a few orders come in basically cleaning them all out. We should have another batch ready soon, but we’re still working on getting better yields, so quantities will be limited.”
Links
Learn more about the Biota Marine Life Nursery in Palau at http://biotapalau.com/
See more from Biota Aquariums at https://biotaaquariums.com/
from Reef to Rain forest media
==========================
Scots Assembly proposes new Pet Licence Bill
www.parliament.scot/gettinginvolved/108075.aspx this will definitely include Tropical & Marine fish outlets
==========================
ReefStock Australia Tickets now On Sale!HARES
0We are very excited to be putting on our very first aquarium event outside of America, with ReefStock Australia. Australia has a lot to offer the world of reef aquariums and this is exactly why ReefStock Australia will be an awesome international spotlight for the Aussie reef scene
It was incredible how quickly we sold out all the sponsor and vendor booths and now we’re ready to start signing up attendees. We’re working very hard to kick off the very first conference of it’s kind in Australia and we are pleased to announce that Early Bird Tickets are now ON SALE!
Early bird pricing is going to be $30 per day or $50 for the weekend for at least 30 days. Get your tickets now so we can anticipate how much shwag and prizes and Tshirts we’re going to need and we can’t wait to see you all in couple months!
For more information about ReefStock Australia check out the official website as well as the facebook event page, and you can use this link to get your discounted tickets today.
==========================
0We are very excited to be putting on our very first aquarium event outside of America, with ReefStock Australia. Australia has a lot to offer the world of reef aquariums and this is exactly why ReefStock Australia will be an awesome international spotlight for the Aussie reef scene
It was incredible how quickly we sold out all the sponsor and vendor booths and now we’re ready to start signing up attendees. We’re working very hard to kick off the very first conference of it’s kind in Australia and we are pleased to announce that Early Bird Tickets are now ON SALE!
Early bird pricing is going to be $30 per day or $50 for the weekend for at least 30 days. Get your tickets now so we can anticipate how much shwag and prizes and Tshirts we’re going to need and we can’t wait to see you all in couple months!
For more information about ReefStock Australia check out the official website as well as the facebook event page, and you can use this link to get your discounted tickets today.
==========================
Plectranthias ahiahiata • A New Species of Perchlet (Serranidae, Anthiadinae) from A Mesophotic Ecosystem at Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Plectranthias ahiahiata
Shepherd, Phelps, Pinheiro, Pérez-Matus & Rocha, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.762.24618
Abstract
A new species of the perchlet genus Plectranthias is herein described from a single specimen found at Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the South Pacific. Plectranthias ahiahiatasp. n. was collected at a depth of 83 m in a mesophotic coral ecosystem at Rapa Nui. The main difference between Plectranthias ahiahiata and other members of the genus is higher fin-ray counts (X, 18 dorsal; 18 pectoral) and its distinctive coloration. Compared to the three other known eastern South Pacific species, P. ahiahiata has more dorsal-fin rays, more pectoral-fin rays, fewer tubed lateral-line scales, fewer gill rakers, a longer head relative to SL, a very short first dorsal spine relative to SL, and a short third anal spine relative to SL.Plectranthias ahiahiata is distinguished from western Pacific species, by having more dorsal- and pectoral-fin rays. The closest relative based on genetic divergence (with 12.3% uncorrected divergence in the mitochondrial COI gene) is Plectranthias winniensis, a widely distributed species, suggesting important links between Rapa Nui and western Pacific islands. This new species adds to the high endemism of the Rapa Nui ichthyofauna, and is further evidence of the importance of mesophotic reefs as unique communities.
Keywords: endemism, ichthyology, reef fish, South Pacific, taxonomy
Figure . Plectranthias ahiahiata sp. n., holotype shortly after death, 39.95 mm SL
(photograph: Luiz A. Rocha).
Plectranthias ahiahiata sp. n.
Sunset perchlet
Type locality: Hanga Piko, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.
Diagnosis: Plectranthias ahiahiata differs from all of its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X, 18; pectoral rays 18; longest dorsal spine the fourth; LL continuous and complete with 31 tubed scales; circumpeduncular scales 16; head length 43.3% SL; first dorsal spine 4.5% SL; third anal spine 13.7% SL; gill rakers 6+11; and in coloration: overall orange-red in color, with predominantly yellow snout, dorsal, pelvic and anal fins, a brilliant red spot outlined in white on the caudal peduncle, and four white spots on each side, following the contour of the lateral line.
Etymology: Plectranthias ahiahiata is given a Rapa Nui name; the phrase ahiahi-ata means “the last moments of light before nightfall.” The species was given this name because the colors of the fish remind us of the beautiful Rapa Nui sunsets. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
Distribution and habitat: Plectranthias ahiahiata is currently only known to occur at Rapa Nui (Easter Island). This fish was collected with hand nets at a depth of 83 m in a rocky patch reef surrounded by a large sandy area, and transported to the surface alive in a perforated plastic jar.
Bart Shepherd, Tyler Phelps, Hudson T. Pinheiro, Alejandro Pérez-Matus and Luiz A. Rocha. 2018. Plectranthias ahiahiata, A New Species of Perchlet from A Mesophotic Ecosystem at Rapa Nui (Easter Island) (Teleostei, Serranidae, Anthiadinae). ZooKeys. 762: 105-116. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.762.24618
==========================
Plectranthias ahiahiata
Shepherd, Phelps, Pinheiro, Pérez-Matus & Rocha, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.762.24618
Abstract
A new species of the perchlet genus Plectranthias is herein described from a single specimen found at Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the South Pacific. Plectranthias ahiahiatasp. n. was collected at a depth of 83 m in a mesophotic coral ecosystem at Rapa Nui. The main difference between Plectranthias ahiahiata and other members of the genus is higher fin-ray counts (X, 18 dorsal; 18 pectoral) and its distinctive coloration. Compared to the three other known eastern South Pacific species, P. ahiahiata has more dorsal-fin rays, more pectoral-fin rays, fewer tubed lateral-line scales, fewer gill rakers, a longer head relative to SL, a very short first dorsal spine relative to SL, and a short third anal spine relative to SL.Plectranthias ahiahiata is distinguished from western Pacific species, by having more dorsal- and pectoral-fin rays. The closest relative based on genetic divergence (with 12.3% uncorrected divergence in the mitochondrial COI gene) is Plectranthias winniensis, a widely distributed species, suggesting important links between Rapa Nui and western Pacific islands. This new species adds to the high endemism of the Rapa Nui ichthyofauna, and is further evidence of the importance of mesophotic reefs as unique communities.
Keywords: endemism, ichthyology, reef fish, South Pacific, taxonomy
Figure . Plectranthias ahiahiata sp. n., holotype shortly after death, 39.95 mm SL
(photograph: Luiz A. Rocha).
Plectranthias ahiahiata sp. n.
Sunset perchlet
Type locality: Hanga Piko, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.
Diagnosis: Plectranthias ahiahiata differs from all of its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X, 18; pectoral rays 18; longest dorsal spine the fourth; LL continuous and complete with 31 tubed scales; circumpeduncular scales 16; head length 43.3% SL; first dorsal spine 4.5% SL; third anal spine 13.7% SL; gill rakers 6+11; and in coloration: overall orange-red in color, with predominantly yellow snout, dorsal, pelvic and anal fins, a brilliant red spot outlined in white on the caudal peduncle, and four white spots on each side, following the contour of the lateral line.
Etymology: Plectranthias ahiahiata is given a Rapa Nui name; the phrase ahiahi-ata means “the last moments of light before nightfall.” The species was given this name because the colors of the fish remind us of the beautiful Rapa Nui sunsets. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
Distribution and habitat: Plectranthias ahiahiata is currently only known to occur at Rapa Nui (Easter Island). This fish was collected with hand nets at a depth of 83 m in a rocky patch reef surrounded by a large sandy area, and transported to the surface alive in a perforated plastic jar.
Bart Shepherd, Tyler Phelps, Hudson T. Pinheiro, Alejandro Pérez-Matus and Luiz A. Rocha. 2018. Plectranthias ahiahiata, A New Species of Perchlet from A Mesophotic Ecosystem at Rapa Nui (Easter Island) (Teleostei, Serranidae, Anthiadinae). ZooKeys. 762: 105-116. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.762.24618
==========================
Cryptocentrus nanus • A New Species of Dwarf Shrimpgoby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Fiji
Cryptocentrus nanus Greenfield & Allen, 2018
Black Dwarf Shrimpgoby || OceanScienceFoundation.org
photo: Hiroshi Nagano
Abstract
A new species of alpheid-shrimp-associated goby is described from Fiji based on 9 specimens, 17.2-23.4 mm SL. Diagnostic features include an exceptionally small size at maturity, a uniform black color, possession of vomerine teeth, a rounded caudal fin, 65-81 scales in the longitudinal series, 0-15 predorsal scales, body depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.4-5.2 in SL, snout length 4.4-8.4 in HL, and caudal-peduncle depth 3.3-3.8 in HL.
Key words: taxonomy, systematics, ichthyology, coral-reef fishes, gobies, alpheid shrimp, symbiosis, Pacific Ocean, biogeography
Figure upper. Underwater photograph of small black shrimpgoby, possibly Cryptocentrus nanus, from Palau, Micronesia (photo: Hiroshi Nagano)
Figure lower. Cryptocentrus nanus, live holotype, CAS 244342, 23.4 mm SL female, Yadua Island, Fiji, aquarium photograph (photo: D.W. Greenfield).
Cryptocentrus nanus, n. sp.
Black Dwarf Shrimpgoby
Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin elements IV-I,10; anal-fin elements I,8–I,9; pectoral-fin rays 16; scales in longitudinal series 65–81; predorsal scales 0–15; anterior scales cycloid, posterior scales ctenoid; anterior part of breast, prepelvic region, and pectoral-fin base naked; head naked except on side of nape and predorsal region, where scales extend anteriorly to about level of middle of operculum; body depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.4–5.2, mean 4.8; vomerine teeth present; gill opening extending forward to a vertical at posterior edge of preoperculum or slightly anterior; dorsal-fin spines progressively longer to fourth, longest 1.6–2.7 in HL; caudal fin rounded, 2.7–3.1 in HL; pectoral fins reaching level of anus or just beyond (3.7–4.7 in SL); pelvic fins reaching posteriorly to anus (3.6–4.3 in SL); live individuals black, fins black with clear distal margins; adults mature at 23.4 mm SL or less.
Underwater photograph of small black shrimpgoby, possibly Cryptocentrus nanus, from Palau, Micronesia.
photo: Hiroshi Nagano
Etymology: The specific epithet is from both the Latin and Greek noun nanus (dwarf), referring to the new species’ particularly small size compared to other species in the genus. It is treated as a noun in apposition.
Distribution and habitat. The new species is currently known only from Fiji, but possibly occurs also at Palau based on a photograph by Hiroshi Nagano of a similarly colored goby (Fig. 5), illustrated as Cryptocentrus D in Myers (1999: 240, Plate 152J). The habitat consists of sand bottoms in 8.2–10.7 m depth. The alpheid-shrimp partner remains unidentified, but a specimen is deposited in the fish collection of CAS as CAS 244
David W. Greenfield and Gerald R. Allen. 2018. Cryptocentrus nanus, A New Species of Dwarf Shrimpgoby from Fiji (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 30; 28-38. OceanScienceFoundation.org/josf30c.html
==========================
Cryptocentrus nanus Greenfield & Allen, 2018
Black Dwarf Shrimpgoby || OceanScienceFoundation.org
photo: Hiroshi Nagano
Abstract
A new species of alpheid-shrimp-associated goby is described from Fiji based on 9 specimens, 17.2-23.4 mm SL. Diagnostic features include an exceptionally small size at maturity, a uniform black color, possession of vomerine teeth, a rounded caudal fin, 65-81 scales in the longitudinal series, 0-15 predorsal scales, body depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.4-5.2 in SL, snout length 4.4-8.4 in HL, and caudal-peduncle depth 3.3-3.8 in HL.
Key words: taxonomy, systematics, ichthyology, coral-reef fishes, gobies, alpheid shrimp, symbiosis, Pacific Ocean, biogeography
Figure upper. Underwater photograph of small black shrimpgoby, possibly Cryptocentrus nanus, from Palau, Micronesia (photo: Hiroshi Nagano)
Figure lower. Cryptocentrus nanus, live holotype, CAS 244342, 23.4 mm SL female, Yadua Island, Fiji, aquarium photograph (photo: D.W. Greenfield).
Cryptocentrus nanus, n. sp.
Black Dwarf Shrimpgoby
Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin elements IV-I,10; anal-fin elements I,8–I,9; pectoral-fin rays 16; scales in longitudinal series 65–81; predorsal scales 0–15; anterior scales cycloid, posterior scales ctenoid; anterior part of breast, prepelvic region, and pectoral-fin base naked; head naked except on side of nape and predorsal region, where scales extend anteriorly to about level of middle of operculum; body depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.4–5.2, mean 4.8; vomerine teeth present; gill opening extending forward to a vertical at posterior edge of preoperculum or slightly anterior; dorsal-fin spines progressively longer to fourth, longest 1.6–2.7 in HL; caudal fin rounded, 2.7–3.1 in HL; pectoral fins reaching level of anus or just beyond (3.7–4.7 in SL); pelvic fins reaching posteriorly to anus (3.6–4.3 in SL); live individuals black, fins black with clear distal margins; adults mature at 23.4 mm SL or less.
Underwater photograph of small black shrimpgoby, possibly Cryptocentrus nanus, from Palau, Micronesia.
photo: Hiroshi Nagano
Etymology: The specific epithet is from both the Latin and Greek noun nanus (dwarf), referring to the new species’ particularly small size compared to other species in the genus. It is treated as a noun in apposition.
Distribution and habitat. The new species is currently known only from Fiji, but possibly occurs also at Palau based on a photograph by Hiroshi Nagano of a similarly colored goby (Fig. 5), illustrated as Cryptocentrus D in Myers (1999: 240, Plate 152J). The habitat consists of sand bottoms in 8.2–10.7 m depth. The alpheid-shrimp partner remains unidentified, but a specimen is deposited in the fish collection of CAS as CAS 244
David W. Greenfield and Gerald R. Allen. 2018. Cryptocentrus nanus, A New Species of Dwarf Shrimpgoby from Fiji (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 30; 28-38. OceanScienceFoundation.org/josf30c.html
==========================
Dario neela • A New Species of Badid Fish (Percomorpha: Badidae) from the Western Ghats of India
Dario neela • A New Species of Badid Fish (Percomorpha: Badidae) from the Western Ghats of India
Dario neela
Britz, Anoop & Dahanukar, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4429.1.6
facebook.com/CEPFATREE
Abstract
Dario neela, is described from a small tributary stream of the Kabini River in northern Kerala, India. It can be distinguished from congeners by the male colouration in life, which shows wide rims of iridescent blue in all median fins and the pelvic fin. It is further distinguished from all species of Dario, except D. urops by the number of abdominal vertebrae (14 vs. 11–13), and from all Dario species except D. urops and D. huli by the presence of a conspicuous black blotch on the caudal-fin base. Dario neela is distinguished from D. urops by the absence of the horizontal suborbital stripe and presence of a series of up to eight black bars on the body; and from D. huli by 27–28 vertebrae and 27 scales in a lateral row and the absence of teeth from hypobranchial 3. Dario neela is genetically divergent from both Western Ghats congeners in the mitochondrial CO1 gene, showing an uncorrected p-distance of 5.9% with D. urops and 13.1% to D. huli.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, freshwater fishes, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot
FIGURE Dario neela; India: Kerala; holotype, male [BNHS FWF 612], 31.2 mm SL, slightly oblique lateral view.
Dario neela, new species
Etymology. The species name neela is derived from the Malayalam word mnoe, ‘Nīla’, for blue and alludes to the striking iridescent blue colour of males. A noun in apposition.
....
Ralf Britz, V. K. Anoop and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. Dario neela, A New Species of Badid Fish from the Western Ghats of India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Badidae). Zootaxa. 4429(1); 141–148. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4429.1.6
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1649950258452779
==========================
Dario neela
Britz, Anoop & Dahanukar, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4429.1.6
facebook.com/CEPFATREE
Abstract
Dario neela, is described from a small tributary stream of the Kabini River in northern Kerala, India. It can be distinguished from congeners by the male colouration in life, which shows wide rims of iridescent blue in all median fins and the pelvic fin. It is further distinguished from all species of Dario, except D. urops by the number of abdominal vertebrae (14 vs. 11–13), and from all Dario species except D. urops and D. huli by the presence of a conspicuous black blotch on the caudal-fin base. Dario neela is distinguished from D. urops by the absence of the horizontal suborbital stripe and presence of a series of up to eight black bars on the body; and from D. huli by 27–28 vertebrae and 27 scales in a lateral row and the absence of teeth from hypobranchial 3. Dario neela is genetically divergent from both Western Ghats congeners in the mitochondrial CO1 gene, showing an uncorrected p-distance of 5.9% with D. urops and 13.1% to D. huli.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, freshwater fishes, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot
FIGURE Dario neela; India: Kerala; holotype, male [BNHS FWF 612], 31.2 mm SL, slightly oblique lateral view.
Dario neela, new species
Etymology. The species name neela is derived from the Malayalam word mnoe, ‘Nīla’, for blue and alludes to the striking iridescent blue colour of males. A noun in apposition.
....
Ralf Britz, V. K. Anoop and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. Dario neela, A New Species of Badid Fish from the Western Ghats of India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Badidae). Zootaxa. 4429(1); 141–148. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4429.1.6
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1649950258452779
==========================
Guppies change their eye colour to deter rivals
Date:
June 4, 2018
Source:
University of Exeter
Summary:
Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies turn their eyes black to warn other fish when they are feeling aggressive, new research shows.
Share:
FULL STORY
These are black and silver iris guppies feeding.
Credit:photo` Robert Heathcote, University of Exeter
Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies turn their eyes black to warn other fish when they are feeling aggressive, new research shows.
A study led by the University of Exeter, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, found that when facing a rival, guppies rapidly turn their irises from silver to black before attacking their adversary.
This makes their eyes more conspicuous and is an "honest" signal of aggression -- larger guppies do it to smaller ones whom they can beat in a fight, but smaller ones do not return the gesture.
As part of the study, the researchers made visually realistic robotic guppies to see what would happen if smaller fish displayed their aggressive motivation -- and larger fish flocked in to compete with the small imposters for food.
Dr Robert Heathcote, lead author of the study and from the University of Exeter, said: "Trinidadian guppies can change their iris colour within a few seconds, and our research shows they do this to honestly communicate their aggressive motivation to other guppies.
"Experimentally showing that animals use their eye colouration to communicate with each other can be very difficult, so we made realistic-looking robotic fish with differing eye colours and observed the reaction of real fish."
Professor Darren Croft, also from the University of Exeter and an author of the study, added: "Eyes are one of the most easily recognised structures in the natural world and many species go to great lengths to conceal and camouflage their eyes to avoid unwanted attention from predators or rivals.
"However, some species have noticeable or prominent eyes and, for the most part, it has remained a mystery as to why this would be. This research gives a new insight into the reasons behind why some animals have such 'conspicuous' eyes."
Professor Indar Ramnarine, from the University of the West Indies and co-author of this study, indicated his amazement that guppies could have evolved this behaviour of changing their iris colour to warn guppies and other fish of their willingness to engage in aggressive behaviour.
To carry out the research, scientists developed the robotic guppies to help determine what would happen if smaller guppies tried to "cheat" by displaying aggression towards larger rivals.
They found that food patches defended by black-eyed robots attracted disproportionate competition from larger real guppies -- and in particular those which displayed blacker-coloured eyes.
The research team believe that this behaviour explains why the guppies are "honest" and only display how angry they are if they can actually be dominant against rivals.
Dr Jolyon Troscianko, also from University of Exeter and who helped invent the guppy robots, said: "Scientists used to spend hours laboriously painting model fish, eggs and other objects to see how their appearance affected how other animals interacted with the models.
"Here, we used carefully calibrated photography and printing techniques to create robotic models, and guppies responded to them as though they were real fish."
Dr Safi Darden, co-author on the study, added: "It is well known that in humans the white sclera of the eye is used to signal gaze direction -- it provides others with information on what we are looking at. Our work shows that just like humans these little fish pay attention to the eyes of their group members and that the eyes provide important information to other rival fish."
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Exeter. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
University of Exeter. "Guppies change their eye color to deter rivals." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 June 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180604112548.htm>.
==========================
Date:
June 4, 2018
Source:
University of Exeter
Summary:
Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies turn their eyes black to warn other fish when they are feeling aggressive, new research shows.
Share:
FULL STORY
These are black and silver iris guppies feeding.
Credit:photo` Robert Heathcote, University of Exeter
Tiny fish called Trinidadian guppies turn their eyes black to warn other fish when they are feeling aggressive, new research shows.
A study led by the University of Exeter, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, found that when facing a rival, guppies rapidly turn their irises from silver to black before attacking their adversary.
This makes their eyes more conspicuous and is an "honest" signal of aggression -- larger guppies do it to smaller ones whom they can beat in a fight, but smaller ones do not return the gesture.
As part of the study, the researchers made visually realistic robotic guppies to see what would happen if smaller fish displayed their aggressive motivation -- and larger fish flocked in to compete with the small imposters for food.
Dr Robert Heathcote, lead author of the study and from the University of Exeter, said: "Trinidadian guppies can change their iris colour within a few seconds, and our research shows they do this to honestly communicate their aggressive motivation to other guppies.
"Experimentally showing that animals use their eye colouration to communicate with each other can be very difficult, so we made realistic-looking robotic fish with differing eye colours and observed the reaction of real fish."
Professor Darren Croft, also from the University of Exeter and an author of the study, added: "Eyes are one of the most easily recognised structures in the natural world and many species go to great lengths to conceal and camouflage their eyes to avoid unwanted attention from predators or rivals.
"However, some species have noticeable or prominent eyes and, for the most part, it has remained a mystery as to why this would be. This research gives a new insight into the reasons behind why some animals have such 'conspicuous' eyes."
Professor Indar Ramnarine, from the University of the West Indies and co-author of this study, indicated his amazement that guppies could have evolved this behaviour of changing their iris colour to warn guppies and other fish of their willingness to engage in aggressive behaviour.
To carry out the research, scientists developed the robotic guppies to help determine what would happen if smaller guppies tried to "cheat" by displaying aggression towards larger rivals.
They found that food patches defended by black-eyed robots attracted disproportionate competition from larger real guppies -- and in particular those which displayed blacker-coloured eyes.
The research team believe that this behaviour explains why the guppies are "honest" and only display how angry they are if they can actually be dominant against rivals.
Dr Jolyon Troscianko, also from University of Exeter and who helped invent the guppy robots, said: "Scientists used to spend hours laboriously painting model fish, eggs and other objects to see how their appearance affected how other animals interacted with the models.
"Here, we used carefully calibrated photography and printing techniques to create robotic models, and guppies responded to them as though they were real fish."
Dr Safi Darden, co-author on the study, added: "It is well known that in humans the white sclera of the eye is used to signal gaze direction -- it provides others with information on what we are looking at. Our work shows that just like humans these little fish pay attention to the eyes of their group members and that the eyes provide important information to other rival fish."
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Exeter. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Robert J.P. Heathcote, Safi K. Darden, Jolyon Troscianko, Michael R.M. Lawson, Antony M. Brown, Philippa R. Laker, Lewis C. Naisbett-Jones, Hannah E.A. MacGregor, Indar Ramnarine, Darren P. Croft. Dynamic eye colour as an honest signal of aggression. Current Biology, 2018; 28 (11): R652 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.078
University of Exeter. "Guppies change their eye color to deter rivals." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 June 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180604112548.htm>.
==========================
SLAG 2018 UK
- Sunday, July 1 at 10 AM - 5 PM
- Kempshott Village Hall
Stratton Park. Pack Lane., RG22 5HN Basingstoke - Here is our 3rd event from the Southern Livebearer Aquatic Group since it reformed in 2016
We will be hosting an Open Show with livebearer specialist section, Guest speakers and a Livebearer only auction.
Day guest are very welcome.
World’s largest fish factory ship arrested the Chimbote - Agents from the Peruvian Environmental Prosecutor’s Office have detained the “Damanzaihao” as part of an federal criminal investigation based on presumed acts of illegal fishing.
Peruvian authorities have also accused the “Damanzaihao”of polluting the marine environment through the illegal discharge
Chimbote - Agents from the Peruvian Environmental Prosecutor’s Officehave detained the “Damanzaihao” as part of an federal criminal investigation based on presumed acts of illegal fishing.
Peruvian authorities have also accused the “Damanzaihao” of polluting the marine environment through the illegal discharge of fluids and effluents while anchored in Chimbote. The “Damanzaihao” is the largest fish factory vessel in the world, capable of processing 547,000 tons of fish per year. As a result of the “Damanzaihao” ’s past illicit fishing activities, the government of Peru issued a multi-million dollar fine against the vessel in 2014. That debt reportedly remains outstanding. According to UnderCurrentNews, the “Damanzaihao” was built in 1980 by Japanese ship builder for a Norwegian tanker company as a 67,000dwt oil tanker. She was converted to fisheries operation in 2008 at a Chinese shipyard. Sea Shepherd has applauded Peru’s detention of the vessel.
She Shepherd vessel “John Paul DeJoria” was recently in Peruvian waters investigating and gathering intelligence to assist the Peruvian Government in its fight against illegal fishing.
==========================
Peckoltia pankimpuju
Peruvian Lyre-tail Peckoltia, or L350
The depths of the Rio Marañon, the major headwater of the Amazon River in the Peruvian Andes, remain largely unexplored and threatened.
Nathan K. Lujan, PhD.
Associate Editor, Journal of Fish Biology
As mega-dams loom and the clock ticks, University of Toronto evolutionary biologist and AMAZONAS Magazine contributor Nathan Lujan, Ph.D., describes evidence of new Marañon fish species, ecology unique to this river basin, and the likelihood of many more discoveries awaiting future fieldwork in one of the last great free-flowing rivers in the world.
Lujan explains, “…by damming [the Rio Marañon] you’re essentially decapitating the Amazon. Of the 18 scientific expeditions that I have conducted to South America, my 2006 expedition to the Marañon was one of the most productive because of the many new species we discovered and the fascinating ecology of wood-eating catfishes that we documented…I distinctly remember the moment my net was lifted, and there inside were two individuals of this new species with translucent white skin and long fin filaments. I knew immediately that these beautiful white fishes were new to science.”
The transluscent wood-eating catfish described by Lujan was subsequently described, and is now recognized as a deepwater form of Peckoltia pankimpuju, Lujan & Chamon, 2008. In the aquarium trade it may be encountered as the Coal Pleco (the normal form is dark gray/black, see below), the Peruvian Lyre-tail Peckoltia, or simply L350. What else could Lujan discover if he were to return? Image Credit: Nathan Lujan.
“If we were to go back and survey more, there’d be a high likelihood of more discoveries, more new species yet to be found,” says Lujan. “There’s so much of the drainage that we just haven’t studied yet, that we know hardly anything about.”
The normal color form of Peckoltia pankimpuju, a species native to the Rio Marañon, and only discovered during Lujan’s 2006 survey. Image by Michael J. Tuccinardi.
Reports suggest than the currently free-flowing Rio Marañon is subject to as many as 20 proposed hydroelectric damming projects. Lujan is certainly feeling a time crunch as these projects continue to move forward in South America. “A lot of conservation research, a lot of biodiversity research, has been focused on terrestrial ecosystems and focused on saving the rainforest. But while that conservation work is very important, in the past decade, hydroelectric dam construction has really accelerated, and these impacts are devastating river systems, and the conservation community in many cases hasn’t caught up. So, we’re racing to build an infrastructure to understand and conserve aquatic biodiversity in South America.”
To help fund this research: Text GIVE to 1 (833) 567-4229 and select #3.
Learn more about Dr. Lujan at https://www.loricariidae.org/
Watch Undiscovered Amazon: The Unexplored and Threatened Andean Headwater www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHrd1sEZwfs
Related Terms:
found on Amazonas site
==========================
Nathan K. Lujan, PhD.
Associate Editor, Journal of Fish Biology
As mega-dams loom and the clock ticks, University of Toronto evolutionary biologist and AMAZONAS Magazine contributor Nathan Lujan, Ph.D., describes evidence of new Marañon fish species, ecology unique to this river basin, and the likelihood of many more discoveries awaiting future fieldwork in one of the last great free-flowing rivers in the world.
Lujan explains, “…by damming [the Rio Marañon] you’re essentially decapitating the Amazon. Of the 18 scientific expeditions that I have conducted to South America, my 2006 expedition to the Marañon was one of the most productive because of the many new species we discovered and the fascinating ecology of wood-eating catfishes that we documented…I distinctly remember the moment my net was lifted, and there inside were two individuals of this new species with translucent white skin and long fin filaments. I knew immediately that these beautiful white fishes were new to science.”
The transluscent wood-eating catfish described by Lujan was subsequently described, and is now recognized as a deepwater form of Peckoltia pankimpuju, Lujan & Chamon, 2008. In the aquarium trade it may be encountered as the Coal Pleco (the normal form is dark gray/black, see below), the Peruvian Lyre-tail Peckoltia, or simply L350. What else could Lujan discover if he were to return? Image Credit: Nathan Lujan.
“If we were to go back and survey more, there’d be a high likelihood of more discoveries, more new species yet to be found,” says Lujan. “There’s so much of the drainage that we just haven’t studied yet, that we know hardly anything about.”
The normal color form of Peckoltia pankimpuju, a species native to the Rio Marañon, and only discovered during Lujan’s 2006 survey. Image by Michael J. Tuccinardi.
Reports suggest than the currently free-flowing Rio Marañon is subject to as many as 20 proposed hydroelectric damming projects. Lujan is certainly feeling a time crunch as these projects continue to move forward in South America. “A lot of conservation research, a lot of biodiversity research, has been focused on terrestrial ecosystems and focused on saving the rainforest. But while that conservation work is very important, in the past decade, hydroelectric dam construction has really accelerated, and these impacts are devastating river systems, and the conservation community in many cases hasn’t caught up. So, we’re racing to build an infrastructure to understand and conserve aquatic biodiversity in South America.”
To help fund this research: Text GIVE to 1 (833) 567-4229 and select #3.
Learn more about Dr. Lujan at https://www.loricariidae.org/
Watch Undiscovered Amazon: The Unexplored and Threatened Andean Headwater www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHrd1sEZwfs
Related Terms:
found on Amazonas site
==========================
To be or not to be… removed | International seminar on dam removal Sweden, 24 – 26 September 2018
Karlstad University (KAU), Hudiksvall municipality, County Board Gävleborg and Dam Removal Europe (DRE) partners invite you to join the third DRE seminar from 24 to 26 September 2018 at the Kulturhuset Glada Hudik, Hudiksvall (Sweden).
To be or not to be… removed. A question that depends on many factors. Factors we will discuss during this amazing 3 day seminar. The three days will be filled with talks by international speakers who will be talking about Dam Removals, Hydropower, Cultural Values, Policies, “Dam Removal for Dummies” and much more. It is an unique opportunity, for those of you dealing with dam removal issues, now or in the near future, to learn from real cases throughout Europe and USA.
The first day of the seminar different aspects from the dam removal world will be discussed, such as social issues, hydro-industry perspective, existing policies in Europe and the Water Framework Directive.
The second day will focus on real case studies, already carried out or to be done in different EU countries and US. There will be a special guest from France, describing the studies and preparations being carried out in the upcoming biggest dam removal in Europe, the Vézin Dam (36 m). The last and third day we will enjoy a field visit to dam removal sites around Hudiksvall, both already removed dams and dams to be removed in the near future. There are still some open slots available for experts that would like to present their dam removal cases and experiences. Feel free to contact Pao Fernandez Garrido (pao@fishmigration.org). The complete program will be published at the end of June 2018.
Confirmed keynote speakers are:
To register to the seminar follow this link (open from 29 May)
Travel and lodging information:
Hudiksvall is located North of Stockholm on the Baltic coastline. The high speed train takes you from Stockholm to Hudiksvall in around two and a half hours. Follow this link to book a train ticket. We advice you to use booking.com or a similar booking system to book a room in Hudiksvall.
==========================
Karlstad University (KAU), Hudiksvall municipality, County Board Gävleborg and Dam Removal Europe (DRE) partners invite you to join the third DRE seminar from 24 to 26 September 2018 at the Kulturhuset Glada Hudik, Hudiksvall (Sweden).
To be or not to be… removed. A question that depends on many factors. Factors we will discuss during this amazing 3 day seminar. The three days will be filled with talks by international speakers who will be talking about Dam Removals, Hydropower, Cultural Values, Policies, “Dam Removal for Dummies” and much more. It is an unique opportunity, for those of you dealing with dam removal issues, now or in the near future, to learn from real cases throughout Europe and USA.
The first day of the seminar different aspects from the dam removal world will be discussed, such as social issues, hydro-industry perspective, existing policies in Europe and the Water Framework Directive.
The second day will focus on real case studies, already carried out or to be done in different EU countries and US. There will be a special guest from France, describing the studies and preparations being carried out in the upcoming biggest dam removal in Europe, the Vézin Dam (36 m). The last and third day we will enjoy a field visit to dam removal sites around Hudiksvall, both already removed dams and dams to be removed in the near future. There are still some open slots available for experts that would like to present their dam removal cases and experiences. Feel free to contact Pao Fernandez Garrido (pao@fishmigration.org). The complete program will be published at the end of June 2018.
Confirmed keynote speakers are:
- Jaakko Erkinaro – Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE). The impact of dams on migratory fish;
- Anne Shaffer – Coastal Watershed Institute (USA). Nearshore effects of the Elwha dam removal;
- Pao Fernandez Garrido – World Fish Migration Foundation. Dam removal 101 and From Sea To Source Book;
- Stephane Fraisse – French National Institute for Agricultural Research. Pre- and post-removal study of the Verzin and La Roche dam.
To register to the seminar follow this link (open from 29 May)
Travel and lodging information:
Hudiksvall is located North of Stockholm on the Baltic coastline. The high speed train takes you from Stockholm to Hudiksvall in around two and a half hours. Follow this link to book a train ticket. We advice you to use booking.com or a similar booking system to book a room in Hudiksvall.
==========================
Bracknell Aquarists Open Show June 9th 2018 ·
Hosted by Bracknell Aquarist Society
Saturday, June 9 at 10 AM - 5 PM
Next Week
Details
Birch Hill, Leppington, Bracknell RG12 7WW
==========================
Hisonotus devidei
Hisonotus devidei, a new species from the São Francisco basin, Brazil (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)
F. F. Roxo
G. S. C. Silva
B. F. Melo
First published: 19 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13599urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5CDDA9ED‐D157‐4 EB7‐ 8 AC0‐AB8984C3048F
AbstractA recent expedition to headwaters of the Rio Pandeiros, a left‐bank tributary of the Rio São Francisco revealed the presence of a fourth species of Hisonotusfrom that basin. Hisonotus devidei sp. nov. differs from congeners by the presence of conspicuous dark blotches of distinct shapes irregularly arranged along lateral and dorsal surfaces of the body and scattered throughout all fins, by possessing small plates in lateral portions of the abdomen and adjacent areas between pelvic fins without development of dermal plates and by morphometric ratios. The putative phylogenetic placement of the new species is discussed based on morphological comparisons with species of related Hypoptopomatinae genera and the Hisonotus species diversity within the Rio São Francisco Basin is compared with that of adjacent basins.
==========================
F. F. Roxo
G. S. C. Silva
B. F. Melo
First published: 19 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13599urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5CDDA9ED‐D157‐4 EB7‐ 8 AC0‐AB8984C3048F
AbstractA recent expedition to headwaters of the Rio Pandeiros, a left‐bank tributary of the Rio São Francisco revealed the presence of a fourth species of Hisonotusfrom that basin. Hisonotus devidei sp. nov. differs from congeners by the presence of conspicuous dark blotches of distinct shapes irregularly arranged along lateral and dorsal surfaces of the body and scattered throughout all fins, by possessing small plates in lateral portions of the abdomen and adjacent areas between pelvic fins without development of dermal plates and by morphometric ratios. The putative phylogenetic placement of the new species is discussed based on morphological comparisons with species of related Hypoptopomatinae genera and the Hisonotus species diversity within the Rio São Francisco Basin is compared with that of adjacent basins.
==========================
Astynax mexicanus
How eye loss occurs in blind cavefish
Study yields potential clues to understanding eye disease and blindness in people
Source:
NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Summary:
Loss of eye tissue in blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), which occurs within a few days of their development, happens through epigenetic silencing of eye-related genes, according to a new study. Epigenetic regulation is a process where genes are turned off or on, typically in a reversible or temporary manner. This mechanism differs from genetic mutations, which are permanent changes in the DNA code.
Share:
FULL STORY
Photograph of Astyanax mexicanus, surface form with eyes (top) and cave form without eyes (bottom) swimming together.
Credit: Daniel Castranova, NICHD/NIHLoss of eye tissue in blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), which occurs within a few days of their development, happens through epigenetic silencing of eye-related genes, according to a study led by the National Institutes of Health. Epigenetic regulation is a process where genes are turned off or on, typically in a reversible or temporary manner. This mechanism differs from genetic mutations, which are permanent changes in the DNA code. The study appears in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
"Subterranean animals provide a unique opportunity to study how animals thrive in extreme environments, some of which can mimic human disease conditions," said Brant M. Weinstein, Ph.D., senior investigator at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and one of the study authors. "Many of the cavefish genes identified in our study are also linked to human eye disorders, suggesting these genes are conserved across evolution and may be similarly regulated in people."
A. mexicanus is a tropical freshwater fish native to Mexico. A few million years ago, some of these fish presumably got trapped in dark caves and gave rise to completely different varieties, or "morphs," that lack eyes and have several other unique physical, behavioral and physiological changes. Despite their dramatic differences, surface and cave morphs share similar genomes and can interbreed. Cave morphs begin eye development early but fail to maintain this program, undergoing eye degeneration within a few days of development. Previous research has not revealed any obvious mutations in genes important for their eye development.
The new study, conducted by researchers at NICHD and the University of Maryland, College Park, shows that epigenetic-based silencing of a large set of genes limits the eye development of cave-dwelling A. mexicanus fish. Twenty-six of these genes are also expressed in human eyes, and nineteen are linked to human eye disorders.
The study team found more DNA methylation of eye development genes and subsequently, less activity of these genes in cavefish. DNA methylation is an epigenetic process in which DNA is modified with tags called methyl groups. These tags, which are added by proteins called DNA methyltransferases, silence genes by making the DNA inaccessible.
The authors found that cavefish have higher levels of a DNA methyltransferase, called DNMT3B, in their developing eyes. When the study team mutated DNMT3B in another type of fish with eyes, zebrafish, they discovered that the mutant zebrafish have more active eye genes and larger eyes. The results suggest that a genetic change resulting in elevated DNMT3B levels occurred during the evolution of cavefish, leading to epigenetic suppression of eye development genes.
"Our study indicates that small genetic changes that alter epigenetic regulation can play an important role in evolution by triggering dramatic changes in the expression of large sets of genes," said Aniket V. Gore, Ph.D., the study's lead author.
Story Source:
Materials provided by NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Study yields potential clues to understanding eye disease and blindness in people
Source:
NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Summary:
Loss of eye tissue in blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), which occurs within a few days of their development, happens through epigenetic silencing of eye-related genes, according to a new study. Epigenetic regulation is a process where genes are turned off or on, typically in a reversible or temporary manner. This mechanism differs from genetic mutations, which are permanent changes in the DNA code.
Share:
FULL STORY
Photograph of Astyanax mexicanus, surface form with eyes (top) and cave form without eyes (bottom) swimming together.
Credit: Daniel Castranova, NICHD/NIHLoss of eye tissue in blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), which occurs within a few days of their development, happens through epigenetic silencing of eye-related genes, according to a study led by the National Institutes of Health. Epigenetic regulation is a process where genes are turned off or on, typically in a reversible or temporary manner. This mechanism differs from genetic mutations, which are permanent changes in the DNA code. The study appears in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
"Subterranean animals provide a unique opportunity to study how animals thrive in extreme environments, some of which can mimic human disease conditions," said Brant M. Weinstein, Ph.D., senior investigator at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and one of the study authors. "Many of the cavefish genes identified in our study are also linked to human eye disorders, suggesting these genes are conserved across evolution and may be similarly regulated in people."
A. mexicanus is a tropical freshwater fish native to Mexico. A few million years ago, some of these fish presumably got trapped in dark caves and gave rise to completely different varieties, or "morphs," that lack eyes and have several other unique physical, behavioral and physiological changes. Despite their dramatic differences, surface and cave morphs share similar genomes and can interbreed. Cave morphs begin eye development early but fail to maintain this program, undergoing eye degeneration within a few days of development. Previous research has not revealed any obvious mutations in genes important for their eye development.
The new study, conducted by researchers at NICHD and the University of Maryland, College Park, shows that epigenetic-based silencing of a large set of genes limits the eye development of cave-dwelling A. mexicanus fish. Twenty-six of these genes are also expressed in human eyes, and nineteen are linked to human eye disorders.
The study team found more DNA methylation of eye development genes and subsequently, less activity of these genes in cavefish. DNA methylation is an epigenetic process in which DNA is modified with tags called methyl groups. These tags, which are added by proteins called DNA methyltransferases, silence genes by making the DNA inaccessible.
The authors found that cavefish have higher levels of a DNA methyltransferase, called DNMT3B, in their developing eyes. When the study team mutated DNMT3B in another type of fish with eyes, zebrafish, they discovered that the mutant zebrafish have more active eye genes and larger eyes. The results suggest that a genetic change resulting in elevated DNMT3B levels occurred during the evolution of cavefish, leading to epigenetic suppression of eye development genes.
"Our study indicates that small genetic changes that alter epigenetic regulation can play an important role in evolution by triggering dramatic changes in the expression of large sets of genes," said Aniket V. Gore, Ph.D., the study's lead author.
Story Source:
Materials provided by NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Aniket V. Gore, Kelly A. Tomins, James Iben, Li Ma, Daniel Castranova, Andrew E. Davis, Amy Parkhurst, William R. Jeffery, Brant M. Weinstein. An epigenetic mechanism for cavefish eye degeneration. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0569-4
==========================
Merthyr weir to be altered to boost fish numbers in River Taff
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will demolish part the Merthyr Vale weir on Monday which will allow fish to migrate upstream to produce juvenile fish.
A channel will be cut through the weir to allow salmon and sea trout to swim and spawn beyond the village
Anglers have welcomed the work, which will take 12 weeks to finish.
Salmon stocks were said to be in "a very bad condition" in Wales last yearMichael Clyde, Sustainable Fisheries Project Manager for NRW, said: "This weir is the final remaining significant barrier to fish migration on the Taff and its removal is an important step in helping to secure the future sustainability of migratory fish stocks."
Tony Rees, treasurer of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, said: "We welcome the proposal to remove the weir as this will greatly improve fish passage.
"This comes together with improvements the South East Wales Rivers Trust has made in making the Taf Fechan and Taff Fawr more accessible above Merthyr."
During construction, some of the riverside paths near the site will be closed and diversions will be put in place.
from BBC Wales
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will demolish part the Merthyr Vale weir on Monday which will allow fish to migrate upstream to produce juvenile fish.
A channel will be cut through the weir to allow salmon and sea trout to swim and spawn beyond the village
Anglers have welcomed the work, which will take 12 weeks to finish.
Salmon stocks were said to be in "a very bad condition" in Wales last yearMichael Clyde, Sustainable Fisheries Project Manager for NRW, said: "This weir is the final remaining significant barrier to fish migration on the Taff and its removal is an important step in helping to secure the future sustainability of migratory fish stocks."
Tony Rees, treasurer of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, said: "We welcome the proposal to remove the weir as this will greatly improve fish passage.
"This comes together with improvements the South East Wales Rivers Trust has made in making the Taf Fechan and Taff Fawr more accessible above Merthyr."
During construction, some of the riverside paths near the site will be closed and diversions will be put in place.
from BBC Wales
Epinephelus lanceolatus -
Queensland Grouper
'Very rare' tropical fish spotted in Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Warmer oceans have brought tropical fish further south than normal. Credits: Image - Ben Brodie/Paihia Dive, Video - Newshub.
A huge tropical fish has been spotted in the Bay of Islands after an unusually warm season.
The giant grouper, also known as the Queensland grouper, is one of the biggest bony fish in the ocean. It's only been sighted five or six times in New Zealand.
Paihia Dive skipper Ben Brodie snapped some photos of a member of the protected species swimming in the wreck of the HMNZ Canterbury in Deep Water Cove on Sunday morning.
Photo credit: Ben Brodie/Paihia DiveFully-grown groupers can reach three or four metres in length and weigh up to 200kg. The fish spotted in the wreck of the Canterbury was a juvenile and almost one metre long.
Craig Johnston, owner of Paihia Dive, says he's never seen a Queensland grouper in more than 20 years of diving in New Zealand waters.
"It is very, very rare to see them."
He regrets that he wasn't diving when the fish was spotted, but went out to Deep Water Cove himself on Monday hoping to catch a glimpse for himself.
"They like caves and dark places, so we're hoping it hangs around."
Photo credit: Ben Brodie/Paihia DiveMr Johnston says the Bay of Islands has had a highly unusual season, with sea temperatures up to 4degC warmer than normal. In August 2017 the temperature reached 20degC, up from 17degC which is typical for early spring.
"I've never seen a season like this," he says.
The "marine heatwave" has brought more tropical fish into New Zealand waters, and Paihia Dive has had sightings of rarely-seen species such as the sergeant major damselfish.
Mr Johnston says he's not sure whether the warm season is the result of climate change, as the previous summer was slightly colder than average.
"It's hard to say, I'm not a scientist."
In March several species of rare tropical fish were sighted at the Kermadec Islands 1000km north of New Zealand, which experts said was due to warming oceans.
==========================
Warmer oceans have brought tropical fish further south than normal. Credits: Image - Ben Brodie/Paihia Dive, Video - Newshub.
A huge tropical fish has been spotted in the Bay of Islands after an unusually warm season.
The giant grouper, also known as the Queensland grouper, is one of the biggest bony fish in the ocean. It's only been sighted five or six times in New Zealand.
Paihia Dive skipper Ben Brodie snapped some photos of a member of the protected species swimming in the wreck of the HMNZ Canterbury in Deep Water Cove on Sunday morning.
Photo credit: Ben Brodie/Paihia DiveFully-grown groupers can reach three or four metres in length and weigh up to 200kg. The fish spotted in the wreck of the Canterbury was a juvenile and almost one metre long.
Craig Johnston, owner of Paihia Dive, says he's never seen a Queensland grouper in more than 20 years of diving in New Zealand waters.
"It is very, very rare to see them."
He regrets that he wasn't diving when the fish was spotted, but went out to Deep Water Cove himself on Monday hoping to catch a glimpse for himself.
"They like caves and dark places, so we're hoping it hangs around."
Photo credit: Ben Brodie/Paihia DiveMr Johnston says the Bay of Islands has had a highly unusual season, with sea temperatures up to 4degC warmer than normal. In August 2017 the temperature reached 20degC, up from 17degC which is typical for early spring.
"I've never seen a season like this," he says.
The "marine heatwave" has brought more tropical fish into New Zealand waters, and Paihia Dive has had sightings of rarely-seen species such as the sergeant major damselfish.
Mr Johnston says he's not sure whether the warm season is the result of climate change, as the previous summer was slightly colder than average.
"It's hard to say, I'm not a scientist."
In March several species of rare tropical fish were sighted at the Kermadec Islands 1000km north of New Zealand, which experts said was due to warming oceans.
==========================
Exostoma ericinum• A New Glyptosternine Catfish(Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from southwestern China
Exostoma ericinum Ng, 2018
photo: Hang Zhou
Abstract
A new species of glyptosternine catfish in the genus Exostoma is described in this study. The new species, Exostoma ericinum, is known from the upper Dayingjiang (=Taping River) drainage in southwestern China and is distinguished from congeners in having an unique combination of the following characters: 42–44 vertebrae; parallel striae on anterolateral surfaces of lips and lower surface of maxillary barbel; interorbital distance 26–31% HL; preanal length 67.7–70.5% SL; body depth at anus 10.4–12.0% SL (1.4–1.9 times in caudal peduncle depth); length of adipose-fin base 39.5–43.0% SL; lacking an incision at posterior extremity of adipose-fin base; caudal peduncle length 23.2–26.2% SL; caudal peduncle depth 5.7–7.9% SL; and caudal-fin lobes with slightly concave posterior margin.
Heok Hee Ng. 2018. Exostoma ericinum, A New Glyptosternine Catfish from southwestern China (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae). Zootaxa. 4420(3); 405-414. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.3.6
researchgate.net/publication/325181783_Exostoma_ericinum_a_new_glyptosternine_catfish_from_southwestern_China
==========================
Exostoma ericinum Ng, 2018
photo: Hang Zhou
Abstract
A new species of glyptosternine catfish in the genus Exostoma is described in this study. The new species, Exostoma ericinum, is known from the upper Dayingjiang (=Taping River) drainage in southwestern China and is distinguished from congeners in having an unique combination of the following characters: 42–44 vertebrae; parallel striae on anterolateral surfaces of lips and lower surface of maxillary barbel; interorbital distance 26–31% HL; preanal length 67.7–70.5% SL; body depth at anus 10.4–12.0% SL (1.4–1.9 times in caudal peduncle depth); length of adipose-fin base 39.5–43.0% SL; lacking an incision at posterior extremity of adipose-fin base; caudal peduncle length 23.2–26.2% SL; caudal peduncle depth 5.7–7.9% SL; and caudal-fin lobes with slightly concave posterior margin.
Heok Hee Ng. 2018. Exostoma ericinum, A New Glyptosternine Catfish from southwestern China (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae). Zootaxa. 4420(3); 405-414. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.3.6
researchgate.net/publication/325181783_Exostoma_ericinum_a_new_glyptosternine_catfish_from_southwestern_China
==========================
Birmingham Charity Fish Auction June 3rd 2018
Sunday, June 3 at 10:30 AM
Quinton Legion
211 WORLDS END LANE, QUINTON, B32 2RX Birmingham, United Kingdom
Show Map
==========================
Pseudolithoxus kinja• Biogeography and Species Delimitation of the Rheophilic Suckermouth Catfish Genus Pseudolithoxus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with the Description of A New Species from the Brazilian Amazon
Pseudolithoxus kinja
Bifi, de Oliveira, Rapp Py-Daniel & Collins, 2018
in Collins, Bifi, de Oliveira, Ribeiro, Lujan, Rapp Py-Daniel & Hrbek, 2018
DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2018.1468362
Abstract
The rapids-dwelling suckermouth catfish genus Pseudolithoxus was previously only known from the Guiana-Shield-draining Orinoco and Casiquiare river systems of Colombia and Venezuela, but new records have expanded this range considerably further into the Amazon basin of Brazil, and include occurrences from rivers draining the northern Brazilian Shield. These highly disjunct records are now placed in an evolutionary and phylogeographic context using a dated species tree constructed from mitochondrial (Cytb) and nuclear (RAG1) gene sequence data. Due to mito-nuclear discordance, we also delimit the putative species using statistical coalescent models and a range of additional metrics. We infer that at least two species of Pseudolithoxus are present in the Amazon basin: P. nicoi, previously only recorded from the río Casiquiare, but now also reported from the upper rio Negro, and a new species, which we describe herein from south-draining Guiana Shield and north-draining Brazilian Shield. Our data reject a simple model of Miocene vicariance in the group following uplift of the Uaupés Arch separating the Orinoco and Amazon systems, and instead suggest more complex dispersal scenarios through palaeo-connections in the Pliocene and also via the contemporary rio Negro and rio Madeira in the late Pleistocene.
Key words: aquatic, biodiversity, ichthyology, Neotropics, phylogeny, rio Negro, taxonomy
Figure 1. Pseudolithoxus kinja, holotype, 148.0 mm SL, INPA 3220; adult male in alcohol, rio Uatum~a, Amazonas, Brazil.
Pseudolithoxus kinja sp. nov.
Bifi, de Oliveira, Rapp Py-Daniel & Collins
....
ETYMOLOGY: ‘Kinja’, meaning the ‘true people’, is how the Waimiri-Atroari indigenous people refer to themselves. The Kinja people inhabit areas surrounding the rio Uatum~a and part of the rio Negro in the states of Amazonas and Roraima, Brazil. The ethnic term ‘Waimiri-Atroari’ was adopted in the beginning of the 20th century. The epithet ‘kinja’ pays homage to this brave people who survived three attempts of genocide in the last century, and survive and thrive today in their protected area. Treated as a noun in apposition.
Rupert A. Collins, Alessandro G. Bifi, Renildo R. de Oliveira, Emanuell D. Ribeiro, Nathan K. Lujan, Lúcia H. Rapp Py-Daniel and Tomas Hrbek. 2018. Biogeography and Species Delimitation of the Rheophilic Suckermouth Catfish Genus Pseudolithoxus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with the Description of A New Species from the Brazilian Amazon. Systematics and Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2018.1468362
twitter.com/boopsboops/status/999286995758272512
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan/status/999355846839726080
==========================
Pseudolithoxus kinja
Bifi, de Oliveira, Rapp Py-Daniel & Collins, 2018
in Collins, Bifi, de Oliveira, Ribeiro, Lujan, Rapp Py-Daniel & Hrbek, 2018
DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2018.1468362
Abstract
The rapids-dwelling suckermouth catfish genus Pseudolithoxus was previously only known from the Guiana-Shield-draining Orinoco and Casiquiare river systems of Colombia and Venezuela, but new records have expanded this range considerably further into the Amazon basin of Brazil, and include occurrences from rivers draining the northern Brazilian Shield. These highly disjunct records are now placed in an evolutionary and phylogeographic context using a dated species tree constructed from mitochondrial (Cytb) and nuclear (RAG1) gene sequence data. Due to mito-nuclear discordance, we also delimit the putative species using statistical coalescent models and a range of additional metrics. We infer that at least two species of Pseudolithoxus are present in the Amazon basin: P. nicoi, previously only recorded from the río Casiquiare, but now also reported from the upper rio Negro, and a new species, which we describe herein from south-draining Guiana Shield and north-draining Brazilian Shield. Our data reject a simple model of Miocene vicariance in the group following uplift of the Uaupés Arch separating the Orinoco and Amazon systems, and instead suggest more complex dispersal scenarios through palaeo-connections in the Pliocene and also via the contemporary rio Negro and rio Madeira in the late Pleistocene.
Key words: aquatic, biodiversity, ichthyology, Neotropics, phylogeny, rio Negro, taxonomy
Figure 1. Pseudolithoxus kinja, holotype, 148.0 mm SL, INPA 3220; adult male in alcohol, rio Uatum~a, Amazonas, Brazil.
Pseudolithoxus kinja sp. nov.
Bifi, de Oliveira, Rapp Py-Daniel & Collins
....
ETYMOLOGY: ‘Kinja’, meaning the ‘true people’, is how the Waimiri-Atroari indigenous people refer to themselves. The Kinja people inhabit areas surrounding the rio Uatum~a and part of the rio Negro in the states of Amazonas and Roraima, Brazil. The ethnic term ‘Waimiri-Atroari’ was adopted in the beginning of the 20th century. The epithet ‘kinja’ pays homage to this brave people who survived three attempts of genocide in the last century, and survive and thrive today in their protected area. Treated as a noun in apposition.
Rupert A. Collins, Alessandro G. Bifi, Renildo R. de Oliveira, Emanuell D. Ribeiro, Nathan K. Lujan, Lúcia H. Rapp Py-Daniel and Tomas Hrbek. 2018. Biogeography and Species Delimitation of the Rheophilic Suckermouth Catfish Genus Pseudolithoxus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with the Description of A New Species from the Brazilian Amazon. Systematics and Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2018.1468362
twitter.com/boopsboops/status/999286995758272512
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan/status/999355846839726080
==========================
STAMPS Open Show & Auction August 5th 2018
- Sunday, August 5 at 10 AM - 4:30 PM UTC+01
- Young Charles Centre
NE34 0QJ South Shields
Show Map
The best show in the North East and a cracking auction alongside it. Why not try your hand at showing fish, whether you're a novice or experienced fish keeper. Any information required please message the page or leave a comment here and we'll get back to you. Also anyone looking to book an auction lot please leave a comment. www.facebook.com/groups/144422325751052/
==========================
SAT, JUN 2 AT 10 AM
Hounslow Open Show
YOUTH CENTRE, KINGSLEY ROAD, HOUNSLOW
| 2018_hounslow.pdf |
==========================
Austrolebias wichi • An Endangered New Species of Seasonal Killifish of the Genus Austrolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei) from the Bermejo River Basin in the Western Chacoan Region, northwestern Argentina
Austrolebias wichi
Alonso, Terán, Calviño, García, Cardoso & García, 2018
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196261
Abstract
Austrolebias wichi, new species, is herein described from seasonal ponds of the Bermejo river basin in the Western Chacoan district in northwestern Argentina. This species was found in a single pond, a paleochannel of the Bermejo River, which is seriously disturbed by soybean plantations surrounding it. Despite intensive sampling in the area, this species was only registered in this pond where it was relatively scarce. Therefore, we consider this species as critically endangered. This species is the sister species of A. patriciae in our phylogenetic analyses and is similar, in a general external aspect, to A. varzeae and A. carvalhoi. It can be distinguished among the species of Austrolebias by its unique color pattern in males. Additionally, from A. varzeae by presenting a supraorbital band equal or longer than the infraorbital band (vs. shorter) and from A. patriciae by the convex dorsal profile of head (vs. concave). Further diagnostic characters and additional comments on its ecology and reproduction are provided.
Fig 1. Live picture of male in left lateral view.
Austrolebias wichi sp. nov. (C) Austrolebias varzeae, picture by Matheus Volcan;
Fig 2. Live picture of female in left lateral view.
Austrolebias wichi sp. nov. (B) Austrolebias varzeae, picture by Matheus Volcan;
Austrolebias wichi, new species
Diagnosis: Distinguished from all other congeners except from Austrolebias patriciae by a supraorbital bar longer or equal than infraorbital bar (vs. always shorter than infraorbital bar). Austrolebias wichi can be distinguished from Austrolebias patriciae by head dorsal profile on lateral view concave (vs. convex), the absence of filamentous rays markedly overpassing the interradial membrane distal margin of dorsal and anal fin in adult males (vs. present), by presenting small numerous whitish dots on unpaired fins in males (vs. fewer and bigger), infraorbital and supraorbital bands thinner than pupil and pointed distal portion (vs. equal or wider than pupil and rounded distal portion), dorsal-fin origin posterior to anal fin origin in females (vs. anterior) (Fig 1).
Female colour pattern similar to A. patriciae, with grey pinkish background having irregular grey blotches and some dark blue blotches over the caudal peduncle and body flank and differing from A. varzeae, which presents an orange background with minute black and grey relatively rounded, irregular blotches (Fig 2), and from A. araucarianus which presents a yellowish brown pale flank, with vertically elongated dark grey to black spots, often forming short narrow bars [Costa, 2014].
Etymology: The name wichi is a reference to the occurrence of the new species in the Western Chacoan region where the Wichí indigenous people inhabits in several settlements very close to the type locality.
Ecology: The ponds in the region have marked dry and wet seasons; the rains are concentrated during the summer, with about 75% of the total rains concentrated from December to March, and almost no rains from May to September [Arias, 1996] (Table 2). This determines that the seasonal ponds present water approximately from December to April, depending on the pond and the variability among years, (pers. obs.) (Fig 6).
The seasonal aquatic environment where the new species was collected is part of a long paleochannel which is interrupted by a road. Despite intensive sampling efforts in this area and in the Western Chacoan region we were only able to collect this species in the portion of the paleochannel immediately next to the road. Physicochemical parameters measured on January 2006 where pH 6,9 and a conductivity of 70 μsiemens/cm. This environment generally presents abundant aquatic vegetation. Other syntopic killifish species are: Papiliolebias bitteri (Costa 1989) and Trigonectes aplocheiloides Huber, 1995, which are the most abundant species, followed in abundance by Austrolebias vandenbergi (Huber, 1995) and A. wichi, which is very scarce in this environment, and some years we could not even collect a single specimen of this species while there were other annual fishes in the pond. Also, very few Neofundulus paraguayensis (Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903) were collected in this pond. Nearby, a couple of hundred of metres from this environment there is another pond where we collected Austrolebias monstrosus (Huber, 1995) but this species was not found syntopically with A. wichi. There are many seasonal ponds in this area where annual fish are very abundant; nevertheless, the only place where we found A. wichi is the type locality. The only noticeable difference between this environment and other seasonal ponds in the area may be that this is a very profound (about 1 meter depth) and big environment.
From mid autumn, winter, and spring the pond is completely dry and the top layer of substrate, which consist of slime with some vegetal rests, is very dry (Fig 7). The presence of domestic cattle in this area is evident in the bottom of the dry pond and the impact of this alteration in the bottom structure over the killifish populations is unknown.
Felipe Alonso, Guillermo Enrique Terán, Pablo Calviño, Ignacio García, Yamila Cardoso and Graciela García. 2018. An Endangered New Species of Seasonal Killifish of the Genus Austrolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei) from the Bermejo River Basin in the Western Chacoan Region. PLoS ONE. 13(5): e0196261. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196261
==========================
Austrolebias wichi
Alonso, Terán, Calviño, García, Cardoso & García, 2018
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196261
Abstract
Austrolebias wichi, new species, is herein described from seasonal ponds of the Bermejo river basin in the Western Chacoan district in northwestern Argentina. This species was found in a single pond, a paleochannel of the Bermejo River, which is seriously disturbed by soybean plantations surrounding it. Despite intensive sampling in the area, this species was only registered in this pond where it was relatively scarce. Therefore, we consider this species as critically endangered. This species is the sister species of A. patriciae in our phylogenetic analyses and is similar, in a general external aspect, to A. varzeae and A. carvalhoi. It can be distinguished among the species of Austrolebias by its unique color pattern in males. Additionally, from A. varzeae by presenting a supraorbital band equal or longer than the infraorbital band (vs. shorter) and from A. patriciae by the convex dorsal profile of head (vs. concave). Further diagnostic characters and additional comments on its ecology and reproduction are provided.
Fig 1. Live picture of male in left lateral view.
Austrolebias wichi sp. nov. (C) Austrolebias varzeae, picture by Matheus Volcan;
Fig 2. Live picture of female in left lateral view.
Austrolebias wichi sp. nov. (B) Austrolebias varzeae, picture by Matheus Volcan;
Austrolebias wichi, new species
Diagnosis: Distinguished from all other congeners except from Austrolebias patriciae by a supraorbital bar longer or equal than infraorbital bar (vs. always shorter than infraorbital bar). Austrolebias wichi can be distinguished from Austrolebias patriciae by head dorsal profile on lateral view concave (vs. convex), the absence of filamentous rays markedly overpassing the interradial membrane distal margin of dorsal and anal fin in adult males (vs. present), by presenting small numerous whitish dots on unpaired fins in males (vs. fewer and bigger), infraorbital and supraorbital bands thinner than pupil and pointed distal portion (vs. equal or wider than pupil and rounded distal portion), dorsal-fin origin posterior to anal fin origin in females (vs. anterior) (Fig 1).
Female colour pattern similar to A. patriciae, with grey pinkish background having irregular grey blotches and some dark blue blotches over the caudal peduncle and body flank and differing from A. varzeae, which presents an orange background with minute black and grey relatively rounded, irregular blotches (Fig 2), and from A. araucarianus which presents a yellowish brown pale flank, with vertically elongated dark grey to black spots, often forming short narrow bars [Costa, 2014].
Etymology: The name wichi is a reference to the occurrence of the new species in the Western Chacoan region where the Wichí indigenous people inhabits in several settlements very close to the type locality.
Ecology: The ponds in the region have marked dry and wet seasons; the rains are concentrated during the summer, with about 75% of the total rains concentrated from December to March, and almost no rains from May to September [Arias, 1996] (Table 2). This determines that the seasonal ponds present water approximately from December to April, depending on the pond and the variability among years, (pers. obs.) (Fig 6).
The seasonal aquatic environment where the new species was collected is part of a long paleochannel which is interrupted by a road. Despite intensive sampling efforts in this area and in the Western Chacoan region we were only able to collect this species in the portion of the paleochannel immediately next to the road. Physicochemical parameters measured on January 2006 where pH 6,9 and a conductivity of 70 μsiemens/cm. This environment generally presents abundant aquatic vegetation. Other syntopic killifish species are: Papiliolebias bitteri (Costa 1989) and Trigonectes aplocheiloides Huber, 1995, which are the most abundant species, followed in abundance by Austrolebias vandenbergi (Huber, 1995) and A. wichi, which is very scarce in this environment, and some years we could not even collect a single specimen of this species while there were other annual fishes in the pond. Also, very few Neofundulus paraguayensis (Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903) were collected in this pond. Nearby, a couple of hundred of metres from this environment there is another pond where we collected Austrolebias monstrosus (Huber, 1995) but this species was not found syntopically with A. wichi. There are many seasonal ponds in this area where annual fish are very abundant; nevertheless, the only place where we found A. wichi is the type locality. The only noticeable difference between this environment and other seasonal ponds in the area may be that this is a very profound (about 1 meter depth) and big environment.
From mid autumn, winter, and spring the pond is completely dry and the top layer of substrate, which consist of slime with some vegetal rests, is very dry (Fig 7). The presence of domestic cattle in this area is evident in the bottom of the dry pond and the impact of this alteration in the bottom structure over the killifish populations is unknown.
Felipe Alonso, Guillermo Enrique Terán, Pablo Calviño, Ignacio García, Yamila Cardoso and Graciela García. 2018. An Endangered New Species of Seasonal Killifish of the Genus Austrolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei) from the Bermejo River Basin in the Western Chacoan Region. PLoS ONE. 13(5): e0196261. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196261
==========================
Hypostomus renestoi • Redescription of Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904) with the Recognition of A New Species of Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Paraguay Basin, Brazil
Fig.. Hypostomus renestoi, MCP 49767, holotype, 121.8 mm SL; Brazil: Mato Grosso State: rio Diamantino, upper rio Paraguay basin. Photographed alive.
Fig. Hypostomus latirostris, NUP 3975, 127.0 mm SL; Brazil: Mato Grosso State: rio Jangada, upper rio Paraguay basin. Photographed alive.
Hypostomus renestoi Zawadzki, da Silva & Troy, 2018
Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904)
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1079
Hypostomus latirostris was originally described by Regan (1904) from “River Jungada [= rio Jangada], Matto Grosso and Goyaz”; however, the species is rarely mentioned in taxonomic works on Hypostomus from Paraguay. Herein, the two syntypes of Plecostomus latirostris were examined showing critical differences between them. After the analysis of a large sample of recently collected specimens from the upper rio Paraguay basin we concluded that the two syntypes from the rio Jangada indeed belong to different species. Hypostomus latirostris is redescribed and a lectotype is designated herein. The other syntype (now a paralectotype of H. latirostris) is designated as paratype of Hypostomus renestoi, new species. Hypostomus renestoi can be differentiated from H. latirostris by having robust teeth (vs. slender); by having 28-77 teeth on the premaxilla (vs. 79-111) and 25-64 on the dentary (vs. 79-109); by having small and more conspicuous dark spots (vs. larger and less conspicuous dark spots); by having dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking hypertrophied odontodes on lateral series of plates); and usually by attaining a smaller size.
Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904)
Plecostomus pantherinus (not Kner, 1854): Boulenger, 1892: 9.
Plecostomus latirostris Regan, 1904: 213, Pl. 11, Fig. 1. Type locality: Rio Jungada [= Jangada], Matto Grosso and Goyaz [Brazil]. Syntypes: BMNH 1892.4.20.26-27 (2); Gosline, 1947: 115 (brief comments).
Hypostomus latirostris – Burgess, 1989: 431 (checklist); Isbrücker, 1980: 25 (checklist); Montoya-Burgos et al., 2002: 374 (Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny); Montoya-Burgos, 2003: 1859, Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny); Weber, 2003: 359 (checklist); Ferraris, 2007: 255 (checklist); Cardoso et al., 2012: 74 (Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny).
Hypostomus sp. – Werner et al., 2005: 197 (L224, photo 3; neighborhood rio Cuiabá) and 302 (L388, photo 1; waters flowing to rio Cuiabá near Cuiabá).
Hypostomus sp. 2 – Veríssimo et al., 2007: 6 (checklist, Manso Reservoir, upper rio Paraguay basin, Brazil).
Hypostomus cf. latirostris - Renesto et al., 2007: 870 (allozymes).
Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus latirostris is known from several localities along the rio Cuiabá basin (Fig. 4). Regan (1904) pointed out the rio Jangada as the type locality. Records of H. latirostris were made in all the extension of the rio Manso and also in the rio Cuiabá basin. The rio Manso and the rio Cuiabazinho are the formers to rio Cuiabá. The rio Cuiabá basin is mainly located upstream the Brazilian Pantanal. Most specimens were collected before and after the construction of the Manso Reservoir. The rio Cuiabá basin has clear water, with rocky and sandy substrate, and variable remnant riparian vegetation. The individuals were collected whether in rapids or in lentic environments. Juveniles were usually collected in oxbow lakes in the rio Cuiabá basin and streams. Specimens of H. latirostris were collected co-occurring with H. boulengeri, H. cochliodon, H. khimaera, H. latifrons, H. piratatu, H. regani, H. ternetzi, H. peckoltoides, and H. mutucae.
Hypostomus renestoi, new species
Plecostomus latirostris Regan, 1904: 213 (partim). Type locality: Rio Jungada, Matto Grosso [Brazil]. Syntypes: BMNH 1892.4.20.26-27 (2).
Hypostomus sp.: Werner et al., 2005: 302 (L389, photo 2; waters flowing to rio Cuiabá near Cuiabá).
Hypostomus sp. 3 – Renesto et al., 2007: 870 [allozymes].
Hypostomus sp. 4 – Veríssimo et al., 2007: 6 (checklist, Manso Reservoir, upper rio Paraguay basin, Brazil).
Diagnosis. Hypostomus renestoi is distinguished from the species of the H. cochliodon group (sensu Zawadzki & Hollanda Carvalho, 2015) by having viliform teeth and angle between dentaries usually larger than 80° (vs. spoon- or shovel-shaped teeth and angle between dentaries about 80°); from H. affinis, H. ancistroides, H. arecuta, H. argus, H. aspilogaster, H. borellii, H. boulengeri, H. carinatus, H. careopinnatus, H. carvalhoi, H. commersoni, H. crassicauda, H. delimai, H. derbyi, H. dlouhyi, H. faveolus, H. formosae, H. hemiurus, H. interruptus, H. itacua, H. laplatae, H. niceforoi, H. nigrolineatus, H. nigropunctatus, H. paucimaculatus, H. piratatu, H. plecostomus, H. pantherinus, H. punctatus, H. pusarum, H. scabryceps, H. seminudus, H. subcarinatus, H. tapijara, H. variostictus, H. velhochico, and H. watwata by lacking keels on median lateral series of plates (vs. having moderate or strong keels along lateral series of plates); from H. alatus, H. albopunctatus, H. chrysostiktos, H. fluviatilis, H. francisci, H. margaritifer, H. luteomaculatus, H. lexi, H. luteus, H. margaritifer, H. meleagris, H. microstomus, H. multidens, H. myersi, H. niger, H. regani, H. roseopunctatus, H. scaphyceps, H. sertanejo, H. strigaticeps, H. tietensis, and H. variipictus by having dark spots on a clearer background (vs. pale spots or vermiculations on a darker background); from H. asperatus, H. brevicauda, H. goyazensis, H. heraldoi, H. hermanni, H. iheringii, H. kuarup, H. lima, H. luetkeni, H. macrops, H. mutucae, H. nigromaculatus, H. paulinus, H. topavae, H. unae, and H. wuchereri by having dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking conspicuous odontodes on lateral series of plates); from H. angipinnatus, H. agna, H. isbrueckeri, H. laplatae, H. latifrons, H. nigropunctatus, H. uruguayensis, and H. vaillanti by having one plate bordering supraoccipital (vs. three to seven); from H. bolivianus, H. fonchii, and H. perdido by having bicuspid teeth (vs. unicuspid teeth); from H. peckoltoides by having dark large spots on body and fins (vs. wide dark transverse bars on body and bands on fins); from H. ternetzi by having ventral unbranched caudal-fin ray length smaller to equal to predorsal length (vs. unbranched caudal-fin ray length clearly larger than predorsal length); from H. latirostris by having: robust teeth (vs. slender); by having 28-77 teeth on premaxilla (vs. 79-111) and 25-64 on dentary (vs. 79-109); small and more conspicuous dark spots (vs. larger and less conspicuous dark spots); dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking conspicuous odontodes on lateral series of plates); and usually by attaining a smaller size.
Ecological notes. Sometimes very small black dots due to encysted metacercariae on trunk, belly and fins (Figs. 5, 7).
Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus renestoi was mainly collected in the rio Cuiabá and its tributaries (Fig. 8). As a small- to medium-sized species, the specimens were collected in small- and medium-sized streams, with ranges from 1.5 to 6 m wide, as well as records were also from the margins or shallow stretches of the larger Cuiabá and Manso rivers. The area sampled presented varied vegetation of degraded areas by mining practices, recreation, pasture, agriculture, and often a small riparian vegetation. The streams usually had as substrate sand, clay, gravel and rocks. Several specimens were collected in rapids on mouth of the tributaries to the rio Manso. With the construction of Manso Reservoir the lower stretches of some tributaries of the rio Manso are nowadays flooded by the lake reservoir.
Etymology. The specific epithet renestoi is in honor of the professor Erasmo Renesto, Brazilian ichthyologist, due to his contributions to the genetic field of the Neotropical fishes.
Cláudio Henrique Zawadzki, Hugmar Pains da Silva and Waldo Pinheiro Troy. 2018. Redescription of Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904) with the Recognition of A New Species of Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Paraguay Basin, Brazil. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1079
==========================
Fig.. Hypostomus renestoi, MCP 49767, holotype, 121.8 mm SL; Brazil: Mato Grosso State: rio Diamantino, upper rio Paraguay basin. Photographed alive.
Fig. Hypostomus latirostris, NUP 3975, 127.0 mm SL; Brazil: Mato Grosso State: rio Jangada, upper rio Paraguay basin. Photographed alive.
Hypostomus renestoi Zawadzki, da Silva & Troy, 2018
Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904)
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1079
Hypostomus latirostris was originally described by Regan (1904) from “River Jungada [= rio Jangada], Matto Grosso and Goyaz”; however, the species is rarely mentioned in taxonomic works on Hypostomus from Paraguay. Herein, the two syntypes of Plecostomus latirostris were examined showing critical differences between them. After the analysis of a large sample of recently collected specimens from the upper rio Paraguay basin we concluded that the two syntypes from the rio Jangada indeed belong to different species. Hypostomus latirostris is redescribed and a lectotype is designated herein. The other syntype (now a paralectotype of H. latirostris) is designated as paratype of Hypostomus renestoi, new species. Hypostomus renestoi can be differentiated from H. latirostris by having robust teeth (vs. slender); by having 28-77 teeth on the premaxilla (vs. 79-111) and 25-64 on the dentary (vs. 79-109); by having small and more conspicuous dark spots (vs. larger and less conspicuous dark spots); by having dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking hypertrophied odontodes on lateral series of plates); and usually by attaining a smaller size.
Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904)
Plecostomus pantherinus (not Kner, 1854): Boulenger, 1892: 9.
Plecostomus latirostris Regan, 1904: 213, Pl. 11, Fig. 1. Type locality: Rio Jungada [= Jangada], Matto Grosso and Goyaz [Brazil]. Syntypes: BMNH 1892.4.20.26-27 (2); Gosline, 1947: 115 (brief comments).
Hypostomus latirostris – Burgess, 1989: 431 (checklist); Isbrücker, 1980: 25 (checklist); Montoya-Burgos et al., 2002: 374 (Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny); Montoya-Burgos, 2003: 1859, Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny); Weber, 2003: 359 (checklist); Ferraris, 2007: 255 (checklist); Cardoso et al., 2012: 74 (Fig. 2; molecular phylogeny).
Hypostomus sp. – Werner et al., 2005: 197 (L224, photo 3; neighborhood rio Cuiabá) and 302 (L388, photo 1; waters flowing to rio Cuiabá near Cuiabá).
Hypostomus sp. 2 – Veríssimo et al., 2007: 6 (checklist, Manso Reservoir, upper rio Paraguay basin, Brazil).
Hypostomus cf. latirostris - Renesto et al., 2007: 870 (allozymes).
Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus latirostris is known from several localities along the rio Cuiabá basin (Fig. 4). Regan (1904) pointed out the rio Jangada as the type locality. Records of H. latirostris were made in all the extension of the rio Manso and also in the rio Cuiabá basin. The rio Manso and the rio Cuiabazinho are the formers to rio Cuiabá. The rio Cuiabá basin is mainly located upstream the Brazilian Pantanal. Most specimens were collected before and after the construction of the Manso Reservoir. The rio Cuiabá basin has clear water, with rocky and sandy substrate, and variable remnant riparian vegetation. The individuals were collected whether in rapids or in lentic environments. Juveniles were usually collected in oxbow lakes in the rio Cuiabá basin and streams. Specimens of H. latirostris were collected co-occurring with H. boulengeri, H. cochliodon, H. khimaera, H. latifrons, H. piratatu, H. regani, H. ternetzi, H. peckoltoides, and H. mutucae.
Hypostomus renestoi, new species
Plecostomus latirostris Regan, 1904: 213 (partim). Type locality: Rio Jungada, Matto Grosso [Brazil]. Syntypes: BMNH 1892.4.20.26-27 (2).
Hypostomus sp.: Werner et al., 2005: 302 (L389, photo 2; waters flowing to rio Cuiabá near Cuiabá).
Hypostomus sp. 3 – Renesto et al., 2007: 870 [allozymes].
Hypostomus sp. 4 – Veríssimo et al., 2007: 6 (checklist, Manso Reservoir, upper rio Paraguay basin, Brazil).
Diagnosis. Hypostomus renestoi is distinguished from the species of the H. cochliodon group (sensu Zawadzki & Hollanda Carvalho, 2015) by having viliform teeth and angle between dentaries usually larger than 80° (vs. spoon- or shovel-shaped teeth and angle between dentaries about 80°); from H. affinis, H. ancistroides, H. arecuta, H. argus, H. aspilogaster, H. borellii, H. boulengeri, H. carinatus, H. careopinnatus, H. carvalhoi, H. commersoni, H. crassicauda, H. delimai, H. derbyi, H. dlouhyi, H. faveolus, H. formosae, H. hemiurus, H. interruptus, H. itacua, H. laplatae, H. niceforoi, H. nigrolineatus, H. nigropunctatus, H. paucimaculatus, H. piratatu, H. plecostomus, H. pantherinus, H. punctatus, H. pusarum, H. scabryceps, H. seminudus, H. subcarinatus, H. tapijara, H. variostictus, H. velhochico, and H. watwata by lacking keels on median lateral series of plates (vs. having moderate or strong keels along lateral series of plates); from H. alatus, H. albopunctatus, H. chrysostiktos, H. fluviatilis, H. francisci, H. margaritifer, H. luteomaculatus, H. lexi, H. luteus, H. margaritifer, H. meleagris, H. microstomus, H. multidens, H. myersi, H. niger, H. regani, H. roseopunctatus, H. scaphyceps, H. sertanejo, H. strigaticeps, H. tietensis, and H. variipictus by having dark spots on a clearer background (vs. pale spots or vermiculations on a darker background); from H. asperatus, H. brevicauda, H. goyazensis, H. heraldoi, H. hermanni, H. iheringii, H. kuarup, H. lima, H. luetkeni, H. macrops, H. mutucae, H. nigromaculatus, H. paulinus, H. topavae, H. unae, and H. wuchereri by having dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking conspicuous odontodes on lateral series of plates); from H. angipinnatus, H. agna, H. isbrueckeri, H. laplatae, H. latifrons, H. nigropunctatus, H. uruguayensis, and H. vaillanti by having one plate bordering supraoccipital (vs. three to seven); from H. bolivianus, H. fonchii, and H. perdido by having bicuspid teeth (vs. unicuspid teeth); from H. peckoltoides by having dark large spots on body and fins (vs. wide dark transverse bars on body and bands on fins); from H. ternetzi by having ventral unbranched caudal-fin ray length smaller to equal to predorsal length (vs. unbranched caudal-fin ray length clearly larger than predorsal length); from H. latirostris by having: robust teeth (vs. slender); by having 28-77 teeth on premaxilla (vs. 79-111) and 25-64 on dentary (vs. 79-109); small and more conspicuous dark spots (vs. larger and less conspicuous dark spots); dorsal and mid-dorsal series of plates with moderate hypertrophied odontodes (vs. lacking conspicuous odontodes on lateral series of plates); and usually by attaining a smaller size.
Ecological notes. Sometimes very small black dots due to encysted metacercariae on trunk, belly and fins (Figs. 5, 7).
Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus renestoi was mainly collected in the rio Cuiabá and its tributaries (Fig. 8). As a small- to medium-sized species, the specimens were collected in small- and medium-sized streams, with ranges from 1.5 to 6 m wide, as well as records were also from the margins or shallow stretches of the larger Cuiabá and Manso rivers. The area sampled presented varied vegetation of degraded areas by mining practices, recreation, pasture, agriculture, and often a small riparian vegetation. The streams usually had as substrate sand, clay, gravel and rocks. Several specimens were collected in rapids on mouth of the tributaries to the rio Manso. With the construction of Manso Reservoir the lower stretches of some tributaries of the rio Manso are nowadays flooded by the lake reservoir.
Etymology. The specific epithet renestoi is in honor of the professor Erasmo Renesto, Brazilian ichthyologist, due to his contributions to the genetic field of the Neotropical fishes.
Cláudio Henrique Zawadzki, Hugmar Pains da Silva and Waldo Pinheiro Troy. 2018. Redescription of Hypostomus latirostris (Regan, 1904) with the Recognition of A New Species of Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Paraguay Basin, Brazil. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1079
==========================
Corydoras benattii • From the Inside Out: A New Species of Armoured Catfish Corydoras (Siluriformes, Callichthyidae) with the Description of Poorly‐explored Character Sources
Corydoras benattii Espindola, Tencatt, Pupo, Villa-Verde & Britto, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13602
Photo by Hans Evers
Abstract
A new species of the armoured catfish genus Corydoras is described from the Xingu–Tapajos ecoregion, Brazilian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having the following combination of features: short mesethmoid, with anterior tip poorly developed, smaller than 50% of bone length; posterior margin of pectoral spine with serrations directed towards spine tip or perpendicularly oriented; infraorbital 2 only in contact with sphenotic; ventral laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 poorly or moderately developed; flank midline covered by small dark brown or black saddles with similar size to remaining markings on body; relatively larger, scarcer and more sparsely distributed dark brown or black spots on body; absence of stripe on flank midline; caudal fin with conspicuous dark brown or black spots along its entire surface; slender body; and strongly narrow frontals. A more comprehensive description of poorly‐explored internal character sources, such as the gross morphology of the brain, Weberian apparatus and swimbladder capsule elements is presented.
Keywords: Brazilian Amazon, Corydoradinae, Corydoras sp. C22, gross brain morphology, taxonomy, Xingu–Tapajos ecoregion
Figure 1: Corydoras benattii sp. nov. in an aquarium , uncatalogued specimens, both near Altamira, lower Rio Xingu Basin.
Figure 2: Corydoras benattii sp. nov., MZUSP 121671, holotype, 25·4 mm standard length, Brazil, Mato Grosso, Canarana–Gaúcha do Norte, Rio Culuene, tributary to Rio Xingu Basin.
Corydoras benattii, sp. nov.
Corydoras sp. 4. Castilhos & Buckup, 2011: 241 (species list).
Corydoras sp. C22. Evers, 1994: 755, Fig. 2 (species catalogue). Glaser et al., 1996: 92 (photos, species catalogue). Evers & Schäfer, 2004: 11, 12 (photos, species catalogue). Füller & Evers, 2005: 281, 285, 294 (species catalogue).
Corydoras sp. aff. C22. Glaser et al., 1996: 90 (photos, species catalogue).
Geographical distribution: Corydoras benattii occurs in both the Rio Xingu and Rio Tapajós basins, Brazilian Amazon (Fig. 10). In the Rio Xingu basin, it is known in Mato Grosso State from tributaries to the Rio Culuene, a clearwater tributary of the upper Rio Xingu (type locality) and in Pará State from the Rio Fresco sub drainage (Rio Trairão and Igarapé Manguari), middle Rio Xingu and from the lower Rio Xingu basin near Altamira. In the Rio Tapajós basin, it occurs in the Rio Peixoto de Azevedo, a tributary to the Rio Teles Pires, Mato Grosso and from Rio Cururu, a tributary to the Rio São Manuel, Pará.
Habitat notes: Specimens of Corydoras benattii were found in lotic habitats in the Rio Culuene, Rio Xingu basin and Rio Braço Norte, tributary to Rio Peixoto de Azevedo, Rio Tapajós basin (Fig. 11). Both localities have muddy‐brown water with clay and sandy substrata. Most specimens were captured in the small forest streams of black or clearwater, or in marginal ponds.
Etymology: The specific name, benattii, honours the late Laert Benatti for his humanitarian work, providing fresh water from artesian wells to poor communities in Brazil. Case is genitive.
V. C. Espíndola, L. F. C. Tencatt, F. M. Pupo, L. Villa‐Verde and M. R. Britto. 2018. From the Inside Out: A New Species of Armoured Catfish Corydoras with the Description of Poorly‐explored Character Sources (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae). Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13602
Researchgate.net/publication/324606214_a_new_species_of_armoured_catfish_Corydoras
facebook.com/LuizTencatt/posts/10213690737920159
==========================
Corydoras benattii Espindola, Tencatt, Pupo, Villa-Verde & Britto, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13602
Photo by Hans Evers
Abstract
A new species of the armoured catfish genus Corydoras is described from the Xingu–Tapajos ecoregion, Brazilian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having the following combination of features: short mesethmoid, with anterior tip poorly developed, smaller than 50% of bone length; posterior margin of pectoral spine with serrations directed towards spine tip or perpendicularly oriented; infraorbital 2 only in contact with sphenotic; ventral laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 poorly or moderately developed; flank midline covered by small dark brown or black saddles with similar size to remaining markings on body; relatively larger, scarcer and more sparsely distributed dark brown or black spots on body; absence of stripe on flank midline; caudal fin with conspicuous dark brown or black spots along its entire surface; slender body; and strongly narrow frontals. A more comprehensive description of poorly‐explored internal character sources, such as the gross morphology of the brain, Weberian apparatus and swimbladder capsule elements is presented.
Keywords: Brazilian Amazon, Corydoradinae, Corydoras sp. C22, gross brain morphology, taxonomy, Xingu–Tapajos ecoregion
Figure 1: Corydoras benattii sp. nov. in an aquarium , uncatalogued specimens, both near Altamira, lower Rio Xingu Basin.
Figure 2: Corydoras benattii sp. nov., MZUSP 121671, holotype, 25·4 mm standard length, Brazil, Mato Grosso, Canarana–Gaúcha do Norte, Rio Culuene, tributary to Rio Xingu Basin.
Corydoras benattii, sp. nov.
Corydoras sp. 4. Castilhos & Buckup, 2011: 241 (species list).
Corydoras sp. C22. Evers, 1994: 755, Fig. 2 (species catalogue). Glaser et al., 1996: 92 (photos, species catalogue). Evers & Schäfer, 2004: 11, 12 (photos, species catalogue). Füller & Evers, 2005: 281, 285, 294 (species catalogue).
Corydoras sp. aff. C22. Glaser et al., 1996: 90 (photos, species catalogue).
Geographical distribution: Corydoras benattii occurs in both the Rio Xingu and Rio Tapajós basins, Brazilian Amazon (Fig. 10). In the Rio Xingu basin, it is known in Mato Grosso State from tributaries to the Rio Culuene, a clearwater tributary of the upper Rio Xingu (type locality) and in Pará State from the Rio Fresco sub drainage (Rio Trairão and Igarapé Manguari), middle Rio Xingu and from the lower Rio Xingu basin near Altamira. In the Rio Tapajós basin, it occurs in the Rio Peixoto de Azevedo, a tributary to the Rio Teles Pires, Mato Grosso and from Rio Cururu, a tributary to the Rio São Manuel, Pará.
Habitat notes: Specimens of Corydoras benattii were found in lotic habitats in the Rio Culuene, Rio Xingu basin and Rio Braço Norte, tributary to Rio Peixoto de Azevedo, Rio Tapajós basin (Fig. 11). Both localities have muddy‐brown water with clay and sandy substrata. Most specimens were captured in the small forest streams of black or clearwater, or in marginal ponds.
Etymology: The specific name, benattii, honours the late Laert Benatti for his humanitarian work, providing fresh water from artesian wells to poor communities in Brazil. Case is genitive.
V. C. Espíndola, L. F. C. Tencatt, F. M. Pupo, L. Villa‐Verde and M. R. Britto. 2018. From the Inside Out: A New Species of Armoured Catfish Corydoras with the Description of Poorly‐explored Character Sources (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae). Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13602
Researchgate.net/publication/324606214_a_new_species_of_armoured_catfish_Corydoras
facebook.com/LuizTencatt/posts/10213690737920159
==========================
An eco-friendly cure for a global fish-killing disease- White Spot
Scientists have discovered a molecule that can save freshwater fish from a widespread deadly parasite.
By: Kurt Buchmann, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Parasites are as a rule very picky about who they infect. But there are always exceptions.
The so-called ‘fish killer’ is a single-celled parasitic ciliate that causes problems for almost all species of freshwater fish. It affects both wild and farmed fish.
It infects the fish host and causes “White spot disease”, which becomes fatal within a matter of days.
Currently, fish farms use large amounts of harmful chemicals to keep the parasite, known as Ichthyophthirius, at bay.
But the environmental damage of these chemicals could be reduced in future thanks to a new discovery, which my colleagues and I have just made at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in collaboration with colleagues in the Netherlands.
A devastating parasite. It’s not only fish farmers and freshwater biologists that are familiar with the disease.
And they are not the only ones affected when fish become infected: White spot disease can wipe out an aquarium within a matter of days.
Ichthyophthirius is a true survivor. It has four life stages, and fortunately for the parasite, current chemical treatments do not work evenly throughout all of these stages.
These four stages are:
Degradable molecule kills the parasite in minutesOur new research shows that a molecule from the bacterium Pseudomonas H6 can kill the parasite at each stage of its life cycle outside the host.
Within seconds to minutes of application of the surfactant molecule, the membrane of the parasite becomes leaky and the cell content will flow out of the cell.
After it has done its job, the molecule quickly breaks down in the environment, whether that is a lake, a fish farm, or an aquarium, so it doesn’t build up over time.
This breakdown typically occurs within a few hours, but we need to study this further to find out precisely how long it takes.
The new discovery offers hope of developing a more effective and environmentally friendly way of controlling this deadly parasite.
Scientists have discovered a molecule that can save freshwater fish from a widespread deadly parasite.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12810
==========================
Scientists have discovered a molecule that can save freshwater fish from a widespread deadly parasite.
By: Kurt Buchmann, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Parasites are as a rule very picky about who they infect. But there are always exceptions.
The so-called ‘fish killer’ is a single-celled parasitic ciliate that causes problems for almost all species of freshwater fish. It affects both wild and farmed fish.
It infects the fish host and causes “White spot disease”, which becomes fatal within a matter of days.
Currently, fish farms use large amounts of harmful chemicals to keep the parasite, known as Ichthyophthirius, at bay.
But the environmental damage of these chemicals could be reduced in future thanks to a new discovery, which my colleagues and I have just made at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in collaboration with colleagues in the Netherlands.
A devastating parasite. It’s not only fish farmers and freshwater biologists that are familiar with the disease.
And they are not the only ones affected when fish become infected: White spot disease can wipe out an aquarium within a matter of days.
Ichthyophthirius is a true survivor. It has four life stages, and fortunately for the parasite, current chemical treatments do not work evenly throughout all of these stages.
These four stages are:
- The trophont: The parasite living in skin and gills.
- The Tomont: Following escape from the skin it swims freely in the water.
- Tomocyst: The tomont secretes a cyst wall and produces numerous daughter cells (theronts).
- Theront: These theronts escape the cyst and will infect fish within a few hours.
Degradable molecule kills the parasite in minutesOur new research shows that a molecule from the bacterium Pseudomonas H6 can kill the parasite at each stage of its life cycle outside the host.
Within seconds to minutes of application of the surfactant molecule, the membrane of the parasite becomes leaky and the cell content will flow out of the cell.
After it has done its job, the molecule quickly breaks down in the environment, whether that is a lake, a fish farm, or an aquarium, so it doesn’t build up over time.
This breakdown typically occurs within a few hours, but we need to study this further to find out precisely how long it takes.
The new discovery offers hope of developing a more effective and environmentally friendly way of controlling this deadly parasite.
Scientists have discovered a molecule that can save freshwater fish from a widespread deadly parasite.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12810
==========================
World's biggest fisheries supported by seagrass meadowsSeagrass meadows help to support world fisheries productivity
Date:
May 21, 2018
Source:
Swansea University
Summary:
Scientific research has provided the first quantitative global evidence of the significant role that seagrass meadows play in supporting world fisheries productivity.
FULL STORY
Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production.
Credit: Swansea UniversityScientific research has provided the first quantitative global evidence of the significant role that seagrass meadows play in supporting world fisheries productivity. The study entitled 'Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production' published in Conservation Letters, provides evidence that a fifth of the world's biggest fisheries, such as Atlantic Cod and Walleye Pollock are reliant on healthy seagrass meadows. The study also demonstrates the prevalence of seagrass associated fishing globally.
The study, carried out in partnership with Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth at Cardiff University and Dr Lina Mtwana Nordlund at Stockholm University, demonstrates for the first time that seagrasses should be recognised and managed to maintain and maximise their role in global fisheries production.
Dr Cullen-Unsworth said: "The chasm that exists between coastal habitat conservation and fisheries management needs to be filled to maximise the chances of seagrass meadows supporting fisheries, so that they can continue to support human wellbeing."
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that form extensive meadows in shallow seas on all continents except Antarctica. The distribution of seagrass, from the intertidal to about 60m depth in clear waters, makes seagrass meadows an easily exploitable fishing habitat.
Dr Unsworth said: "Seagrass meadows support global fisheries productivity by providing nursery habitat for commercial fish stocks such as tiger prawns, conch, Atlantic cod and white spotted spinefoot."
The authors also explain how seagrasses support fisheries in adjacent and deep water habitats, by creating expansive fishery habitat rich in fauna, and by providing trophic support to adjacent fisheries. Seagrasses are also described to support fisheries by promoting the health of connected habitats (e.g. Coral reefs).
The research article examined the links between seagrass and fisheries and the need for an integrated approach to their management governed at local, regional and international levels. The research presents a series of policy-relevant observations and recommendations that recognise the role of seagrass in global fisheries.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Swansea University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Date:
May 21, 2018
Source:
Swansea University
Summary:
Scientific research has provided the first quantitative global evidence of the significant role that seagrass meadows play in supporting world fisheries productivity.
FULL STORY
Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production.
Credit: Swansea UniversityScientific research has provided the first quantitative global evidence of the significant role that seagrass meadows play in supporting world fisheries productivity. The study entitled 'Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production' published in Conservation Letters, provides evidence that a fifth of the world's biggest fisheries, such as Atlantic Cod and Walleye Pollock are reliant on healthy seagrass meadows. The study also demonstrates the prevalence of seagrass associated fishing globally.
The study, carried out in partnership with Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth at Cardiff University and Dr Lina Mtwana Nordlund at Stockholm University, demonstrates for the first time that seagrasses should be recognised and managed to maintain and maximise their role in global fisheries production.
Dr Cullen-Unsworth said: "The chasm that exists between coastal habitat conservation and fisheries management needs to be filled to maximise the chances of seagrass meadows supporting fisheries, so that they can continue to support human wellbeing."
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that form extensive meadows in shallow seas on all continents except Antarctica. The distribution of seagrass, from the intertidal to about 60m depth in clear waters, makes seagrass meadows an easily exploitable fishing habitat.
Dr Unsworth said: "Seagrass meadows support global fisheries productivity by providing nursery habitat for commercial fish stocks such as tiger prawns, conch, Atlantic cod and white spotted spinefoot."
The authors also explain how seagrasses support fisheries in adjacent and deep water habitats, by creating expansive fishery habitat rich in fauna, and by providing trophic support to adjacent fisheries. Seagrasses are also described to support fisheries by promoting the health of connected habitats (e.g. Coral reefs).
The research article examined the links between seagrass and fisheries and the need for an integrated approach to their management governed at local, regional and international levels. The research presents a series of policy-relevant observations and recommendations that recognise the role of seagrass in global fisheries.
- Seagrass nursery habitats for fish stocks. This research highlights the need to expand research into nursery habitat links to mature exploited fish stocks. Large-scale international strategies such as the European Union Fisheries Policy need to formally acknowledge the significance of seagrass meadows (and other habitats) as nursery grounds from which off-shore fisheries are stocked, says Dr Unsworth.
- Seagrass as key fishing grounds. Seagrass meadows provide a fishery resource that is directly exploited by small scale subsistence and artisanal fisheries as well as large scale commercial enterprises but in many parts of the world, seagrass situated fisheries are often unreported and unregulated and more needs to be done to record this vital resource, says co-author Dr Nordlund.
- Seagrass provides shallow water habitat for harvesting invertebrates. Gleaning, fishing in water shallow enough to walk in, occurs around the globe. Seagrass invertebrate fisheries provide a source of essential protein for some of the most vulnerable people in tropical coastal communities., says Dr Nordlund. Invertebrate gleaning activity is expanding globally and although it's a significant global activity, often conducted by women and children, it is not usually included in fishery statistics and rarely considered in resource management strategies are commonly unreported, unregulated or poorly enforced. This substantial and widespread fishery needs to be considered with regional and local management planning.
- Seagrass trophic support for fisheries. Seagrass meadows export vast quantities of living material, organic matter and associated animal biomass. This can benefit a range of near and far shore fisheries. Seagrass can also subsidise whole food webs in the deep sea benefiting larger fisheries productivity.
- The potential value of seagrass meadows for food security. The potential value of seagrass meadows in supporting food security remains largely underappreciated, says co-author Dr Cullen-Unsworth. In particular there is disparity between the significant economic benefits supplied by the seagrass nurseries and the poor levels of funding and management afforded to prevent seagrass degradation. Fisheries modelling and management approaches tend not to consider the functional role of shallow coastal seagrass in supporting fish stocks.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Swansea University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Richard K.F. Unsworth, Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Leanne C. Cullen-Unsworth. Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production. Conservation Letters, 2018; e12566 DOI: 10.1111/conl.12566
==========================
Insect meal to the mix: Effect on fish feed pellets
As of last year, adding insect meal to fish diets is allowed. But what is the effect of adding this new type of protein on the physical-chemical properties of hot-extruded fish feed pellets?Fish feed is made by using the extrusion method, as this is an efficient, durable and versatile method of producing both floating and sinking pellets. In addition, extrusion enhances digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients, improves safety of the final product and is also an environmentally-friendly process. At the same time time, feed ingredients for fish feed are changing and this can have an effect on further feed processing. The use of alternative protein sources such as insect meal is increasing. But can we still make a high quality feed pellet when insect derived ingredients are added to the feed mash?
Fish feed is made by using the extrusion method, as this is an efficient, durable and versatile method of producing both floating and sinking pellets. Photo: DreamstimeDifferent inclusion rates testedA collaborative research team delved into this and further studied the effects of substituting freshwater shrimp meal (FWSM) with black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFM) or adult cricket meal (ACM). The FWSM protein in a 26 g/100 g protein fish feed formulation was substituted at 0, 25, 50 and 75%, and moisture content of the formulated blends adjusted to 10, 20 or 30 g/100 g prior to extrusion. Floatability, expansion rate, bulk density, durability index, water absorption index, water solubility index, and water stability of extruded pellets were determined. Sinking velocity and the total suspended and dissolved solids in water were determined for the optimal pellets.
The top 3 articles on insect meal in fish diets:First insect-fed salmon launched
Heading towards 100% fishmeal replacement
Canadian approval for insects in salmon feed
No major influences of insect mealIt was shown that the pellet floatability was not influenced by the type of insect meal, but the interaction between level of inclusion and moisture content of the feed at extrusion. Pellets with high floatability >90% were produced from all feed blends at 30 g/100 g moisture content. Expansion ratio, was not influenced by type of insect meal or the level of inclusion but by the moisture content whereby feed blends extruded at 30 g/100 g moisture gave pellets with high expansion ratio ~60%. Bulk density was influenced by the interaction of the 3 factors. Pellet durability and water absorption indices were not influenced by the investigated factors or their interactions. Processed pellets were generally highly durable (99%) out of water, but the stability in water was significantly influenced by the interaction of type of insect meal level of inclusion and moisture content at extrusion. Water solubility increased with increasing extrusion moisture.
Want to buy insect meal or insect oil? Take a look at this comprehensive list of the major commercial producers around the world.
An effective substituteFrom this trial, the researchers conclude that overall, nutritional contents of BSFM and ACM blends were within that of the control indicating that the insect meals can effectively substitute FWSM as key protein source. Best results were seen with 75% BSFM or 75% ACM at 30 g/100 g feed moisture. Further work should investigate nutrient availability and digestibility as well as performance of the pellets in feeding trials.
Source: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
==========================
As of last year, adding insect meal to fish diets is allowed. But what is the effect of adding this new type of protein on the physical-chemical properties of hot-extruded fish feed pellets?Fish feed is made by using the extrusion method, as this is an efficient, durable and versatile method of producing both floating and sinking pellets. In addition, extrusion enhances digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients, improves safety of the final product and is also an environmentally-friendly process. At the same time time, feed ingredients for fish feed are changing and this can have an effect on further feed processing. The use of alternative protein sources such as insect meal is increasing. But can we still make a high quality feed pellet when insect derived ingredients are added to the feed mash?
Fish feed is made by using the extrusion method, as this is an efficient, durable and versatile method of producing both floating and sinking pellets. Photo: DreamstimeDifferent inclusion rates testedA collaborative research team delved into this and further studied the effects of substituting freshwater shrimp meal (FWSM) with black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFM) or adult cricket meal (ACM). The FWSM protein in a 26 g/100 g protein fish feed formulation was substituted at 0, 25, 50 and 75%, and moisture content of the formulated blends adjusted to 10, 20 or 30 g/100 g prior to extrusion. Floatability, expansion rate, bulk density, durability index, water absorption index, water solubility index, and water stability of extruded pellets were determined. Sinking velocity and the total suspended and dissolved solids in water were determined for the optimal pellets.
The top 3 articles on insect meal in fish diets:First insect-fed salmon launched
Heading towards 100% fishmeal replacement
Canadian approval for insects in salmon feed
No major influences of insect mealIt was shown that the pellet floatability was not influenced by the type of insect meal, but the interaction between level of inclusion and moisture content of the feed at extrusion. Pellets with high floatability >90% were produced from all feed blends at 30 g/100 g moisture content. Expansion ratio, was not influenced by type of insect meal or the level of inclusion but by the moisture content whereby feed blends extruded at 30 g/100 g moisture gave pellets with high expansion ratio ~60%. Bulk density was influenced by the interaction of the 3 factors. Pellet durability and water absorption indices were not influenced by the investigated factors or their interactions. Processed pellets were generally highly durable (99%) out of water, but the stability in water was significantly influenced by the interaction of type of insect meal level of inclusion and moisture content at extrusion. Water solubility increased with increasing extrusion moisture.
Want to buy insect meal or insect oil? Take a look at this comprehensive list of the major commercial producers around the world.
An effective substituteFrom this trial, the researchers conclude that overall, nutritional contents of BSFM and ACM blends were within that of the control indicating that the insect meals can effectively substitute FWSM as key protein source. Best results were seen with 75% BSFM or 75% ACM at 30 g/100 g feed moisture. Further work should investigate nutrient availability and digestibility as well as performance of the pellets in feeding trials.
Source: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
==========================
(Oncorhynchus clarki lewisii
Environmentalists concerned about fragile fish habitat in creek west of Calgary
Concerns over silt in sensitive trout habitat
Environmentalists are concerned about a Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat after mud from a nearby road washed into the water.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout ((Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) populations continue to decline in Alberta and some environmental groups are sounding the alarm over an incident in Silvester Creek, west of Calgary.
The groups say mud from a road used to haul logs was swept into critical Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat earlier this month.
Silvester Creek runs through the McLean Creek Public Land Use Zone and is home to one of just 13 genetically pure populations of the native trout.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout are listed as threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act and the Federal Species at Risk Act, because of their small distribution, fragmented population and the continuing decline of habitat.
Logging companies and trail users are required to use only specially designated crossing points that should be designed to limit runoff into the creek.
Part of Silvester Creek has been designated as critical habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout and the species is listed as threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act.
Excessive mud can smother the eggs of the threatened fish, which will soon start spawning.
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says the latest incident highlights a problem with the way the province protects threatened species.
"More broadly, we'd really like to see a forestry policy reevaluated so that this is prevented, it's not just caught and repaired. Fragile species like cutthroat trout can't handle events like this and they should be prevented in their entirety," said Becky Best-Bertwistle, from CPAWS.
Dave Klepacki is a passionate fisherman and when he saw the water he was concerned.
“The silt will clog up the oxygenation of those eggs and those eggs are at risk of dying of course,” said Klepacki. “I was surprised at how silty it was that far downstream from the actual problem with the bridge where the silt was running off of the road.”
Klepacki set out to find the source of the silt and says he came across a bridge along a logging road that had given way, dumping loads of dirt into the creek system.
“As soon as we got above those bridges upstream, water was crystal clear,” he said.
A representative from Spray Lakes Sawmills says the company is aware and took action as soon as the weather improved to stop mud and dirt from getting washed into the creek system.
The company adds that they believe that there was no environmental impact from the event.
In 2005, there were an estimated 330 adult cutthroat trout in the creek system and that number fell to just 81 fish by 2016.
The province and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are looking into the incident.
==========================
Concerns over silt in sensitive trout habitat
Environmentalists are concerned about a Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat after mud from a nearby road washed into the water.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout ((Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) populations continue to decline in Alberta and some environmental groups are sounding the alarm over an incident in Silvester Creek, west of Calgary.
The groups say mud from a road used to haul logs was swept into critical Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat earlier this month.
Silvester Creek runs through the McLean Creek Public Land Use Zone and is home to one of just 13 genetically pure populations of the native trout.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout are listed as threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act and the Federal Species at Risk Act, because of their small distribution, fragmented population and the continuing decline of habitat.
Logging companies and trail users are required to use only specially designated crossing points that should be designed to limit runoff into the creek.
Part of Silvester Creek has been designated as critical habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout and the species is listed as threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act.
Excessive mud can smother the eggs of the threatened fish, which will soon start spawning.
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says the latest incident highlights a problem with the way the province protects threatened species.
"More broadly, we'd really like to see a forestry policy reevaluated so that this is prevented, it's not just caught and repaired. Fragile species like cutthroat trout can't handle events like this and they should be prevented in their entirety," said Becky Best-Bertwistle, from CPAWS.
Dave Klepacki is a passionate fisherman and when he saw the water he was concerned.
“The silt will clog up the oxygenation of those eggs and those eggs are at risk of dying of course,” said Klepacki. “I was surprised at how silty it was that far downstream from the actual problem with the bridge where the silt was running off of the road.”
Klepacki set out to find the source of the silt and says he came across a bridge along a logging road that had given way, dumping loads of dirt into the creek system.
“As soon as we got above those bridges upstream, water was crystal clear,” he said.
A representative from Spray Lakes Sawmills says the company is aware and took action as soon as the weather improved to stop mud and dirt from getting washed into the creek system.
The company adds that they believe that there was no environmental impact from the event.
In 2005, there were an estimated 330 adult cutthroat trout in the creek system and that number fell to just 81 fish by 2016.
The province and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are looking into the incident.
==========================
Embryonic, larval and juvenile development of the longfin batfish, Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775) under controlled conditions with special regard to mitigate cannibalism for larviculture
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.05.006
Highlights
•We report the embryonic, larval and juvenile development of Platax teira for the first time.
•The optimal incubation temperature for Platax teira recommended is at 27 °C.
•The usage of aeration provides an eazy and effective approach to suppress cannibalism problems in batfish larviculture.
•Batfish larvae reared in aeration rate of 300 mL min-1 attained the highest survival rate and remained lower in cannibalism.
AbstractLongfin batfish Platax teira is one of the most important finfish species in Asian aquaculture. However, knowledge on early ontogeny and reproduction of this species in captivity are scarce and incomplete. In this study, the embryonic, larval and juvenile development of P. teira are described and illustrated for the first time. The effect of temperature (27, 30 and 33 °C) on hatching rate, yolk-sac volume and oil globule volume was demonstrated. Cannibalism control via aeration adjustment for the enhancement of larval survival was also examined. Fertilized eggs were spherical, buoyant and had a diameter of 1.29 ± 0.05 mm (mean ± SD). Embryonic development lasted 16 h at 26.2 °C. Newly hatched larvae were 2.81 ± 0.24 mm in total length (LT) with 24 myomeres and had an oil globule in the ventroposterior area of the yolk sac. Early larvae had xanthophores appeared all over the body, except for the tip of the notochord. Larvae completed yolk absorption within 3 days post hatching (dph) at 3.41 ± 0.11 mm LT. Larvae were fed initially on rotifers Brachionus ibericus, followed by Artemia nauplii and finally weaned onto an artificial diet. From 8 dph, the larger larvae (over 4 mm LT) began to exhibit cannibalistic behaviour. Transformation of larvae to the juvenile stage was completed at 23.80 ± 1.98 mm LT, all fins had the adult complement of rays and spines. A statistical model: Y = 2.4968e0.0786x, where Y is mean LT (mm) and X represents dph, explained 96.45% of variation in growth (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.9645). The hatching rate, yolk-sac volume and oil globule volume of newly hatched larvae were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased when the incubation temperature increased. Only 2–6% of embryos hatched at 33 °C, while the hatching rate was 63 ± 6% at 27 °C. Larvae reared in aeration rate of 300 mL min−1 attained the highest survival rate at 70.00 ± 7.20%, but remained significantly (P < 0.05) lower in cannibalism: 24.44 ± 4.16% compared with 66.67 ± 5.44% in 20 mL min−1. These results indicate that the optimal incubation temperature recommended is approximately at 27 °C, and aeration at 300 mL min −1could enhance larval survival by reducing cannibalism.
==========================
- Ming-Yih Leua, b, , 1, ,
- Ko-Yuan Taic,
- Pei-Jie Menga, b,
- Cheng-Hao Tanga, d,
- Pin-Han Wanga,
- Kwee Siong Tewa, b, 1
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.05.006
Highlights
•We report the embryonic, larval and juvenile development of Platax teira for the first time.
•The optimal incubation temperature for Platax teira recommended is at 27 °C.
•The usage of aeration provides an eazy and effective approach to suppress cannibalism problems in batfish larviculture.
•Batfish larvae reared in aeration rate of 300 mL min-1 attained the highest survival rate and remained lower in cannibalism.
AbstractLongfin batfish Platax teira is one of the most important finfish species in Asian aquaculture. However, knowledge on early ontogeny and reproduction of this species in captivity are scarce and incomplete. In this study, the embryonic, larval and juvenile development of P. teira are described and illustrated for the first time. The effect of temperature (27, 30 and 33 °C) on hatching rate, yolk-sac volume and oil globule volume was demonstrated. Cannibalism control via aeration adjustment for the enhancement of larval survival was also examined. Fertilized eggs were spherical, buoyant and had a diameter of 1.29 ± 0.05 mm (mean ± SD). Embryonic development lasted 16 h at 26.2 °C. Newly hatched larvae were 2.81 ± 0.24 mm in total length (LT) with 24 myomeres and had an oil globule in the ventroposterior area of the yolk sac. Early larvae had xanthophores appeared all over the body, except for the tip of the notochord. Larvae completed yolk absorption within 3 days post hatching (dph) at 3.41 ± 0.11 mm LT. Larvae were fed initially on rotifers Brachionus ibericus, followed by Artemia nauplii and finally weaned onto an artificial diet. From 8 dph, the larger larvae (over 4 mm LT) began to exhibit cannibalistic behaviour. Transformation of larvae to the juvenile stage was completed at 23.80 ± 1.98 mm LT, all fins had the adult complement of rays and spines. A statistical model: Y = 2.4968e0.0786x, where Y is mean LT (mm) and X represents dph, explained 96.45% of variation in growth (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.9645). The hatching rate, yolk-sac volume and oil globule volume of newly hatched larvae were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased when the incubation temperature increased. Only 2–6% of embryos hatched at 33 °C, while the hatching rate was 63 ± 6% at 27 °C. Larvae reared in aeration rate of 300 mL min−1 attained the highest survival rate at 70.00 ± 7.20%, but remained significantly (P < 0.05) lower in cannibalism: 24.44 ± 4.16% compared with 66.67 ± 5.44% in 20 mL min−1. These results indicate that the optimal incubation temperature recommended is approximately at 27 °C, and aeration at 300 mL min −1could enhance larval survival by reducing cannibalism.
==========================
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis • A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Philippines and Indonesia
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis
Tea, Frable & Gill, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4418.6.5
Abstract
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, sp. nov., is described on the basis of the holotype and three paratypes from Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, and a paratype from Sulawesi, Indonesia. The new species belongs to a complex consisting of C. filamentosus (Klausewitz), C. rubripinnis Randall & Carpenter, and C. tonozukai Allen & Kuiter. Aside from similar nuptial male coloration, the four species share the following character combination: a single row of cheek scales; dorsal-fin spines taller than dorsal-fin rays (slightly incised between spinuous and soft dorsal fin in C. rubripinnis and C. cyanogularis; last three dorsal-fin spines converging to form a single filament in C. tonozukai and C. filamentosus); relatively long pelvic fins (reaching past anal-fin origin); and isthmus and breast blue. The new species differs from the other members of the complex in lacking a dorsal filament, as well as possessing six predorsal scales, more extensive blue coloration on the isthmus, lower head and breast, and a soft dorsal fin with narrow black, medial stripe. The status of Klausewitz’s Cirrhilabrichthys is briefly discussed.
Keywords: taxonomy, ichthyology, Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, coloration, Pisces
FIGURE Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, aquarium specimen from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Specimen not retained. Photo by K. Endoh.
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis n. sp.
Blue-throated Fairy-wrasse
Diagnosis. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis differs from congeners in having the following combination of characters: single row of cheek scales; six predorsal scales; dorsal-fin spines taller than segmented rays; no filament on middle of dorsal fin; pelvic fins long, reaching past anal-fin origin; males in life with broad blue area covering isthmus, lower part of head and breast to at least pelvic origin, and soft dorsal fin with narrow black, medial stripe.
....
Etymology. The specific epithet is a combination of the Greek kyanos, blue, and Latin, gularis, throated, alluding to the extensive blue throat coloration of males of the species. Gender is masculine.
Distribution and habitat. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis is known from the type locality from Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines and from an unknown locality in Sulawesi, Indonesia (Figure 8). ....
Yi-Kai Tea, Benjamin Frable and Anthony C. Gill. 2018. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, A New Species of Fairy Wrasse from the Philippines and Indonesia (Teleostei: Labridae). Zootaxa. 4418(6); 577–587. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4418.6.5
==========================
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis
Tea, Frable & Gill, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4418.6.5
Abstract
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, sp. nov., is described on the basis of the holotype and three paratypes from Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, and a paratype from Sulawesi, Indonesia. The new species belongs to a complex consisting of C. filamentosus (Klausewitz), C. rubripinnis Randall & Carpenter, and C. tonozukai Allen & Kuiter. Aside from similar nuptial male coloration, the four species share the following character combination: a single row of cheek scales; dorsal-fin spines taller than dorsal-fin rays (slightly incised between spinuous and soft dorsal fin in C. rubripinnis and C. cyanogularis; last three dorsal-fin spines converging to form a single filament in C. tonozukai and C. filamentosus); relatively long pelvic fins (reaching past anal-fin origin); and isthmus and breast blue. The new species differs from the other members of the complex in lacking a dorsal filament, as well as possessing six predorsal scales, more extensive blue coloration on the isthmus, lower head and breast, and a soft dorsal fin with narrow black, medial stripe. The status of Klausewitz’s Cirrhilabrichthys is briefly discussed.
Keywords: taxonomy, ichthyology, Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, coloration, Pisces
FIGURE Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, aquarium specimen from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Specimen not retained. Photo by K. Endoh.
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis n. sp.
Blue-throated Fairy-wrasse
Diagnosis. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis differs from congeners in having the following combination of characters: single row of cheek scales; six predorsal scales; dorsal-fin spines taller than segmented rays; no filament on middle of dorsal fin; pelvic fins long, reaching past anal-fin origin; males in life with broad blue area covering isthmus, lower part of head and breast to at least pelvic origin, and soft dorsal fin with narrow black, medial stripe.
....
Etymology. The specific epithet is a combination of the Greek kyanos, blue, and Latin, gularis, throated, alluding to the extensive blue throat coloration of males of the species. Gender is masculine.
Distribution and habitat. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis is known from the type locality from Banguingui Island, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines and from an unknown locality in Sulawesi, Indonesia (Figure 8). ....
Yi-Kai Tea, Benjamin Frable and Anthony C. Gill. 2018. Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, A New Species of Fairy Wrasse from the Philippines and Indonesia (Teleostei: Labridae). Zootaxa. 4418(6); 577–587. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4418.6.5
==========================
Mystery disease threatening to wipe out fish in famous Irish lakes believed to be deadly 'koi sleepy' virus
Fish have been mysteriously dying at The Lough in CorkMarine biologists now believe a mystery disease which has threatened to wipe out fish stocks in several famous Cork lakes is a rare virus deadly to carp.
Inland Fisheries Ireland confirmed that scientists at the Fish Health Unit at the Irish Marine Institute have advised that the sample carp taken from The Lough and Belvelly Lake in Cork have all tested positive for Carp Edema Virus (CEV).
CEV is a poxvirus which causes a disease known as ‘koi sleepy disease’ in both koi and common carp.
However, experts warned that their investigation remains ongoing."While tests are ongoing and further tests are carried out on the CEV detected, this is being treated as a ‘suspect positive’ and is not confirmed as the causative agent of the mortalities until all tests have been completed," an IFI spokesman said.
IFI have now advised that strict bio-security protocols including non-fishing orders and careful equipment contamination be adhered to so as to prevent any further outbreaks.
All dead fish are being carefully removed from the two Cork lakes and are being disposed of in a secure manner.
Angling remains suspended at both locations as well as Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid Reservoirs.
The investigation was accelerated after reports that fish were dying in a lake outside Cobh - just days after fish mysteriously started dying in the famous Lough in Cork city.
Fears had mounted that the mystery infection could spread to other valuable waterways.
IFI are liaising with Cork City Council, Cork Co Council and expert marine biologists at University College Cork (UCC) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) in a bid to confirm and contain the infection.
Fish first appeared sick and dying at The Lough last week.
A total of almost 400 carp have since been found dead or dying.
However, fish similarly sick and dying have been found at Belvelly Lake outside Cobh.
Those fish appear to have the same type of illness at the dead carp in The Lough.
IFI official Sean Long said the matter was being taken very seriously.
"There is a white fungal growth appearing on the scales on the side of the fish," he said.
"That could be a secondary issue or it could be part of the problem."
Angling groups expressed alarm at the implications of the mystery illness spreading to other waterways used by recreational fishermen.
Anglers have now been asked to carefully clean and disinfect any equipment used in either The Lough or Belvelly Lake.
All fishing on The Lough has now been suspended.
Both Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid Reservoirs are off-limits to fishermen to prevent contamination spread.
Nine years ago, birds began mysteriously dying at The Lough.
The deaths began in July 2009 and involved dozens of swans and ducks.
Those deaths were later blamed on a form of botulism linked to toxins being stirred up from the mud at the bottom of the lake and connected to the large quantities of bread being thrown into the water for wildlife to feed on.
from Independant.ie
==========================
Fish have been mysteriously dying at The Lough in CorkMarine biologists now believe a mystery disease which has threatened to wipe out fish stocks in several famous Cork lakes is a rare virus deadly to carp.
Inland Fisheries Ireland confirmed that scientists at the Fish Health Unit at the Irish Marine Institute have advised that the sample carp taken from The Lough and Belvelly Lake in Cork have all tested positive for Carp Edema Virus (CEV).
CEV is a poxvirus which causes a disease known as ‘koi sleepy disease’ in both koi and common carp.
However, experts warned that their investigation remains ongoing."While tests are ongoing and further tests are carried out on the CEV detected, this is being treated as a ‘suspect positive’ and is not confirmed as the causative agent of the mortalities until all tests have been completed," an IFI spokesman said.
IFI have now advised that strict bio-security protocols including non-fishing orders and careful equipment contamination be adhered to so as to prevent any further outbreaks.
All dead fish are being carefully removed from the two Cork lakes and are being disposed of in a secure manner.
Angling remains suspended at both locations as well as Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid Reservoirs.
The investigation was accelerated after reports that fish were dying in a lake outside Cobh - just days after fish mysteriously started dying in the famous Lough in Cork city.
Fears had mounted that the mystery infection could spread to other valuable waterways.
IFI are liaising with Cork City Council, Cork Co Council and expert marine biologists at University College Cork (UCC) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) in a bid to confirm and contain the infection.
Fish first appeared sick and dying at The Lough last week.
A total of almost 400 carp have since been found dead or dying.
However, fish similarly sick and dying have been found at Belvelly Lake outside Cobh.
Those fish appear to have the same type of illness at the dead carp in The Lough.
IFI official Sean Long said the matter was being taken very seriously.
"There is a white fungal growth appearing on the scales on the side of the fish," he said.
"That could be a secondary issue or it could be part of the problem."
Angling groups expressed alarm at the implications of the mystery illness spreading to other waterways used by recreational fishermen.
Anglers have now been asked to carefully clean and disinfect any equipment used in either The Lough or Belvelly Lake.
All fishing on The Lough has now been suspended.
Both Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid Reservoirs are off-limits to fishermen to prevent contamination spread.
Nine years ago, birds began mysteriously dying at The Lough.
The deaths began in July 2009 and involved dozens of swans and ducks.
Those deaths were later blamed on a form of botulism linked to toxins being stirred up from the mud at the bottom of the lake and connected to the large quantities of bread being thrown into the water for wildlife to feed on.
from Independant.ie
==========================
An aggressive aquarium fish gets plucked from the ocean — and is heading to a new home
Volunteers with the Reef Environmental and Education Foundation captured the lagoon triggerfish, which is native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, with divers from the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The fish was the ninth non-native removed from South Florida waters since REEF and USGS started a program known as "Early Detection/Rapid Response" in 2008. It was spotted by a person snorkeling near Sunrise Boulevard, who reported it to REEF.
Like most invasive fish found off South Florida, such as the destructive lionfish, the lagoon triggerfish was likely someone's pet in a saltwater aquarium and later let go in the ocean.
"There have been 37 non-native marine fish species discovered in Florida's coastal waters, with most thought to be aquarium fish released into the ocean by humans," Amy Lee, REEF spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Lionfish adapted very well to South Florida's waters and bred rapidly. They are voracious predators. Although they have venomous spines, they are a sought-after food fish that wildlife officials and environmentalists encourage people to capture and kill. Groups like REEF are working to avoid letting other non-native fish gain a similar foothold in Florida coastal waters.
Andy Dehart, vice president of Animal Husbandry at the Frost museum, said lagoon triggerfish are popular aquarium fish, but not necessarily great tank mates with other fish.
"Lagoon triggerfish, also known as Picasso triggerfish in the pet industry, are very popular aquarium fish," Dehart said. "Their beautiful coloration makes them highly desired, but unfortunately, they can be aggressive to their fellow aquarium residents. This can lead to the pet owner releasing the fish, not realizing how bad this can be for the environment."
Over a two-day period, six divers from REEF and the Frost museum spent five hours tracking down the fish and were able to capture it using a combination of hand and barrier nets, Lee said. Lagoon triggerfish are harder to catch than other fish due to their ability to move their eyes independently of one another. They are on a constant lookout for predators.
The fish will be put into quarantine and eventually be added to an aquarium at the Frost museum, 1101 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami, featuring other non-native fish captured by the Early Detection/Rapid Response program, including an orangespine unicornfish caught near Molasses Reef off Key Largo last month.
If you spot a fish you think might be non-native to South Florida, you can report it by going to www.REEF.org/programs/exotic/report, or to the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquarium Species Database at https://nas.er.usgs.gov/default.aspx.
==========================
Volunteers with the Reef Environmental and Education Foundation captured the lagoon triggerfish, which is native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, with divers from the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The fish was the ninth non-native removed from South Florida waters since REEF and USGS started a program known as "Early Detection/Rapid Response" in 2008. It was spotted by a person snorkeling near Sunrise Boulevard, who reported it to REEF.
Like most invasive fish found off South Florida, such as the destructive lionfish, the lagoon triggerfish was likely someone's pet in a saltwater aquarium and later let go in the ocean.
"There have been 37 non-native marine fish species discovered in Florida's coastal waters, with most thought to be aquarium fish released into the ocean by humans," Amy Lee, REEF spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Lionfish adapted very well to South Florida's waters and bred rapidly. They are voracious predators. Although they have venomous spines, they are a sought-after food fish that wildlife officials and environmentalists encourage people to capture and kill. Groups like REEF are working to avoid letting other non-native fish gain a similar foothold in Florida coastal waters.
Andy Dehart, vice president of Animal Husbandry at the Frost museum, said lagoon triggerfish are popular aquarium fish, but not necessarily great tank mates with other fish.
"Lagoon triggerfish, also known as Picasso triggerfish in the pet industry, are very popular aquarium fish," Dehart said. "Their beautiful coloration makes them highly desired, but unfortunately, they can be aggressive to their fellow aquarium residents. This can lead to the pet owner releasing the fish, not realizing how bad this can be for the environment."
Over a two-day period, six divers from REEF and the Frost museum spent five hours tracking down the fish and were able to capture it using a combination of hand and barrier nets, Lee said. Lagoon triggerfish are harder to catch than other fish due to their ability to move their eyes independently of one another. They are on a constant lookout for predators.
The fish will be put into quarantine and eventually be added to an aquarium at the Frost museum, 1101 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami, featuring other non-native fish captured by the Early Detection/Rapid Response program, including an orangespine unicornfish caught near Molasses Reef off Key Largo last month.
If you spot a fish you think might be non-native to South Florida, you can report it by going to www.REEF.org/programs/exotic/report, or to the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquarium Species Database at https://nas.er.usgs.gov/default.aspx.
==========================
Brood parasitism in fish
Source:
University of Konstanz
Summary:
Biologists have demonstrated that 'evolutionary experience' as well as learning protects cichlid fish from the brood parasitism practiced by the African cuckoo catfish.
FULL STORY
There are other animals besides the cuckoo who smuggle their offspring into another animal's nest. The synodontis multipunctatus, which occurs in Lake Tanganyika in Africa and is better known as cuckoo catfish, is just as cunning as the cuckoo is. Just like the bird, this savvy parasite manages to place its eggs among those of cichlids. To protect their eggs, cichlids carry them in their mouths. This can be fatal for the cichlids' own offspring if cuckoo catfish eggs are among them. Professor Axel Meyer, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Konstanz, and a team of researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology in Brno (Czech Republic) have carried out research into the evolutionary strategies employed by cuckoo catfish and various types of cichlids that occur in Lake Tanganyika and several other African lakes. Their study paints a fascinating picture of evolutionarily shaped and individually learned defence behaviour as well as the deception efforts employed by both species of fish -- and the high price that cichlids pay for keeping the illegitimate offspring of the cuckoo catfish away from their own eggs. The research findings were published in the Science Advancesissue published on 2 May 2018.
Lake Tanganyika in Africa is famous for its biodiversity. Many of its 250 endemic species of cichlids are mouthbreeders: To protect their offspring and prevent other fish from devouring it, cichlids carry and breed their eggs in their mouths. For several weeks after hatching and swimming by themselves, the young fish return to their mother's mouth for protection.
It is this very particular brood care behaviour that the cuckoo catfish, also endemic to Lake Tanganyika, has learned to exploit: When the cichlids spawn, it simply places its own eggs among a cichlid's clutch of eggs. If this goes unnoticed by the cichlid and if it cannot tell its own eggs apart from those of the catfish, it will carry and breed both its own and the catfish eggs in its mouth. However, the larvae of the cuckoo catfish hatch sooner, devouring the cichlid's own offspring which the deceived mother cichlid believes to be safe. Often, the cichlid will believe the illegitimate offspring of the catfish to be her own even then, continuing to protect it.
But the cichlids are not entirely defenceless: They have learned to defend themselves against the cunning of the cuckoo catfish. When gathering their eggs into their mouth, they try to identify and exclude the smuggled eggs. Often, however, overcaution will lead them to reject some of their own eggs as well. A high price that the cichlids pay in return for their own "evolutionary fitness," a price, however, they cannot avoid paying if their offspring is to survive.
"Evolutionary experience"
"Both species of fish have co-evolved for millions of years," says Axel Meyer about their well-matched relationship of deception and defence. The behaviour of these two species is evidence of what the biologist calls "evolutionary experience," which he was able to document in his joint study with his colleagues from Brno.
The scientists obtained eggs both from the cuckoo catfish and from the mouthbreeding cichlids that live in Lake Tanganyika and raised them in an aquarium. Then, they compared the captive cichlids' capacity for distinguishing between their own eggs and those of the cuckoo catfish with that of other types of cichlid from other bodies of water where cuckoo catfish do not occur. The result: The deceptive strategy employed by the cuckoo catfish worked between three and eleven times better on the "evolutionarily naive" cichlids (from other bodies of water). Due to their "evolutionary experience," the cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, who share an evolutionary history with the cuckoo catfish, were much more successful in identifying and rejecting the parasite's eggs. By the term "evolutionary experience" the scientists mean natural selection in favour of the ability to discriminate smuggled eggs.
Individual learning works in co-evolved fish, but on "evolutionarily naïve" species
The study also revealed that cichlids lacking "evolutionary experience" are unable to learn to reject the eggs of the cuckoo catfish -- in contrast to coevolved cichlids that increase their chances to see through the cuckoo catfish trick. This ability to adapt made the cichlids from Lake Tanganyika much more successful when coping with brood parasites. These findings suggest that is not the combination of "evolutionary experience" with individual experience and the ability to learn that help cichlids discriminate between their own and foreign eggs.
Unique among fish
Several bird species are known to practice brood parasitism, i.e. the smuggling of eggs into another bird's nest. Among fish, the cuckoo catfish is the only known obligate brood parasite. None of the other 40 catfish species endemic to Lake Tanganyika are known to behave like this.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Konstanz. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Cite This Page:
University of Konstanz. "Brood parasitism in fish." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 May 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180509104951.htm>.
==========================
Source:
University of Konstanz
Summary:
Biologists have demonstrated that 'evolutionary experience' as well as learning protects cichlid fish from the brood parasitism practiced by the African cuckoo catfish.
FULL STORY
There are other animals besides the cuckoo who smuggle their offspring into another animal's nest. The synodontis multipunctatus, which occurs in Lake Tanganyika in Africa and is better known as cuckoo catfish, is just as cunning as the cuckoo is. Just like the bird, this savvy parasite manages to place its eggs among those of cichlids. To protect their eggs, cichlids carry them in their mouths. This can be fatal for the cichlids' own offspring if cuckoo catfish eggs are among them. Professor Axel Meyer, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Konstanz, and a team of researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology in Brno (Czech Republic) have carried out research into the evolutionary strategies employed by cuckoo catfish and various types of cichlids that occur in Lake Tanganyika and several other African lakes. Their study paints a fascinating picture of evolutionarily shaped and individually learned defence behaviour as well as the deception efforts employed by both species of fish -- and the high price that cichlids pay for keeping the illegitimate offspring of the cuckoo catfish away from their own eggs. The research findings were published in the Science Advancesissue published on 2 May 2018.
Lake Tanganyika in Africa is famous for its biodiversity. Many of its 250 endemic species of cichlids are mouthbreeders: To protect their offspring and prevent other fish from devouring it, cichlids carry and breed their eggs in their mouths. For several weeks after hatching and swimming by themselves, the young fish return to their mother's mouth for protection.
It is this very particular brood care behaviour that the cuckoo catfish, also endemic to Lake Tanganyika, has learned to exploit: When the cichlids spawn, it simply places its own eggs among a cichlid's clutch of eggs. If this goes unnoticed by the cichlid and if it cannot tell its own eggs apart from those of the catfish, it will carry and breed both its own and the catfish eggs in its mouth. However, the larvae of the cuckoo catfish hatch sooner, devouring the cichlid's own offspring which the deceived mother cichlid believes to be safe. Often, the cichlid will believe the illegitimate offspring of the catfish to be her own even then, continuing to protect it.
But the cichlids are not entirely defenceless: They have learned to defend themselves against the cunning of the cuckoo catfish. When gathering their eggs into their mouth, they try to identify and exclude the smuggled eggs. Often, however, overcaution will lead them to reject some of their own eggs as well. A high price that the cichlids pay in return for their own "evolutionary fitness," a price, however, they cannot avoid paying if their offspring is to survive.
"Evolutionary experience"
"Both species of fish have co-evolved for millions of years," says Axel Meyer about their well-matched relationship of deception and defence. The behaviour of these two species is evidence of what the biologist calls "evolutionary experience," which he was able to document in his joint study with his colleagues from Brno.
The scientists obtained eggs both from the cuckoo catfish and from the mouthbreeding cichlids that live in Lake Tanganyika and raised them in an aquarium. Then, they compared the captive cichlids' capacity for distinguishing between their own eggs and those of the cuckoo catfish with that of other types of cichlid from other bodies of water where cuckoo catfish do not occur. The result: The deceptive strategy employed by the cuckoo catfish worked between three and eleven times better on the "evolutionarily naive" cichlids (from other bodies of water). Due to their "evolutionary experience," the cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, who share an evolutionary history with the cuckoo catfish, were much more successful in identifying and rejecting the parasite's eggs. By the term "evolutionary experience" the scientists mean natural selection in favour of the ability to discriminate smuggled eggs.
Individual learning works in co-evolved fish, but on "evolutionarily naïve" species
The study also revealed that cichlids lacking "evolutionary experience" are unable to learn to reject the eggs of the cuckoo catfish -- in contrast to coevolved cichlids that increase their chances to see through the cuckoo catfish trick. This ability to adapt made the cichlids from Lake Tanganyika much more successful when coping with brood parasites. These findings suggest that is not the combination of "evolutionary experience" with individual experience and the ability to learn that help cichlids discriminate between their own and foreign eggs.
Unique among fish
Several bird species are known to practice brood parasitism, i.e. the smuggling of eggs into another bird's nest. Among fish, the cuckoo catfish is the only known obligate brood parasite. None of the other 40 catfish species endemic to Lake Tanganyika are known to behave like this.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Konstanz. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Cite This Page:
University of Konstanz. "Brood parasitism in fish." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 May 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180509104951.htm>.
==========================
Exotic fish native to China, Russia found in Virginia reservoir
A northern snakehead fish was found in a reservoir in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) confirmed Friday.
The fish, which is native to countries such as China, Russia and Korea, was found in Lakeview Reservoir in Colonial Heights.
Northern snakeheads were first discovered in the state nearly 15 years ago and have since been found in “nine additional bodies of water including Lake Anna, the Rappahannock River, and Lake Burke,” according to the DGIF.
Snakeheads can harm aquatic systems, according to the DGIF, which added that species “may have significant impacts by feeding on and competing with native and/or naturalized fishes. In addition, they may transmit parasites and diseases to native wildlife in those systems.”
Because the fish is not capable of moving across land, “most new occurrences are caused by people intentionally introducing (stocking) them into new bodies of water,” according to the department.
Introducing the fish to a body of water constitutes as a Class 1 misdemeanor, the department said. Violators can face up to a year in prison and/or a $2,500 fine.
While anglers who catch snakeheads can keep the fish, it must be killed after capture and reported to the department.
from Fox News
==========================
A northern snakehead fish was found in a reservoir in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) confirmed Friday.
The fish, which is native to countries such as China, Russia and Korea, was found in Lakeview Reservoir in Colonial Heights.
Northern snakeheads were first discovered in the state nearly 15 years ago and have since been found in “nine additional bodies of water including Lake Anna, the Rappahannock River, and Lake Burke,” according to the DGIF.
Snakeheads can harm aquatic systems, according to the DGIF, which added that species “may have significant impacts by feeding on and competing with native and/or naturalized fishes. In addition, they may transmit parasites and diseases to native wildlife in those systems.”
Because the fish is not capable of moving across land, “most new occurrences are caused by people intentionally introducing (stocking) them into new bodies of water,” according to the department.
Introducing the fish to a body of water constitutes as a Class 1 misdemeanor, the department said. Violators can face up to a year in prison and/or a $2,500 fine.
While anglers who catch snakeheads can keep the fish, it must be killed after capture and reported to the department.
from Fox News
==========================
There is NO Ban on Indonesian CoralsJAKE ADAMS
HARES
74The reef aquarium industry has been understandably on edge these past few months, with tangible uncertainties about the future of marine life exports from Hawaii and Fiji as of late. Today, an ambiguously worded, and poorly translated, message from the Indonesia Ministry of Fisheries really got the aquarium industry worked up but this whole situation has been blown out of proportion.
This is not the first time there will be a confusion regarding international memos about marinelife trading, dealing, and exporting, but let’s go ahead and get this out of the way – there is NO ban on coral exports from Indonesia. This whole situation is the result of administrative friction between two different regulatory agencies within the Indonesian government.
Indonesia is the world leader in the harvest and culture of aquarium coralsThere has been a misunderstanding between the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry – the ministry of Fisheries is responsible for issuing health certificates, necessary for domestic and international transportation of marine life products, while Forestry is responsible for the management of CITES permits. Fisheries is waiting clarification from the ministry of Forestry in order to issue the obligatory health certificates.
This is just a technical issue between two government agencies and again, there is NO BAN on the export of Indonesian corals, fish, or marinelife. AKKII, the association of coral, seashell & ornamental fish exporter association of Indonesia is working diligently with both agencies to resolve the matter as soon as possible and we expect a positive outcome in a matter of several days or at most a couple of weeks.
From ReefBuilders
==========================
HARES
74The reef aquarium industry has been understandably on edge these past few months, with tangible uncertainties about the future of marine life exports from Hawaii and Fiji as of late. Today, an ambiguously worded, and poorly translated, message from the Indonesia Ministry of Fisheries really got the aquarium industry worked up but this whole situation has been blown out of proportion.
This is not the first time there will be a confusion regarding international memos about marinelife trading, dealing, and exporting, but let’s go ahead and get this out of the way – there is NO ban on coral exports from Indonesia. This whole situation is the result of administrative friction between two different regulatory agencies within the Indonesian government.
Indonesia is the world leader in the harvest and culture of aquarium coralsThere has been a misunderstanding between the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry – the ministry of Fisheries is responsible for issuing health certificates, necessary for domestic and international transportation of marine life products, while Forestry is responsible for the management of CITES permits. Fisheries is waiting clarification from the ministry of Forestry in order to issue the obligatory health certificates.
This is just a technical issue between two government agencies and again, there is NO BAN on the export of Indonesian corals, fish, or marinelife. AKKII, the association of coral, seashell & ornamental fish exporter association of Indonesia is working diligently with both agencies to resolve the matter as soon as possible and we expect a positive outcome in a matter of several days or at most a couple of weeks.
From ReefBuilders
==========================
Tilapia lake virus threatens tilapiines farming and food security: Socio-economic challenges and preventive measures in Sub-Saharan Africa
Show more
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.05.0
Highlights
•TiLV risk in SSA as it occurs in Lake Victoria with many countries exporting infected products from Thailand
•Suggested solutions by OIE and FAO may be hardly applicable in small-scale farms in SSA
•Proactive awareness creation and capacity building required for SSA countries.
•Community-Based Fish Health Insurance system for outbreak prevention and control is suggested in SSA
AbstractTilapia is a traditional dish in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A deadly disease caused by a virus named Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) currently threatens tilapia production and fisheries. The objective of this study was to describe TiLV disease, discuss its related socio-economic impacts in SSA, and envisage preventive measures applicable in SSA countries. The methodology was based on an exhaustive search on TiLV in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and ResearchGate. Results revealed that TiLV is an RNA virus causing the disease of up to 90% mortalities in tilapia. It affects all developmental stages, however, tilapia fingerlings and juveniles seem to be more vulnerable. TiLV is transmitted horizontally between infected and naïve fish in the aquatic environment and is a potential trade-influencing transboundary animal disease. The disease is currently confirmed in eight countries such as Ecuador, Israel, Colombia, Egypt, Thailand and Taiwan, India and Malaysia. However, subclinical infections have been detected in the Tanzanian and Ugandan basins of Lake Victoria. Reports show that at least 10 SSA countries have likely imported TiLV infected tilapia fries and fingerlings from hatcheries in Thailand whereby Burundi, Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda are now suspected infected with TiLV with the two latter recently confirmed. SSA is a newly reported region of TiLV circulation and all tilapia farming countries in the region may have theoretical risk of infection. It poses a major threat to fish supplies and the nutritional status in populations that eat tilapia on a regular basis and likely constitutes a food security issue. Over 150,000 tons of tilapia from tilapia farming and more from the tilapia fisheries with their associated costs could be threatened in SSA due to TiLV. Some control measures recommended by OIE and FAO may not be practical for countries in SSA region, and farmers can hardly comply with biosecurity measures or afford vaccination unless vaccines are thermostable, require no sophisticated technology for administration and are cost-effective to small-scale rural farmers. There is a crucial need for capacity building among farmers and technical personnel on diagnostic procedures and effective remedial action, creation of awareness among farmers on TiLV management and establishment of diagnostic and outbreak response systems. We encourage the creation of a Community-Based Fish Health Insurance funds (CBFHI) among small-scale fish farmers for outbreak prevention and control at local levels.
==========================
Show more
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.05.0
Highlights
•TiLV risk in SSA as it occurs in Lake Victoria with many countries exporting infected products from Thailand
•Suggested solutions by OIE and FAO may be hardly applicable in small-scale farms in SSA
•Proactive awareness creation and capacity building required for SSA countries.
•Community-Based Fish Health Insurance system for outbreak prevention and control is suggested in SSA
AbstractTilapia is a traditional dish in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A deadly disease caused by a virus named Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) currently threatens tilapia production and fisheries. The objective of this study was to describe TiLV disease, discuss its related socio-economic impacts in SSA, and envisage preventive measures applicable in SSA countries. The methodology was based on an exhaustive search on TiLV in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and ResearchGate. Results revealed that TiLV is an RNA virus causing the disease of up to 90% mortalities in tilapia. It affects all developmental stages, however, tilapia fingerlings and juveniles seem to be more vulnerable. TiLV is transmitted horizontally between infected and naïve fish in the aquatic environment and is a potential trade-influencing transboundary animal disease. The disease is currently confirmed in eight countries such as Ecuador, Israel, Colombia, Egypt, Thailand and Taiwan, India and Malaysia. However, subclinical infections have been detected in the Tanzanian and Ugandan basins of Lake Victoria. Reports show that at least 10 SSA countries have likely imported TiLV infected tilapia fries and fingerlings from hatcheries in Thailand whereby Burundi, Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda are now suspected infected with TiLV with the two latter recently confirmed. SSA is a newly reported region of TiLV circulation and all tilapia farming countries in the region may have theoretical risk of infection. It poses a major threat to fish supplies and the nutritional status in populations that eat tilapia on a regular basis and likely constitutes a food security issue. Over 150,000 tons of tilapia from tilapia farming and more from the tilapia fisheries with their associated costs could be threatened in SSA due to TiLV. Some control measures recommended by OIE and FAO may not be practical for countries in SSA region, and farmers can hardly comply with biosecurity measures or afford vaccination unless vaccines are thermostable, require no sophisticated technology for administration and are cost-effective to small-scale rural farmers. There is a crucial need for capacity building among farmers and technical personnel on diagnostic procedures and effective remedial action, creation of awareness among farmers on TiLV management and establishment of diagnostic and outbreak response systems. We encourage the creation of a Community-Based Fish Health Insurance funds (CBFHI) among small-scale fish farmers for outbreak prevention and control at local levels.
==========================
Update from Indonesian Coral Trade Insider
04 May, 2018
Indonesia is the world’s leading sources of corals for the marine aquarium trade, exporting both wild-collected and maricultured specimens, such as the Acropora frag. Shutterstock Image.
We have received an update from a source closely involved in the Indonesian coral trade in response to this morning’s news that Indonesian coral exports have been halted.
“I want to be clear, there is no Indonesian coral ban. CITES permits are being issued as normal.
“This story is just a technical problem between two ministries in Indonesia. The fishery/quarantine people don’t want to issue the health certificate that has to accompany any live coral shipment, locally and internationally. There are ongoing negotiations between these two ministries to solve this technical issue. Indonesians are progressive people and will look for a quick positive outcome. It will be solved within a couple weeks.
“There won’t be any local or overseas transportation of coral and anemones until health certificates are released again. Shipments will only be postponed, but I anticipate the resumption of coral exports in short order.”
From Reef to Rainforest media
==========================
04 May, 2018
Indonesia is the world’s leading sources of corals for the marine aquarium trade, exporting both wild-collected and maricultured specimens, such as the Acropora frag. Shutterstock Image.
We have received an update from a source closely involved in the Indonesian coral trade in response to this morning’s news that Indonesian coral exports have been halted.
“I want to be clear, there is no Indonesian coral ban. CITES permits are being issued as normal.
“This story is just a technical problem between two ministries in Indonesia. The fishery/quarantine people don’t want to issue the health certificate that has to accompany any live coral shipment, locally and internationally. There are ongoing negotiations between these two ministries to solve this technical issue. Indonesians are progressive people and will look for a quick positive outcome. It will be solved within a couple weeks.
“There won’t be any local or overseas transportation of coral and anemones until health certificates are released again. Shipments will only be postponed, but I anticipate the resumption of coral exports in short order.”
From Reef to Rainforest media
==========================
California man admits illegally importing protected fish
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Southern California man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of illegally importing protected aquarium fish from Indonesia.
Shawn Naolu Lee and a co-defendant overseas were indicted last year after authorities found a package containing eight Asian arowana.
The colorful freshwater fish can sell on the black market for $1,000 each and are thought in some cultures to bring good luck.
Lee entered his plea Wednesday in Los Angeles. Prosecutors are recommending the Garden Grove resident get six months' house arrest when he's sentenced in July.
==========================
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Southern California man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of illegally importing protected aquarium fish from Indonesia.
Shawn Naolu Lee and a co-defendant overseas were indicted last year after authorities found a package containing eight Asian arowana.
The colorful freshwater fish can sell on the black market for $1,000 each and are thought in some cultures to bring good luck.
Lee entered his plea Wednesday in Los Angeles. Prosecutors are recommending the Garden Grove resident get six months' house arrest when he's sentenced in July.
==========================
Interzoo – the international pet industry’s leading exhibitionGathering of the global pet supplies market in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, 8 - 11 May 2018
At the world’s biggest trade fair for the international pet industry, manufacturers, wholesalers and service providers from over 60 countries present products for pets and innovative pet supplies. This makes the world-leading Interzoo a key source of inspiration for the international pet industry. Trade visitors to Nuremberg get a global market overview of the latest pet food products, grooming aids and accessories for four-legged pets, birds, ornamental fish and terrarium animals.
==========================
At the world’s biggest trade fair for the international pet industry, manufacturers, wholesalers and service providers from over 60 countries present products for pets and innovative pet supplies. This makes the world-leading Interzoo a key source of inspiration for the international pet industry. Trade visitors to Nuremberg get a global market overview of the latest pet food products, grooming aids and accessories for four-legged pets, birds, ornamental fish and terrarium animals.
==========================
Molecular phylogeny of Banjo Catfishes (Ostaryophisi: Siluriformes: Aspredinidae): a continental radiation in South American freshwaters
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.04.039
Get rights and content
Highlights
•First species-comprehensive hypothesis on phylogenetic relationships.
•Multi-locus phylogeny based on five gene fragments (16S, COI, RAG1, MYH6, and SH3PX3)
•Comprehensive sampling with 114 individuals representing 31 (70% of total) species in 12 genera (of 13) of aspredinids.
•Results support the monophyly of most genera (Bunocephalus excepted) and several higher-level relationships previously proposed by morphological studies.
•A new suprageneric classification for Aspredinidae is proposed including the new monotypic subfamily.
Abstract
The family Aspredinidae is a moderately diverse and broadly distributed group of freshwater fishes endemic to South America. Commonly known as Banjo Catfishes, Aspredinidae currently includes 44 valid species divided among 13 genera. The first species-comprehensive hypothesis on phylogenetic relationships among aspredinids is presented. The phylogeny is based on DNA sequence data for five gene fragments (mitochondrial 16S and COI; nuclear RAG1, MYH6 and SH3PX3) from 114 individuals representing 31 species in 12 aspredinid genera. Analyses of molecular data support the monophyly of most genera (Bunocephalus excepted) and several higher-level relationships previously proposed by morphological studies. Based on the molecular phylogeny, a new suprageneric classification for Aspredinidae is proposed with the new monotypic subfamily Pseudobunocephalinae as the sister taxon to all other aspredinids.
==========================
- Tiago P. Carvalhoa, b, , ,
- H Mariangeles Arceb, ,
- Roberto E. Reisc, ,
- Mark H. Sabajb,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.04.039
Get rights and content
Highlights
•First species-comprehensive hypothesis on phylogenetic relationships.
•Multi-locus phylogeny based on five gene fragments (16S, COI, RAG1, MYH6, and SH3PX3)
•Comprehensive sampling with 114 individuals representing 31 (70% of total) species in 12 genera (of 13) of aspredinids.
•Results support the monophyly of most genera (Bunocephalus excepted) and several higher-level relationships previously proposed by morphological studies.
•A new suprageneric classification for Aspredinidae is proposed including the new monotypic subfamily.
Abstract
The family Aspredinidae is a moderately diverse and broadly distributed group of freshwater fishes endemic to South America. Commonly known as Banjo Catfishes, Aspredinidae currently includes 44 valid species divided among 13 genera. The first species-comprehensive hypothesis on phylogenetic relationships among aspredinids is presented. The phylogeny is based on DNA sequence data for five gene fragments (mitochondrial 16S and COI; nuclear RAG1, MYH6 and SH3PX3) from 114 individuals representing 31 species in 12 aspredinid genera. Analyses of molecular data support the monophyly of most genera (Bunocephalus excepted) and several higher-level relationships previously proposed by morphological studies. Based on the molecular phylogeny, a new suprageneric classification for Aspredinidae is proposed with the new monotypic subfamily Pseudobunocephalinae as the sister taxon to all other aspredinids.
==========================
Brazil’s lawmakers renew push to weaken environmental rules
Legislation includes proposals to open up the Amazon rainforest to agriculture.
Trees taken in illegal logging operations in the Brazilian Amazon lay in piles at a sawmill.Credit: Nacho Doce/Reuters
The conservative coalition that dominates Brazil’s Congress is girding itself for one final push to roll back environmental regulations before campaigns for the country’s October presidential election ramp up.
The legislation under consideration includes proposals to open up the Amazon rainforest to sugarcane farming — which was banned in 2009 owing to concerns about deforestation. Another proposal would weaken licensing requirements for infrastructure such as dams, roads and agricultural projects. But the rural-agricultural coalition behind the proposals are running up against public opposition that has thwarted previous efforts to loosen environmental rules.
This fight has been further complicated by an ongoing political corruption scandal that has engulfed the country and landed former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — who would have probably won the October election, according to a March poll — in jail.
“There’s this very delicate balance,” says Mercedes Bustamante, an ecologist at the University of Brasilia. The conservatives have support from Brazilian president Michel Temer as well as the votes they need to move legislation through Congress, she says. Although lawmakers are trying to push forward, Bustamante says, they're also wary about sparking a public backlash before the coming election.
Long-running resistance
Previous efforts to scale back protected areas and indigenous rights in the Amazon rainforest floundered as activist groups and celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bündchen mobilized public opposition. And long-simmering resistance has kept the environmental licensing proposal for infrastructure on the backburner for the past two years.
The conservatives have had only one major success on the environmental-regulation front thus far. In 2012, they successfully overhauled the Brazilian law governing forests, which included eliminating penalties for any illegal deforestation that took place in the Amazon before July 2008. Environmental groups challenged the constitutionality of the revised law, but in February Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld those changes.
“It was the worst thing that could have happened,” says Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist in São José dos Campos and former secretary for research and development at Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. But he thinks the conservative coalition's broader environmental agenda has stalled and is unlikely to advance in the coming months.
Uncertain future
Brazil was once seen as a global leader on environmental issues, in large part due to its success in curbing deforestation. Between 2004 and 2012, the annual amount of rainforest that was cleared for agriculture fell by nearly 84% to 4,571 square kilometres. Those numbers subsequently crept back up, peaking at 7,893 square kilometres cleared in 2016. However, deforestation dropped 16% to 6,624 square kilometres in 2017, partly because of lower demand for beef and the restoration of funding for law enforcement, which had been cut during a prolonged financial crisis.
Environmental policies enjoyed much more support during the Lula administration between 2003 and 2011. But now, says Bustamante, environmentalists are on the defensive. The only good news, she says, is that Lula’s first environment minister, Marina Silva, has announced she will attempt another run for president. (Silva won nearly 20% of the vote when she ran for president in 2010.) “That will put the environment on the presidential agenda for the election,” Bustamante says.
This year, former president Lula was the clear frontrunner, but his sudden departure has opened up the election, which could feature up to a dozen candidates. A March poll examined election scenarios with and without Lula, and found Silva in a statistical dead heat with a leading conservative candidate, Jair Bolsonaro.
Regardless of the outcome, the political dynamic in Brazil's Congress is unlikely to change, says Paulo Barreto, a senior researcher with the activist group Amazon Institute of People and the Environment in Belém. The conservative coalition is strong, and Barreto thinks that they will stay in power.
Nature 557, 17 (2018)
==========================
Legislation includes proposals to open up the Amazon rainforest to agriculture.
Trees taken in illegal logging operations in the Brazilian Amazon lay in piles at a sawmill.Credit: Nacho Doce/Reuters
The conservative coalition that dominates Brazil’s Congress is girding itself for one final push to roll back environmental regulations before campaigns for the country’s October presidential election ramp up.
The legislation under consideration includes proposals to open up the Amazon rainforest to sugarcane farming — which was banned in 2009 owing to concerns about deforestation. Another proposal would weaken licensing requirements for infrastructure such as dams, roads and agricultural projects. But the rural-agricultural coalition behind the proposals are running up against public opposition that has thwarted previous efforts to loosen environmental rules.
This fight has been further complicated by an ongoing political corruption scandal that has engulfed the country and landed former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — who would have probably won the October election, according to a March poll — in jail.
“There’s this very delicate balance,” says Mercedes Bustamante, an ecologist at the University of Brasilia. The conservatives have support from Brazilian president Michel Temer as well as the votes they need to move legislation through Congress, she says. Although lawmakers are trying to push forward, Bustamante says, they're also wary about sparking a public backlash before the coming election.
Long-running resistance
Previous efforts to scale back protected areas and indigenous rights in the Amazon rainforest floundered as activist groups and celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bündchen mobilized public opposition. And long-simmering resistance has kept the environmental licensing proposal for infrastructure on the backburner for the past two years.
The conservatives have had only one major success on the environmental-regulation front thus far. In 2012, they successfully overhauled the Brazilian law governing forests, which included eliminating penalties for any illegal deforestation that took place in the Amazon before July 2008. Environmental groups challenged the constitutionality of the revised law, but in February Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld those changes.
“It was the worst thing that could have happened,” says Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist in São José dos Campos and former secretary for research and development at Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. But he thinks the conservative coalition's broader environmental agenda has stalled and is unlikely to advance in the coming months.
Uncertain future
Brazil was once seen as a global leader on environmental issues, in large part due to its success in curbing deforestation. Between 2004 and 2012, the annual amount of rainforest that was cleared for agriculture fell by nearly 84% to 4,571 square kilometres. Those numbers subsequently crept back up, peaking at 7,893 square kilometres cleared in 2016. However, deforestation dropped 16% to 6,624 square kilometres in 2017, partly because of lower demand for beef and the restoration of funding for law enforcement, which had been cut during a prolonged financial crisis.
Environmental policies enjoyed much more support during the Lula administration between 2003 and 2011. But now, says Bustamante, environmentalists are on the defensive. The only good news, she says, is that Lula’s first environment minister, Marina Silva, has announced she will attempt another run for president. (Silva won nearly 20% of the vote when she ran for president in 2010.) “That will put the environment on the presidential agenda for the election,” Bustamante says.
This year, former president Lula was the clear frontrunner, but his sudden departure has opened up the election, which could feature up to a dozen candidates. A March poll examined election scenarios with and without Lula, and found Silva in a statistical dead heat with a leading conservative candidate, Jair Bolsonaro.
Regardless of the outcome, the political dynamic in Brazil's Congress is unlikely to change, says Paulo Barreto, a senior researcher with the activist group Amazon Institute of People and the Environment in Belém. The conservative coalition is strong, and Barreto thinks that they will stay in power.
Nature 557, 17 (2018)
==========================
WARNING: Bloodworm Allergies Are Real for Some Fishkeepers03 May, 2018
Bloodworms, the larval forms of chironomid midges, are incredibly useful aquarium fish feeds, generally available in both frozen and freeze dried forms. But their use could carry a price for unsuspecting aquarists. Image credit: Vova Shevchuk/Shutterstock
*If you are experiencing symptoms an allergic reaction, contact the appropriate medical personnel*
AMAZONAS Magazine is conducting a simple survey of our readers to get an idea of how many tropical-fish keepers have had allergic reactions to bloodworm exposure. Click to take the quick survey.
by Matt Pedersen
Move over, palytoxin, Mycobacterium, and a host of other zoonotic diseases; you’re not the only potential health risks in the aquarium hobby! Time to dive into a surprisingly prevalent health problem associated with bloodworms.
You may not have paid much attention to your fish-food labels, but let this be a reminder to read them thoroughly. Bloodworms, the bright-red mature larval stages of chironomid flies, are true powerhouses as a fish feed. Whether frozen or freeze-dried, they can be used to lure many reluctant feeders to “take the bait.” But if you haven’t been paying attention, you might not have noticed the note on the label that reveals that bloodworms also offer up the potential for strong allergic reactions for some aquarists who use them.
What the Science Says
The science behind bloodworm allergies points to the hemoglobins that give bloodworms their trademark bright-red coloration. These hemoglobins, which are powerful oxygen scavengers, are what allow bloodworms to thrive in the oxygen-deprived bodies of water they call home, but they are also what triggers an allergic reaction in some people.
One journal report suggests that hypersensitivity to bloodworm allergens exists in about 20% of people who are routinely exposed to them. Other studies reveal repeated connections between chironomid larvae and asthmatic reactions. These reports are often tied to environmental factors outside of the aquarium world among people who are in proximity to large natural populations of these midges, including: studies in Japan and Spain finding significant rates of allergic reactions in asthmatic patients, or the case of the delayed onset of hypersensitivity in an environmental surveyor after 10 years of exposure.
One report, covering the case of a 37-year-old fish-biology researcher, concluded, “With the increasing popularity of aquariums, allergy to chironomids may become less of a novelty and become something clinicians should be aware of when searching for the cause of a patient’s atopic symptoms.”
Preparation of bloodworms at a factory in China; note the skin protection on the worker at right.
Jason Oneppo, San Francisco Bay Brand
A View From the Aquarium Industry
Jason Oneppo, salesman and head of research and development for San Francisco Bay Brand (a distributor of frozen and freeze-dried fish bloodworms) for the past 17 years, noted that his company is actively working on a revised bloodworm allergy document, to be published in the near future.
From a draft of the report shared with Reef to Rainforest editors: “If you find yourself allergic to frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried bloodworms will cause similar reactions. As moisture is removed from bloodworms in the freeze-drying process, these worms become brittle and can easily turn into a fine powder. Such powdered, lightweight bloodworm particles can become airborne, and inhalation of these particles can cause an allergic reaction similar or greater than touching frozen bloodworms.”
Oneppo also added some personal insights: “We’ve had allergy warnings on our frozen and freeze-dried bloodworm labels for as long as I’ve worked here. We’ve also had allergy warnings on our other freeze-dried labels for at least 10 years. Now, all our freeze-dried products have allergy warnings, even items that don’t require it when frozen.”
A cautionary thought from Oneppo: “[Once you’re allergic to bloodworms, I believe] each reaction gets worse; best to get them out of your house.”
Freeze-dried bloodworms are a popular and highly effective aquarium fish food. Inhaled dust-sized particles from these products could cause a hypersensitive reaction. Image courtesy San Francisco Bay Brand.
What to Watch for
Multiple reports suggest that cross sensitivity could occur; in short, if you’re allergic to things like mites or cockroaches (which have similar allergens), you could have an increased risk of hypersensitivity to bloodworms.
San Francisco Bay Brand’s draft report includes the following possible symptoms of allergic reactions: sneezing, skin rashes, runny nose, or itchy eyes. Additionally, more pronounced asthmatic reactions could occur.
In all cases, should you experience any of these symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you discontinue feeding bloodworms.
Your Stories
The idea of a bloodworm allergy may seem far-fetched; many aquarists have never even heard of it. But when I reached out to contacts and their friends, it quickly became apparent that this allergy is not rare, not by a long shot. Here is just one of many stories I received.
One tiny misstep, and Derek Wheaton’s eye is in tremendous discomfort.
Derek Wheaton, a professional fish photographer at Enchanting Ectotherms, and Senior Field Biologist & Hatchery Technician at Conservation Fisheries in Knoxville, TN, shared that he has a strong allergic reaction to bloodworms. “I was feeding a tank on the top row at work and got the business end of a tiny, unfortunate splash when I squirted the baster into the tank. I avert my eyes when feeding any tank above my head now. But skin contact [with bloodworms] gives me raised welts, itching and burning, and within 3-5 minutes of skin exposure, I’m sneezing my brains out and my eyes will swell shut if I don’t smash some Benadryl. I always wear nitrile gloves whenever I’m working with the stuff. A full hazmat suit would probably be ideal though.”
It bears repeating: *If you are experiencing symptoms, please contact the appropriate medical personnel*
Bloodworm allergies are a bit more prevalent than one might have thought, and they can range from a mild nuisance to rather scary, debilitating reactions. While we’re unaware of any deaths resulting from bloodworm exposure, anaphylactic shock is one of those things you perhaps don’t want to risk.
We’d Like to Hear from You
Wheaton’s story is just one of several we received, but we’d like to hear from you as well!
AMAZONAS Magazine is conducting a simple survey of our readers to get a larger sampling of data, which we will share in a future update. Whether you have a bloodworm allergy or not, your responses are very valuable. We invite you to participate in this 3-to-12–question survey. It will only take a minute or two of your time.
TAKE THE SURVEY NOW!
Online References:
Fishing for Allergens: Bloodworm-Induced Asthma – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877067/
Chironomid midge allergy: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1567285
Nationwide intradermal test with chironomid midge extract in asthmatic children in Japan: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2241583
Studies of bronchial asthma induced by chironomid midges (Diptera) around a hypereutrophic lake in Japan: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9105523
Hypersensitivity to chironomid larvae [Spain]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9777536
Reef to Rainforest Media
NOTE- Second `Photo`show Chinese worker wearing Gloves
==========================
Bloodworms, the larval forms of chironomid midges, are incredibly useful aquarium fish feeds, generally available in both frozen and freeze dried forms. But their use could carry a price for unsuspecting aquarists. Image credit: Vova Shevchuk/Shutterstock
*If you are experiencing symptoms an allergic reaction, contact the appropriate medical personnel*
AMAZONAS Magazine is conducting a simple survey of our readers to get an idea of how many tropical-fish keepers have had allergic reactions to bloodworm exposure. Click to take the quick survey.
by Matt Pedersen
Move over, palytoxin, Mycobacterium, and a host of other zoonotic diseases; you’re not the only potential health risks in the aquarium hobby! Time to dive into a surprisingly prevalent health problem associated with bloodworms.
You may not have paid much attention to your fish-food labels, but let this be a reminder to read them thoroughly. Bloodworms, the bright-red mature larval stages of chironomid flies, are true powerhouses as a fish feed. Whether frozen or freeze-dried, they can be used to lure many reluctant feeders to “take the bait.” But if you haven’t been paying attention, you might not have noticed the note on the label that reveals that bloodworms also offer up the potential for strong allergic reactions for some aquarists who use them.
What the Science Says
The science behind bloodworm allergies points to the hemoglobins that give bloodworms their trademark bright-red coloration. These hemoglobins, which are powerful oxygen scavengers, are what allow bloodworms to thrive in the oxygen-deprived bodies of water they call home, but they are also what triggers an allergic reaction in some people.
One journal report suggests that hypersensitivity to bloodworm allergens exists in about 20% of people who are routinely exposed to them. Other studies reveal repeated connections between chironomid larvae and asthmatic reactions. These reports are often tied to environmental factors outside of the aquarium world among people who are in proximity to large natural populations of these midges, including: studies in Japan and Spain finding significant rates of allergic reactions in asthmatic patients, or the case of the delayed onset of hypersensitivity in an environmental surveyor after 10 years of exposure.
One report, covering the case of a 37-year-old fish-biology researcher, concluded, “With the increasing popularity of aquariums, allergy to chironomids may become less of a novelty and become something clinicians should be aware of when searching for the cause of a patient’s atopic symptoms.”
Preparation of bloodworms at a factory in China; note the skin protection on the worker at right.
Jason Oneppo, San Francisco Bay Brand
A View From the Aquarium Industry
Jason Oneppo, salesman and head of research and development for San Francisco Bay Brand (a distributor of frozen and freeze-dried fish bloodworms) for the past 17 years, noted that his company is actively working on a revised bloodworm allergy document, to be published in the near future.
From a draft of the report shared with Reef to Rainforest editors: “If you find yourself allergic to frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried bloodworms will cause similar reactions. As moisture is removed from bloodworms in the freeze-drying process, these worms become brittle and can easily turn into a fine powder. Such powdered, lightweight bloodworm particles can become airborne, and inhalation of these particles can cause an allergic reaction similar or greater than touching frozen bloodworms.”
Oneppo also added some personal insights: “We’ve had allergy warnings on our frozen and freeze-dried bloodworm labels for as long as I’ve worked here. We’ve also had allergy warnings on our other freeze-dried labels for at least 10 years. Now, all our freeze-dried products have allergy warnings, even items that don’t require it when frozen.”
A cautionary thought from Oneppo: “[Once you’re allergic to bloodworms, I believe] each reaction gets worse; best to get them out of your house.”
Freeze-dried bloodworms are a popular and highly effective aquarium fish food. Inhaled dust-sized particles from these products could cause a hypersensitive reaction. Image courtesy San Francisco Bay Brand.
What to Watch for
Multiple reports suggest that cross sensitivity could occur; in short, if you’re allergic to things like mites or cockroaches (which have similar allergens), you could have an increased risk of hypersensitivity to bloodworms.
San Francisco Bay Brand’s draft report includes the following possible symptoms of allergic reactions: sneezing, skin rashes, runny nose, or itchy eyes. Additionally, more pronounced asthmatic reactions could occur.
In all cases, should you experience any of these symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you discontinue feeding bloodworms.
Your Stories
The idea of a bloodworm allergy may seem far-fetched; many aquarists have never even heard of it. But when I reached out to contacts and their friends, it quickly became apparent that this allergy is not rare, not by a long shot. Here is just one of many stories I received.
One tiny misstep, and Derek Wheaton’s eye is in tremendous discomfort.
Derek Wheaton, a professional fish photographer at Enchanting Ectotherms, and Senior Field Biologist & Hatchery Technician at Conservation Fisheries in Knoxville, TN, shared that he has a strong allergic reaction to bloodworms. “I was feeding a tank on the top row at work and got the business end of a tiny, unfortunate splash when I squirted the baster into the tank. I avert my eyes when feeding any tank above my head now. But skin contact [with bloodworms] gives me raised welts, itching and burning, and within 3-5 minutes of skin exposure, I’m sneezing my brains out and my eyes will swell shut if I don’t smash some Benadryl. I always wear nitrile gloves whenever I’m working with the stuff. A full hazmat suit would probably be ideal though.”
It bears repeating: *If you are experiencing symptoms, please contact the appropriate medical personnel*
Bloodworm allergies are a bit more prevalent than one might have thought, and they can range from a mild nuisance to rather scary, debilitating reactions. While we’re unaware of any deaths resulting from bloodworm exposure, anaphylactic shock is one of those things you perhaps don’t want to risk.
We’d Like to Hear from You
Wheaton’s story is just one of several we received, but we’d like to hear from you as well!
AMAZONAS Magazine is conducting a simple survey of our readers to get a larger sampling of data, which we will share in a future update. Whether you have a bloodworm allergy or not, your responses are very valuable. We invite you to participate in this 3-to-12–question survey. It will only take a minute or two of your time.
TAKE THE SURVEY NOW!
Online References:
Fishing for Allergens: Bloodworm-Induced Asthma – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877067/
Chironomid midge allergy: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1567285
Nationwide intradermal test with chironomid midge extract in asthmatic children in Japan: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2241583
Studies of bronchial asthma induced by chironomid midges (Diptera) around a hypereutrophic lake in Japan: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9105523
Hypersensitivity to chironomid larvae [Spain]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9777536
Reef to Rainforest Media
NOTE- Second `Photo`show Chinese worker wearing Gloves
==========================
A Taxonomic Review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)(Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with Descriptions of Three New Species;Lampris australensis, L. incognitus & L. megalopsis
Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905), Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Lampris australensis n. sp., Lampris lauta (Lowe 1838)
Lampris megalopsis n. sp., & Lampris incognitus n. sp.
Underkoffler, Luers, Hyde & Craig, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.3.9
Abstract
The genus Lampris (Lampridae) currently comprises two species, Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) and L. immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905) commonly known as Opah and Southern Opah, respectively. Hyde et al. (2014) presented DNA sequence data which revealed the presence of five distinct, monophyletic lineages within L. guttatus. In this paper, we present morphological and meristic data supporting the presence of five species previously subsumed within L. guttatus (Brünnich 1788). We restrict Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788), resurrect L. lauta (Lowe 1838), and describe three new species of Lampris. A key to the species of Lampris is provided.
Keywords: Pisces, Opah, moonfish, taxonomy
FIGURE Species of the genus Lampris.
A) Lampris immaculatus*, B) Lampris guttatus, uncatalogued, 118 cm TL †,
C) AM I.24492-001, holotype, Lampris australensis n. sp. 67.3 cm SL, D) MMF 42253, Lampris lauta, 90.5 cm SL,
E) USNM 402733, holotype, Lampris megalopsis n. sp., 85.3 cm SL, F) USNM 402731, holotype, Lampris incognitus n. sp., 82.8 cm SL.
(*Photograph by Dianne J. Bray, Lampris immaculatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Feb 2018, fishesofaustralia.net.au) († Photograph courtesy of Patrice Francour).
Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905)
Common name: Southern Opah
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Common Name: North Atlantic Opah
Lampris lauta Lowe 1860
Common name: East Atlantic Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet lauta was taken from the Latin lautus meaning “elegant”.
Lampris australensis, n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 4. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Southern Spotted Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin australis meaning “southern” in reference to the known range of the species in the southern hemisphere.
Lampris incognitus n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 5. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Smalleye Pacific Opah
Etymology. From the Latin incognitus, meaning, “unknown, strange.”
Lampris megalopsis, n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 3. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common Name: Bigeye Pacific Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Greek mega, meaning, “big or large”, and ops meaning “eye” in reference to its comparatively large eye.
Karen E. Underkoffler, Meagan A. Luers, John R Hyde and Matthew T. Craig. 2018. A Taxonomic Review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) (Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with Descriptions of Three New Species. Zootaxa. 4413(3); 551-565. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.3.9
twitter.com/Friedman_Lab/status/988819684710641666
twitter.com/PREAUX_FISH/status/988609696952090625
==========================
Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905), Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Lampris australensis n. sp., Lampris lauta (Lowe 1838)
Lampris megalopsis n. sp., & Lampris incognitus n. sp.
Underkoffler, Luers, Hyde & Craig, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.3.9
Abstract
The genus Lampris (Lampridae) currently comprises two species, Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) and L. immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905) commonly known as Opah and Southern Opah, respectively. Hyde et al. (2014) presented DNA sequence data which revealed the presence of five distinct, monophyletic lineages within L. guttatus. In this paper, we present morphological and meristic data supporting the presence of five species previously subsumed within L. guttatus (Brünnich 1788). We restrict Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788), resurrect L. lauta (Lowe 1838), and describe three new species of Lampris. A key to the species of Lampris is provided.
Keywords: Pisces, Opah, moonfish, taxonomy
FIGURE Species of the genus Lampris.
A) Lampris immaculatus*, B) Lampris guttatus, uncatalogued, 118 cm TL †,
C) AM I.24492-001, holotype, Lampris australensis n. sp. 67.3 cm SL, D) MMF 42253, Lampris lauta, 90.5 cm SL,
E) USNM 402733, holotype, Lampris megalopsis n. sp., 85.3 cm SL, F) USNM 402731, holotype, Lampris incognitus n. sp., 82.8 cm SL.
(*Photograph by Dianne J. Bray, Lampris immaculatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Feb 2018, fishesofaustralia.net.au) († Photograph courtesy of Patrice Francour).
Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905)
Common name: Southern Opah
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Common Name: North Atlantic Opah
Lampris lauta Lowe 1860
Common name: East Atlantic Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet lauta was taken from the Latin lautus meaning “elegant”.
Lampris australensis, n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 4. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Southern Spotted Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin australis meaning “southern” in reference to the known range of the species in the southern hemisphere.
Lampris incognitus n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 5. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Smalleye Pacific Opah
Etymology. From the Latin incognitus, meaning, “unknown, strange.”
Lampris megalopsis, n. sp.
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 3. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common Name: Bigeye Pacific Opah
Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Greek mega, meaning, “big or large”, and ops meaning “eye” in reference to its comparatively large eye.
Karen E. Underkoffler, Meagan A. Luers, John R Hyde and Matthew T. Craig. 2018. A Taxonomic Review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) (Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with Descriptions of Three New Species. Zootaxa. 4413(3); 551-565. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.3.9
twitter.com/Friedman_Lab/status/988819684710641666
twitter.com/PREAUX_FISH/status/988609696952090625
==========================
Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics Endemic Rainbowfish Genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with Description of A New Species, Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus
Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus
Hammer, Allen, Martin, Adams, Ebner, Raadik & Unmack, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3
Abstract
The freshwater melanotaeniid genus Cairnsichthys is endemic to a relatively small area of specialised habitat within the Wet Tropics bioregion of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. It was previously considered as monotypic, including only a single species, C. rhombosomoides (Nichols & Raven, 1928). The recent discovery of an apparently-isolated population in the Daintree rainforest, approximately 120 km north of the known range extent, prompted a detailed investigation of its taxonomic status using a combined lines of evidence approach. We provide compelling evidence from multiple nuclear genetic markers (52 allozyme loci), mitochondrial DNA sequence data (1141 bp cytochrome b) and morphology (examination of a suite of 38 morphometric and meristic characters) that supports north-south splitting of C. rhombosomoides. Accordingly, we describe the northern population as a distinct species, Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus sp. nov., on the basis of 25 specimens, 34.7–65.6 mm SL. The new species differs morphologically primarily by having a more slender and narrow shape, featuring a flatter, straighter predorsal profile and shorter second dorsal fin base; possession of slightly smaller scales, reflected in higher counts of lateral scales and predorsal scales; typically more vertebrae; and colour differences including a more robust, short black stripe across the upper operculum, a pronounced yellow patch on the anteroventral body and usually a more conspicuous second dark stripe on the lower body, with adult males generally having yellowish compared to reddish fins. We also provide a generic diagnosis for Cairnsichthys and a redescription of C. rhombosomoides. Information on the known distribution, habitats and conservation status of species in the genus is summarised, the new species being of particular concern as a narrow range endemic with specific environmental requirements.
Keywords: Pisces, fishes, freshwater biodiversity, conservation, taxonomy, molecular systematics, northern Australia
Michael P. Hammer, Gerald R. Allen, KeithC. Martin, Mark Adams, Brendan C. Ebner, Tarmo A. Raadik and Peter J. Unmack. 2018. Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics Endemic Rainbowfish Genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with Description of A New Species. Zootaxa. 4413(2); 271–294. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3
==========================
Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus
Hammer, Allen, Martin, Adams, Ebner, Raadik & Unmack, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3
Abstract
The freshwater melanotaeniid genus Cairnsichthys is endemic to a relatively small area of specialised habitat within the Wet Tropics bioregion of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. It was previously considered as monotypic, including only a single species, C. rhombosomoides (Nichols & Raven, 1928). The recent discovery of an apparently-isolated population in the Daintree rainforest, approximately 120 km north of the known range extent, prompted a detailed investigation of its taxonomic status using a combined lines of evidence approach. We provide compelling evidence from multiple nuclear genetic markers (52 allozyme loci), mitochondrial DNA sequence data (1141 bp cytochrome b) and morphology (examination of a suite of 38 morphometric and meristic characters) that supports north-south splitting of C. rhombosomoides. Accordingly, we describe the northern population as a distinct species, Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus sp. nov., on the basis of 25 specimens, 34.7–65.6 mm SL. The new species differs morphologically primarily by having a more slender and narrow shape, featuring a flatter, straighter predorsal profile and shorter second dorsal fin base; possession of slightly smaller scales, reflected in higher counts of lateral scales and predorsal scales; typically more vertebrae; and colour differences including a more robust, short black stripe across the upper operculum, a pronounced yellow patch on the anteroventral body and usually a more conspicuous second dark stripe on the lower body, with adult males generally having yellowish compared to reddish fins. We also provide a generic diagnosis for Cairnsichthys and a redescription of C. rhombosomoides. Information on the known distribution, habitats and conservation status of species in the genus is summarised, the new species being of particular concern as a narrow range endemic with specific environmental requirements.
Keywords: Pisces, fishes, freshwater biodiversity, conservation, taxonomy, molecular systematics, northern Australia
Michael P. Hammer, Gerald R. Allen, KeithC. Martin, Mark Adams, Brendan C. Ebner, Tarmo A. Raadik and Peter J. Unmack. 2018. Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics Endemic Rainbowfish Genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with Description of A New Species. Zootaxa. 4413(2); 271–294. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3
==========================
New species of glass knifefish Eigenmannialoretana (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Western Amazon
BRANDON T. WALTZ, JAMES S. ALBERT
Abstract
A new species of the Eigenmannia trilineata species group is described from the Loreto, Peru region of the western Amazon basin. The new species is similar in external appearance to members of the E. trilineataspecies group, but has a distinct phenotype, being diagnosed from congeners by the following unique combination of characters: four longitudinal dark pigment stipes on the lateral surfaces (over the lateral line, hypaxial muscles, proximal and distal pterygiophore margins); short, relatively round head (head depth 86.8–96.7% head length) with a terminal mouth; intermediate posterodorsal expansion of infraorbital bones 1+2 (60–75% length of infraorbitals 1+2); 11–15 teeth in three rows on the premaxilla; six to seven teeth in a single row on the endopterygoid; eye high on head (suborbital depth 28–36% head length); ii, 13–14 pectoral-fin rays; 183–219 anal-fin rays; and a uniformly dark brown head and pectoral fins on freshly-preserved specimens. The new species extends the geographic range of described species of the E. trilineata species group to the Western Amazon. This new species elevates the current number of valid species within the E. trilineata species group to 15, and the number of species within Eigenmannia to 20.
==========================
A new species of Anchoviella (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) from the western Amazon River in Peru, with comments on congeners in the Peruvian Amazon RiverM. V. Loeb
H. R. Varella
N. A. Menezes
First published: 6 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13601urn:lsid: zoobank.org:pub:E47A5671‐6FBB‐4C15‐B738‐FC9D7132B6C8.
AbstractAnchoviella hernanni sp. nov. is described from the upper Amazon River basin, in tributaries of the Marañon, Ucayali and Madre de Dios river drainages that drain the Peruvian Andes. The new taxon can be distinguished from all congeners except Anchoviella jamesi, Anchoviella manamensis and Anchoviella perezi, by having 12–15 gill rakers in the lower branch of the first gill arch (v·16–35) and from those species by the distance between verticals through the posterior margin of the orbit to the posterior margin of the upper jaw 9·5–14·8% head length; LH (v. up to 6·0% LH). An updated identification key of all freshwater species of Anchoviella and morphological comparisons between all species of the genus occurring in Peru are provided.
==========================
H. R. Varella
N. A. Menezes
First published: 6 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13601urn:lsid: zoobank.org:pub:E47A5671‐6FBB‐4C15‐B738‐FC9D7132B6C8.
AbstractAnchoviella hernanni sp. nov. is described from the upper Amazon River basin, in tributaries of the Marañon, Ucayali and Madre de Dios river drainages that drain the Peruvian Andes. The new taxon can be distinguished from all congeners except Anchoviella jamesi, Anchoviella manamensis and Anchoviella perezi, by having 12–15 gill rakers in the lower branch of the first gill arch (v·16–35) and from those species by the distance between verticals through the posterior margin of the orbit to the posterior margin of the upper jaw 9·5–14·8% head length; LH (v. up to 6·0% LH). An updated identification key of all freshwater species of Anchoviella and morphological comparisons between all species of the genus occurring in Peru are provided.
==========================
Hisonotus devidei, a new species from the São Francisco basin, Brazil (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)F. F. Roxo
G. S. C. Silva
B. F. Melo
First published: 19 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13599urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5CDDA9ED‐D157‐4 EB7‐ 8 AC0‐AB8984C3048F
Abstract A recent expedition to headwaters of the Rio Pandeiros, a left‐bank tributary of the Rio São Francisco revealed the presence of a fourth species of Hisonotusfrom that basin. Hisonotus devidei sp. nov. differs from congeners by the presence of conspicuous dark blotches of distinct shapes irregularly arranged along lateral and dorsal surfaces of the body and scattered throughout all fins, by possessing small plates in lateral portions of the abdomen and adjacent areas between pelvic fins without development of dermal plates and by morphometric ratios. The putative phylogenetic placement of the new species is discussed based on morphological comparisons with species of related Hypoptopomatinae genera and the Hisonotus species diversity within the Rio São Francisco Basin is compared with that of adjacent basins.
from Wiley Online libary
==========================
G. S. C. Silva
B. F. Melo
First published: 19 April 2018
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13599urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5CDDA9ED‐D157‐4 EB7‐ 8 AC0‐AB8984C3048F
Abstract A recent expedition to headwaters of the Rio Pandeiros, a left‐bank tributary of the Rio São Francisco revealed the presence of a fourth species of Hisonotusfrom that basin. Hisonotus devidei sp. nov. differs from congeners by the presence of conspicuous dark blotches of distinct shapes irregularly arranged along lateral and dorsal surfaces of the body and scattered throughout all fins, by possessing small plates in lateral portions of the abdomen and adjacent areas between pelvic fins without development of dermal plates and by morphometric ratios. The putative phylogenetic placement of the new species is discussed based on morphological comparisons with species of related Hypoptopomatinae genera and the Hisonotus species diversity within the Rio São Francisco Basin is compared with that of adjacent basins.
from Wiley Online libary
==========================
The World’s Rivers Are All Blocked Up, Leaving Fish With No Place To Go
Imagine you’re heading out for a dinner date. You’re hungry and left enough time to get there and not be late, but when you step outside you find that conditions aren’t quite what you expected — you run into a 30-foot wall every few steps. What would you do? If you’re anything like me, you would probably just give up — stymied, hungry, un-romanced.
This is what’s happening for fish and aquatic wildlife in Europe: according to new research, there is a dam or other manmade obstruction blocking the continent’s rivers and streams every kilometer. The researchers figured this out by scraping whatever information they could find online, then went out and confirmed it for a total 1,000 kilometers. And, notably, the number of barriers they found was about thirty times larger than the number reported in existing (and outdated) databases.
Those researchers are launching an app that will allow people update the status of river and stream barriers as they come across them.
But, ultimately, a better database doesn’t help the trapped fish (that is, unless someone does something about it). What’s more, that project would create a database that is far from comprehensive, since this problem goes beyond Europe.
Look at the Amazon River, for example. As of February, there were 142 hydroelectric dams that were at least partially constructed and another 160 proposed across the mighty river; as a result, migratory fish like the migratory dorado catfish have already begun to disappear. And in the Pacific Northwest, salmon are being blocked by dams and need to be transported upstream so they can spawn.
This is not a new problem. Back in 2001, computer models already showed how river fragmentation directly lead to extinction. And yet the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s best solution is — no seriously — a literal goddamn Salmon Cannon.
Yes, interventions like this can help some fish survive, as long as people are there to place them on their personal waterslide. But it doesn’t address the other problems caused by river fragmentation, like the changes to the Amazon’s floodplains and other areas around dams. And even when people build dams that have bypass channels specifically intended to help fish get through, large populations of fish simply don’t go into them.
An obvious solution: stop building so many dams. But the hydroelectric power the structures generate can be a crucial source of emission-free energy for industrializing nations that were left with very little room to industrialize under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
The better answer seems to be to drain the dams we no longer need. That research into European river barriers also found that a number of the dams and other blocks out there are totally obsolete. These, like many other dams around the world, are still physically in place. Local governments have slowly made efforts to do this, but those are isolated cases.
So if you’re hiking a river trail and documenting barriers for that new app, we’re not saying you should knock over a barrier or two, but we’ll understand why you did it.
==========================
Imagine you’re heading out for a dinner date. You’re hungry and left enough time to get there and not be late, but when you step outside you find that conditions aren’t quite what you expected — you run into a 30-foot wall every few steps. What would you do? If you’re anything like me, you would probably just give up — stymied, hungry, un-romanced.
This is what’s happening for fish and aquatic wildlife in Europe: according to new research, there is a dam or other manmade obstruction blocking the continent’s rivers and streams every kilometer. The researchers figured this out by scraping whatever information they could find online, then went out and confirmed it for a total 1,000 kilometers. And, notably, the number of barriers they found was about thirty times larger than the number reported in existing (and outdated) databases.
Those researchers are launching an app that will allow people update the status of river and stream barriers as they come across them.
But, ultimately, a better database doesn’t help the trapped fish (that is, unless someone does something about it). What’s more, that project would create a database that is far from comprehensive, since this problem goes beyond Europe.
Look at the Amazon River, for example. As of February, there were 142 hydroelectric dams that were at least partially constructed and another 160 proposed across the mighty river; as a result, migratory fish like the migratory dorado catfish have already begun to disappear. And in the Pacific Northwest, salmon are being blocked by dams and need to be transported upstream so they can spawn.
This is not a new problem. Back in 2001, computer models already showed how river fragmentation directly lead to extinction. And yet the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s best solution is — no seriously — a literal goddamn Salmon Cannon.
Yes, interventions like this can help some fish survive, as long as people are there to place them on their personal waterslide. But it doesn’t address the other problems caused by river fragmentation, like the changes to the Amazon’s floodplains and other areas around dams. And even when people build dams that have bypass channels specifically intended to help fish get through, large populations of fish simply don’t go into them.
An obvious solution: stop building so many dams. But the hydroelectric power the structures generate can be a crucial source of emission-free energy for industrializing nations that were left with very little room to industrialize under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
The better answer seems to be to drain the dams we no longer need. That research into European river barriers also found that a number of the dams and other blocks out there are totally obsolete. These, like many other dams around the world, are still physically in place. Local governments have slowly made efforts to do this, but those are isolated cases.
So if you’re hiking a river trail and documenting barriers for that new app, we’re not saying you should knock over a barrier or two, but we’ll understand why you did it.
==========================
Fishkeeping in Southend for over 83 years
==================
There’s koi fish loose near the Cornwallis River, Nova Scotia and it concerns one professor
Goldfish can be seen in the Cornwallis River in this Facebook photo.An Acadia University biologist says reports of koi fish — or carp — in or along the Cornwallis River in Kings County are “interesting,” but that assessment could change depending on whether the fish flourish and establish themselves in the river.
Trevor Avery, an associate professor in the biology department who studies aquatic systems and introduced species, hadn’t heard of the reports before being contacted.
“That wouldn’t suprise me,” he said. He said the fish could be cast off or escaped from ornamental ponds, or have been moved by people.
“At this point I think I would call it interesting, but I think it could turn into something that’s concerning,” he said.
Photos posted on Facebook earlier this month show a school of the fish in what was described as a “pothole” or isolated pool in the wetland along the south side of the river in the bird sanctuary between Kentville and Coldbrook. But the river is notorious for flooding and some worry the fish could be washed into the river, if they haven’t been already.
At least two other people have commented online about seeing the fish over the past two years, with one mentioning an area of the river in Kentville.
Avery said the fish wouldn’t be in parts of the river where the salt content is higher. The river is tidal and flows into the Minas Basin near Port Williams but has less salinity in its western reaches.
Koi can grow up to a metre in length if food supply and conditions allow.
Avery said there is a definite danger of the fish being moved into the river by floodwaters.
He said they aren’t a predator fish so they won’t likely feed on much more than algae, and if they ate young fish it would be an opportunistic thing because the fish are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But they could still be problematic, he said.
“If there’s a lot of them, then they’re taking nutrients and resources out of the system that the larvae of other fish might be feeding on as well,” he said. “And space, too. . . . If they’re occupying all the space, then other fish can’t occupy it.”
The river is home to brook trout and brown trout.
“This looks like it needs to be looked into much more,” Avery said.
He said he will likely try to get out to the river to look for the fish, and also to see if they are spawning.
Avery said that it’s more difficult for invasive species to become established if there is a variety of species of fish already in an area, “but if there’s nothing, it’s very easy to make a footprint. That would be one of the concerns I would have here: Are these koi in the system because there’s not much there, and are they going to thrive in that system?”
He said he’s not aware of koi being well established anywhere in the province.
The provincial Fisheries Department said in an emailed statement that large populations of the species may disturb sport fish habitats, and Nova Scotians shouldn’t dispose of goldfish or similar fish in any water source.
==========================
Goldfish can be seen in the Cornwallis River in this Facebook photo.An Acadia University biologist says reports of koi fish — or carp — in or along the Cornwallis River in Kings County are “interesting,” but that assessment could change depending on whether the fish flourish and establish themselves in the river.
Trevor Avery, an associate professor in the biology department who studies aquatic systems and introduced species, hadn’t heard of the reports before being contacted.
“That wouldn’t suprise me,” he said. He said the fish could be cast off or escaped from ornamental ponds, or have been moved by people.
“At this point I think I would call it interesting, but I think it could turn into something that’s concerning,” he said.
Photos posted on Facebook earlier this month show a school of the fish in what was described as a “pothole” or isolated pool in the wetland along the south side of the river in the bird sanctuary between Kentville and Coldbrook. But the river is notorious for flooding and some worry the fish could be washed into the river, if they haven’t been already.
At least two other people have commented online about seeing the fish over the past two years, with one mentioning an area of the river in Kentville.
Avery said the fish wouldn’t be in parts of the river where the salt content is higher. The river is tidal and flows into the Minas Basin near Port Williams but has less salinity in its western reaches.
Koi can grow up to a metre in length if food supply and conditions allow.
Avery said there is a definite danger of the fish being moved into the river by floodwaters.
He said they aren’t a predator fish so they won’t likely feed on much more than algae, and if they ate young fish it would be an opportunistic thing because the fish are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But they could still be problematic, he said.
“If there’s a lot of them, then they’re taking nutrients and resources out of the system that the larvae of other fish might be feeding on as well,” he said. “And space, too. . . . If they’re occupying all the space, then other fish can’t occupy it.”
The river is home to brook trout and brown trout.
“This looks like it needs to be looked into much more,” Avery said.
He said he will likely try to get out to the river to look for the fish, and also to see if they are spawning.
Avery said that it’s more difficult for invasive species to become established if there is a variety of species of fish already in an area, “but if there’s nothing, it’s very easy to make a footprint. That would be one of the concerns I would have here: Are these koi in the system because there’s not much there, and are they going to thrive in that system?”
He said he’s not aware of koi being well established anywhere in the province.
The provincial Fisheries Department said in an emailed statement that large populations of the species may disturb sport fish habitats, and Nova Scotians shouldn’t dispose of goldfish or similar fish in any water source.
==========================
Small changes in rainforests cause big damage to fish ecosystemsDate:
April 19, 2018
Source:
Imperial College London
Summary:
Using lasers, researchers have connected, arranged and merged artificial cells, paving the way for networks of artificial cells acting as tissues.
Share:
FULL STORY
Sampling at the Brantian River, Sabah, Borneo.
Credit: Clare WilkinsonFreshwater fish diversity is harmed as much by selective logging in rainforests as they are by complete deforestation, according to a new study.
Researchers had expected the level of damage would rise depending on the amount of logging and were surprised to discover the impact of removing relatively few trees.
There are many types of logging that occur in rainforests, from 'selective logging' -- only taking certain species -- to complete logging and the transformation of the rainforest to oil-palm plantations.
Different types of animals react to these changes in often complex ways. However, a new study published today in Biological Conservation shows that for freshwater fish, any logging is too much. The team, led by Imperial College London, found a drop in fish biodiversity -- the number of different species -- across all logging types.
The authors of the paper say the result suggests a rethink in how freshwater ecosystems are protected in these forests.
Lead author Clare Wilkinson, from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said: "That such a small change can impact fish biodiversity is shocking and worrying. We expected to see a gradient from least affected in the selectively logged areas, to heavily impacted for the streams in oil palm plantations. Instead, we saw almost the same level of fish biodiversity loss in all altered environments."
The team sampled 23 streams in Borneo as part of the SAFE (Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems) Project, which investigates environmental changes across a gradient from primary forest to oil palm plantation.
They found that fish diversity was decreased in all logged areas compared to within virgin forest, and that the time since logging did not affect the level of change. All logged regions suffered similar levels of losses irrespective of whether only select trees were taken or all of them, or whether the logging was recent or further in the past.
Researchers believe the reasons for these dramatic changes are likely to be down to a range of factors that affect stream habitats when trees are lost. Trees provide shade, creating cooler patches of stream that many fish need to spawn. Older, taller trees provide more of this shade, but they are the ones usually removed in selective logging. Leaf litter from these trees also helps to keep the streams cool and to concentrate food sources.
The loss of trees also increases soil erosion, meaning banks are more susceptible to collapse and more sediment ends up in the stream. This had the effect of making streams shallower and wider, limiting the types of species that can use the habitat.
For oil palm plantations to be labelled 'sustainable, they must include a riparian zone -- a buffer of forest land immediately bordering streams -- of at least 30 metres. However, in none the streams sampled in oil palm areas in this study, did the presence of a 30 metre riparian zone reduce the damage to fish biodiversity.
Wilkinson said: "The freshwater fish in these streams are a food source for local people, so maintaining biodiversity is important. Our study suggests that current protections are not good enough in that they do not prioritise conserving intact forest, and are not sufficient to protect fish in more altered environments."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Imperial College London. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Imperial College London. "Small changes in rainforests cause big damage to fish ecosystems." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 April 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419130945.htm>.
==========================
April 19, 2018
Source:
Imperial College London
Summary:
Using lasers, researchers have connected, arranged and merged artificial cells, paving the way for networks of artificial cells acting as tissues.
Share:
FULL STORY
Sampling at the Brantian River, Sabah, Borneo.
Credit: Clare WilkinsonFreshwater fish diversity is harmed as much by selective logging in rainforests as they are by complete deforestation, according to a new study.
Researchers had expected the level of damage would rise depending on the amount of logging and were surprised to discover the impact of removing relatively few trees.
There are many types of logging that occur in rainforests, from 'selective logging' -- only taking certain species -- to complete logging and the transformation of the rainforest to oil-palm plantations.
Different types of animals react to these changes in often complex ways. However, a new study published today in Biological Conservation shows that for freshwater fish, any logging is too much. The team, led by Imperial College London, found a drop in fish biodiversity -- the number of different species -- across all logging types.
The authors of the paper say the result suggests a rethink in how freshwater ecosystems are protected in these forests.
Lead author Clare Wilkinson, from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said: "That such a small change can impact fish biodiversity is shocking and worrying. We expected to see a gradient from least affected in the selectively logged areas, to heavily impacted for the streams in oil palm plantations. Instead, we saw almost the same level of fish biodiversity loss in all altered environments."
The team sampled 23 streams in Borneo as part of the SAFE (Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems) Project, which investigates environmental changes across a gradient from primary forest to oil palm plantation.
They found that fish diversity was decreased in all logged areas compared to within virgin forest, and that the time since logging did not affect the level of change. All logged regions suffered similar levels of losses irrespective of whether only select trees were taken or all of them, or whether the logging was recent or further in the past.
Researchers believe the reasons for these dramatic changes are likely to be down to a range of factors that affect stream habitats when trees are lost. Trees provide shade, creating cooler patches of stream that many fish need to spawn. Older, taller trees provide more of this shade, but they are the ones usually removed in selective logging. Leaf litter from these trees also helps to keep the streams cool and to concentrate food sources.
The loss of trees also increases soil erosion, meaning banks are more susceptible to collapse and more sediment ends up in the stream. This had the effect of making streams shallower and wider, limiting the types of species that can use the habitat.
For oil palm plantations to be labelled 'sustainable, they must include a riparian zone -- a buffer of forest land immediately bordering streams -- of at least 30 metres. However, in none the streams sampled in oil palm areas in this study, did the presence of a 30 metre riparian zone reduce the damage to fish biodiversity.
Wilkinson said: "The freshwater fish in these streams are a food source for local people, so maintaining biodiversity is important. Our study suggests that current protections are not good enough in that they do not prioritise conserving intact forest, and are not sufficient to protect fish in more altered environments."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Imperial College London. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Clare L. Wilkinson, Darren C.J. Yeo, Heok Hui Tan, Arman Hadi Fikri, Robert M. Ewers. Land-use change is associated with a significant loss of freshwater fish species and functional richness in Sabah, Malaysia. Biological Conservation, 2018; 222: 164 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.004
Imperial College London. "Small changes in rainforests cause big damage to fish ecosystems." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 April 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419130945.htm>.
==========================
Hawai’i Bans Amateur Collection of Live Marine Fishes
20 Apr, 2018
“This is legal; catching them alive for an aquarium is not. No permit needed to kill them.” Paku Ikui (Achilles Tangs) on ice for sale at $4.99 a pound in a Hawaiian fish market. Image: Hiloliving.com
CORAL Staff Report
“Now kids can’t catch fish for their aquariums….”
Writing from his home in Honolulu, this was how Dr. Bruce Carlson, marine biologist and former director of the Waikiki Aquarium, first reacted to news that a court in Hawai’i had just expanded the ban on collecting live marine fishes to recreational marine life enthusiasts. The ruling effectively put a complete to halt the state’s collection of live fishes for aquariums. (See background articles.)
First, the courts invalidated the state’s commercial aquarium fine-mesh net fishing permits, which led to a virtual shutdown of the industry in Hawai’i. Then, Hawaii’s DLNR closed the main fishery for aquarium fish in Hawai’i, putting the West Hawai’i Regional Fishery Management Area off limits.
Recreational Fishing Banned In Hawaii
Now, in addition to effectively ending the commercial collection of reef fish pending environmental review, Hawai’i’s First Circuit Court has issued a new ruling which invalidates recreational aquarium fishing permits. These permits allowed private individuals to collect marine fish for personal use in home aquariums. Reports state that the issuance of the current recreational permits, which authorized the collection of up to 5 fish per day, failed to comply with the environmental impact assessment requirements of the Hawai’i Environmental Policy Act.
Sport and recreational fishing with poles and hooks, and spearfishing which kills reef fishes, are both still allowed.
Other than the newly invalidated recreational aquarium fishing permits, there are no license requirements for recreational fishing in the ocean in the state of Hawai’i. (“There is no marine recreational fishing license in Hawai‘i for either residents or visitors, so you don’t need to worry about that as long as you don’t sell your catch.” – Hawai’i DLNR Fishing FAQ)
Dr. Bruce Carlson
Dr. Carlson also forwarded a copy of the image shown above to the CORAL editorial offices above with the comment: “This is legal; catching them alive for an aquarium is not. No permit needed to kill them.”
A check on the current price for a single Achilles Tang in the retail US aquarium trade is $299 and upward, although many suppliers are out of stock as Hawai’i’s collection bans have severely hampered the trade in many species.
Victory for Anti-Aquarium Coalition
According to an article by Timothy Hurley in the Honolulu Star Advertiser: “Thursday’s decision by First Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree means no such fishing is legally permitted in the islands until the appropriate level of environmental review is developed and approved.
“The ruling is the latest legal victory for plaintiffs Rene Umberger, Mike Nakachi, Ka‘imi Kaupiko, Willie Kaupiko, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, the Humane Society of the United States and the Center for Biological Diversity.
“Represented by the Earthjustice environmental law firm, the group sued the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in 2012 for failing to comply with Hawaii’s Environmental Policy Act, which requires the government to consider environmental impacts in its actions.” (Link to full article below.)
Aquarium Trade Responses
Members of the Aquarium Fishery community and the aquarium trade are counting on responses from the DLNR and Environmental Assessments that use scientific data to support a reopening of the issuance of aquarium collection permits. All such current published data indicates that the aquarium trade in Hawai’i is sustainable and causing no significant harm to the state’s reefs and marine resources. (See “Pulse Check,” Sources, below.)
The Pet Industry Joint Action Council (PIJAC), based in Washington, DC, is supporting work on Environmental Assessments that they hope will support a return to legal commercial collection of aquarium fishes. Presumably, kids with nets would also be able to return to the states inshore waters and beaches.
SOURCES
Honolulu Star Advertiser:
“Recreational aquarium fishing is blocked,” by Timothy Hurley, April 17, 2018
Additional Information:
Hawai’i’s DAR Fishing License and Permit Information
Hawai’i DAR Fishing FAQs
Humane Society of the United States: “Hawai‘i Court Voids All Existing Recreational Aquarium Collection Permits,”
The Maui News: “Oahu court invalidates state-issued permits to collect tropical fish in wild,” by Melisa Tanji, April 17, 2018
West Hawai’i Today: “Recreational aquarium collection permits voided,” by Gita Howard, April 17, 2018
Reef to Rainforest:
“A Pulse Check on Hawai’i’s Aquarium Fishing Ban: Draft Assessments Published“, by Matt Pedersen, April 13, 2018
“Hawai’i’s Contentious Inshore Fisheries, By the Numbers,” by Dr. Bruce Carlson, April 13, 2018
Image: Hilo Living Blog
From Amazonas Magazine
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20 Apr, 2018
“This is legal; catching them alive for an aquarium is not. No permit needed to kill them.” Paku Ikui (Achilles Tangs) on ice for sale at $4.99 a pound in a Hawaiian fish market. Image: Hiloliving.com
CORAL Staff Report
“Now kids can’t catch fish for their aquariums….”
Writing from his home in Honolulu, this was how Dr. Bruce Carlson, marine biologist and former director of the Waikiki Aquarium, first reacted to news that a court in Hawai’i had just expanded the ban on collecting live marine fishes to recreational marine life enthusiasts. The ruling effectively put a complete to halt the state’s collection of live fishes for aquariums. (See background articles.)
First, the courts invalidated the state’s commercial aquarium fine-mesh net fishing permits, which led to a virtual shutdown of the industry in Hawai’i. Then, Hawaii’s DLNR closed the main fishery for aquarium fish in Hawai’i, putting the West Hawai’i Regional Fishery Management Area off limits.
Recreational Fishing Banned In Hawaii
Now, in addition to effectively ending the commercial collection of reef fish pending environmental review, Hawai’i’s First Circuit Court has issued a new ruling which invalidates recreational aquarium fishing permits. These permits allowed private individuals to collect marine fish for personal use in home aquariums. Reports state that the issuance of the current recreational permits, which authorized the collection of up to 5 fish per day, failed to comply with the environmental impact assessment requirements of the Hawai’i Environmental Policy Act.
Sport and recreational fishing with poles and hooks, and spearfishing which kills reef fishes, are both still allowed.
Other than the newly invalidated recreational aquarium fishing permits, there are no license requirements for recreational fishing in the ocean in the state of Hawai’i. (“There is no marine recreational fishing license in Hawai‘i for either residents or visitors, so you don’t need to worry about that as long as you don’t sell your catch.” – Hawai’i DLNR Fishing FAQ)
Dr. Bruce Carlson
Dr. Carlson also forwarded a copy of the image shown above to the CORAL editorial offices above with the comment: “This is legal; catching them alive for an aquarium is not. No permit needed to kill them.”
A check on the current price for a single Achilles Tang in the retail US aquarium trade is $299 and upward, although many suppliers are out of stock as Hawai’i’s collection bans have severely hampered the trade in many species.
Victory for Anti-Aquarium Coalition
According to an article by Timothy Hurley in the Honolulu Star Advertiser: “Thursday’s decision by First Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree means no such fishing is legally permitted in the islands until the appropriate level of environmental review is developed and approved.
“The ruling is the latest legal victory for plaintiffs Rene Umberger, Mike Nakachi, Ka‘imi Kaupiko, Willie Kaupiko, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, the Humane Society of the United States and the Center for Biological Diversity.
“Represented by the Earthjustice environmental law firm, the group sued the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in 2012 for failing to comply with Hawaii’s Environmental Policy Act, which requires the government to consider environmental impacts in its actions.” (Link to full article below.)
Aquarium Trade Responses
Members of the Aquarium Fishery community and the aquarium trade are counting on responses from the DLNR and Environmental Assessments that use scientific data to support a reopening of the issuance of aquarium collection permits. All such current published data indicates that the aquarium trade in Hawai’i is sustainable and causing no significant harm to the state’s reefs and marine resources. (See “Pulse Check,” Sources, below.)
The Pet Industry Joint Action Council (PIJAC), based in Washington, DC, is supporting work on Environmental Assessments that they hope will support a return to legal commercial collection of aquarium fishes. Presumably, kids with nets would also be able to return to the states inshore waters and beaches.
SOURCES
Honolulu Star Advertiser:
“Recreational aquarium fishing is blocked,” by Timothy Hurley, April 17, 2018
Additional Information:
Hawai’i’s DAR Fishing License and Permit Information
Hawai’i DAR Fishing FAQs
Humane Society of the United States: “Hawai‘i Court Voids All Existing Recreational Aquarium Collection Permits,”
The Maui News: “Oahu court invalidates state-issued permits to collect tropical fish in wild,” by Melisa Tanji, April 17, 2018
West Hawai’i Today: “Recreational aquarium collection permits voided,” by Gita Howard, April 17, 2018
Reef to Rainforest:
“A Pulse Check on Hawai’i’s Aquarium Fishing Ban: Draft Assessments Published“, by Matt Pedersen, April 13, 2018
“Hawai’i’s Contentious Inshore Fisheries, By the Numbers,” by Dr. Bruce Carlson, April 13, 2018
Image: Hilo Living Blog
From Amazonas Magazine
==========================
Hemibrycon iqueima • A New Species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes, Characidae, Stevardiinae) from the upper Magdalena River Basin in Colombia
Hemibrycon iqueima
García‐Melo, Albornoz‐Garzón, García‐Melo, Villa‐Navarro & Maldonado‐Ocampo, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13634
Abstract
Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov., is described from small streams in the Magdalena drainage at the foothills of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, Suarez municipality, Tolima Department, Colombia. The new species is distinguished from its congeners in the Magdalena–Cauca River basin by a combination of characters related to snout–anal‐fin origin length, head length, dorsal–pectoral fin distance, dorsal‐fin–hypural distance, postorbital distance, orbital diameter, snout length, number of total vertebrae, pre‐dorsal scales, scale rows between anal‐fin origin and lateral line, number of branched rays of the anal fin, maxillary teeth number and number and arrangement of hooks on the branched rays of the pectoral and dorsal fins. In addition, the validity of this species is supported by previous molecular analyses that included specimens of the new species that had been erroneously identified. Phylogenetic relationships between the new species and congeners from Pacific coast basins are discussed.
Key words: biodiversity; ichthyology; morphological visualization; Neotropical fishes; Stevardiinae; taxonomy
FIG. 1. Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov., Quebrada Bacallá, upper Magdalena River basin, Suárez Municipality, Tolima Department, Colombia. Holotype CZTU-IC 16418, 57.3 mm standard length, preserved coloration.
(a) Lateral view, (b) dorsal view, (c) ventral view. Scale bar 10 mm.
FIG. Lateral view of cleared and stained skeleton of Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov. CZUT-IC 11920, 40.9 mm standard length. Scale bar 10 mm.
Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov.
Distribution and habitat: Hemibrycon iqueima is known from three small tributaries (Batatas, Yeguas, Bacallá) in the upper Magdalena River basin, draining the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera (Figs 5 and 6).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to Cacique Iqueima, a name belonging to the indigenous Los Panches and Tolimas tribes that inhabited the type locality region. The tribes inhabited land near to the Magdalena River south-west of Cundinamarca and north-east of Tolima.
J. E. García‐Melo, J. G. Albornoz‐Garzón, L. J. García‐Melo, F. A. Villa‐Navarro and J. A. Maldonado‐Ocampo. 2018. A New Species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes, Characidae, Stevardiinae) from the upper Magdalena River Basin in Colombia. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13634
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10105941738185911
twitter.com/TimDrawsFish/status/986702843989184517
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Hemibrycon iqueima
García‐Melo, Albornoz‐Garzón, García‐Melo, Villa‐Navarro & Maldonado‐Ocampo, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13634
Abstract
Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov., is described from small streams in the Magdalena drainage at the foothills of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, Suarez municipality, Tolima Department, Colombia. The new species is distinguished from its congeners in the Magdalena–Cauca River basin by a combination of characters related to snout–anal‐fin origin length, head length, dorsal–pectoral fin distance, dorsal‐fin–hypural distance, postorbital distance, orbital diameter, snout length, number of total vertebrae, pre‐dorsal scales, scale rows between anal‐fin origin and lateral line, number of branched rays of the anal fin, maxillary teeth number and number and arrangement of hooks on the branched rays of the pectoral and dorsal fins. In addition, the validity of this species is supported by previous molecular analyses that included specimens of the new species that had been erroneously identified. Phylogenetic relationships between the new species and congeners from Pacific coast basins are discussed.
Key words: biodiversity; ichthyology; morphological visualization; Neotropical fishes; Stevardiinae; taxonomy
FIG. 1. Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov., Quebrada Bacallá, upper Magdalena River basin, Suárez Municipality, Tolima Department, Colombia. Holotype CZTU-IC 16418, 57.3 mm standard length, preserved coloration.
(a) Lateral view, (b) dorsal view, (c) ventral view. Scale bar 10 mm.
FIG. Lateral view of cleared and stained skeleton of Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov. CZUT-IC 11920, 40.9 mm standard length. Scale bar 10 mm.
Hemibrycon iqueima sp. nov.
Distribution and habitat: Hemibrycon iqueima is known from three small tributaries (Batatas, Yeguas, Bacallá) in the upper Magdalena River basin, draining the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera (Figs 5 and 6).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to Cacique Iqueima, a name belonging to the indigenous Los Panches and Tolimas tribes that inhabited the type locality region. The tribes inhabited land near to the Magdalena River south-west of Cundinamarca and north-east of Tolima.
J. E. García‐Melo, J. G. Albornoz‐Garzón, L. J. García‐Melo, F. A. Villa‐Navarro and J. A. Maldonado‐Ocampo. 2018. A New Species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes, Characidae, Stevardiinae) from the upper Magdalena River Basin in Colombia. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13634
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10105941738185911
twitter.com/TimDrawsFish/status/986702843989184517
==========================
Ryedale A.S. Open Show will be held on Sunday 29th April. Venue will be the Kirby Misperton Village Hall, Malton, N. Yorks. YO17 6XN. 41 Classes covering the full range of tropical freshwater and coldwater fishes plus a fish craft class. YAAS rules and standards apply. Auction of fishkeeping items . Doors open at 10.00a.m.
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Dysomma alticorpus • A New Species of Cutthroat Eel (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae) from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Dysomma alticorpus
Fricke, Golani, Appelbaum-Golani & Zajonz, 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005
Abstract
The cutthroat eel Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is described based on a single specimen collected in a trammel net at a depth of 350 m off Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new species belongs to the Dysomma anguillare species complex, which comprises species possessing a well-developed pectoral fin, intermaxillary teeth, a uniserial row of 7–15 large compound teeth in the lower jaw (which may be followed by a few smaller teeth), and an anteriorly situated anus with the trunk shorter than the head length. It is characterised by a combination of the following characters: origin of the dorsal fin well anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, predorsal length 13.8% TL; preanal length 22.8% TL; three compound teeth on the vomer; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 4, prepectoral 8, preanal 14, total 57–58, the last at the posterior two-thirds of the total length; MVF 7–16–115; total vertebrae 115. Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is compared with other species of the genus. A revised key to the species of the genera Dysomma and Dysommina is provided.
Keywords: Synaphobranchidae; Ichthyology; Systematics; Gulf of Aqaba; Red Sea; Cutthroat eel; New species
Fig. Dysomma alticorpus new species, HUJ 17054 (holotype, 323.4 mm TL), Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Israel, off Eilat; A lateral view, B lateral view, detail of head, C trunk, ventral view; colouration in preservative.
Dysomma alticorpus new species
Pale cutthroat eel
Etymology: Altus (Latin) = high; corpus (Latin) = body. The name of the new species refers to the relatively high body of this new species. It is used as a noun in apposition.
Ronald Fricke, Daniel Golani, Brenda Appelbaum-Golani, Uwe Zajonz. 2018. Dysomma alticorpus, A New Species of Cutthroat Eel from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae) [Dysomma alticorpus, une nouvelle espèce d’anguille égorgée du golfe d’Aqaba, mer Rouge (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae)] Comptes Rendus Biologies. 341(2); 111-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005
==========================
Dysomma alticorpus
Fricke, Golani, Appelbaum-Golani & Zajonz, 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005
Abstract
The cutthroat eel Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is described based on a single specimen collected in a trammel net at a depth of 350 m off Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new species belongs to the Dysomma anguillare species complex, which comprises species possessing a well-developed pectoral fin, intermaxillary teeth, a uniserial row of 7–15 large compound teeth in the lower jaw (which may be followed by a few smaller teeth), and an anteriorly situated anus with the trunk shorter than the head length. It is characterised by a combination of the following characters: origin of the dorsal fin well anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, predorsal length 13.8% TL; preanal length 22.8% TL; three compound teeth on the vomer; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 4, prepectoral 8, preanal 14, total 57–58, the last at the posterior two-thirds of the total length; MVF 7–16–115; total vertebrae 115. Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is compared with other species of the genus. A revised key to the species of the genera Dysomma and Dysommina is provided.
Keywords: Synaphobranchidae; Ichthyology; Systematics; Gulf of Aqaba; Red Sea; Cutthroat eel; New species
Fig. Dysomma alticorpus new species, HUJ 17054 (holotype, 323.4 mm TL), Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Israel, off Eilat; A lateral view, B lateral view, detail of head, C trunk, ventral view; colouration in preservative.
Dysomma alticorpus new species
Pale cutthroat eel
Etymology: Altus (Latin) = high; corpus (Latin) = body. The name of the new species refers to the relatively high body of this new species. It is used as a noun in apposition.
Ronald Fricke, Daniel Golani, Brenda Appelbaum-Golani, Uwe Zajonz. 2018. Dysomma alticorpus, A New Species of Cutthroat Eel from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae) [Dysomma alticorpus, une nouvelle espèce d’anguille égorgée du golfe d’Aqaba, mer Rouge (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae)] Comptes Rendus Biologies. 341(2); 111-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005
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Save a North Sea fish from becoming museum exhibit
Jon C. Svendsen,Aage K. O. Alstrup &Lasse F. Jensen
The habitats needed by this fish for spawning and juvenile development are still unclear, so it is not possible to protect or restore them. This basic knowledge is essential for future restoration projects. We urgently need to understand why the population is still in decline and to put effective conservation measures in place. The North Sea houting must not end up next to the great auk (Pinguinus impennis) on museum shelves.
Nature 556, 174 (2018)
doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-04170-9
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Jon C. Svendsen,Aage K. O. Alstrup &Lasse F. Jensen
The North Sea houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus) is a whitefish that is endemic to the Wadden Sea, an area including the North Sea coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. A critically small population in Denmark’s Vidaa River, estimated at 3,500 adult individuals in 2014, is the last remaining worldwide. We call on the Danish authorities to prevent further decline of this fish through informed conservation planning and management before it is too late.
The habitats needed by this fish for spawning and juvenile development are still unclear, so it is not possible to protect or restore them. This basic knowledge is essential for future restoration projects. We urgently need to understand why the population is still in decline and to put effective conservation measures in place. The North Sea houting must not end up next to the great auk (Pinguinus impennis) on museum shelves.
Nature 556, 174 (2018)
doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-04170-9
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Stonefish Have Switchblade-Like Defensive System, Researchers Say
A team of marine biologists from the University of Kansas and the Field Museum, Chicago has discovered a remarkable defensive system — ‘lachrymal saber’ — in a group of fish called stonefish. Their work is published in the journal Copeia.
Stonefish are packing switchblades in their faces. Image credit: Frank am Main / CC BY-SA 2.0.
“I don’t why this hasn’t been discovered before. It’s probably because there are just one or two people that ever worked on this group,” said Professor William Leo Smith, from the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas.
“We took five or six families and were able to resolve the problems in their classifications. To have this really strong anatomical feature visible from the outside is really helpful.”
All specimens Professor Smith and co-authors examined feature a mechanism they dub a ‘lachrymal saber’ located on each cheek below the eye.
Moreover, genetic analysis of 113 morphological and 5,280 molecular characters for 63 species reveals stonefish possessing the lachrymal saber are closely related, producing a revised taxonomy of flatheads, scorpionfish, sea robins and stonefish.
The researchers found the switchblade-like devices in the cheeks of stonefish involve specialized modifications to several bones and muscles: the circumorbitals, maxilla and adductor mandibulae.
“To help the stonefish deploy the switchblade, an unusually large number of muscles and ligaments attach to bones comprising the lachrymal saber system compared with species outside the stonefish family,” they said.
Top: cleared and stained specimen of the warty prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus). Bottom: the whiskered prowfish (Neopataecus waterhousii). Image credit: Leo Smith, University of Kansas.
“The switchblade only added to an already impressive array of defensive features that rank stonefish among the deadliest fishes in the ocean, including spikes, camouflages and some of the world’s most powerful venoms, which even could be fatal to an adult human being,” Professor Smith said.
“Of all the fishes I’ve studied, I haven’t yet been stung by any of these stonefish.”
“I’m just super paranoid. In some places they catch them for food — the big ones, they’re delicious — there is an aquaculture for larger ones in Indonesia. That’s mind-boggling to me. The venom breaks down in our digestive system. But people eat lots of venomous species all over the world, even in the U.S.”
According to the team, the lachrymal saber is most likely an additional defensive system in stonefish, to avoid predation.
“If you find pictures of these stonefish in the mouths of other things, the lachrymal saber is always locked out,” Professor Smith said.
“The main thing people know about these fishes is they’re venomous. Some people know them because they have these fingerlike appendages and drag themselves around like they’re playing the piano; the appendages actually taste food as they go.”
These stonefish can mimic leaves floating in the water — they’re super camouflaged.
“A lot of them have really bright pectoral fins on sides of their body, and when they’re scared they flash them — this drab fish will suddenly flash bright yellows and oranges,” the scientist said.
“I always assume all of these features are defensive, but recent studies by other fish scientists suggest these could all be displays like a peacock.”
_____
W. Leo Smith et al. 2018. Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Sea Robins, and Stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the Evolution of the Lachrymal Saber. Copeia 106 (1): 94-119; doi: 10.1643/CG-17-669
==========================
A team of marine biologists from the University of Kansas and the Field Museum, Chicago has discovered a remarkable defensive system — ‘lachrymal saber’ — in a group of fish called stonefish. Their work is published in the journal Copeia.
Stonefish are packing switchblades in their faces. Image credit: Frank am Main / CC BY-SA 2.0.
“I don’t why this hasn’t been discovered before. It’s probably because there are just one or two people that ever worked on this group,” said Professor William Leo Smith, from the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas.
“We took five or six families and were able to resolve the problems in their classifications. To have this really strong anatomical feature visible from the outside is really helpful.”
All specimens Professor Smith and co-authors examined feature a mechanism they dub a ‘lachrymal saber’ located on each cheek below the eye.
Moreover, genetic analysis of 113 morphological and 5,280 molecular characters for 63 species reveals stonefish possessing the lachrymal saber are closely related, producing a revised taxonomy of flatheads, scorpionfish, sea robins and stonefish.
The researchers found the switchblade-like devices in the cheeks of stonefish involve specialized modifications to several bones and muscles: the circumorbitals, maxilla and adductor mandibulae.
“To help the stonefish deploy the switchblade, an unusually large number of muscles and ligaments attach to bones comprising the lachrymal saber system compared with species outside the stonefish family,” they said.
Top: cleared and stained specimen of the warty prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus). Bottom: the whiskered prowfish (Neopataecus waterhousii). Image credit: Leo Smith, University of Kansas.
“The switchblade only added to an already impressive array of defensive features that rank stonefish among the deadliest fishes in the ocean, including spikes, camouflages and some of the world’s most powerful venoms, which even could be fatal to an adult human being,” Professor Smith said.
“Of all the fishes I’ve studied, I haven’t yet been stung by any of these stonefish.”
“I’m just super paranoid. In some places they catch them for food — the big ones, they’re delicious — there is an aquaculture for larger ones in Indonesia. That’s mind-boggling to me. The venom breaks down in our digestive system. But people eat lots of venomous species all over the world, even in the U.S.”
According to the team, the lachrymal saber is most likely an additional defensive system in stonefish, to avoid predation.
“If you find pictures of these stonefish in the mouths of other things, the lachrymal saber is always locked out,” Professor Smith said.
“The main thing people know about these fishes is they’re venomous. Some people know them because they have these fingerlike appendages and drag themselves around like they’re playing the piano; the appendages actually taste food as they go.”
These stonefish can mimic leaves floating in the water — they’re super camouflaged.
“A lot of them have really bright pectoral fins on sides of their body, and when they’re scared they flash them — this drab fish will suddenly flash bright yellows and oranges,” the scientist said.
“I always assume all of these features are defensive, but recent studies by other fish scientists suggest these could all be displays like a peacock.”
_____
W. Leo Smith et al. 2018. Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Sea Robins, and Stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the Evolution of the Lachrymal Saber. Copeia 106 (1): 94-119; doi: 10.1643/CG-17-669
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Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus • A New Species of Rhinogobius (Pisces: Gobiidae) from Eastern China, with Analyses of its DNA Barcode
Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus Xia, Wu & Li, 2018
in Xia, Wu, Li, Wu & Liu, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4407.4.7
Abstract
The genus Rhinogobius Gill 1859 is widely distributed in fresh waters along the Western Pacific coast of tropical and temperate Asia. A new species, Rhinogobiusmaxillivirgatus, is described from Anhui Province in Eastern China. This species can be differentiated from all congeners by a combination of the following characters: up to 6 longitudinal brown to black stripes along the side of the body; pectoral-fin rays modally 14; predorsal scale series 5–9; lateral scale series 28–30; transverse scale series 6–7; branchiostegal membrane with about 20 red round spots in males; and 2 black oblique stripes parallel along the upper jaw on the anterior portion of the cheek. Analyzing sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I revealed that the new species is closely related to, but distinct, from Rhinogobius wuyanlingensis.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater goby, Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus, Eastern China, COI gene
FIGURE Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus [upper] Male adult at type locality; [lower] Female adult at type locality.
Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus Xia, Wu, and Li, sp. n.
Diagnosis. Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus is distinguishable from the other species in the same genus by the unique combination of the following features: D2 rays modally I/8 (rarely I/9); A rays modally I/7; P rays 13–15; LL 28–30; TR 6–7; predorsal scales 5–9; vertebral count 10+17=27; lateral side with 5–6 longitudinal serrated stripes, ventral ones dark; a whitish band across from snout to dorsal portion of operculum, interrupted by orbit; a black stripe along lower half of upper jaw, followed by a longer parallel stripe across anterior portion of cheek; rear edge of orbit with a black blotch; cheek and operculum spotless, branchiostegal membrane grayish with up to 20 red spots in male; D1 with 3–4 horizontal rows of spots and D2 with 5–6 rows; P base with an arched reddish brown band, membrane with several vertical rows of spots and a bold mark near the origin; and C base with a large dark spot, with vertical rows of spots in membrane and the anterior row enlarged.
Distribution. Currently Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus is only known from a particular tributary of the Changjiang Basin in Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China.
Etymology. The name maxillivirgatus is a noun in apposition and derived from the Latin maxilla meaning “upper jaw” and virgas meaning “stripes,” referring to 2 distinctive stripes behind the upper jaw of both sexes.
Jian-Hong Xia, Han-Lin Wu, Chen-Hong Li, Yuan-Qi Wu and Su-Han Liu. 2018. A New Species of Rhinogobius (Pisces: Gobiidae), with Analyses of its DNA Barcode. Zootaxa. 4407(4); 553–562. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4407.4.7
==========================
Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus Xia, Wu & Li, 2018
in Xia, Wu, Li, Wu & Liu, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4407.4.7
Abstract
The genus Rhinogobius Gill 1859 is widely distributed in fresh waters along the Western Pacific coast of tropical and temperate Asia. A new species, Rhinogobiusmaxillivirgatus, is described from Anhui Province in Eastern China. This species can be differentiated from all congeners by a combination of the following characters: up to 6 longitudinal brown to black stripes along the side of the body; pectoral-fin rays modally 14; predorsal scale series 5–9; lateral scale series 28–30; transverse scale series 6–7; branchiostegal membrane with about 20 red round spots in males; and 2 black oblique stripes parallel along the upper jaw on the anterior portion of the cheek. Analyzing sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I revealed that the new species is closely related to, but distinct, from Rhinogobius wuyanlingensis.
Keywords: Pisces, freshwater goby, Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus, Eastern China, COI gene
FIGURE Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus [upper] Male adult at type locality; [lower] Female adult at type locality.
Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus Xia, Wu, and Li, sp. n.
Diagnosis. Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus is distinguishable from the other species in the same genus by the unique combination of the following features: D2 rays modally I/8 (rarely I/9); A rays modally I/7; P rays 13–15; LL 28–30; TR 6–7; predorsal scales 5–9; vertebral count 10+17=27; lateral side with 5–6 longitudinal serrated stripes, ventral ones dark; a whitish band across from snout to dorsal portion of operculum, interrupted by orbit; a black stripe along lower half of upper jaw, followed by a longer parallel stripe across anterior portion of cheek; rear edge of orbit with a black blotch; cheek and operculum spotless, branchiostegal membrane grayish with up to 20 red spots in male; D1 with 3–4 horizontal rows of spots and D2 with 5–6 rows; P base with an arched reddish brown band, membrane with several vertical rows of spots and a bold mark near the origin; and C base with a large dark spot, with vertical rows of spots in membrane and the anterior row enlarged.
Distribution. Currently Rhinogobius maxillivirgatus is only known from a particular tributary of the Changjiang Basin in Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China.
Etymology. The name maxillivirgatus is a noun in apposition and derived from the Latin maxilla meaning “upper jaw” and virgas meaning “stripes,” referring to 2 distinctive stripes behind the upper jaw of both sexes.
Jian-Hong Xia, Han-Lin Wu, Chen-Hong Li, Yuan-Qi Wu and Su-Han Liu. 2018. A New Species of Rhinogobius (Pisces: Gobiidae), with Analyses of its DNA Barcode. Zootaxa. 4407(4); 553–562. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4407.4.7
==========================
Mike Liggins devastated after theft of £6k from Creation Aquatics, Wickford, Essex, UK.
Creation Aquatics
A BUSINESS owner has described his devastation after a trio of thugs raided his specialist aquatics shop and made off with thousands of pounds worth of gear.
Mike Liggins, 61, has run Creation Aquatics in Wickford for 31 years and went to open the shop as usual on Tuesday morning when he realised the shop, in London Road, had been targeted by thieves.
Mr Liggins said: “I went to open up at 8am and noticed they had forced the back door open.
“The shop was a mess. I wouldn’t say it was ransacked but it was pretty bad.”
Creation Aquatics, which forms part of the Alpha Garden Centre, is a specialist shop which sells a wide range of equipment connected to aquatics, fish and pond supplies, including aquariums, specialist food and live fish.
Mr Liggins added: “They have taken all the expensive equipment.
“The flow pumps are gone. They’ve taken the power filters and the LED lights.
“All in all, the equipment they’ve taken is worth about £6,000. I’m covered by insurance but the premium is just too dear - it’s not worth it.
“I was absolutely devastated when I saw the state of the shop. They had pulled out all the glass cases to get to the stock.”
Mr Liggins believes the three suspects came in the day before to case the shop before carrying out the late-night raid.
He added: “They came in the day before on those dirt bike type motorbikes to case the place.
“One of the registration’s read PA55 YOU. You remember these kinds of things.
“I’m glad that they didn’t take any of the fish or my stingrays. They also left behind my giant fibreglass Nemo and dinosaur.
“It must have been too big for them to take.
“You can see them on the CCTV footage putting all the equipment into a fibreglass pond they found outside and hauled it to a van.
“Ideally it would be great to get my stock back. My business will survive but it’s a big hit to take.”
Forensic officers have since been to the shop to examine the scene and collect evidence.
Anyone with information about the incident should contact Essex Police on 101.
Alternatively you can share information with charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Found in the Echo.
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/…/16152898.Owner_devastated_af…/…
==========================
Creation Aquatics
A BUSINESS owner has described his devastation after a trio of thugs raided his specialist aquatics shop and made off with thousands of pounds worth of gear.
Mike Liggins, 61, has run Creation Aquatics in Wickford for 31 years and went to open the shop as usual on Tuesday morning when he realised the shop, in London Road, had been targeted by thieves.
Mr Liggins said: “I went to open up at 8am and noticed they had forced the back door open.
“The shop was a mess. I wouldn’t say it was ransacked but it was pretty bad.”
Creation Aquatics, which forms part of the Alpha Garden Centre, is a specialist shop which sells a wide range of equipment connected to aquatics, fish and pond supplies, including aquariums, specialist food and live fish.
Mr Liggins added: “They have taken all the expensive equipment.
“The flow pumps are gone. They’ve taken the power filters and the LED lights.
“All in all, the equipment they’ve taken is worth about £6,000. I’m covered by insurance but the premium is just too dear - it’s not worth it.
“I was absolutely devastated when I saw the state of the shop. They had pulled out all the glass cases to get to the stock.”
Mr Liggins believes the three suspects came in the day before to case the shop before carrying out the late-night raid.
He added: “They came in the day before on those dirt bike type motorbikes to case the place.
“One of the registration’s read PA55 YOU. You remember these kinds of things.
“I’m glad that they didn’t take any of the fish or my stingrays. They also left behind my giant fibreglass Nemo and dinosaur.
“It must have been too big for them to take.
“You can see them on the CCTV footage putting all the equipment into a fibreglass pond they found outside and hauled it to a van.
“Ideally it would be great to get my stock back. My business will survive but it’s a big hit to take.”
Forensic officers have since been to the shop to examine the scene and collect evidence.
Anyone with information about the incident should contact Essex Police on 101.
Alternatively you can share information with charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Found in the Echo.
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/…/16152898.Owner_devastated_af…/…
==========================
Fig. 1. Examples of the habitat and fishes (C) characteristic of the Middle Xingu River.
Species shown are: a) Leporinus maculatus (Anostomidae), b) Baryancistrus xanthellus (Loricariidae), c) Ossubtus xinguense (Serrasalmidae), d) Crenicichla sp. (Cichlidae), e) Ancistrus ranunculus (Loricariidae), f) Cichla melaniae (Cichlidae), g) Tometes kranponhah (Serrasalmidae), h) Hypancistrus sp. (Loricariidae), i) Leporinus fasciatus (Anostomidae), j) Rhinodoras sp. (Doradidae) and k) Hypancistrus zebra (Loricariidae).
in Fitzgerald, Sabaj Perez, Sousa, et al. 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.002
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan
Species shown are: a) Leporinus maculatus (Anostomidae), b) Baryancistrus xanthellus (Loricariidae), c) Ossubtus xinguense (Serrasalmidae), d) Crenicichla sp. (Cichlidae), e) Ancistrus ranunculus (Loricariidae), f) Cichla melaniae (Cichlidae), g) Tometes kranponhah (Serrasalmidae), h) Hypancistrus sp. (Loricariidae), i) Leporinus fasciatus (Anostomidae), j) Rhinodoras sp. (Doradidae) and k) Hypancistrus zebra (Loricariidae).
in Fitzgerald, Sabaj Perez, Sousa, et al. 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.002
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan
Diversity and Community Structure of Rapids-dwelling Fishes of the Xingu River: Implications for Conservation Amid Large-scale Hydroelectric Development
Highlights
• 193 rapids-dwelling fish species were sampled prior to flow alteration.
• Fish community structure differed significantly between river segments.
• Rapids specialists and threatened species were concentrated in the Volta Grande.
• The Volta Grande rapids are now flooded and dewatered due to a hydropower facility.
• Maintaining rapids in the dewatered section will be critical for aquatic diversity.
Abstract
A recent boom in hydroelectric development in the world's most diverse tropical river basins is currently threatening aquatic biodiversity on an unprecedented scale. Among the most controversial of these projects is the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Complex (BMHC) on the Xingu River, the Amazon's largest clear-water tributary. The design of the BMHC creates three distinctly altered segments: a flooded section upstream of the main dam, a middle section between the dam and the main powerhouse that will be dewatered, and a downstream section subject to flow alteration from powerhouse discharge. This region of the Xingu is notable for an extensive series of rapids known as the Volta Grande that hosts exceptional levels of endemic aquatic biodiversity; yet, patterns of temporal and spatial variation in community composition within this highly threatened habitat are not well documented. We surveyed fish assemblages within rapids in the three segments impacted by the BMHC prior to hydrologic alteration, and tested for differences in assemblage structure between segments and seasons. Fish species richness varied only slightly between segments, but there were significant differences in assemblage structure between segments and seasons. Most of the species thought to be highly dependent on rapids habitat, including several species listed as threatened in Brazil, were either restricted to or much more abundant within the upstream and middle segments. Our analysis identified the middle section of the Volta Grande as critically important for the conservation of this diverse, endemic fish fauna. Additional research is urgently needed to determine dam operations that may optimize energy production with an environmental flow regime that conserves the river's unique habitat and biodiversity.
Keywords: Anostomidae; Assemblage structure; Belo Monte; Brazil; Cichlidae; Hydrologic connectivity; Loricariidae; Rheophilic
Daniel B. Fitzgerald, Mark H. Sabaj Perez, Leandro M. Sousa, Alany P. Gonçalves, Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Nathan K. Lujan, Jansen Zuanon, Kirk O. Winemiller and John G. Lundberg. 2018. Diversity and Community Structure of Rapids-dwelling Fishes of the Xingu River: Implications for Conservation Amid Large-scale Hydroelectric Development. Biological Conservation. 222; 104–112. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.002
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan/status/983403538305961988
==========================
Highlights
• 193 rapids-dwelling fish species were sampled prior to flow alteration.
• Fish community structure differed significantly between river segments.
• Rapids specialists and threatened species were concentrated in the Volta Grande.
• The Volta Grande rapids are now flooded and dewatered due to a hydropower facility.
• Maintaining rapids in the dewatered section will be critical for aquatic diversity.
Abstract
A recent boom in hydroelectric development in the world's most diverse tropical river basins is currently threatening aquatic biodiversity on an unprecedented scale. Among the most controversial of these projects is the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Complex (BMHC) on the Xingu River, the Amazon's largest clear-water tributary. The design of the BMHC creates three distinctly altered segments: a flooded section upstream of the main dam, a middle section between the dam and the main powerhouse that will be dewatered, and a downstream section subject to flow alteration from powerhouse discharge. This region of the Xingu is notable for an extensive series of rapids known as the Volta Grande that hosts exceptional levels of endemic aquatic biodiversity; yet, patterns of temporal and spatial variation in community composition within this highly threatened habitat are not well documented. We surveyed fish assemblages within rapids in the three segments impacted by the BMHC prior to hydrologic alteration, and tested for differences in assemblage structure between segments and seasons. Fish species richness varied only slightly between segments, but there were significant differences in assemblage structure between segments and seasons. Most of the species thought to be highly dependent on rapids habitat, including several species listed as threatened in Brazil, were either restricted to or much more abundant within the upstream and middle segments. Our analysis identified the middle section of the Volta Grande as critically important for the conservation of this diverse, endemic fish fauna. Additional research is urgently needed to determine dam operations that may optimize energy production with an environmental flow regime that conserves the river's unique habitat and biodiversity.
Keywords: Anostomidae; Assemblage structure; Belo Monte; Brazil; Cichlidae; Hydrologic connectivity; Loricariidae; Rheophilic
Daniel B. Fitzgerald, Mark H. Sabaj Perez, Leandro M. Sousa, Alany P. Gonçalves, Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Nathan K. Lujan, Jansen Zuanon, Kirk O. Winemiller and John G. Lundberg. 2018. Diversity and Community Structure of Rapids-dwelling Fishes of the Xingu River: Implications for Conservation Amid Large-scale Hydroelectric Development. Biological Conservation. 222; 104–112. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.002
twitter.com/DrNathanLujan/status/983403538305961988
==========================
Romanogobio skywalkeri • A New Gudgeon (Teleostei: Gobionidae) from the upper Mur River, Austria
Romanogobio skywalkeri
Friedrich, Wiesner, Zangl, Daill, Freyhof & Koblmüller, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6
museum-joanneum.at
Abstract
Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species, is described from the upper Mur River in the Austrian Danube drainage. It is related to R. banarescui from the Mediterranean basin. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished from R. banarescui by lacking epithelial crests on the predorsal back, having 12–14 total pectoral-fin rays (vs. 10–11) and usually 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 7½). It is distinguished from other Romanogobio species in the Danube drainage by having a very slender body; a moderately long barbel, extending slightly beyond the posterior eye margin; and no epithelial crests on the predorsal back. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished by a minimum net divergence of 6.3% (uncorrected p-distance against R. banarescui) in the COI barcoding region from other European Romanogobio species. A key to the Romanogobio species of the Danube drainage is provided. Romanogobio banarescui from the Vardar drainage and R. carpathorossicus from the Danube drainage are treated as valid species.
Keywords: Pisces, Freshwater fish, taxonomy, Cytochrome oxidase I, Europe, hydropower
Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri
photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at
museum-joanneum.at
Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species
Etymology. Named for Luke Skywalker, the hero of the movie “Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope” (Lucasfilms, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977). As common name emerald gudgeon fits the line with common names of other Romanogobio species and reflects the green hue of the fish when observed in his natural habitat or freshly caught.
Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri,
photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at
Thomas Friedrich, Christian Wiesner, Lukas Zangl, Daniel Daill, Jörg Freyhof and Stephan Koblmüller. 2018. Romanogobio skywalkeri, A New Gudgeon (Teleostei: Gobionidae) from the upper Mur River, Austria. Zootaxa. 4403(2); 336–350. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6
www.museum-joanneum.at/presse/aktuelle-projekte/events/event/6908/hotspot-mur-1
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156304529357138
treatment.plazi.org/id/56314416-8525-FF95-90A9-A1DEFEB2FEAA
twitter.com/plazi_ch/status/981468539445006336
==========================
Romanogobio skywalkeri
Friedrich, Wiesner, Zangl, Daill, Freyhof & Koblmüller, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6
museum-joanneum.at
Abstract
Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species, is described from the upper Mur River in the Austrian Danube drainage. It is related to R. banarescui from the Mediterranean basin. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished from R. banarescui by lacking epithelial crests on the predorsal back, having 12–14 total pectoral-fin rays (vs. 10–11) and usually 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 7½). It is distinguished from other Romanogobio species in the Danube drainage by having a very slender body; a moderately long barbel, extending slightly beyond the posterior eye margin; and no epithelial crests on the predorsal back. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished by a minimum net divergence of 6.3% (uncorrected p-distance against R. banarescui) in the COI barcoding region from other European Romanogobio species. A key to the Romanogobio species of the Danube drainage is provided. Romanogobio banarescui from the Vardar drainage and R. carpathorossicus from the Danube drainage are treated as valid species.
Keywords: Pisces, Freshwater fish, taxonomy, Cytochrome oxidase I, Europe, hydropower
Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri
photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at
museum-joanneum.at
Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species
Etymology. Named for Luke Skywalker, the hero of the movie “Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope” (Lucasfilms, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977). As common name emerald gudgeon fits the line with common names of other Romanogobio species and reflects the green hue of the fish when observed in his natural habitat or freshly caught.
Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri,
photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at
Thomas Friedrich, Christian Wiesner, Lukas Zangl, Daniel Daill, Jörg Freyhof and Stephan Koblmüller. 2018. Romanogobio skywalkeri, A New Gudgeon (Teleostei: Gobionidae) from the upper Mur River, Austria. Zootaxa. 4403(2); 336–350. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6
www.museum-joanneum.at/presse/aktuelle-projekte/events/event/6908/hotspot-mur-1
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156304529357138
treatment.plazi.org/id/56314416-8525-FF95-90A9-A1DEFEB2FEAA
twitter.com/plazi_ch/status/981468539445006336
==========================
Pictorial fish book with entry by Japanese Emperor the hit of the season
An illustrated encyclopedia of native fish species of Japan that includes a lengthy entry by Emperor Akihito on his study of goby is the unexpected hit of the season.
Priced at 6,900 yen ($64.50), the weighty tome published by Shogakukan Inc. has sold like hotcakes since it was released March 20, and a second printing run is already in the works.
The encyclopedia runs to 544 pages, and Akihito wrote four of them.
“The Natural History of the Fishes of Japan” contains detailed descriptions, along with photographs, of 1,400 or so fish native to Japan. It is aimed at amateur enthusiasts and academics.
A first edition of a specialized illustrated encyclopedia to be considered for a reprint after 5,000 sales in a year after publication is generally regarded as a success in Japan's publishing world.
According to the publisher, the title at one point ranked fifth in overall book sales on Amazon.co.jp. With the initial run of 6,000 copies expected to sell out soon, it was decided that a reprinting was in order.
The editorial team ran an online promotional campaign over two years on Twitter and Facebook, and gained a fan base prior to the book's publication.
==========================
An illustrated encyclopedia of native fish species of Japan that includes a lengthy entry by Emperor Akihito on his study of goby is the unexpected hit of the season.
Priced at 6,900 yen ($64.50), the weighty tome published by Shogakukan Inc. has sold like hotcakes since it was released March 20, and a second printing run is already in the works.
The encyclopedia runs to 544 pages, and Akihito wrote four of them.
“The Natural History of the Fishes of Japan” contains detailed descriptions, along with photographs, of 1,400 or so fish native to Japan. It is aimed at amateur enthusiasts and academics.
A first edition of a specialized illustrated encyclopedia to be considered for a reprint after 5,000 sales in a year after publication is generally regarded as a success in Japan's publishing world.
According to the publisher, the title at one point ranked fifth in overall book sales on Amazon.co.jp. With the initial run of 6,000 copies expected to sell out soon, it was decided that a reprinting was in order.
The editorial team ran an online promotional campaign over two years on Twitter and Facebook, and gained a fan base prior to the book's publication.
==========================
Elassoma alabammae
Lawsuit Launched to Speed Habitat Protection for Threatened Alabama Fish (Elassoma alabammae)
Spring Pygmy Sunfish's Freshwater Habitat Imminently Threatened by Planned Auto Plants
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.— The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a formal notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to designate critical habitat for the spring pygmy sunfish under the Endangered Species Act.
The fish is under imminent threat from a massive automobile manufacturing plant planned adjacent to the Beaverdam Spring Complex, home to the only native population of the species.
The new mega-development will come with equally enormous amounts of new roads, buildings and parking lots. They will impact water quality and disrupt water flow to the springs, risking the destruction of everything living there — including the spring pygmy sunfish.
“We won’t let this rare fish wait any longer for the habitat protections it’s guaranteed under the Endangered Species Act,” said Elise Bennett, an attorney at the Center. “Reckless development has already sent this little fish diving toward the brink of extinction. The Fish and Wildlife Service needs to protect the sunfish’s habitat immediately before this massive manufacturing plant destroys what’s left of it.”
The spring pygmy sunfish is a small freshwater fish known from only one spring complex in the Tennessee River watershed. It is so rare that it was twice thought to be extinct. Development, river channelization and pollution have degraded its clear spring habitat.
Then, in January, Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. announced plans to build a massive automobile manufacturing plant in Huntsville, adjacent to the Beaverdam Spring Complex. Beginning as soon as 2021, the 2,400-acre mega-development will house a plant with two manufacturing lines that will produce up to 300,000 cars annually.
The plant would also bring a good number of jobs to Alabama, which the state needs. But for the beautiful springs and unique little fish to be saved, either another site needs to be found, or serious mitigation measures need to be put in place. If the pygmy sunfish is lost, it will be the second species Huntsville has driven to extinction. The whiteline topminnow was a species of fish described in the late 1800s in Big Spring, which is now largely paved over in downtown Huntsville; the fish is extinct.
“Clean, clear springs are important for all living things, including people,” said Bennett. “There’s just no way to protect species like the spring pygmy sunfish without protecting the places they live. Protecting critical habitat will ensure a healthy future for wildlife and the people of Alabama.”
The Center petitioned to protect the spring pygmy sunfish under the Endangered Species Act in 2009. In 2013 the Fish and Wildlife Service protected the sunfish as a threatened species and proposed protections for eight stream miles and 1,617 acres of spring pool and spring-influenced critical habitat in Limestone County, Ala.
The agency was required to designate critical habitat at the same time it listed the species as threatened in October 2013. More than four years later, the Service has not finalized its critical habitat proposal, leaving the sunfish’s dwindling habitat at risk.
Critical habitat includes areas that with geographic and biological features essential to the conservation of an endangered or threatened species. Once designated, critical habitat receives special consideration when activities funded, permitted or carried out by federal agencies may “adversely modify” — that is, damage — it, enabling the agencies to avoid or minimize harm.
Contact: Elise Bennett, (727) 755-6950, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org
==========================
Trimma hamartium• A New Species of Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from the South-West Islands of Palau, western Pacific Ocean
Trimma hamartium
Winterbottom, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.2.2
Abstract
A new species of Trimma is described from South-West Islands of Palau. Trimma hamartium n. sp. lacks scales on the cheeks and opercle, has 8–9 scales in the predorsal midline, 17–19 pectoral-fin rays with 5–10 branched rays in the middle of the fin, an unbranched 5th pelvic-fin ray that is 51–64% the length of the 4th ray, 17–19 gill rakers on the outer surface of the first gill arch, an U-shaped interorbital trench with a narrow, slit-like postorbital trench ending at the last papilla in row p, and has 6 papillae in row c beneath the eye. When freshly collected, the species is very similar in appearance to T. preclarum, with which it is syntopic at three of the more northern islands of the South-West Islands.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Western Pacific, coral reef gobies, COI gene
Richard Winterbottom. 2018. A New Species of Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from the South-West Islands of Palau, western Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa. 4370(2); 123–136. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.2.2
==========================
Trimma hamartium
Winterbottom, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.2.2
Abstract
A new species of Trimma is described from South-West Islands of Palau. Trimma hamartium n. sp. lacks scales on the cheeks and opercle, has 8–9 scales in the predorsal midline, 17–19 pectoral-fin rays with 5–10 branched rays in the middle of the fin, an unbranched 5th pelvic-fin ray that is 51–64% the length of the 4th ray, 17–19 gill rakers on the outer surface of the first gill arch, an U-shaped interorbital trench with a narrow, slit-like postorbital trench ending at the last papilla in row p, and has 6 papillae in row c beneath the eye. When freshly collected, the species is very similar in appearance to T. preclarum, with which it is syntopic at three of the more northern islands of the South-West Islands.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Western Pacific, coral reef gobies, COI gene
Richard Winterbottom. 2018. A New Species of Trimma (Pisces; Gobiidae) from the South-West Islands of Palau, western Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa. 4370(2); 123–136. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.2.2
==========================
Laubuka tenella, a Shimmering New Danio Species
Laubuka tenella, paratype from the type locality, photographed alive immediately upon capture, displaying a neon blue-green stripe and faint blue vertical bars.
A sleek, small, and glimmeringly-hued new species in the danio clan has just been described and may offer potential for breeders serving the aquarium trade. Reaching a maximum size of just 6 cm (2.36 inches), the shimmering Laubuka tenella represents the newest addition to the ever-popular Danioninae subfamily. Discovered in the Cox’s Bazar District of southeastern coastal Bangladesh, it has also been reported further to the south in the Thandwe River drainage in neighboring western Myanmar.
Domdomia stream, the type locality of Laubuka tenella, May 9th, 2015.
The open-access ZooKeys paper, Laubuka tenella, a new species of cyprinid fish from southeastern Bangladesh and southwestern Myanmar (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Danioninae), by authors Sven Kullander, Md. Mizanur Rahman, Michael Norén, and Abdur Rob Mollah, provides a great deal of insight into the genus Laubuka, clarifying earlier work. The paper’s authors note that Laubuka spp. are similar in many respects to the more familiar Devario genus, but Laubuka lack barbels and tend to have more muted, indistinct markings, when compared to Devario.
The “tenella” name etymology is stated by the authors this way: “The specific name is a Latin adjective in diminutive form, tenellus, here in the meaning of delicate, referring to the small size and the soft, delicate consistency of fresh specimens.”
Map of collecting sites of Laubuka laubuca and the newly described L. tenella. (Map: Kullander et al using Natural Earth Data.)
Readers willing to dive into the species description will be rewarded with insights into the habitat of the new species; thorough descriptions of the stream composition could be quite useful in recreating the biotope of this species. The authors further provide detailed accountings of species found in situ with Laubuka tenella at each location surveyed. Depending on the specific location, one might find a range of aquarium-suitable danios, Devario species, rasboras, and assorted barbs, along with the Burmese Loach (Lepidocephalichthys berdmorei) and at times multiple gobies, owing to the coastal proximity of this species’ habitat.
Humanely euthanized with MS 222 and preserved specimens of Laubuka tenella. A: holotype, DU 9004, 42.1 mm SL. Bangladesh: Chittagong Division: Domdomia stream, 10 km north of Teknaf. B: Laubuka tenella, paratype, NRM 40813, 39.8 mm SL. Myanmar: Rakhine State: Thandwe River drainage, Nan Chaung, near Thandwe. C: Laubuka tenella, paratype, NRM 67380, 46.8 mm SL, preserved in 95% ethanol. Bangladesh: Chittagong Division, Majerchora stream, 10 km south of Cox’s Bazar.
You can read the paper online at https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=22510
Abstract
Laubuka tenella is a new species characterized by the colour pattern, consisting of short dark vertical bars anteriorly on the side, and a dark lateral band posteriorly on the side, combined with a relatively short pelvic fin and 29–30 lateral-line scales. It is separated from other Laubuka analysed by minimum 9% uncorrected p-distance in the mitochondrial COI gene. The type series is composed of specimens from small streams in the Cox’s Bazar District in Bangladesh (the type locality), and the Thandwe River drainage in western Myanmar. Laubuka brahmaputraensis is strongly indicated to be a junior synonym of L. laubuca, the second known species of Laubuka in Bangladesh. Eustira ceylonensis, currently in the synonymy of Devariomalabaricus, is a valid species of Laubuka.
Sources
Natural Earth Data: http://www.naturalearthdata.com/
from Reef to Rainforest media
==========================
Laubuka tenella, paratype from the type locality, photographed alive immediately upon capture, displaying a neon blue-green stripe and faint blue vertical bars.
A sleek, small, and glimmeringly-hued new species in the danio clan has just been described and may offer potential for breeders serving the aquarium trade. Reaching a maximum size of just 6 cm (2.36 inches), the shimmering Laubuka tenella represents the newest addition to the ever-popular Danioninae subfamily. Discovered in the Cox’s Bazar District of southeastern coastal Bangladesh, it has also been reported further to the south in the Thandwe River drainage in neighboring western Myanmar.
Domdomia stream, the type locality of Laubuka tenella, May 9th, 2015.
The open-access ZooKeys paper, Laubuka tenella, a new species of cyprinid fish from southeastern Bangladesh and southwestern Myanmar (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Danioninae), by authors Sven Kullander, Md. Mizanur Rahman, Michael Norén, and Abdur Rob Mollah, provides a great deal of insight into the genus Laubuka, clarifying earlier work. The paper’s authors note that Laubuka spp. are similar in many respects to the more familiar Devario genus, but Laubuka lack barbels and tend to have more muted, indistinct markings, when compared to Devario.
The “tenella” name etymology is stated by the authors this way: “The specific name is a Latin adjective in diminutive form, tenellus, here in the meaning of delicate, referring to the small size and the soft, delicate consistency of fresh specimens.”
Map of collecting sites of Laubuka laubuca and the newly described L. tenella. (Map: Kullander et al using Natural Earth Data.)
Readers willing to dive into the species description will be rewarded with insights into the habitat of the new species; thorough descriptions of the stream composition could be quite useful in recreating the biotope of this species. The authors further provide detailed accountings of species found in situ with Laubuka tenella at each location surveyed. Depending on the specific location, one might find a range of aquarium-suitable danios, Devario species, rasboras, and assorted barbs, along with the Burmese Loach (Lepidocephalichthys berdmorei) and at times multiple gobies, owing to the coastal proximity of this species’ habitat.
Humanely euthanized with MS 222 and preserved specimens of Laubuka tenella. A: holotype, DU 9004, 42.1 mm SL. Bangladesh: Chittagong Division: Domdomia stream, 10 km north of Teknaf. B: Laubuka tenella, paratype, NRM 40813, 39.8 mm SL. Myanmar: Rakhine State: Thandwe River drainage, Nan Chaung, near Thandwe. C: Laubuka tenella, paratype, NRM 67380, 46.8 mm SL, preserved in 95% ethanol. Bangladesh: Chittagong Division, Majerchora stream, 10 km south of Cox’s Bazar.
You can read the paper online at https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=22510
Abstract
Laubuka tenella is a new species characterized by the colour pattern, consisting of short dark vertical bars anteriorly on the side, and a dark lateral band posteriorly on the side, combined with a relatively short pelvic fin and 29–30 lateral-line scales. It is separated from other Laubuka analysed by minimum 9% uncorrected p-distance in the mitochondrial COI gene. The type series is composed of specimens from small streams in the Cox’s Bazar District in Bangladesh (the type locality), and the Thandwe River drainage in western Myanmar. Laubuka brahmaputraensis is strongly indicated to be a junior synonym of L. laubuca, the second known species of Laubuka in Bangladesh. Eustira ceylonensis, currently in the synonymy of Devariomalabaricus, is a valid species of Laubuka.
Sources
Natural Earth Data: http://www.naturalearthdata.com/
from Reef to Rainforest media
==========================
Robin Hood Aquarists Club
Spring Auction 2018
Sunday 8th April 2018
We will be holding an auction of fish, plants and equipment at the
Highbank Community Centre, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 9DG.
Doors open 10.30am and Auction starts 11am.
Refreshments will be available throughout the day and a licensed bar has been applied for.
Admission to the auction is free. We look forward to seeing you there.
PLEASE NOTE: Smoking is strictly prohibited within the building and this includes E-cigarettes. Also it is now council policy that no dogs are permitted in the building.
For further details, including booking an auction lot,
please contact
e-mail: rhaqua@hotmail.co.uk
Please Note : Auction Lots can only be booked from 12 midnight on 8th March 2018.
We're also on Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/524581947558898/
Click HERE for the auction rules and buying at auction guide.
We have been notified by sellers of the items below that will hopefully be at the auction.
***PLEASE NOTE*** There are no guarantees that these items will definitely be available as unforeseen circumstances before the day cannot be accounted for.
Also, this is certainly not a full list of what will be available, it's only what we know of so far and many sellers do not notify us what they intend to bring along. It's not just a fish and plant auction, there will also be various items of second hand equipment available along with live food cultures. If you are coming for anything specific on the list, let us know and we will try to ascertain from the seller if the item is at risk of not being there and let them know that someone is interested in that item.
The items listed below have only been declared by only 8 sellers, we currently have lots from 18 individual sellers in total booked in for the auction. So there will be much, much more at the auction than what is on this list.
Fish
Black Bar Endlers
Peacock Endlers
Snakeskin guppies
Brown Bristlenose Ancistrus
Albino Bristlenose
Super Red Bristlenose
Long fin albino Ancistrus
Yellow Congo Tetras
Hi fin red swords
Pair Golden Mollys
Clown Loach 6"
Ancistrus temminckii
Peacock goby
Blue guppies
Tiger guppies
Platies
Mollies
Montezuma swords
Green swords
Pygmaeus swords
Pearl gourami
Dwarf gourami
Cherry shrimp
Harlequins
Black Phantom Tetras
Silver Tipped tetras
Glowlight Tetras
Splash tetras
Black Neon Tetras
Peppered Cory
Albino Cory
Schulzei Cory
Xl pair Black Corys (Have bred)
Pearl danios
Cherry barbs
Black Ruby barbs
Madagascar rainbows
Hoplo cats
Albino Hoplo cats
Silver dollars (small)
Glowlight tetras
Glowlight danios
Zebra danios
Mouthbrooders
Mixed African cichlids
Congo tetras
Scissor tails
Guppies male and females
Black neons
Neons
Platys
Cherry shrimp
Rosey barbs
Black kuhli loaches
Giant danios
Lemon goldfish
Sarasa Comet gold fish
Assorted Oranda
Assorted Grade A koi
Cherry Barb
Clown Loach
German blue ram
Gold ram
Harlequin rasbora
Indian Dwarf gourami
Long fin black angel fish
Long fin koi angel fish
Neon Tetra
Odessa Barb
Pink Kissing gourami
Whip tail catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolata)
Blue angels
Long fin angels
Gold barbs
Red line torpedo barb
Tinfoil barbs
Albino corydoras
Albino sterbai Corydoras
Brown bristle nose
Corydoras sterbai
Featherfin Catfish Large
L177 WILD CAUGHT Gold seam Gold nugget plec 2-3 inch
Long fin peppered corydoras
Peppered corydoras
Shultzei corydoras
Blood Red Parrot Fish
Cobalt Blue Male Dwarf Gourami
Cobalt blue dwarf gourami Pairs
Sunset Red Male Dwarf gourami
Sunset Red gourami Pairs
Dwarf gourami
Male fighter fish
Pearl gourami
Assorted Guppy
Assorted Platy
Assorted swordtails
Balloon molly
Jumbo sailfin molly
Molly
Kuhli Loach
Boesmani rainbow
Rainbow shark
Metallic pink male guppy
Red tail black shark
Black neon tetra
Cardinal tetra
Columbian red-blue tetra
Lemon tetra
Neon tetra
Moscow snow white guppy
Yellow Shrimp (Neocaridina sp.)
Endlers 'Red Laser'
Blonde Endlers
Blond Endlers 'Red Laser'
3 large male bristlenose
4 Assorted corydoras
Red Swordtails
Green Swordtails
Montezuma Swordtails
Blue Endlers
Heterandria Formosa
Girardinus metallicus Black Chin
Xiphophorus milleri
Black Molly (Freshwater reared)
L144 Lemon Bristlenose
Calico Bristlenose
Longfin Albino Bristlenose
Characodon audax pair
Aquarium Grown Plants
Ludwigia dark orange
Sumatra Fern
Blyxa Japonica
Small leaf Java Fern
Thin leaf Java Fern
Trident Leaf Java Fern
Yellow leaf Anubias Nana
Cryptocoryne 'moi ora'
Anubias barteri
Hornwort
Hygrophila rosae australis
Pistia stratiotes - Water Lettuce
Vallisneria asiatica
Vallisneria spiralis
Cryptocoryne wendtii green
Microsorum pteropus - Java Fern
Bolbitis heudelotii
Vesicularia montagnei – Christmas Moss
Bucephalandra ‘Green Wavy’
Anubias barteri nana
Hygrophila polysperma
Amazon Frogbit
Giant Vallis
Java Fern
Bacopa
Java Moss
Other Items
Microworm cultures
Walterworm cultures
Bananaworm cultures
Small aquarium stand (H69W49D26cm)
Two sets of two clay Apisto caves
Set of clay Shrimp caves (1x6, 3x3, 1x1 tubes)
Kordon Amquel Plus 473ml
10+ pond plant baskets (to be sold as 1 item)
Seachem Fluorite 3.5kg Premium Natural Substrate for Planted Aquaria
Seachem Fluorite Red 3.5kg Premium Natural Substrate for Planted Aquaria
NewJet 3500 L/h Adjustable Multiuse Pump FW/Marine (used only a couple of times for moving water)
Crystal Clear 1L Biological Filtermedia (including filter media bag)
BioBalls 3L
3x5pck of Hessian Squares
3 bags of 30 Almond Leaves
Jewel Rio 180 fish tank stand
1 box jewel filters
Rocks
Tank cleaning accessories - pipe, magnetic tank cleaner
Various ornaments
Small show tanks
Multibreeder
Imitation plants
Bogwood
Set of fishkeeper magazines
Pond specialist book
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Get to the Auction (SATNAV settings (Post Code) NG11 9DG)
Highbank Community Centre is at the junction of Farnborough Road & Southchurch Drive Clifton.
From The South: - Leave M1 at junction 24 (Nott'm south) along the A435 to Nott'm past power station on left until at a traffic island at the Crusader public house. Turn right towards Gotham travel along for approximately 400 to 500 mtrs. Where road widens turn left, into Farnborough Road. The centre is on the right.
From The North and West: - Leave M1 at Junction 25, A52 to Nott'm. Follow A52 towards Grantham past the Queens Medical Centre on your left over a flyover. Follow signs A453 Birmingham & M1 south over a complex of bridges to traffic lights with a left filter lane in bus stop, turn left into Farnborough Road and follow the road. The centre is on the left.
From The East:- Take A52 Towards Nott'm (from the A46 Fosse Way) heading towards Trent Bridge. At the traffic lights at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground turn left onto A60 (Loughborough). Follow signs A453, M1 south, under the complex of bridges to traffic lights with a left filter lane in a bus stop, turn left into Farnborough Road, follow the road along. The centre is on the left.
==========================
Spring Auction 2018
Sunday 8th April 2018
We will be holding an auction of fish, plants and equipment at the
Highbank Community Centre, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 9DG.
Doors open 10.30am and Auction starts 11am.
Refreshments will be available throughout the day and a licensed bar has been applied for.
Admission to the auction is free. We look forward to seeing you there.
PLEASE NOTE: Smoking is strictly prohibited within the building and this includes E-cigarettes. Also it is now council policy that no dogs are permitted in the building.
For further details, including booking an auction lot,
please contact
e-mail: rhaqua@hotmail.co.uk
Please Note : Auction Lots can only be booked from 12 midnight on 8th March 2018.
We're also on Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/524581947558898/
Click HERE for the auction rules and buying at auction guide.
We have been notified by sellers of the items below that will hopefully be at the auction.
***PLEASE NOTE*** There are no guarantees that these items will definitely be available as unforeseen circumstances before the day cannot be accounted for.
Also, this is certainly not a full list of what will be available, it's only what we know of so far and many sellers do not notify us what they intend to bring along. It's not just a fish and plant auction, there will also be various items of second hand equipment available along with live food cultures. If you are coming for anything specific on the list, let us know and we will try to ascertain from the seller if the item is at risk of not being there and let them know that someone is interested in that item.
The items listed below have only been declared by only 8 sellers, we currently have lots from 18 individual sellers in total booked in for the auction. So there will be much, much more at the auction than what is on this list.
Fish
Black Bar Endlers
Peacock Endlers
Snakeskin guppies
Brown Bristlenose Ancistrus
Albino Bristlenose
Super Red Bristlenose
Long fin albino Ancistrus
Yellow Congo Tetras
Hi fin red swords
Pair Golden Mollys
Clown Loach 6"
Ancistrus temminckii
Peacock goby
Blue guppies
Tiger guppies
Platies
Mollies
Montezuma swords
Green swords
Pygmaeus swords
Pearl gourami
Dwarf gourami
Cherry shrimp
Harlequins
Black Phantom Tetras
Silver Tipped tetras
Glowlight Tetras
Splash tetras
Black Neon Tetras
Peppered Cory
Albino Cory
Schulzei Cory
Xl pair Black Corys (Have bred)
Pearl danios
Cherry barbs
Black Ruby barbs
Madagascar rainbows
Hoplo cats
Albino Hoplo cats
Silver dollars (small)
Glowlight tetras
Glowlight danios
Zebra danios
Mouthbrooders
Mixed African cichlids
Congo tetras
Scissor tails
Guppies male and females
Black neons
Neons
Platys
Cherry shrimp
Rosey barbs
Black kuhli loaches
Giant danios
Lemon goldfish
Sarasa Comet gold fish
Assorted Oranda
Assorted Grade A koi
Cherry Barb
Clown Loach
German blue ram
Gold ram
Harlequin rasbora
Indian Dwarf gourami
Long fin black angel fish
Long fin koi angel fish
Neon Tetra
Odessa Barb
Pink Kissing gourami
Whip tail catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolata)
Blue angels
Long fin angels
Gold barbs
Red line torpedo barb
Tinfoil barbs
Albino corydoras
Albino sterbai Corydoras
Brown bristle nose
Corydoras sterbai
Featherfin Catfish Large
L177 WILD CAUGHT Gold seam Gold nugget plec 2-3 inch
Long fin peppered corydoras
Peppered corydoras
Shultzei corydoras
Blood Red Parrot Fish
Cobalt Blue Male Dwarf Gourami
Cobalt blue dwarf gourami Pairs
Sunset Red Male Dwarf gourami
Sunset Red gourami Pairs
Dwarf gourami
Male fighter fish
Pearl gourami
Assorted Guppy
Assorted Platy
Assorted swordtails
Balloon molly
Jumbo sailfin molly
Molly
Kuhli Loach
Boesmani rainbow
Rainbow shark
Metallic pink male guppy
Red tail black shark
Black neon tetra
Cardinal tetra
Columbian red-blue tetra
Lemon tetra
Neon tetra
Moscow snow white guppy
Yellow Shrimp (Neocaridina sp.)
Endlers 'Red Laser'
Blonde Endlers
Blond Endlers 'Red Laser'
3 large male bristlenose
4 Assorted corydoras
Red Swordtails
Green Swordtails
Montezuma Swordtails
Blue Endlers
Heterandria Formosa
Girardinus metallicus Black Chin
Xiphophorus milleri
Black Molly (Freshwater reared)
L144 Lemon Bristlenose
Calico Bristlenose
Longfin Albino Bristlenose
Characodon audax pair
Aquarium Grown Plants
Ludwigia dark orange
Sumatra Fern
Blyxa Japonica
Small leaf Java Fern
Thin leaf Java Fern
Trident Leaf Java Fern
Yellow leaf Anubias Nana
Cryptocoryne 'moi ora'
Anubias barteri
Hornwort
Hygrophila rosae australis
Pistia stratiotes - Water Lettuce
Vallisneria asiatica
Vallisneria spiralis
Cryptocoryne wendtii green
Microsorum pteropus - Java Fern
Bolbitis heudelotii
Vesicularia montagnei – Christmas Moss
Bucephalandra ‘Green Wavy’
Anubias barteri nana
Hygrophila polysperma
Amazon Frogbit
Giant Vallis
Java Fern
Bacopa
Java Moss
Other Items
Microworm cultures
Walterworm cultures
Bananaworm cultures
Small aquarium stand (H69W49D26cm)
Two sets of two clay Apisto caves
Set of clay Shrimp caves (1x6, 3x3, 1x1 tubes)
Kordon Amquel Plus 473ml
10+ pond plant baskets (to be sold as 1 item)
Seachem Fluorite 3.5kg Premium Natural Substrate for Planted Aquaria
Seachem Fluorite Red 3.5kg Premium Natural Substrate for Planted Aquaria
NewJet 3500 L/h Adjustable Multiuse Pump FW/Marine (used only a couple of times for moving water)
Crystal Clear 1L Biological Filtermedia (including filter media bag)
BioBalls 3L
3x5pck of Hessian Squares
3 bags of 30 Almond Leaves
Jewel Rio 180 fish tank stand
1 box jewel filters
Rocks
Tank cleaning accessories - pipe, magnetic tank cleaner
Various ornaments
Small show tanks
Multibreeder
Imitation plants
Bogwood
Set of fishkeeper magazines
Pond specialist book
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Get to the Auction (SATNAV settings (Post Code) NG11 9DG)
Highbank Community Centre is at the junction of Farnborough Road & Southchurch Drive Clifton.
From The South: - Leave M1 at junction 24 (Nott'm south) along the A435 to Nott'm past power station on left until at a traffic island at the Crusader public house. Turn right towards Gotham travel along for approximately 400 to 500 mtrs. Where road widens turn left, into Farnborough Road. The centre is on the right.
From The North and West: - Leave M1 at Junction 25, A52 to Nott'm. Follow A52 towards Grantham past the Queens Medical Centre on your left over a flyover. Follow signs A453 Birmingham & M1 south over a complex of bridges to traffic lights with a left filter lane in bus stop, turn left into Farnborough Road and follow the road. The centre is on the left.
From The East:- Take A52 Towards Nott'm (from the A46 Fosse Way) heading towards Trent Bridge. At the traffic lights at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground turn left onto A60 (Loughborough). Follow signs A453, M1 south, under the complex of bridges to traffic lights with a left filter lane in a bus stop, turn left into Farnborough Road, follow the road along. The centre is on the left.
==========================
Update: Teamwork is Helping Hawaii’s Aquarium Trade
#LittleClubBigImpact: An open letter on how teamwork is helping the aquarium trade survive in Hawaiian update from PIJAC‘s Vice President of Government Affairs, Robert Likins
Robert Likins III, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC)
Since early last year, Hawaii’s aquarium fishing trade has faced significant threats to its survival. Thanks to the hard work of a number of organizations, however, things are looking up for the hobbyists and professionals across the islands.
SB 1240, SB 2003, and Hawaii’s Supreme Court
The news was mostly bad in 2017. Senate Bill 1240 would have phased out aquarium fishing permits – thus possibly ending the trade and certainly endangering the safety of divers. Governor David Ige wisely vetoed the bill, in large part due to the concerted efforts of fishers and scientists, as well as direct engagement by PIJAC, fishers, and others. Governor Ige acknowledged the clear scientific evidence that aquarium fishing is environmentally sustainable.
Senate Bill 1240 was vetoed on July 17. Fifty-one days later, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) must comply with the Hawaii Environmental Protection Act (HEPA) prior to the issuance of aquarium fishing licenses – in this case, an environmental review. A lower court subsequently ruled that use of mesh nets for catching aquarium fish is illegal, and DLNR declared all licenses for their use void.
PIJAC immediately joined the court fight to protect fishers while simultaneously helping to fund and organize the environmental review process. This has cost tens of thousands of dollars to PIJAC and local fishers, and will likely cost far more.
The blows kept coming in early 2018. Senate Bill 2003 was introduced by the lead sponsor of the failed SB1240. It would have resulted in closure of the aquarium fishery over time – risking jobs, safety, and a significant portion of Hawaii’s tourist industry.
Thankfully, an alliance of fisher advocates and – surprisingly – environmental activists stood against SB 2003. It did not advance to the floor of either legislative chamber, allowing fishers to finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Environmental Analysis
As court decisions and bills seemed to come out of the woodwork, PIJAC and fishers were moving forward with DLNR to develop Environmental Assessments (EAs) evaluating the impacts of aquarium fishing. PIJAC is pleased to announce that draft EAs were submitted by DLNR to the Hawaii Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC) on March 27, 2018. These draft EAs will be published for public review and comment; comments may be submitted for 30 days after publication.
The draft EAs were developed with input from State and Federal fishery scientists and were peer-reviewed by two world-renowned scientists who determined the documents to be “excellent.” The DEAs conclude that aquarium fishing in Hawaii will not have a significant impact on targeted fish populations or Hawaii’s coral reefs.
The analysis contained in the draft EAs is tremendous for jobs and for science. We encourage everyone to review the DEAs, and submit comments in support of the documents. The documents may be obtained from OEQC in the near future*. We suspect activists will attempt to shut down its scientifically supported findings.
Winning Takes Everyone: #LittleClubBigImpact
It’s been a long year for everyone in Hawaii; hopefully, we are in the home stretch. This is thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to protect aquarium fishing.
Unlike other industries, the responsible pet trade is mostly small businesses and – especially in the aquatics trade – hobbyists. We encourage everyone who can to become a PIJAC memberand/or to donate to our Aquatic Defense Fund. After all, the larger the PIJAC membership, the louder our voice. We were only able to demonstrate standing in court last year because of our many members in Hawaii. And there is no way we could have afforded to engage in court or on the environmental assessment without the donations from those inside and outside Hawaii at and after last year’s Aquatic Experience.
Raising awareness is also important. We are exceedingly grateful for multiple aquarium publications that provide us direct access to hobbyists and professionals through advertisements and coverage. They were critical in creating the groundswell of support necessary to win in Hawaii.
We would also love to work with you to promote what you’re doing for the trade and to help PIJAC. For example, the Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) donated a record $700 to PIJAC after a March 11 fundraiser as part of our #LittleClubBigImpact campaign. Social media was a major part of the awareness operation pre-fundraiser as well as afterward.
The Green Bay Aquarium Society’s 2018 Spring Benefit Auction raised significant capital, which contributed to PIJAC’s efforts. Image credit: John Moyles, GBAS Event Coordinator
The goal of #LittleClubBigImpact is to ensure that national groups like PIJAC and smaller organizations like GBAS show the importance of working hand-in-hand. Only with the expertise and support of everyone can PIJAC continue to defend the trade – and we often provide important strategic insights on matters such as legislation, media outreach, and legal challenges.
Again, it looks like the Hawaii fishing trade may have reason to be cautiously optimistic after a very tough year. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this happen – and please be sure to contact us at info@pijac.org if you would like to work more closely with PIJAC.
Robert Likins is Vice President of Government Affairs for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). PIJAC is the advocacy and legislative voice for the responsible pet industry, including the aquatic trade.
==========================
#LittleClubBigImpact: An open letter on how teamwork is helping the aquarium trade survive in Hawaiian update from PIJAC‘s Vice President of Government Affairs, Robert Likins
Robert Likins III, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC)
Since early last year, Hawaii’s aquarium fishing trade has faced significant threats to its survival. Thanks to the hard work of a number of organizations, however, things are looking up for the hobbyists and professionals across the islands.
SB 1240, SB 2003, and Hawaii’s Supreme Court
The news was mostly bad in 2017. Senate Bill 1240 would have phased out aquarium fishing permits – thus possibly ending the trade and certainly endangering the safety of divers. Governor David Ige wisely vetoed the bill, in large part due to the concerted efforts of fishers and scientists, as well as direct engagement by PIJAC, fishers, and others. Governor Ige acknowledged the clear scientific evidence that aquarium fishing is environmentally sustainable.
Senate Bill 1240 was vetoed on July 17. Fifty-one days later, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) must comply with the Hawaii Environmental Protection Act (HEPA) prior to the issuance of aquarium fishing licenses – in this case, an environmental review. A lower court subsequently ruled that use of mesh nets for catching aquarium fish is illegal, and DLNR declared all licenses for their use void.
PIJAC immediately joined the court fight to protect fishers while simultaneously helping to fund and organize the environmental review process. This has cost tens of thousands of dollars to PIJAC and local fishers, and will likely cost far more.
The blows kept coming in early 2018. Senate Bill 2003 was introduced by the lead sponsor of the failed SB1240. It would have resulted in closure of the aquarium fishery over time – risking jobs, safety, and a significant portion of Hawaii’s tourist industry.
Thankfully, an alliance of fisher advocates and – surprisingly – environmental activists stood against SB 2003. It did not advance to the floor of either legislative chamber, allowing fishers to finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Environmental Analysis
As court decisions and bills seemed to come out of the woodwork, PIJAC and fishers were moving forward with DLNR to develop Environmental Assessments (EAs) evaluating the impacts of aquarium fishing. PIJAC is pleased to announce that draft EAs were submitted by DLNR to the Hawaii Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC) on March 27, 2018. These draft EAs will be published for public review and comment; comments may be submitted for 30 days after publication.
The draft EAs were developed with input from State and Federal fishery scientists and were peer-reviewed by two world-renowned scientists who determined the documents to be “excellent.” The DEAs conclude that aquarium fishing in Hawaii will not have a significant impact on targeted fish populations or Hawaii’s coral reefs.
The analysis contained in the draft EAs is tremendous for jobs and for science. We encourage everyone to review the DEAs, and submit comments in support of the documents. The documents may be obtained from OEQC in the near future*. We suspect activists will attempt to shut down its scientifically supported findings.
Winning Takes Everyone: #LittleClubBigImpact
It’s been a long year for everyone in Hawaii; hopefully, we are in the home stretch. This is thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to protect aquarium fishing.
Unlike other industries, the responsible pet trade is mostly small businesses and – especially in the aquatics trade – hobbyists. We encourage everyone who can to become a PIJAC memberand/or to donate to our Aquatic Defense Fund. After all, the larger the PIJAC membership, the louder our voice. We were only able to demonstrate standing in court last year because of our many members in Hawaii. And there is no way we could have afforded to engage in court or on the environmental assessment without the donations from those inside and outside Hawaii at and after last year’s Aquatic Experience.
Raising awareness is also important. We are exceedingly grateful for multiple aquarium publications that provide us direct access to hobbyists and professionals through advertisements and coverage. They were critical in creating the groundswell of support necessary to win in Hawaii.
We would also love to work with you to promote what you’re doing for the trade and to help PIJAC. For example, the Green Bay Aquarium Society (GBAS) donated a record $700 to PIJAC after a March 11 fundraiser as part of our #LittleClubBigImpact campaign. Social media was a major part of the awareness operation pre-fundraiser as well as afterward.
The Green Bay Aquarium Society’s 2018 Spring Benefit Auction raised significant capital, which contributed to PIJAC’s efforts. Image credit: John Moyles, GBAS Event Coordinator
The goal of #LittleClubBigImpact is to ensure that national groups like PIJAC and smaller organizations like GBAS show the importance of working hand-in-hand. Only with the expertise and support of everyone can PIJAC continue to defend the trade – and we often provide important strategic insights on matters such as legislation, media outreach, and legal challenges.
Again, it looks like the Hawaii fishing trade may have reason to be cautiously optimistic after a very tough year. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this happen – and please be sure to contact us at info@pijac.org if you would like to work more closely with PIJAC.
Robert Likins is Vice President of Government Affairs for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). PIJAC is the advocacy and legislative voice for the responsible pet industry, including the aquatic trade.
==========================
Myloplus tumukumak • A New Species of MyloplusGill (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Tumucumaque Mountain Range, Brazil and French Guiana, with Comments on M. rubripinnis
Myloplus tumukumak
Andrade, Jégu & Gama, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6
Abstract
A new species of Myloplus Gill is described from Eastern Tumucumaque Mountain Range, drainages of the Oyapock and Araguari rivers between Brazil and French Guiana. The new species is diagnosed by having comparatively large scales on the flanks, resulting in lower counts when compared with congeners, i.e., 59 to 70 total perforated scales on lateral line, 31 to 35 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 24 to 29 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 22 to 26 circumpeduncular scale rows. The new species most closely resembles Myloplus rubripinnis by sharing with this species a general rounded shape, a similar color pattern, and a high number of rays, i.e., 23 to 25 branched dorsal-fin rays and 35 to 38 branched anal-fin rays in the new species (vs. 24 to 25 and 32 to 40, respectively, in M. rubripinnis). After reviewing the available type-specimens of all Myloplus species, M. rubripinnis is re-diagnosed as having higher counts of branched dorsal-fin rays and anal-fin rays combined to tiny scales on flanks, i.e., 85 to 89 total perforated scales on lateral line, 38 to 45 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 33 to 42 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 30 to 39 circumpeduncular scale rows.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Oiapoque, Araguari, Amapá, Guiana Shield, Ostariophysi
Marcelo C. Andrade, Michel Jégu and Cecile S. Gama. 2018. A New Species of Myloplus Gill(Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Tumucumaque Mountain Range, Brazil and French Guiana, with Comments on M. rubripinnis. Zootaxa. 4403(1); 111–122. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6
==========================
Myloplus tumukumak
Andrade, Jégu & Gama, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6
Abstract
A new species of Myloplus Gill is described from Eastern Tumucumaque Mountain Range, drainages of the Oyapock and Araguari rivers between Brazil and French Guiana. The new species is diagnosed by having comparatively large scales on the flanks, resulting in lower counts when compared with congeners, i.e., 59 to 70 total perforated scales on lateral line, 31 to 35 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 24 to 29 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 22 to 26 circumpeduncular scale rows. The new species most closely resembles Myloplus rubripinnis by sharing with this species a general rounded shape, a similar color pattern, and a high number of rays, i.e., 23 to 25 branched dorsal-fin rays and 35 to 38 branched anal-fin rays in the new species (vs. 24 to 25 and 32 to 40, respectively, in M. rubripinnis). After reviewing the available type-specimens of all Myloplus species, M. rubripinnis is re-diagnosed as having higher counts of branched dorsal-fin rays and anal-fin rays combined to tiny scales on flanks, i.e., 85 to 89 total perforated scales on lateral line, 38 to 45 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 33 to 42 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 30 to 39 circumpeduncular scale rows.
Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Oiapoque, Araguari, Amapá, Guiana Shield, Ostariophysi
Marcelo C. Andrade, Michel Jégu and Cecile S. Gama. 2018. A New Species of Myloplus Gill(Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Tumucumaque Mountain Range, Brazil and French Guiana, with Comments on M. rubripinnis. Zootaxa. 4403(1); 111–122. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6
==========================
Piranha fish found in Chichester sewer as water company pleads 'only flush poo, paper and pee'
29 MARCH 2018 • 6:45PMAwater company has pleaded with householders not to flush exotic animals down the toilet after a piranha fish was discovered in a sewer in Chichester.
The flesh-eating creature was found by a startled member of staff at Southern Water who was carrying out checks at the West Sussex treatment works.
The South-American river predator, which normally hunt in packs, can rip flesh to shreds in a matter of seconds.
Although the newly discovered piranha was dead and posed no threat, having most likely been flushed away after dying naturally in its tank, water bosses said that only ‘p’s that should go down the toilet were ‘pee, poo and paper.’
Southern Water spokeswoman Nicola Crichton said: "Obviously someone who owns exotic animals must have flushed it down the toilet, I don't think it managed to migrate all this way.
"People will flush anything down their toilets, we once found a bed sheet at the waterworks, and find all sorts of strange things."
Alligators have been reported in the New York sewers
Indigenous to the Amazonian basin, the piranha is a freshwater fish which can range in size from 5in to 20in depending on the species.
They have been characterised in films and the media as extremely predatory due to their powerful jaws and feeding frenzies but in fact are omnivorous and pose a relatively low threat to humans.
Strange animals living in the sewers have been a part of urban legends since modern drainage began. There have been tales and anecdotes about alligators living the sewers of New York since the New York Times ran a story in 1935 claiming youngsters shovelling snow had found a creature writhing in a storm drain and dragged it out.
New Yorkers are now so proud of legend that on February 9th they celebrate ‘Alligators in Sewers Day’.
In 2008, the Eastbourne Herald reported that sewer workers at Southern Water’s treatment plant in Eastbourne, East Sussex, claimed to have seen a strange humanoid shadow in the underground passages, which would follow staff.
They also reported muffled conversations emanating from behind the tunnel walls.
And in the 1800s, a strange story circulated around London that the sewers of Hampstead were home to a population of black pigs. It was claimed that a pregnant sow had fallen into a drain and been unable to find its way out.
On the 10th October 1889, The Daily Telegraph reported that ‘the Hampstead sewers shelter a monstrous breed of black swine, which have propagated and run wild among the slimy feculence, and whose ferocious snouts will one day up-root Highgate archway, while they make Holloway intolerable with their grunting.”
Speaking of the latest sewer dweller, Southern Water communications officer Simon Fluendy said: "Our campaigns normally focus on stopping people flushing plastic-based materials such as wet wipes, sanitary products, condoms and nappies down the toilet.
"There's only the three Ps which should go down the loo - pee, poo and paper. Piranhas are not one of them.
"We like to make it clear, we do not believe that there is any risk of shoals of piranhas swimming around our sewers - this would be highly unusual.
"We would like to reassure our 4.6 million customers that it is safe to use their toilets as normal."
from The Telegraph
==========================
The piranha found in the sewage works CREDIT: SOLENT NEWS & PHOTO AGENCY- Sarah Knapton, science editor
29 MARCH 2018 • 6:45PMAwater company has pleaded with householders not to flush exotic animals down the toilet after a piranha fish was discovered in a sewer in Chichester.
The flesh-eating creature was found by a startled member of staff at Southern Water who was carrying out checks at the West Sussex treatment works.
The South-American river predator, which normally hunt in packs, can rip flesh to shreds in a matter of seconds.
Although the newly discovered piranha was dead and posed no threat, having most likely been flushed away after dying naturally in its tank, water bosses said that only ‘p’s that should go down the toilet were ‘pee, poo and paper.’
Southern Water spokeswoman Nicola Crichton said: "Obviously someone who owns exotic animals must have flushed it down the toilet, I don't think it managed to migrate all this way.
"People will flush anything down their toilets, we once found a bed sheet at the waterworks, and find all sorts of strange things."
Alligators have been reported in the New York sewers
Indigenous to the Amazonian basin, the piranha is a freshwater fish which can range in size from 5in to 20in depending on the species.
They have been characterised in films and the media as extremely predatory due to their powerful jaws and feeding frenzies but in fact are omnivorous and pose a relatively low threat to humans.
Strange animals living in the sewers have been a part of urban legends since modern drainage began. There have been tales and anecdotes about alligators living the sewers of New York since the New York Times ran a story in 1935 claiming youngsters shovelling snow had found a creature writhing in a storm drain and dragged it out.
New Yorkers are now so proud of legend that on February 9th they celebrate ‘Alligators in Sewers Day’.
In 2008, the Eastbourne Herald reported that sewer workers at Southern Water’s treatment plant in Eastbourne, East Sussex, claimed to have seen a strange humanoid shadow in the underground passages, which would follow staff.
They also reported muffled conversations emanating from behind the tunnel walls.
And in the 1800s, a strange story circulated around London that the sewers of Hampstead were home to a population of black pigs. It was claimed that a pregnant sow had fallen into a drain and been unable to find its way out.
On the 10th October 1889, The Daily Telegraph reported that ‘the Hampstead sewers shelter a monstrous breed of black swine, which have propagated and run wild among the slimy feculence, and whose ferocious snouts will one day up-root Highgate archway, while they make Holloway intolerable with their grunting.”
Speaking of the latest sewer dweller, Southern Water communications officer Simon Fluendy said: "Our campaigns normally focus on stopping people flushing plastic-based materials such as wet wipes, sanitary products, condoms and nappies down the toilet.
"There's only the three Ps which should go down the loo - pee, poo and paper. Piranhas are not one of them.
"We like to make it clear, we do not believe that there is any risk of shoals of piranhas swimming around our sewers - this would be highly unusual.
"We would like to reassure our 4.6 million customers that it is safe to use their toilets as normal."
from The Telegraph
==========================
Poecilia vivipara
How did Poecilia vivipara cross the ocean?: An unexpected fish appears on a volcanic archipelago
Summary:
To the surprise of the scientists, populations of a South American guppy were spotted at the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, a volcanic island in the South Atlantic. Even if being easily adaptable fishes, it was unclear how a small freshwater species had managed to cross the ocean and populate the archipelago. Researchers suggest that the US military in WWII may be behind the phenomenon.
Share:
FULL STORY
Credit: Image courtesy of Pensoft PublishersWhile people tend to describe tropical oceanic islands as 'paradises on Earth' and associate them with calm beaches, transparent warm waters and marvellous landscapes, archipelagos are often the product of a fierce natural force -- volcanoes which erupt at the bottom of the sea.
Because of their origin, these islands have never been connected to the mainland, thereby it is extremely difficult for species to cross the ocean and populate them.
One such species -- the South American guppy (Poecilia vivipara) -- is a small freshwater fish which looks nowhere equipped to cross the distance between the mainland and the Fernando de Noronha oceanic archipelago in Northeast Brazil.
Nevertheless, the research team of PhD student Waldir M. Berbel-Filho and his professor Dr. Sergio Lima from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte recorded the species from a local mangrove on the island. The question that immediately sprang to the minds of the scientists was: 'Where did the guppies come from and how did they get to Fernando de Noronha?'
To answer these questions, the scientists sequenced a gene of the guppies' DNA to analyze potential signatures of the island colonization left in the fish DNA. As a result, they concluded that the isolated population was in fact closely related to the fish inhabiting the closest continental drainages.
However, this evidence was not enough to explain how the species turned up on the island in the first place. Was it natural colonization, or rather human introduction?
The most likely scenario, according to the team, leads back to about 60 years ago when the American military had their WWII bases positioned at both Fernando de Noronha and Natal -- the closest continental city. Indeed, the soldiers suggested to bring guppies to the island in an attempt to control mosquito population (in this region, guppies are commonly placed in water reservoirs to eat mosquito larvae).
On the other hand, natural dispersion cannot be completely excluded. The biologists remind that, apart for their exuberant colours and shapes, the guppies are well known for their capacity to resist to a wide range of environmental conditions. It could be that a set of circumstances occurring together, such as a favourable sea current, physiological adaptation and a bit of luck, might have brought the guppies to the archipelago.
"Regardless of their means of transportation," argue the authors, "this guppy population represents a valuable lesson on how small populations manage to colonize and thrive in isolated environments."
"Despite being visited by thousands of people every year, some of the most intriguing secrets of tropical islands may still be hidden in the DNA of their inhabitants," they conclude. "These 'paradises on Earth' are capable of simultaneously filling our hearts with beauty and our minds -- with knowledge."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Pensoft Publishers. The original story is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
==========================
Summary:
To the surprise of the scientists, populations of a South American guppy were spotted at the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, a volcanic island in the South Atlantic. Even if being easily adaptable fishes, it was unclear how a small freshwater species had managed to cross the ocean and populate the archipelago. Researchers suggest that the US military in WWII may be behind the phenomenon.
Share:
FULL STORY
Credit: Image courtesy of Pensoft PublishersWhile people tend to describe tropical oceanic islands as 'paradises on Earth' and associate them with calm beaches, transparent warm waters and marvellous landscapes, archipelagos are often the product of a fierce natural force -- volcanoes which erupt at the bottom of the sea.
Because of their origin, these islands have never been connected to the mainland, thereby it is extremely difficult for species to cross the ocean and populate them.
One such species -- the South American guppy (Poecilia vivipara) -- is a small freshwater fish which looks nowhere equipped to cross the distance between the mainland and the Fernando de Noronha oceanic archipelago in Northeast Brazil.
Nevertheless, the research team of PhD student Waldir M. Berbel-Filho and his professor Dr. Sergio Lima from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte recorded the species from a local mangrove on the island. The question that immediately sprang to the minds of the scientists was: 'Where did the guppies come from and how did they get to Fernando de Noronha?'
To answer these questions, the scientists sequenced a gene of the guppies' DNA to analyze potential signatures of the island colonization left in the fish DNA. As a result, they concluded that the isolated population was in fact closely related to the fish inhabiting the closest continental drainages.
However, this evidence was not enough to explain how the species turned up on the island in the first place. Was it natural colonization, or rather human introduction?
The most likely scenario, according to the team, leads back to about 60 years ago when the American military had their WWII bases positioned at both Fernando de Noronha and Natal -- the closest continental city. Indeed, the soldiers suggested to bring guppies to the island in an attempt to control mosquito population (in this region, guppies are commonly placed in water reservoirs to eat mosquito larvae).
On the other hand, natural dispersion cannot be completely excluded. The biologists remind that, apart for their exuberant colours and shapes, the guppies are well known for their capacity to resist to a wide range of environmental conditions. It could be that a set of circumstances occurring together, such as a favourable sea current, physiological adaptation and a bit of luck, might have brought the guppies to the archipelago.
"Regardless of their means of transportation," argue the authors, "this guppy population represents a valuable lesson on how small populations manage to colonize and thrive in isolated environments."
"Despite being visited by thousands of people every year, some of the most intriguing secrets of tropical islands may still be hidden in the DNA of their inhabitants," they conclude. "These 'paradises on Earth' are capable of simultaneously filling our hearts with beauty and our minds -- with knowledge."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Pensoft Publishers. The original story is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Waldir Miron Berbel-Filho, Luciano Freitas Barros-Neto, Ricardo Marques Dias, Liana Figueiredo Mendes, Carlos Augusto Assumpção Figueiredo, Rodrigo Augusto Torres, Sergio Maia Queiroz Lima. Poecilia vivipara Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae), a guppy in an oceanic archipelago: from where did it come?ZooKeys, 2018; 746: 91 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.746.20960
==========================
Cosmetic Surgery for a Pet Fish? In Asia, This One Is King of the Tank
SINGAPORE — Eugene Ng jabbed a pudgy finger against the side of the glass tank, like a predator singling out his unlucky target.
“That fish’s eye is looking a little droopy,” said Mr. Ng, pointing to a fish with large metallic gold scales swimming happily among its companions.
Minutes later, the fish was knocked out and getting an eyelift, a procedure that has become standard practice in Mr. Ng’s job as one of the premier cosmetic surgeons for Asian arowana fish here in Singapore. Using a pair of forceps, Mr. Ng — known to his clients as Dr. Ark, after the pet fish store that he also runs — worked quickly, loosening the tissue behind the fish’s eye and pushing the eyeball up into the socket.
“I know some people think it’s cruel to the fish,” said Mr. Ng, lifting his sedated patient with one hand to show off its newly straightened eye. “But really I’m doing it a favor. Because now the fish looks better and its owner will love it even more.”
The idea of cosmetic surgery for a fish may sound extreme. But the Asian arowana is not your average pet store fish. Known as the long yu, or “dragon fish” in Chinese, it reigns as one of the world’s most expensive aquarium fish, selling for anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
Photo“In Singapore, if you have an arowana, that means you have status,” said Kenny Lim, a local hobbyist.CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesOne fish was even rumored to have been bought by a Chinese Communist Party official for $300,000. So for most owners, the cost of an eyelift ($90) or a chin job ($60) for their pet fish is pocket change.
While prices of the fish saw a boom and a bit of a bust earlier this decade, the arowana remains a popular luxury accessory across Asia. Wealthy Chinese businessmen in particular prize the fish — with its large glimmering scales, sage-like whiskers and aggressive personality — for its resemblance to the mythical Chinese dragon.
Adding to the allure are the often-repeated tales of arowana that sacrifice their lives by jumping out of tanks to warn owners about a bad business investment or other potential dangers.
For those reasons, aficionados call the arowana the king of the fish, emperor of the tank, a dragon among mere mortals.
PhotoBreeders used DNA technology to hone the traits of a “perfect” fish, and neon pink tanning lights are a common feature in tanks to enhance the fish’s reddish hue. CreditOre Huiying for The New York Times“For Chinese, keeping fish is about bringing good luck and wealth, and the Asian arowana are especially lucky,” said Kenny Yap, the executive chairman of Qian Hu Fish, one of the top arowana breeders in Singapore.
“In the West, dragons are evil monsters,” added Mr. Yap, or Kenny the Fish, as he prefers to be called. “But in Chinese culture, dragons are divine.”
Perhaps nowhere is the obsession more apparent than here in this tropical city-state, a hub of the global ornamental fish trade and home to a thriving network of breeders and hobbyists dedicated to the Asian arowana (not to be confused with the silver arowana, its South American cousin).
The fish has become so deeply ingrained as a status symbol that it was even featured in the latest installment of Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians,” a popular series of novels about the lives of Singapore’s elite, in the form of a $250,000 super red arowana named Valentino.
“Singaporeans are crazy about the fish,” said Emily Voigt, the author of “The Dragon Behind the Glass,” a rollicking account of her transcontinental journey into the murky world of the arowana.
Photo“For Chinese, keeping fish is about bringing good luck and wealth, and the Asian arowana are especially lucky,” said Kenny Yap, the executive chairman of Qian Hu Fish, a top arowana breeder in Singapore.CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesAt one point, Ms. Voigt said, the global craze for the fish reached such a frenzy that even in Singapore, where the crime rate is so low that a stolen delivery parcel makes headlines, there were four arowana heists in one week. During one of the robberies, the thief punched an elderly woman as he ran away with her fish in a sloshing bucket.
In a separate episode, a Singaporean man was sentenced to three years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane for trying to steal arowana from a shop.
“You think of pet fish as being an innocent thing,” Ms. Voigt said. “But I didn’t expect to find myself confronting this dark underbelly.”
The prominence of the Asian arowana is a sharp reversal in fortune for a fish that half a century ago was considered by locals in its natural swamp habitat of Borneo and Indonesia to be a common food fish — and a rather bony and tasteless one at that.
Experts say the turning point came in 1975, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by 183 countries, banned the fish from international trade. By classifying it as a rare species, some say, the treaty elevated its status as a luxury item.
PhotoThe price of arowana crashed around 2012 as breeding farms flooded the market, but despite the sharp dip, the fish remains an aspirational luxury good. CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesAfter the ban, a booming black market for arowana emerged. Smuggled arowana were turning up in countries around Asia and later in the United States, where it is still banned. The overwhelming demand had a devastating effect on the wild population of arowana. So starting in the late 1980s, restrictions were loosened to allow trade of farm-bred arowana whose parents were also born in captivity.
While the wild arowana never recovered, trade in captive-bred arowana flourished, reaching a peak in the 2000s as buyers in mainland China jumped into the game.
Breeders used DNA technology to pinpoint characteristics in a bid to create a “perfect” fish: straight feelers, bright eyes, large and round fins and tails and shimmering red scales. Neon pink tanning lights became a common feature in tanks to enhance the fish’s reddish hue.
“It’s like a beauty pageant,” said Alex Chang, the head of research and development at Qian Hu Fish, who was caught several years ago attempting to smuggle two suitcases full of endangered fish worth over $180,000 into Australia. “The fish cannot be fat. It must look strong and have personality. It must swim confidently and be firm, stern and fierce. It cannot be timid.”
But around 2012, the price of arowana crashed as breeding farms flooded the market. While prices have somewhat bounced back in recent years, big farms like Qian Hu have begun breeding other species.
Despite the sharp dip in prices, the arowana remains an aspirational luxury good and a point of obsession for many Singaporeans.
As a young boy growing up in Singapore, Nicholas Chia always dreamed about having an arowana. Then, last year, he finally bit the bullet and bought his first one. Since then, he has acquired five more. Now, he keeps his prized fish in six large tanks that take up a third of his living room.
“Sometimes my wife complains that I neglect the children because of the fish,” said Mr. Chia, a 30-year-old software entrepreneur. “To a certain extent, yes, I guess that’s true.”
from the Singapore Journal
==========================
SINGAPORE — Eugene Ng jabbed a pudgy finger against the side of the glass tank, like a predator singling out his unlucky target.
“That fish’s eye is looking a little droopy,” said Mr. Ng, pointing to a fish with large metallic gold scales swimming happily among its companions.
Minutes later, the fish was knocked out and getting an eyelift, a procedure that has become standard practice in Mr. Ng’s job as one of the premier cosmetic surgeons for Asian arowana fish here in Singapore. Using a pair of forceps, Mr. Ng — known to his clients as Dr. Ark, after the pet fish store that he also runs — worked quickly, loosening the tissue behind the fish’s eye and pushing the eyeball up into the socket.
“I know some people think it’s cruel to the fish,” said Mr. Ng, lifting his sedated patient with one hand to show off its newly straightened eye. “But really I’m doing it a favor. Because now the fish looks better and its owner will love it even more.”
The idea of cosmetic surgery for a fish may sound extreme. But the Asian arowana is not your average pet store fish. Known as the long yu, or “dragon fish” in Chinese, it reigns as one of the world’s most expensive aquarium fish, selling for anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
Photo“In Singapore, if you have an arowana, that means you have status,” said Kenny Lim, a local hobbyist.CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesOne fish was even rumored to have been bought by a Chinese Communist Party official for $300,000. So for most owners, the cost of an eyelift ($90) or a chin job ($60) for their pet fish is pocket change.
While prices of the fish saw a boom and a bit of a bust earlier this decade, the arowana remains a popular luxury accessory across Asia. Wealthy Chinese businessmen in particular prize the fish — with its large glimmering scales, sage-like whiskers and aggressive personality — for its resemblance to the mythical Chinese dragon.
Adding to the allure are the often-repeated tales of arowana that sacrifice their lives by jumping out of tanks to warn owners about a bad business investment or other potential dangers.
For those reasons, aficionados call the arowana the king of the fish, emperor of the tank, a dragon among mere mortals.
PhotoBreeders used DNA technology to hone the traits of a “perfect” fish, and neon pink tanning lights are a common feature in tanks to enhance the fish’s reddish hue. CreditOre Huiying for The New York Times“For Chinese, keeping fish is about bringing good luck and wealth, and the Asian arowana are especially lucky,” said Kenny Yap, the executive chairman of Qian Hu Fish, one of the top arowana breeders in Singapore.
“In the West, dragons are evil monsters,” added Mr. Yap, or Kenny the Fish, as he prefers to be called. “But in Chinese culture, dragons are divine.”
Perhaps nowhere is the obsession more apparent than here in this tropical city-state, a hub of the global ornamental fish trade and home to a thriving network of breeders and hobbyists dedicated to the Asian arowana (not to be confused with the silver arowana, its South American cousin).
The fish has become so deeply ingrained as a status symbol that it was even featured in the latest installment of Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians,” a popular series of novels about the lives of Singapore’s elite, in the form of a $250,000 super red arowana named Valentino.
“Singaporeans are crazy about the fish,” said Emily Voigt, the author of “The Dragon Behind the Glass,” a rollicking account of her transcontinental journey into the murky world of the arowana.
Photo“For Chinese, keeping fish is about bringing good luck and wealth, and the Asian arowana are especially lucky,” said Kenny Yap, the executive chairman of Qian Hu Fish, a top arowana breeder in Singapore.CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesAt one point, Ms. Voigt said, the global craze for the fish reached such a frenzy that even in Singapore, where the crime rate is so low that a stolen delivery parcel makes headlines, there were four arowana heists in one week. During one of the robberies, the thief punched an elderly woman as he ran away with her fish in a sloshing bucket.
In a separate episode, a Singaporean man was sentenced to three years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane for trying to steal arowana from a shop.
“You think of pet fish as being an innocent thing,” Ms. Voigt said. “But I didn’t expect to find myself confronting this dark underbelly.”
The prominence of the Asian arowana is a sharp reversal in fortune for a fish that half a century ago was considered by locals in its natural swamp habitat of Borneo and Indonesia to be a common food fish — and a rather bony and tasteless one at that.
Experts say the turning point came in 1975, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by 183 countries, banned the fish from international trade. By classifying it as a rare species, some say, the treaty elevated its status as a luxury item.
PhotoThe price of arowana crashed around 2012 as breeding farms flooded the market, but despite the sharp dip, the fish remains an aspirational luxury good. CreditOre Huiying for The New York TimesAfter the ban, a booming black market for arowana emerged. Smuggled arowana were turning up in countries around Asia and later in the United States, where it is still banned. The overwhelming demand had a devastating effect on the wild population of arowana. So starting in the late 1980s, restrictions were loosened to allow trade of farm-bred arowana whose parents were also born in captivity.
While the wild arowana never recovered, trade in captive-bred arowana flourished, reaching a peak in the 2000s as buyers in mainland China jumped into the game.
Breeders used DNA technology to pinpoint characteristics in a bid to create a “perfect” fish: straight feelers, bright eyes, large and round fins and tails and shimmering red scales. Neon pink tanning lights became a common feature in tanks to enhance the fish’s reddish hue.
“It’s like a beauty pageant,” said Alex Chang, the head of research and development at Qian Hu Fish, who was caught several years ago attempting to smuggle two suitcases full of endangered fish worth over $180,000 into Australia. “The fish cannot be fat. It must look strong and have personality. It must swim confidently and be firm, stern and fierce. It cannot be timid.”
But around 2012, the price of arowana crashed as breeding farms flooded the market. While prices have somewhat bounced back in recent years, big farms like Qian Hu have begun breeding other species.
Despite the sharp dip in prices, the arowana remains an aspirational luxury good and a point of obsession for many Singaporeans.
As a young boy growing up in Singapore, Nicholas Chia always dreamed about having an arowana. Then, last year, he finally bit the bullet and bought his first one. Since then, he has acquired five more. Now, he keeps his prized fish in six large tanks that take up a third of his living room.
“Sometimes my wife complains that I neglect the children because of the fish,” said Mr. Chia, a 30-year-old software entrepreneur. “To a certain extent, yes, I guess that’s true.”
from the Singapore Journal
==========================
Gila cypha
Humpback chub
Ptychocheilus lucius Colorado pike minnow
Gila elegans boneytail chubb
Xyrauchen texanus Razorbacked sucker
One of four endangered Colorado River fish species rebounding
One of the four endangered fish of the Colorado River appears to be ready to be upgraded, to threatened status, a federal agency said.
That means that a recovery program devised to allow development of Colorado River water while meeting the needs of fish is working, said Chris Treese, spokesman for the Colorado River Water Conservancy District.
The humpback chub (Gila cypha) now has a stable population of about 12,000 adults in the Colorado River and Little Colorado in the Grand Canyon.
Four smaller populations of the chub in the Green and Colorado rivers persist and appear to be in no immediate danger of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
A five-year status review of the fish concluded that the risk of extinction is low and that the service should consider reclassifying the fish to threatened in the next year.
There is no need to stock fish to boost the size of the existing five populations, the service said.
It also means there will be little if any change in the amount of water dedicated to the endangered fish, Treese said.
Delisting or downlisting the chub must be accompanied by actions necessary to continue "self-sustaining populations," Treese said.
"In the case of fish, that invariably means sufficient river flows and other protective measures."
The fish is benefitting from managing the flows on the river to mimic natural fluctuations, as well as efforts to control invasive predators, the service said.
The humpback chub was identified as a separate species in the 1940s and was placed on the original list of endangered species in 1967.
The fish, which gets its name from a fleshy hump behind its head, prefers canyon-bound reaches of river where it lives in swift, turbulent currents.
The other four endangered fish are the Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail chub and razorback sucker.
==========================
One of the four endangered fish of the Colorado River appears to be ready to be upgraded, to threatened status, a federal agency said.
That means that a recovery program devised to allow development of Colorado River water while meeting the needs of fish is working, said Chris Treese, spokesman for the Colorado River Water Conservancy District.
The humpback chub (Gila cypha) now has a stable population of about 12,000 adults in the Colorado River and Little Colorado in the Grand Canyon.
Four smaller populations of the chub in the Green and Colorado rivers persist and appear to be in no immediate danger of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
A five-year status review of the fish concluded that the risk of extinction is low and that the service should consider reclassifying the fish to threatened in the next year.
There is no need to stock fish to boost the size of the existing five populations, the service said.
It also means there will be little if any change in the amount of water dedicated to the endangered fish, Treese said.
Delisting or downlisting the chub must be accompanied by actions necessary to continue "self-sustaining populations," Treese said.
"In the case of fish, that invariably means sufficient river flows and other protective measures."
The fish is benefitting from managing the flows on the river to mimic natural fluctuations, as well as efforts to control invasive predators, the service said.
The humpback chub was identified as a separate species in the 1940s and was placed on the original list of endangered species in 1967.
The fish, which gets its name from a fleshy hump behind its head, prefers canyon-bound reaches of river where it lives in swift, turbulent currents.
The other four endangered fish are the Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail chub and razorback sucker.
==========================
Eigenmannia loretana • A New Species of Glass Knifefish (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae)from the Western Amazon
Eigenmannia loretana Waltz & Albert, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4399.3.9
Abstract
A new species of the Eigenmannia trilineata species group is described from the Loreto, Peru region of the western Amazon basin. The new species is similar in external appearance to members of the E. trilineata species group, but has a distinct phenotype, being diagnosed from congeners by the following unique combination of characters: four longitudinal dark pigment stipes on the lateral surfaces (over the lateral line, hypaxial muscles, proximal and distal pterygiophore margins); short, relatively round head (head depth 86.8–96.7% head length) with a terminal mouth; intermediate posterodorsal expansion of infraorbital bones 1+2 (60–75% length of infraorbitals 1+2); 11–15 teeth in three rows on the premaxilla; six to seven teeth in a single row on the endopterygoid; eye high on head (suborbital depth 28–36% head length); ii, 13–14 pectoral-fin rays; 183–219 anal-fin rays; and a uniformly dark brown head and pectoral fins on freshly-preserved specimens. The new species extends the geographic range of described species of the E. trilineata species group to the Western Amazon. This new species elevates the current number of valid species within the E. trilineata species group to 15, and the number of species within Eigenmannia to 20.
Keywords: Pisces, cryptic species, electric fish, freshwater fish, taxonomy, tropical diversity
Brandon T. Waltz and James S. Albert. 2018. New Species of Glass Knifefish Eigenmannia loretana (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Western Amazon. Zootaxa. 4399(3); 399–411. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4399.3.9
twitter.com/Eigenmanniac/status/976865897364250625
twitter.com/MJBernt/status/976845664922595328
==========================
Eigenmannia loretana Waltz & Albert, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4399.3.9
Abstract
A new species of the Eigenmannia trilineata species group is described from the Loreto, Peru region of the western Amazon basin. The new species is similar in external appearance to members of the E. trilineata species group, but has a distinct phenotype, being diagnosed from congeners by the following unique combination of characters: four longitudinal dark pigment stipes on the lateral surfaces (over the lateral line, hypaxial muscles, proximal and distal pterygiophore margins); short, relatively round head (head depth 86.8–96.7% head length) with a terminal mouth; intermediate posterodorsal expansion of infraorbital bones 1+2 (60–75% length of infraorbitals 1+2); 11–15 teeth in three rows on the premaxilla; six to seven teeth in a single row on the endopterygoid; eye high on head (suborbital depth 28–36% head length); ii, 13–14 pectoral-fin rays; 183–219 anal-fin rays; and a uniformly dark brown head and pectoral fins on freshly-preserved specimens. The new species extends the geographic range of described species of the E. trilineata species group to the Western Amazon. This new species elevates the current number of valid species within the E. trilineata species group to 15, and the number of species within Eigenmannia to 20.
Keywords: Pisces, cryptic species, electric fish, freshwater fish, taxonomy, tropical diversity
Brandon T. Waltz and James S. Albert. 2018. New Species of Glass Knifefish Eigenmannia loretana (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Western Amazon. Zootaxa. 4399(3); 399–411. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4399.3.9
twitter.com/Eigenmanniac/status/976865897364250625
twitter.com/MJBernt/status/976845664922595328
==========================
Insulin resistance in cavefish as an adaptation to a nutrient-limited environment
Abstract
Periodic food shortages are a major challenge faced by organisms in natural habitats. Cave-dwelling animals must withstand long periods of nutrient deprivation, as—in the absence of photosynthesis—caves depend on external energy sources such as seasonal floods1. Here we show that cave-adapted populations of the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, have dysregulated blood glucose homeostasis and are insulin-resistant compared to river-adapted populations. We found that multiple cave populations carry a mutation in the insulin receptor that leads to decreased insulin binding in vitro and contributes to hyperglycaemia. Hybrid fish from surface–cave crosses carrying this mutation weigh more than non-carriers, and zebrafish genetically engineered to carry the mutation have increased body weight and insulin resistance. Higher body weight may be advantageous in caves as a strategy to cope with an infrequent food supply. In humans, the identical mutation in the insulin receptor leads to a severe form of insulin resistance and reduced lifespan. However, cavefish have a similar lifespan to surface fish and do not accumulate the advanced glycation end-products in the blood that are typically associated with the progression of diabetes-associated pathologies. Our findings suggest that diminished insulin signalling is beneficial in a nutrient-limited environment and that cavefish may have acquired compensatory mechanisms that enable them to circumvent the typical negative effects associated with failure to regulate blood glucose levels.
Abstract
Periodic food shortages are a major challenge faced by organisms in natural habitats. Cave-dwelling animals must withstand long periods of nutrient deprivation, as—in the absence of photosynthesis—caves depend on external energy sources such as seasonal floods1. Here we show that cave-adapted populations of the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, have dysregulated blood glucose homeostasis and are insulin-resistant compared to river-adapted populations. We found that multiple cave populations carry a mutation in the insulin receptor that leads to decreased insulin binding in vitro and contributes to hyperglycaemia. Hybrid fish from surface–cave crosses carrying this mutation weigh more than non-carriers, and zebrafish genetically engineered to carry the mutation have increased body weight and insulin resistance. Higher body weight may be advantageous in caves as a strategy to cope with an infrequent food supply. In humans, the identical mutation in the insulin receptor leads to a severe form of insulin resistance and reduced lifespan. However, cavefish have a similar lifespan to surface fish and do not accumulate the advanced glycation end-products in the blood that are typically associated with the progression of diabetes-associated pathologies. Our findings suggest that diminished insulin signalling is beneficial in a nutrient-limited environment and that cavefish may have acquired compensatory mechanisms that enable them to circumvent the typical negative effects associated with failure to regulate blood glucose levels.
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The next Britsh Livebearers Association event is an auction during the Mid-Sussex AS show, on the 22nd April. The venue is :-
Patcham Community Centre,
Ladies Mile Road,
Patcham,
Brighton,
BN1 8TA
and is very near the junction of the A23 and the A27. The doors open at 9.00am and it is hoped to start the BLA auction at about 1.00 pm.
The UK Fancy Guppy Society are holding a leg of their guppy league at the same time. It would be good if lots of BLA members could get there.
==========================
Patcham Community Centre,
Ladies Mile Road,
Patcham,
Brighton,
BN1 8TA
and is very near the junction of the A23 and the A27. The doors open at 9.00am and it is hoped to start the BLA auction at about 1.00 pm.
The UK Fancy Guppy Society are holding a leg of their guppy league at the same time. It would be good if lots of BLA members could get there.
==========================
Indian calls for plan to manage import of exotic fish
Shiv Sahay Singh Kolkata
Urges quarantine facilities at major seaports, airports Expressing concern over the increase in the import of ornamental fishes to the country, which is posing a threat to India’s native fish populations, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has urged the government to come up with quarantine facilities at major seaports and airports.
“The government of India has only approved the import of 92 species of ornamental fish but the number of ornamental fish species being imported and in trade is somewhere between 200-300,” Dr. B. Meenakumari, Chairperson, NBA, told The Hindu.
Dr. Meenakumari pointed out that the quarantine facility at the Chennai airport is mainly used for prawns meant for aquaculture and not for ornamental fish. She was in Kolkata to attend a workshop on the Economic and Ecological Impacts of Invasive Alien Species organised by Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and the Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network (APFISN) from February 21-23.
Huge market
Dr. Meenakumari said the huge market for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is turning out to be major threat to India’s aquatic biodiversity.
She also stressed on the need for educating and creating awareness among Customs officials at airports and seaports. Most of the fish are imported from southeast Asian countries, she said, adding that, sometimes, the cost of only a pair of fish can go up to lakhs of rupees.
S. Sandilyan, a Fellow on invasive alien species, who is associated with the NBA, said that both Kolkata and Chennai have emerged as a major hub for the trade of ornamental fish in the country and that an assessment of the online market for ornamental fish and aquariums will establish the presence of over 1,000 exotic fish species being traded in India.
In a research paper titled ‘Occurrence of ornamental fishes: A looming danger for inland fish diversity of India’ published in the science journal Current Science, the researcher has pointed out that export of such species has increased at an average annual rate of 14%.
The paper states that several studies have disclosed the occurrence of exotic ornamental fish in many inland aquatic systems, including biodiversity-sensitive areas such as the Western Ghats.
Dr. Sandilyan gave the example of suckermouth catfish, an ornamental species known as a ‘tank cleaner’ of aquariums, has spread to almost all freshwater ecosystems and outnumbers other native fish by feeding on their larvae and competing with them for food resources.
“Under the Centre for Biodiversity and Policy and Law (CEBPOL), the NBA is trying to bring out a national list of IAS. So far, no attempt has been made by any scientific organisation to have a national IAS list across different categories like terrestrial plants, aquatic plants, inland fisheries, marine organisms, insects and microbes,” Dr. Meenakumari said.
The list will be put made available on a public platform and will be communicated to different Ministries and stakeholders. The announcement by NBA assumes significance as scientists and experts in the country are still divided over the number of IAS and their economic and ecological impact.
Biodiversity policy
CEBPOL is a bilateral collaboration between the Indian and Norwegian governments, and focuses on biodiversity policies and laws.
While the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have come up with some tentative lists for animal and plant IAS, there remains a debate on how to standardise the invasiveness of specific species.
T.V. Sajeev, Coordinator, APFISN, said that while the number of publications on IAS has increased over the past few years, there has been no coordinated effort for the management of IAS. He added that statisticians and biologists need to come together for distribution mapping and the application of statistical approaches in the management of IAS.
from the Hindu
==========================
Shiv Sahay Singh Kolkata
Urges quarantine facilities at major seaports, airports Expressing concern over the increase in the import of ornamental fishes to the country, which is posing a threat to India’s native fish populations, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has urged the government to come up with quarantine facilities at major seaports and airports.
“The government of India has only approved the import of 92 species of ornamental fish but the number of ornamental fish species being imported and in trade is somewhere between 200-300,” Dr. B. Meenakumari, Chairperson, NBA, told The Hindu.
Dr. Meenakumari pointed out that the quarantine facility at the Chennai airport is mainly used for prawns meant for aquaculture and not for ornamental fish. She was in Kolkata to attend a workshop on the Economic and Ecological Impacts of Invasive Alien Species organised by Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and the Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network (APFISN) from February 21-23.
Huge market
Dr. Meenakumari said the huge market for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is turning out to be major threat to India’s aquatic biodiversity.
She also stressed on the need for educating and creating awareness among Customs officials at airports and seaports. Most of the fish are imported from southeast Asian countries, she said, adding that, sometimes, the cost of only a pair of fish can go up to lakhs of rupees.
S. Sandilyan, a Fellow on invasive alien species, who is associated with the NBA, said that both Kolkata and Chennai have emerged as a major hub for the trade of ornamental fish in the country and that an assessment of the online market for ornamental fish and aquariums will establish the presence of over 1,000 exotic fish species being traded in India.
In a research paper titled ‘Occurrence of ornamental fishes: A looming danger for inland fish diversity of India’ published in the science journal Current Science, the researcher has pointed out that export of such species has increased at an average annual rate of 14%.
The paper states that several studies have disclosed the occurrence of exotic ornamental fish in many inland aquatic systems, including biodiversity-sensitive areas such as the Western Ghats.
Dr. Sandilyan gave the example of suckermouth catfish, an ornamental species known as a ‘tank cleaner’ of aquariums, has spread to almost all freshwater ecosystems and outnumbers other native fish by feeding on their larvae and competing with them for food resources.
“Under the Centre for Biodiversity and Policy and Law (CEBPOL), the NBA is trying to bring out a national list of IAS. So far, no attempt has been made by any scientific organisation to have a national IAS list across different categories like terrestrial plants, aquatic plants, inland fisheries, marine organisms, insects and microbes,” Dr. Meenakumari said.
The list will be put made available on a public platform and will be communicated to different Ministries and stakeholders. The announcement by NBA assumes significance as scientists and experts in the country are still divided over the number of IAS and their economic and ecological impact.
Biodiversity policy
CEBPOL is a bilateral collaboration between the Indian and Norwegian governments, and focuses on biodiversity policies and laws.
While the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have come up with some tentative lists for animal and plant IAS, there remains a debate on how to standardise the invasiveness of specific species.
T.V. Sajeev, Coordinator, APFISN, said that while the number of publications on IAS has increased over the past few years, there has been no coordinated effort for the management of IAS. He added that statisticians and biologists need to come together for distribution mapping and the application of statistical approaches in the management of IAS.
from the Hindu
==========================
Grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) season kicks off: A fish that spawns on the beach!
12 tips for watching the little fish run along Southern California beaches
“It’s a cool California thing,” said Jim Serpa, who for 20 years ran a grunion night at Doheny State Beach while he was supervising rangers, before retiring a few years ago.
The grunion season officially kicked off early March, and the next run is expected Saturday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 20.
So grab your flashlights, beach chairs and, if you don’t mind staying up late, get ready to watch them run.
Serpa offered tips on why they run, the best times to go, and interesting tidbits about the fascinating fish:
1. Why do grunions wash up on shore?They are mating. They have to mate at night, when the tide is at its highest around a full moon. They want to be on the sand so the eggs have a long time to incubate, Serpa said. They live off shore when they are not running — they just don’t come to shore unless it’s spring or summer.
Each female lays 2,000 to 3,000 eggs. They have a short life — only about five years max — and get to be about six inches long. The females bury themselves up to the fins, deposit their eggs and the males deposit the milt right there. When the wave comes by, the sand closes it up. The eggs stay buried in the sand for 10 to 14 days. The wave and surge jostling helps them hatch.
2. Find a beach they likeSome beaches, they don’t run on. It all depends on what’s underneath, if it’s good sand, Serpa said. They don’t like gravelly beaches. You might not see them in one spot, but a mile farther, they might be going like gangbusters. At Doheny, it’s rocky underneath but once you get on the beach, it’s sand. It’s perfect for them.
“When I was growing up, we always went to La Jolla. Any beach like that — Huntington, Crystal Cove and there’s a great beach up by the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro. Malibu would be a great beach for it,” he said. “You want a beach that is a real gradual, you don’t want a shore break beach where the waves drop and dump.” Serpa said they seem to like Doheny, perhaps because the jetty acts as a shelter. Cabrillo offers something similar.
3. Go early in the seasonThey always run really good in the early part of the season, in April and May, Serpa said. As we get further into the year, it’s more hit or miss.
April and May, however, is the closed part of the season — so it’s just for watching, no catching.
4. Don’t spook the scoutsTry and let them come up and start their full run before you start annoying them and shining bright lights on them. “I don’t know that there’s been any real scientific data on it, but what we noticed, they always run better if you start letting them run for a while,” Serpa said.
5. Know the tidesYou always want to go right before the peak of the high tide. They don’t run until that peak happens, Serpa said. If they do run before that, they have a chance of their eggs washing out.
“A lot of people, they see the run at midnight and say ‘let’s go at 10,'” Serpa said. “Kids are waiting and two hours later they haven’t run and they say, ‘let’s get out of here.'” The good time is the peak and the people just came too early. Timing is critical.
6. Watch the birds“We would go out an hour or two before the peak of the high tide,” Serpa said. “If the birds were lined on the beach waiting, that means the grunions were in the shallows and they are ready to run and (the birds) know it.”
7. Tips for takingYou’ll need a fishing license if you are 16 or older. And don’t take anything you won’t use. You can only take with your hands — no scooping devices. That allows for more grunion to go back and helps the resources to stay healthy, Serpa said.
8. Don’t get soakedKeep your eyes on the waves, Serpa warned. People get so absorbed with picking up the grunions, and then the wave comes and they get soaked.
9. Are they tasty?If you ask me, I’d say no, Serba said. “But plenty of people like them,” he said. “A lot of people fry them up, the whole thing. Other people gut them.”
10. Fishing is good during grunion runsLocal fishermen know that. There’s halibut during that time, Serpa said. He’s seen huge halibut taken off the beach during grunion run nights.
11. Are the waters sharkier during grunion runs?Nobody has done a study on that, Serpa said, but putting two and two together, it might be a good guess. “Juvenile sharks love grunion,” he said. “So offshore might be a place to see (sharks).”
12. What should we bring to a grunion run?A flashlight, chair so you can sit while you’re waiting, a bucket to put your grunion in and a fishing license if you are planning to take them. A jacket to stay warm is always a good idea.
For a full schedule of grunion runs, go to: wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/grunion
==========================
12 tips for watching the little fish run along Southern California beaches
- They flop and slip and make sweet love on the sand under the full moon’s light.
“It’s a cool California thing,” said Jim Serpa, who for 20 years ran a grunion night at Doheny State Beach while he was supervising rangers, before retiring a few years ago.
The grunion season officially kicked off early March, and the next run is expected Saturday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 20.
So grab your flashlights, beach chairs and, if you don’t mind staying up late, get ready to watch them run.
Serpa offered tips on why they run, the best times to go, and interesting tidbits about the fascinating fish:
1. Why do grunions wash up on shore?They are mating. They have to mate at night, when the tide is at its highest around a full moon. They want to be on the sand so the eggs have a long time to incubate, Serpa said. They live off shore when they are not running — they just don’t come to shore unless it’s spring or summer.
Each female lays 2,000 to 3,000 eggs. They have a short life — only about five years max — and get to be about six inches long. The females bury themselves up to the fins, deposit their eggs and the males deposit the milt right there. When the wave comes by, the sand closes it up. The eggs stay buried in the sand for 10 to 14 days. The wave and surge jostling helps them hatch.
2. Find a beach they likeSome beaches, they don’t run on. It all depends on what’s underneath, if it’s good sand, Serpa said. They don’t like gravelly beaches. You might not see them in one spot, but a mile farther, they might be going like gangbusters. At Doheny, it’s rocky underneath but once you get on the beach, it’s sand. It’s perfect for them.
“When I was growing up, we always went to La Jolla. Any beach like that — Huntington, Crystal Cove and there’s a great beach up by the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro. Malibu would be a great beach for it,” he said. “You want a beach that is a real gradual, you don’t want a shore break beach where the waves drop and dump.” Serpa said they seem to like Doheny, perhaps because the jetty acts as a shelter. Cabrillo offers something similar.
3. Go early in the seasonThey always run really good in the early part of the season, in April and May, Serpa said. As we get further into the year, it’s more hit or miss.
April and May, however, is the closed part of the season — so it’s just for watching, no catching.
4. Don’t spook the scoutsTry and let them come up and start their full run before you start annoying them and shining bright lights on them. “I don’t know that there’s been any real scientific data on it, but what we noticed, they always run better if you start letting them run for a while,” Serpa said.
5. Know the tidesYou always want to go right before the peak of the high tide. They don’t run until that peak happens, Serpa said. If they do run before that, they have a chance of their eggs washing out.
“A lot of people, they see the run at midnight and say ‘let’s go at 10,'” Serpa said. “Kids are waiting and two hours later they haven’t run and they say, ‘let’s get out of here.'” The good time is the peak and the people just came too early. Timing is critical.
6. Watch the birds“We would go out an hour or two before the peak of the high tide,” Serpa said. “If the birds were lined on the beach waiting, that means the grunions were in the shallows and they are ready to run and (the birds) know it.”
7. Tips for takingYou’ll need a fishing license if you are 16 or older. And don’t take anything you won’t use. You can only take with your hands — no scooping devices. That allows for more grunion to go back and helps the resources to stay healthy, Serpa said.
8. Don’t get soakedKeep your eyes on the waves, Serpa warned. People get so absorbed with picking up the grunions, and then the wave comes and they get soaked.
9. Are they tasty?If you ask me, I’d say no, Serba said. “But plenty of people like them,” he said. “A lot of people fry them up, the whole thing. Other people gut them.”
10. Fishing is good during grunion runsLocal fishermen know that. There’s halibut during that time, Serpa said. He’s seen huge halibut taken off the beach during grunion run nights.
11. Are the waters sharkier during grunion runs?Nobody has done a study on that, Serpa said, but putting two and two together, it might be a good guess. “Juvenile sharks love grunion,” he said. “So offshore might be a place to see (sharks).”
12. What should we bring to a grunion run?A flashlight, chair so you can sit while you’re waiting, a bucket to put your grunion in and a fishing license if you are planning to take them. A jacket to stay warm is always a good idea.
For a full schedule of grunion runs, go to: wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/grunion
==========================
The BCA Proudly Present
Our Spring Convention
Date: 6th May
Speakers
Adrian Indermaur
David Pool
Please support the BCA This event is for beginner to expert everyone welcome. Discounted rooms are available at the Oak Hotel, 8640, Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, Solihull, West Midlands , B94 5NW. £50 for a double or twin please mention you are attending the fish event on 6th may.
Tickets are available online with fast track entry please follow this link below to purchase yours today http://www.british-Cichlid.org.uk/…/product-…/event-tickets/
You can pay on the day but we are encouraging you to book your ticket in advance with the above link.
We will also be trailing a new format, no auction but Tropical fish and dry goods inc foods etc will be on sale from our usual sellers at unbelievable prices - see the fish and buy directly with the seller
If you are a seller please contact Darren Evans - treasurer@british-Cichlid.org.uk to book your table
Seller conditions
Table rental = £15.00 (Each vendor will receive 1 draw ticket for seller draw (3 none aquatic items).
Up to 2 people may share a table and both must be registered when booking.
Only fish and related aquarium items may be offered
All transactions are between buyers & sellers only
The BCA will not be responsible for any sales disputes.
Buyers
Door entry – £5.00 for BCA members and £10.00 Non members (this will include 12 months membership to the BCA valued at £5 per person. You will receive a free goodie bag on entry with products from our supporters and also a tub of vitalis food - which will more than cover your entry fee !
All delegates and vendors will be given a raffle ticket for the Door prize.
Door prize – (3 Main prizes).
Main Raffle prize – (12 items min)
Lectures
Lectures take place at – TBA -
Doors Open at 9.00am for setting up and sales start at 11.00 first lecture begins 10:00 am
Note to sellers
Once you have booked your table, you are free to advertise your items on the BCA web site forum, on the BCA face book group page, and any other pages where you have permission.
The BCA will not be responsible for advertising any sales items.
All fish being offered for sale must be adequately packages
Please feel free to share this post on other groups
Thank you
The BCA Committee
Alternatively you can join the British cichlid association on the day at the door for ONLY £5 For 1 YEAR.
Which entitles you to discounted entry to all Bca events for 1 year aswel as digital pdf copy's of ciclidae magazine which is only available at the British cichlid association
How The Day Plays Out ???
The days schedule will look something like this. but please be aware some parts may go on longer or shorter the times are just a guideline
9:00 to 10am - booking in of lots for sellers
10:00am first talk
12:00 Break for lunch - food available
13:00 Raffle and famous BCA Auction - rare cichlids from around the world
16:00 to 16:30 end of day
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/
==========================
Our Spring Convention
Date: 6th May
Speakers
Adrian Indermaur
David Pool
Please support the BCA This event is for beginner to expert everyone welcome. Discounted rooms are available at the Oak Hotel, 8640, Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, Solihull, West Midlands , B94 5NW. £50 for a double or twin please mention you are attending the fish event on 6th may.
Tickets are available online with fast track entry please follow this link below to purchase yours today http://www.british-Cichlid.org.uk/…/product-…/event-tickets/
You can pay on the day but we are encouraging you to book your ticket in advance with the above link.
We will also be trailing a new format, no auction but Tropical fish and dry goods inc foods etc will be on sale from our usual sellers at unbelievable prices - see the fish and buy directly with the seller
If you are a seller please contact Darren Evans - treasurer@british-Cichlid.org.uk to book your table
Seller conditions
Table rental = £15.00 (Each vendor will receive 1 draw ticket for seller draw (3 none aquatic items).
Up to 2 people may share a table and both must be registered when booking.
Only fish and related aquarium items may be offered
All transactions are between buyers & sellers only
The BCA will not be responsible for any sales disputes.
Buyers
Door entry – £5.00 for BCA members and £10.00 Non members (this will include 12 months membership to the BCA valued at £5 per person. You will receive a free goodie bag on entry with products from our supporters and also a tub of vitalis food - which will more than cover your entry fee !
All delegates and vendors will be given a raffle ticket for the Door prize.
Door prize – (3 Main prizes).
Main Raffle prize – (12 items min)
Lectures
Lectures take place at – TBA -
Doors Open at 9.00am for setting up and sales start at 11.00 first lecture begins 10:00 am
Note to sellers
Once you have booked your table, you are free to advertise your items on the BCA web site forum, on the BCA face book group page, and any other pages where you have permission.
The BCA will not be responsible for advertising any sales items.
All fish being offered for sale must be adequately packages
Please feel free to share this post on other groups
Thank you
The BCA Committee
Alternatively you can join the British cichlid association on the day at the door for ONLY £5 For 1 YEAR.
Which entitles you to discounted entry to all Bca events for 1 year aswel as digital pdf copy's of ciclidae magazine which is only available at the British cichlid association
How The Day Plays Out ???
The days schedule will look something like this. but please be aware some parts may go on longer or shorter the times are just a guideline
9:00 to 10am - booking in of lots for sellers
10:00am first talk
12:00 Break for lunch - food available
13:00 Raffle and famous BCA Auction - rare cichlids from around the world
16:00 to 16:30 end of day
http://www.british-cichlid.org.uk/wordpress/
==========================
Moapa coriacea
Moapa dace (Moapa coriacea ) population steady in new count of endangered fish
Nevada Deparment of Wildlife Hatchery Biologist Eric Laux opens a tank containing Moapa Dace fish at the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery in Las Vegas on Friday, March 17, 2017. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bleblancphoto
An August count placed the population of Moapa dace at 2,248, almost double the population from August 2012. The count suggests the endangered fish that lives in springs and streams 60 miles north of Las Vegas is on its way to recovery. (Las Vegas Review-Journal, File)
The latest count is in for Clark County’s most endangered fish, and the results are mixed.
While researchers were relieved to see the Moapa dace population holding steady at 1,138 adult fish, they would prefer some real improvement for a species that’s been under federal protection for just over 50 years.
“We’re not in a crisis mode where the species is declining,” said Michael Schwemm, senior fish biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Southern Nevada. “But we’re not happy with the status quo. We want to see things improve.”
He said researchers plan to step up efforts to restore habitat and eliminate nonnative predators in the warm springs and streams that form the headwaters of the Muddy River, 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
To arrive at the most recent population estimate, Schwemm and company put on snorkels and swim masks and crawled through several miles of shallow, warm-water streams, counting the fish one at a time. The survey was conducted over three days in late February by a team from the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which owns most of the fish’s natural habitat in northern Clark County.
This year’s number was close to the February 2017 count of 1,165, but the population remains well below the roughly 1,900 fish spotted during the February surveys in 2015 and 2016.
Even so, the dace is better off now than it was a decade ago, when its numbers suddenly plunged from 1,172 in 2007 to just 459 in 2008.
The sharp decline prompted the protectors of the endangered fish to add a second population survey each August and launch an aggressive campaign to rid the upper Muddy River of tilapia, a predatory, nonnative game fish.
With the tilapia now gone, Schwemm said the recovery team has turned its attention to other, smaller exotics such as mollies and mosquito fish that compete with — and in some cases feed on — Moapa dace.
In light of last month’s count, he said more traps will be deployed to thin the dace’s remaining competition.
The team also will continue working with the Mormon Church to improve fish habitat at a church-owned recreational retreat in the area, Schwemm said.
The finger-length fish with a black spot on its tail was added to the endangered species list in 1967. Its entire habitat is confined to the 116-acre Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge; some adjacent private land, including the LDS retreat; and the 1,218-acre tract the water authority bought for $69 million in 2007 and now maintains as the Warm Springs Natural Area.
The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nevada Department of Wildlife also maintain a back-up population in carefully maintained tanks at the state fish hatchery near Lake Mead.
The current recovery plan for the Moapa dace calls for the species to remain under federal protection until at least 75 percent of its habitat has been secured and its population in the wild reaches 6,000.
Contact Henry Brean at hbrean @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @RefriedBrean on Twitter.
Nevada Deparment of Wildlife Hatchery Biologist Eric Laux opens a tank containing Moapa Dace fish at the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery in Las Vegas on Friday, March 17, 2017. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bleblancphoto
An August count placed the population of Moapa dace at 2,248, almost double the population from August 2012. The count suggests the endangered fish that lives in springs and streams 60 miles north of Las Vegas is on its way to recovery. (Las Vegas Review-Journal, File)
The latest count is in for Clark County’s most endangered fish, and the results are mixed.
While researchers were relieved to see the Moapa dace population holding steady at 1,138 adult fish, they would prefer some real improvement for a species that’s been under federal protection for just over 50 years.
“We’re not in a crisis mode where the species is declining,” said Michael Schwemm, senior fish biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Southern Nevada. “But we’re not happy with the status quo. We want to see things improve.”
He said researchers plan to step up efforts to restore habitat and eliminate nonnative predators in the warm springs and streams that form the headwaters of the Muddy River, 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
To arrive at the most recent population estimate, Schwemm and company put on snorkels and swim masks and crawled through several miles of shallow, warm-water streams, counting the fish one at a time. The survey was conducted over three days in late February by a team from the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which owns most of the fish’s natural habitat in northern Clark County.
This year’s number was close to the February 2017 count of 1,165, but the population remains well below the roughly 1,900 fish spotted during the February surveys in 2015 and 2016.
Even so, the dace is better off now than it was a decade ago, when its numbers suddenly plunged from 1,172 in 2007 to just 459 in 2008.
The sharp decline prompted the protectors of the endangered fish to add a second population survey each August and launch an aggressive campaign to rid the upper Muddy River of tilapia, a predatory, nonnative game fish.
With the tilapia now gone, Schwemm said the recovery team has turned its attention to other, smaller exotics such as mollies and mosquito fish that compete with — and in some cases feed on — Moapa dace.
In light of last month’s count, he said more traps will be deployed to thin the dace’s remaining competition.
The team also will continue working with the Mormon Church to improve fish habitat at a church-owned recreational retreat in the area, Schwemm said.
The finger-length fish with a black spot on its tail was added to the endangered species list in 1967. Its entire habitat is confined to the 116-acre Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge; some adjacent private land, including the LDS retreat; and the 1,218-acre tract the water authority bought for $69 million in 2007 and now maintains as the Warm Springs Natural Area.
The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nevada Department of Wildlife also maintain a back-up population in carefully maintained tanks at the state fish hatchery near Lake Mead.
The current recovery plan for the Moapa dace calls for the species to remain under federal protection until at least 75 percent of its habitat has been secured and its population in the wild reaches 6,000.
Contact Henry Brean at hbrean @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @RefriedBrean on Twitter.
==========================
Hybognathus amarus
Rio Grande
An Endangered Fish Out of WaterBY BUD RUSSO – MARCH 13, 2018
A unique hatchery program is keeping the Rio Grande’s silvery minnow alive. But the long-term fate of this tiny fish is uncertain.When irrigation was introduced to New Mexico, principally by the Spanish four centuries ago, the Rio Grande began its long decline from a wild, free-flowing river to a channeled ditch delivering water from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico nearly 1,900 miles away. Dam and water diversion projects built by conservation district personnel, the US Army Corp of Engineers, and the Bureau of Land Management, which manage the river, have inadvertently endangered a number of species—among them, the diminutive Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus).
The minnow survives only in about 5 percent of its historic range, in a 174-mile stretch of the middle Rio Grande (pictured above), often called the Albuquerque stretch, which also happens to be the most densely populated region of New Mexico.
The two-inch silvery minnow once occupied 2,400 miles of the Rio Grande and the Peco River, one of its major tributaries. Now the minnow survives only in about 5 percent of its historic range, between the Cochiti Dam in the north and the headwaters of Elephant Butte Reservoir — a 174-mile stretch of the middle Rio Grande, often called the Albuquerque stretch, which also happens to be the most densely populated region of New Mexico where more than half of its citizens live.
The silvery minnow was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1994, around the time when this stretch of the river began to regularly dry each summer when farmers diverted the water for irrigation into canals and ditches and onto alfalfa fields and pecan orchards, leaving the fish out of water. The plight of the minnow set off a legal battle between irrigators represented by the Middle Rio Grande Conservation District and environmental groups attempting to preserve habitat for the fish.
There is a growing understanding that like the proverbial canary in the coal mine,the silvery minnow
in the Rio Grande is not only a bellwether of the health of the river and its ecosystem, its fate
is also a harbinger of what people might face as as our freshwater sources become more scarce.
Nine years later, in 2003 the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued its biological opinion, which basically stated that water mangers would have to keep a small amount of water moving in the Albuquerque stretch of the Rio Grande so that it doesn’t dry in the summer heat.
Farmers and ranchers once considered themselves the principal stakeholders of the Rio Grande. But attitudes evolved, especially with the growth of urban centers inhabited by educated professionals who consider the river to have intrinsic value beyond its so-called beneficial uses for humans. There is a growing understanding that like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, the silvery minnow in the Rio Grande is not only a bellwether of the health of the river and its ecosystem, its fate is also a harbinger of what people might face in the future as our freshwater sources become more and more scarce.
Like many Western rivers, the Rio Grande's natural flow is highly variable, sometimes flooding, other times leaving a dry riverbed. “While species have adapted and even prospered in highly variable streams, human water supply demand lacks this flexibility,” writes attorney Charles DuMars in his essay, "The Middle Rio Grande Minnow Wars" in the 2012 book One Hundred Years of Water Wars in New Mexico. “Water flowing past a city or farm in April is of no value to that entity in July. Balancing flows may make for reliable human supply, but it directly affects the viability of species relying on historic variation.”
Environmental groups, such as Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, WildEarth Guardians, and Southwest Environmental Center argued, the silvery minnow's survival would require a more natural state of water flow. As DuMars put it, however, every drop taken for the minnow meant a reduction in water for irrigators and consumers because the Middle Rio Grande is a fully appropriated stream.
The outcome of the contentious litigation was favorable not only to the fish but to the river itself — and did not appreciably impact farmers and consumers. In summary, a certain amount of water was allowed to flow year around. Meanwhile, the Middle Grande River Conservation District adopted stricter conservation measures and municipal water utilities repaired city water pipes (therefore lessening waste). Both stakeholders pumped aquifers that didn't affect river volume to make up for losses. Moreover, levies were moved farther back from the riverbed, allowing the river to form braided streams. Cottonwoods and other riparian plants were allowed to grow more densely, providing shade and food for fish.
These measures helped somewhat, and the silvery minnow has survived thus far, but its population has not appreciably prospered; the remaining Rio Grande habitat is just too small for the fish to flourish on their own. Enter, the Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium, established by the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission at Los Lunas, 25 miles south of Albuquerque.
Photo by Bud RussoSerpentine flow through the Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium mimics the natural flow of the Rio Grandé. Overhead cables prevent predation by herons, hawks, and other birds.
“The refugium is a fish hatchery,” says Dr. Alison Hutson,environmental scientist and assistant manager, “but unlike any hatchery you’ve ever seen.”
In its park-like setting, the refugium features a 458-foot-long serpentine concrete channel, ponds, shelves, backwaters, and a floodplain that, taken together, simulate the flow of the Rio Grande. Landscaped with native plants growing on the river’s banks, the project was designed and constructed at a cost of $1.7 million to spawn and propagate the endangered silvery minnow.
“The refugium was required by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2003 Biological Opinion,” manager Douglas Tave explains, but “the term 'refugium' was not defined. It was kind of an invented word, and no one knew what it entailed.”
Traditional hatcheries coddle brood stock in aquaria and tanks until females lay eggs and maintain the environment until eggs hatch. Fry are then raised until they reach a prescribed length and weight before being released into lakes and streams. In most cases, fry are not there very long before commercial and recreational fishermen and fisherwomen pull them out of the water.
“What we’re doing is conservation aquaculture,” Tave continues, noting that preserving an endangered species requires a different tack. Hutson adds, “We’re trying to put a farmed animal into the wild, and we asked if there’s a better way of doing this. The refugium allows us to produce fish that are more wild so when they’re stocked in the river, the species has a better chance of recovering.”
Because the Rio Grande is fully appropriated for beneficial use, scientists had to apply to the Office of the State Engineer to acquire rights for the nearly 161,000 gallons of river water that flows through and is recycled at the refugium. The only “new” water added is that which replaces river water lost to evaporation.
But the refugium is much more than just water modeling the Rio Grande. As Hutson emphasized, the goal of the project is to raise wild fish. In this replication of the silvery minnow's natural habitat, the minnows are allowed to fend for themselves. Staff members add fertilizer to water at the exit sump, where it can blend in thoroughly as the water is recirculated back to the inlet. The fertilizer facilitates growth of freshwater algae, diatoms, zooplankton, and animals that cling to plants. These life forms constitute the primary food source for the minnows, which are left to their own devices to forage.
Fry are introduced to the refugium in May. The exact number of fry varies, as does their age and size — all factors which contribute to their survivability. The older and larger the fry, the more likely fish will survive until the harvest in October.
“Hopefully, the refugium will enable the fish to develop wild-type behaviors and will also prevent the development of maladaptive hatchery-induced behaviors,” Tave and Hutson wrote in a paper for World Aquaculture.
At the end of the season, sand bags and other obstacles are removed and the refugium is seined. Staff members capture and tag every minnow with a unique tattoo, and measure and weigh a subsample to determine average length and weight. The fish are held temporarily in tanks until Fish and Wildlife staff transport them to stock the Middle Rio Grande and an experimental stretch of the river near Big Bend, Texas.
Photo by Bud RussoDr. Alison Hutson explains the conservation aquaculture principles used at the facility. Tanks of fry are allowed to grow to preferred size and weight before being introduced to the refugium.
The refugium is, however, a stopgap measure to keep this short-lived fish from becoming extinct. Without it and the relocation program, the minnow would have probably vanished by now. And even now, its fate hangs on balance. As USFWS biologist Thomas Archdeacon told Water Deeplylast year: "Basically two bad years in a row will essentially wipe it out, and we'll be relying almost entirely on that hatchery safety net."
Yet, in 2016, after 15 years of requiring water managers to keep at least 100 cubic feet per second of water in the Albuquerque stretch of the river, USFWS issued another biological opinion that basically said that water management operations on the Rio Grande were no longer jeopardizing the silvery minnow and stopped requiring flow minimums.
According to David Campbell, the USFWS branch chief who oversees the river recovery project, “Now there are no flow requirements at all.” Instead the new biological opinion calls for water managers — the US Bureau of Reclamation and its partners — to manage the river in other ways, such a building fish passages around dams. Campbell also explains, if the river dries, surviving silvery minnows can be rescued from puddles and, if fish densities are too low, they will continue to be supplemented with fish raised in the refugium, without which this rare fish inevitably will become extinct.
Only by managing the Rio Grande as the complex, integrated ecosystem that it is, and not viewing it simply as a water-delivery ditch; only by considering the river as a legal entity — just like the farmer, industrialist, and consumer — will the silvery minnow, and other wildlife that depend on it, like the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, the yellow-billed cuckoo, and even the iconic cottonwoods, have a chance survive.
Comment
The Monteray Platy (Xiphophorus couchianus) was once reported from the Rio Grande but now is on the red list as endagered
==========================
A unique hatchery program is keeping the Rio Grande’s silvery minnow alive. But the long-term fate of this tiny fish is uncertain.When irrigation was introduced to New Mexico, principally by the Spanish four centuries ago, the Rio Grande began its long decline from a wild, free-flowing river to a channeled ditch delivering water from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico nearly 1,900 miles away. Dam and water diversion projects built by conservation district personnel, the US Army Corp of Engineers, and the Bureau of Land Management, which manage the river, have inadvertently endangered a number of species—among them, the diminutive Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus).
The minnow survives only in about 5 percent of its historic range, in a 174-mile stretch of the middle Rio Grande (pictured above), often called the Albuquerque stretch, which also happens to be the most densely populated region of New Mexico.
The two-inch silvery minnow once occupied 2,400 miles of the Rio Grande and the Peco River, one of its major tributaries. Now the minnow survives only in about 5 percent of its historic range, between the Cochiti Dam in the north and the headwaters of Elephant Butte Reservoir — a 174-mile stretch of the middle Rio Grande, often called the Albuquerque stretch, which also happens to be the most densely populated region of New Mexico where more than half of its citizens live.
The silvery minnow was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1994, around the time when this stretch of the river began to regularly dry each summer when farmers diverted the water for irrigation into canals and ditches and onto alfalfa fields and pecan orchards, leaving the fish out of water. The plight of the minnow set off a legal battle between irrigators represented by the Middle Rio Grande Conservation District and environmental groups attempting to preserve habitat for the fish.
There is a growing understanding that like the proverbial canary in the coal mine,the silvery minnow
in the Rio Grande is not only a bellwether of the health of the river and its ecosystem, its fate
is also a harbinger of what people might face as as our freshwater sources become more scarce.
Nine years later, in 2003 the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued its biological opinion, which basically stated that water mangers would have to keep a small amount of water moving in the Albuquerque stretch of the Rio Grande so that it doesn’t dry in the summer heat.
Farmers and ranchers once considered themselves the principal stakeholders of the Rio Grande. But attitudes evolved, especially with the growth of urban centers inhabited by educated professionals who consider the river to have intrinsic value beyond its so-called beneficial uses for humans. There is a growing understanding that like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, the silvery minnow in the Rio Grande is not only a bellwether of the health of the river and its ecosystem, its fate is also a harbinger of what people might face in the future as our freshwater sources become more and more scarce.
Like many Western rivers, the Rio Grande's natural flow is highly variable, sometimes flooding, other times leaving a dry riverbed. “While species have adapted and even prospered in highly variable streams, human water supply demand lacks this flexibility,” writes attorney Charles DuMars in his essay, "The Middle Rio Grande Minnow Wars" in the 2012 book One Hundred Years of Water Wars in New Mexico. “Water flowing past a city or farm in April is of no value to that entity in July. Balancing flows may make for reliable human supply, but it directly affects the viability of species relying on historic variation.”
Environmental groups, such as Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, WildEarth Guardians, and Southwest Environmental Center argued, the silvery minnow's survival would require a more natural state of water flow. As DuMars put it, however, every drop taken for the minnow meant a reduction in water for irrigators and consumers because the Middle Rio Grande is a fully appropriated stream.
The outcome of the contentious litigation was favorable not only to the fish but to the river itself — and did not appreciably impact farmers and consumers. In summary, a certain amount of water was allowed to flow year around. Meanwhile, the Middle Grande River Conservation District adopted stricter conservation measures and municipal water utilities repaired city water pipes (therefore lessening waste). Both stakeholders pumped aquifers that didn't affect river volume to make up for losses. Moreover, levies were moved farther back from the riverbed, allowing the river to form braided streams. Cottonwoods and other riparian plants were allowed to grow more densely, providing shade and food for fish.
These measures helped somewhat, and the silvery minnow has survived thus far, but its population has not appreciably prospered; the remaining Rio Grande habitat is just too small for the fish to flourish on their own. Enter, the Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium, established by the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission at Los Lunas, 25 miles south of Albuquerque.
Photo by Bud RussoSerpentine flow through the Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium mimics the natural flow of the Rio Grandé. Overhead cables prevent predation by herons, hawks, and other birds.
“The refugium is a fish hatchery,” says Dr. Alison Hutson,environmental scientist and assistant manager, “but unlike any hatchery you’ve ever seen.”
In its park-like setting, the refugium features a 458-foot-long serpentine concrete channel, ponds, shelves, backwaters, and a floodplain that, taken together, simulate the flow of the Rio Grande. Landscaped with native plants growing on the river’s banks, the project was designed and constructed at a cost of $1.7 million to spawn and propagate the endangered silvery minnow.
“The refugium was required by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2003 Biological Opinion,” manager Douglas Tave explains, but “the term 'refugium' was not defined. It was kind of an invented word, and no one knew what it entailed.”
Traditional hatcheries coddle brood stock in aquaria and tanks until females lay eggs and maintain the environment until eggs hatch. Fry are then raised until they reach a prescribed length and weight before being released into lakes and streams. In most cases, fry are not there very long before commercial and recreational fishermen and fisherwomen pull them out of the water.
“What we’re doing is conservation aquaculture,” Tave continues, noting that preserving an endangered species requires a different tack. Hutson adds, “We’re trying to put a farmed animal into the wild, and we asked if there’s a better way of doing this. The refugium allows us to produce fish that are more wild so when they’re stocked in the river, the species has a better chance of recovering.”
Because the Rio Grande is fully appropriated for beneficial use, scientists had to apply to the Office of the State Engineer to acquire rights for the nearly 161,000 gallons of river water that flows through and is recycled at the refugium. The only “new” water added is that which replaces river water lost to evaporation.
But the refugium is much more than just water modeling the Rio Grande. As Hutson emphasized, the goal of the project is to raise wild fish. In this replication of the silvery minnow's natural habitat, the minnows are allowed to fend for themselves. Staff members add fertilizer to water at the exit sump, where it can blend in thoroughly as the water is recirculated back to the inlet. The fertilizer facilitates growth of freshwater algae, diatoms, zooplankton, and animals that cling to plants. These life forms constitute the primary food source for the minnows, which are left to their own devices to forage.
Fry are introduced to the refugium in May. The exact number of fry varies, as does their age and size — all factors which contribute to their survivability. The older and larger the fry, the more likely fish will survive until the harvest in October.
“Hopefully, the refugium will enable the fish to develop wild-type behaviors and will also prevent the development of maladaptive hatchery-induced behaviors,” Tave and Hutson wrote in a paper for World Aquaculture.
At the end of the season, sand bags and other obstacles are removed and the refugium is seined. Staff members capture and tag every minnow with a unique tattoo, and measure and weigh a subsample to determine average length and weight. The fish are held temporarily in tanks until Fish and Wildlife staff transport them to stock the Middle Rio Grande and an experimental stretch of the river near Big Bend, Texas.
Photo by Bud RussoDr. Alison Hutson explains the conservation aquaculture principles used at the facility. Tanks of fry are allowed to grow to preferred size and weight before being introduced to the refugium.
The refugium is, however, a stopgap measure to keep this short-lived fish from becoming extinct. Without it and the relocation program, the minnow would have probably vanished by now. And even now, its fate hangs on balance. As USFWS biologist Thomas Archdeacon told Water Deeplylast year: "Basically two bad years in a row will essentially wipe it out, and we'll be relying almost entirely on that hatchery safety net."
Yet, in 2016, after 15 years of requiring water managers to keep at least 100 cubic feet per second of water in the Albuquerque stretch of the river, USFWS issued another biological opinion that basically said that water management operations on the Rio Grande were no longer jeopardizing the silvery minnow and stopped requiring flow minimums.
According to David Campbell, the USFWS branch chief who oversees the river recovery project, “Now there are no flow requirements at all.” Instead the new biological opinion calls for water managers — the US Bureau of Reclamation and its partners — to manage the river in other ways, such a building fish passages around dams. Campbell also explains, if the river dries, surviving silvery minnows can be rescued from puddles and, if fish densities are too low, they will continue to be supplemented with fish raised in the refugium, without which this rare fish inevitably will become extinct.
Only by managing the Rio Grande as the complex, integrated ecosystem that it is, and not viewing it simply as a water-delivery ditch; only by considering the river as a legal entity — just like the farmer, industrialist, and consumer — will the silvery minnow, and other wildlife that depend on it, like the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, the yellow-billed cuckoo, and even the iconic cottonwoods, have a chance survive.
Comment
The Monteray Platy (Xiphophorus couchianus) was once reported from the Rio Grande but now is on the red list as endagered
==========================
Palytoxin Nearly Killed my Family and Pets!
GUEST WRITER
32A traumatic event happened at my house this week. My family and pets became very sick and in the dogs case, near death. A chain of events lead to my house being filled with aerosolized Palytoxin.
This week’s event in our house changed my life. In one way I am thankful that my family and dogs are still alive, but the event has left a permanent mark psychologically. The guilt I have been feeling is a heavy weight on my shoulders. As I am writing this I listen to every breath my family takes, and am watching my dogs like hawks.
The anxiety of it all is very consuming even though I have done everything I can to make sure our house is safe (Bleach, Ozone, Hepa, UV treatments) I am writing this in hopes that what happened to me and my family doesn’t ever happen again.
Here is the chain of events and a bit of background. For a year I have been gathering parts here and there when I had the money to build a softy reef tank for my 9 Year old daughter who loves everything reef. One of the items I bought is some “Dried” rock from a guy that had broken down his tank several years ago.
He was not a serious reefer, but had a bunch of items he was getting rid of. The rock was in sealed containers, but I believe he had some zoas or palys on the rocks when he pulled it out of his tank, and the coral died leaving toxins. With that being said we started plumbing the tank and getting the ‘scaping done on Monday.
READ Reefing hobby makes it to Washington Post with warning of coral toxinsThe tank looked great! Tuesday morning I started filling the tank with RODI, and tested the plumbing. All was looking good by mid afternoon, so I started dumping salt into the tank. Most of the salt was an anhydrous salt mix (no, I am not going to name a manufacture). As you may or may not know anhydrous salt reacts with water
and gets very hot.
The salt was covering the rock as I spread it out all over the place. I truly believe this was when the Palytoxin got literally cooked off the rock. With the tank running, I
went about my day. Later that day I started getting a scratchy throat. Figured I had a cold coming on, but I tend to ignore and push through when there is work to be done.
That same afternoon my wife, who is an asthmatic, had a pretty severe attack. Neither of us could figure out why, because there was no normal “triggers” present in the house. She medicated herself and a few hours later was feeling much better. We were out of the house most of Wednesday and besides a cough here and there, we were not having any issues.
Wednesday night my son started coughing pretty heavily, and again I am just thinking “great the whole family is getting a cold” Here is when things took a turn for the worse in a hurry. Thursday morning I get my kids into their schoolwork (we home school), and I look at the tank and it looks slightly yellow, so I decide to start the protein skimmer to see if I can get out some of the organics.
READ Minimix Of Aquatic Art's Zoanthid Collection!Within several hours of starting the protein skimmer, my kids and I coughs were getting progressively worse. To the point I told them to stop schoolwork. I go up stairs and my wife is starting yet another massive asthma attack (or at least I thought it was). At this point I am shaking my head wondering what’s going on, and then I see that my older labrador is struggling to breath.
I immediately tossed the red flag and evacuated everyone to the back yard. It was at this time my 7 month old lab puppy came up to us drooling and shivering. It was time for 911. The emergency crews came to my house, and examined all of us. My kids and I were treated and released, but my wife was taken to a local ER due to her pain and labored breathing.
I rushed my dogs to the local vet where they were put in oxygen chambers and given fluids. Everyone including the dogs had blood draws and toxin screens. All came back clear of normal toxins. Mind you they do not understand nor do they test for Palytoxins!
My house was heavily scrutinized by emergency services with ZERO detectable toxins. Again this is just not a normal thing you can scan for. Everyone is just shaking their heads trying to figure out what just happened to this family. After some brain storming with some friends, a little Google, and some calls to people I know in the field, we finally figured out what happened.
Microbubbles in the tank or from a protein skimmer can ‘aerosolize’ toxins from an aquarium, making them airborne.My family is not the first to fall victim to this as you can do a Google search and read other stories like mine where families and pets nearly died, and in some cases the pets did die. What lessons did I learn from this? Never ever trust any rock you get. Always sanitize rock before use!
Bleach and then cook Sanitize the rock outside your home (or buy clean dry rock to start with). ALWAYS wear protective gear when handling rock or corals. Even dry rock! Will this stop me from reefing? No way! I love it too much to let a freak accident stop me from a hobby I love.
The danger and potency of toxins from Palythoa can NOT be overstated!With that being said however, I do sincerely hope that this story is shared everywhere so this doesn’t happen again to anyone. Right now I need to get back to building our life back up. We all still have some left over affects of the toxins, but are improving every day. My first project is to cheer my daughter up who is really sad.
While she knows that there was little choice at the time to break down her tank (she has been very sweet to cheer me up from my guilt), she knows she will have to wait a long time to get her tank running again because after the ER bill, $1000 vet bill, and clean up costs, buying rock and sand just isn’t in the cards.
READ Reefing hobby makes it to Washington Post with warning of coral toxins(We threw out everything and bleached the tank in the haste of getting our house back).
Happy and Safe Reefing!
The following true story is an account of how one reefer, Mark Strachan, learned the hard way that Paythoa ain’t nothing to mess with! Please use caution and protection when handling used rock and living or dead zoanthids of any kind.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
GUEST WRITER
32A traumatic event happened at my house this week. My family and pets became very sick and in the dogs case, near death. A chain of events lead to my house being filled with aerosolized Palytoxin.
This week’s event in our house changed my life. In one way I am thankful that my family and dogs are still alive, but the event has left a permanent mark psychologically. The guilt I have been feeling is a heavy weight on my shoulders. As I am writing this I listen to every breath my family takes, and am watching my dogs like hawks.
The anxiety of it all is very consuming even though I have done everything I can to make sure our house is safe (Bleach, Ozone, Hepa, UV treatments) I am writing this in hopes that what happened to me and my family doesn’t ever happen again.
Here is the chain of events and a bit of background. For a year I have been gathering parts here and there when I had the money to build a softy reef tank for my 9 Year old daughter who loves everything reef. One of the items I bought is some “Dried” rock from a guy that had broken down his tank several years ago.
He was not a serious reefer, but had a bunch of items he was getting rid of. The rock was in sealed containers, but I believe he had some zoas or palys on the rocks when he pulled it out of his tank, and the coral died leaving toxins. With that being said we started plumbing the tank and getting the ‘scaping done on Monday.
READ Reefing hobby makes it to Washington Post with warning of coral toxinsThe tank looked great! Tuesday morning I started filling the tank with RODI, and tested the plumbing. All was looking good by mid afternoon, so I started dumping salt into the tank. Most of the salt was an anhydrous salt mix (no, I am not going to name a manufacture). As you may or may not know anhydrous salt reacts with water
and gets very hot.
The salt was covering the rock as I spread it out all over the place. I truly believe this was when the Palytoxin got literally cooked off the rock. With the tank running, I
went about my day. Later that day I started getting a scratchy throat. Figured I had a cold coming on, but I tend to ignore and push through when there is work to be done.
That same afternoon my wife, who is an asthmatic, had a pretty severe attack. Neither of us could figure out why, because there was no normal “triggers” present in the house. She medicated herself and a few hours later was feeling much better. We were out of the house most of Wednesday and besides a cough here and there, we were not having any issues.
Wednesday night my son started coughing pretty heavily, and again I am just thinking “great the whole family is getting a cold” Here is when things took a turn for the worse in a hurry. Thursday morning I get my kids into their schoolwork (we home school), and I look at the tank and it looks slightly yellow, so I decide to start the protein skimmer to see if I can get out some of the organics.
READ Minimix Of Aquatic Art's Zoanthid Collection!Within several hours of starting the protein skimmer, my kids and I coughs were getting progressively worse. To the point I told them to stop schoolwork. I go up stairs and my wife is starting yet another massive asthma attack (or at least I thought it was). At this point I am shaking my head wondering what’s going on, and then I see that my older labrador is struggling to breath.
I immediately tossed the red flag and evacuated everyone to the back yard. It was at this time my 7 month old lab puppy came up to us drooling and shivering. It was time for 911. The emergency crews came to my house, and examined all of us. My kids and I were treated and released, but my wife was taken to a local ER due to her pain and labored breathing.
I rushed my dogs to the local vet where they were put in oxygen chambers and given fluids. Everyone including the dogs had blood draws and toxin screens. All came back clear of normal toxins. Mind you they do not understand nor do they test for Palytoxins!
My house was heavily scrutinized by emergency services with ZERO detectable toxins. Again this is just not a normal thing you can scan for. Everyone is just shaking their heads trying to figure out what just happened to this family. After some brain storming with some friends, a little Google, and some calls to people I know in the field, we finally figured out what happened.
- Palytoxins were present on the rocks that I installed in the tank.
- Rehydration and heat from anhydrous salt likely activated the toxin.
- Protein skimmer emitting large amounts of micro bubbles into the tank aerosolized the Palytoxins into the air.
Microbubbles in the tank or from a protein skimmer can ‘aerosolize’ toxins from an aquarium, making them airborne.My family is not the first to fall victim to this as you can do a Google search and read other stories like mine where families and pets nearly died, and in some cases the pets did die. What lessons did I learn from this? Never ever trust any rock you get. Always sanitize rock before use!
Bleach and then cook Sanitize the rock outside your home (or buy clean dry rock to start with). ALWAYS wear protective gear when handling rock or corals. Even dry rock! Will this stop me from reefing? No way! I love it too much to let a freak accident stop me from a hobby I love.
The danger and potency of toxins from Palythoa can NOT be overstated!With that being said however, I do sincerely hope that this story is shared everywhere so this doesn’t happen again to anyone. Right now I need to get back to building our life back up. We all still have some left over affects of the toxins, but are improving every day. My first project is to cheer my daughter up who is really sad.
While she knows that there was little choice at the time to break down her tank (she has been very sweet to cheer me up from my guilt), she knows she will have to wait a long time to get her tank running again because after the ER bill, $1000 vet bill, and clean up costs, buying rock and sand just isn’t in the cards.
READ Reefing hobby makes it to Washington Post with warning of coral toxins(We threw out everything and bleached the tank in the haste of getting our house back).
Happy and Safe Reefing!
The following true story is an account of how one reefer, Mark Strachan, learned the hard way that Paythoa ain’t nothing to mess with! Please use caution and protection when handling used rock and living or dead zoanthids of any kind.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
Incredible Xanthic Eibl’s Angelfish Appears in Hong Kong
Pygmy angelfish are very popular marine aquarium fish because they pack a lot of personality and color into a very manageable size. But another thing that we can sometimes enjoy in the dwarf Centropyge genus is some really wildly aberrant specimens such as this xanthic Eibl’s angelfish, Centropyge eibli.
Eibl’s angelfish don’t usually show so little melanin in the body, or so much on the tail, so it’s a curiosity how both extremes can be observed in a single fish.This sexy individual of Eibl’s angelfish was shown off by East Marine HK in Hong Kong, the same dealer which shared a crazy-colored ‘Blue Skeleton’ Majestic angelfish last year. However while this extreme color pattern is quite rare for pygmy angelfish, it’s not a ‘true’ xanthism with a genetic component.
A similarly pale colored eibl’s angelfish collected last year which turned back to normal coloration within a matter of a few weeks. We’ve seen xanthic specimens of a number of Centropyge species and nine times out of ten, the fish begins to darken up the moment that it’s removed from the ocean. No one really knows what causes this extreme, semi-permanent coloration – some have linked it to seasonal spawning coloration – but unfortunately this brilliant color almost never persists.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
Pygmy angelfish are very popular marine aquarium fish because they pack a lot of personality and color into a very manageable size. But another thing that we can sometimes enjoy in the dwarf Centropyge genus is some really wildly aberrant specimens such as this xanthic Eibl’s angelfish, Centropyge eibli.
Eibl’s angelfish don’t usually show so little melanin in the body, or so much on the tail, so it’s a curiosity how both extremes can be observed in a single fish.This sexy individual of Eibl’s angelfish was shown off by East Marine HK in Hong Kong, the same dealer which shared a crazy-colored ‘Blue Skeleton’ Majestic angelfish last year. However while this extreme color pattern is quite rare for pygmy angelfish, it’s not a ‘true’ xanthism with a genetic component.
A similarly pale colored eibl’s angelfish collected last year which turned back to normal coloration within a matter of a few weeks. We’ve seen xanthic specimens of a number of Centropyge species and nine times out of ten, the fish begins to darken up the moment that it’s removed from the ocean. No one really knows what causes this extreme, semi-permanent coloration – some have linked it to seasonal spawning coloration – but unfortunately this brilliant color almost never persists.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
Ostichthys alamai
Ostichthys alamai, a New Species of Highfin Soldierfish from Japan
Soldierfish and Squirrelfish are not the most common fish seen in reef tanks but they should be as they don’t touch coral at all. Ostichthys alamai is a new member of this group, more specifically a recently described species of ‘highfin soldierfish’ from Japan.
Although the basic appearance of these fish is mostly red, the variation of fin shape and color and degree of bony scaling varies a lot. Ostichthys alamai is among the most bony group but not quite as protected as the pineapple fish.
Ostichthys alamai has the highest dorsal spines of any species in the highfin soldierfish complex but the body color is still a basic red being more white along the ventral area, and a white spot on each scale. For examples of more ‘compelling’ soldierfish definitely check out our articles on the crosseye soldierfish and the bright white blacktip soldierfish.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
Soldierfish and Squirrelfish are not the most common fish seen in reef tanks but they should be as they don’t touch coral at all. Ostichthys alamai is a new member of this group, more specifically a recently described species of ‘highfin soldierfish’ from Japan.
Although the basic appearance of these fish is mostly red, the variation of fin shape and color and degree of bony scaling varies a lot. Ostichthys alamai is among the most bony group but not quite as protected as the pineapple fish.
Ostichthys alamai has the highest dorsal spines of any species in the highfin soldierfish complex but the body color is still a basic red being more white along the ventral area, and a white spot on each scale. For examples of more ‘compelling’ soldierfish definitely check out our articles on the crosseye soldierfish and the bright white blacktip soldierfish.
from ReefBuilders
==========================
Lachnolaimus maximus
Hogfish Can ‘See’ with Its Skin
Researchers have long suspected that colour-changing animals like hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) don’t just rely on their eyes to tune their appearance to their surroundings — they also sense light with their skin; but exactly how ‘skin vision’ works remains a mystery. Now, a new genetic analysis of the hogfish reveals evidence to explain how they do it. Published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A, the results suggest that light-sensing evolved separately in two tissues.
The hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). Image credit: Brian Gratwicke / CC BY 2.0.
The hogfish is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean. It is present in the Caribbean and north to Bermuda and the Carolinas and extends southwards to the northern region of the Brazilian Coast.
The species is found on coral reefs at 10-131 feet (3-40 m) depth, especially sandy outer reef slopes. Juveniles are most common in shallow seagrass, and inshore reef habitats.
The hogfish can make its skin whitish to blend in with the sandy bottom of the ocean floor and hide from predators or ambush prey. Or it can take on a bright, contrasting pattern to look threatening or attract a mate.
The key to these makeovers are special pigment-containing cells called chromatophores, which, when activated by light, can spread their pigments out or bunch them up to change the skin’s overall color or pattern.
“With ‘dermal photoreception,’ as it is called, the skin doesn’t enable animals to perceive details like they do with their eyes,” said study lead author Dr. Lori Schweikert, a postdoctoral scientist at Duke University.
“But it may be sensitive to changes in brightness or wavelength, such as moving shadows cast by approaching predators, or light fluctuations associated with different times of day.”
Dr. Schweikert and co-authors, Duke University’s Professor Sönke Johnsen and Dr. Bob Fitak, took pieces of skin and retina from a single female hogfish caught off the Florida Keys and analyzed all of its gene readouts, or RNA transcripts, to see which genes were switched on in each tissue.
Previous studies of other color-changing animals including octopuses and cuttlefish suggest the same molecular pathway that detects light in eyes may have been co-opted to sense light in the skin. But the study authors found that hogfish skin works differently.
Almost none of the genes involved in light detection in the hogfish’s eyes were activated in the skin. Instead, the data suggest that hogfish skin relies on an alternative molecular pathway to sense light, a chain reaction involving a molecule called cyclic AMP.
“Just how the hogfish’s ‘skin vision’ supplements input from the eyes to monitor light in their surroundings and bring about a color change remains unclear,” Dr. Schweikert said.
“Light-sensing skin could provide information about conditions beyond the animal’s field of view, or outside the range of wavelengths that the eye can pick up.”
“Together with previous studies, our results suggest that fish have found a new way to ‘see’ with their skin and change color quickly.”
_____
Lorian E. Schweikert et al. De novo transcriptomics reveal distinct phototransduction signaling components in the retina and skin of a color-changing vertebrate, the hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). Journal of Comparative Physiology A, published online February 28, 2018; doi: 10.1007/s00359-018-1254-4
==========================
Researchers have long suspected that colour-changing animals like hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) don’t just rely on their eyes to tune their appearance to their surroundings — they also sense light with their skin; but exactly how ‘skin vision’ works remains a mystery. Now, a new genetic analysis of the hogfish reveals evidence to explain how they do it. Published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A, the results suggest that light-sensing evolved separately in two tissues.
The hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). Image credit: Brian Gratwicke / CC BY 2.0.
The hogfish is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean. It is present in the Caribbean and north to Bermuda and the Carolinas and extends southwards to the northern region of the Brazilian Coast.
The species is found on coral reefs at 10-131 feet (3-40 m) depth, especially sandy outer reef slopes. Juveniles are most common in shallow seagrass, and inshore reef habitats.
The hogfish can make its skin whitish to blend in with the sandy bottom of the ocean floor and hide from predators or ambush prey. Or it can take on a bright, contrasting pattern to look threatening or attract a mate.
The key to these makeovers are special pigment-containing cells called chromatophores, which, when activated by light, can spread their pigments out or bunch them up to change the skin’s overall color or pattern.
“With ‘dermal photoreception,’ as it is called, the skin doesn’t enable animals to perceive details like they do with their eyes,” said study lead author Dr. Lori Schweikert, a postdoctoral scientist at Duke University.
“But it may be sensitive to changes in brightness or wavelength, such as moving shadows cast by approaching predators, or light fluctuations associated with different times of day.”
Dr. Schweikert and co-authors, Duke University’s Professor Sönke Johnsen and Dr. Bob Fitak, took pieces of skin and retina from a single female hogfish caught off the Florida Keys and analyzed all of its gene readouts, or RNA transcripts, to see which genes were switched on in each tissue.
Previous studies of other color-changing animals including octopuses and cuttlefish suggest the same molecular pathway that detects light in eyes may have been co-opted to sense light in the skin. But the study authors found that hogfish skin works differently.
Almost none of the genes involved in light detection in the hogfish’s eyes were activated in the skin. Instead, the data suggest that hogfish skin relies on an alternative molecular pathway to sense light, a chain reaction involving a molecule called cyclic AMP.
“Just how the hogfish’s ‘skin vision’ supplements input from the eyes to monitor light in their surroundings and bring about a color change remains unclear,” Dr. Schweikert said.
“Light-sensing skin could provide information about conditions beyond the animal’s field of view, or outside the range of wavelengths that the eye can pick up.”
“Together with previous studies, our results suggest that fish have found a new way to ‘see’ with their skin and change color quickly.”
_____
Lorian E. Schweikert et al. De novo transcriptomics reveal distinct phototransduction signaling components in the retina and skin of a color-changing vertebrate, the hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). Journal of Comparative Physiology A, published online February 28, 2018; doi: 10.1007/s00359-018-1254-4
==========================
Schistura kottelati • A New Species of Loach (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in central Vietnam
Schistura kottelati
Tuan, Thao & Quang, 2018
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66
Abstract
Schistura kottelati, new species, is described from the Hung Dang Valley (Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park) in central Vietnam. It is distinguished from all other species of Schistura known from Vietnam and adjacent areas in Laos by a unique combination of characters, including features of lateral line and body pigmentation, counts of fin rays, and barbel and body measurements.
Key words. cypriniformes, taxonomy, morphology, Southeast Asia, karstic area
Schistura kottelati, new species
Diagnosis. Schistura kottelati differs from the other species of genus Schistura known from Vietnam and adjacent areas in Laos by the unique combination of the following characters: lateral line very short, with 5–14 pores; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 8 branched rays; a long maxillary barbel (reaching vertical through nape) and inner rostral barbel (reaching vertical through anterior margin of eye); body without obvious markings; caudal fin deeply forked (length of median ray 1.5–1.7 times in length of upper slobe); no external sexual dimorphism; caudal peduncle slender (its length 8.0–11.6% SL); a large eye (eye diameter 4.7–6.2% SL); and wide interorbital region (interorbital width 9.1–11.7% SL).
Etymology. The species is named for Maurice Kottelat, in appreciation for his research on Eurasian freshwater fishes, among others those of Vietnam. A noun in genitive.
Ho Anh Tuan, Hoang Ngoc Thao and Ngo Xuan Quang. 2018. Schistura kottelati, A New Species of Loach from the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in central Vietnam (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66; 142–148.
lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/66rbz142-148.pdf
==========================
Schistura kottelati
Tuan, Thao & Quang, 2018
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66
Abstract
Schistura kottelati, new species, is described from the Hung Dang Valley (Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park) in central Vietnam. It is distinguished from all other species of Schistura known from Vietnam and adjacent areas in Laos by a unique combination of characters, including features of lateral line and body pigmentation, counts of fin rays, and barbel and body measurements.
Key words. cypriniformes, taxonomy, morphology, Southeast Asia, karstic area
Schistura kottelati, new species
Diagnosis. Schistura kottelati differs from the other species of genus Schistura known from Vietnam and adjacent areas in Laos by the unique combination of the following characters: lateral line very short, with 5–14 pores; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 8 branched rays; a long maxillary barbel (reaching vertical through nape) and inner rostral barbel (reaching vertical through anterior margin of eye); body without obvious markings; caudal fin deeply forked (length of median ray 1.5–1.7 times in length of upper slobe); no external sexual dimorphism; caudal peduncle slender (its length 8.0–11.6% SL); a large eye (eye diameter 4.7–6.2% SL); and wide interorbital region (interorbital width 9.1–11.7% SL).
Etymology. The species is named for Maurice Kottelat, in appreciation for his research on Eurasian freshwater fishes, among others those of Vietnam. A noun in genitive.
Ho Anh Tuan, Hoang Ngoc Thao and Ngo Xuan Quang. 2018. Schistura kottelati, A New Species of Loach from the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in central Vietnam (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66; 142–148.
lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/66rbz142-148.pdf
==========================
Brighton Sea Life hits back as fewer fish die here than at many centres
SEA LIFE Brighton has hit back at criticism at how the aquariums looked after its animals after a report showed 30 per cent of them died in just one year at a centre.
The popular attraction made national headlines after it was revealed sea creatures in bases at Great Yarmouth and Scarborough have very high mortality rates.
Experts from the Marine Conservation Society expressed concerns at the centres’ management after figures were released from a Freedom of Information request made by the BBC.
It reported a total of 4,500 animals died from 2015-2016, and creatures in Great Yarmouth centre had the highest death rate at 812 out of 2,293 animals. The data included Birmingham, Blackpool, Hunstanton, London, Manchester, Scarborough and Weymouth.
Brighton did not provide their numbers but they have revealed to The Argus that 15 per cent of their animals have died in the past three years.
The centre houses around 3,500 creatures in their aquarium.
A spokesman said: “Brighton Sea Life has not revealed our numbers as we only provide figures to the local health authority.
“Sea Life places the very highest priority on the welfare of the animals at its sites, which are supported by experienced animal care teams, marine biologists and world-renowned veterinary consultants.
“Sea Life has a strong track record in animal husbandry and complies with all the laws and regulations under the Zoo Licensing Act.
“We take an active role in promoting conservation, playing a leading part in rescue and rehabilitation, breeding select species at our facilities and educating the many millions of visitors to our attractions.”
The Sea Life spokesman responded to criticism from experts who questioned how the centres looked after the animals.
He said: “You can’t apply a blanket percentage of mortality rates across all centres. It is utter nonsense.
“Death rates depends on what animals you have in the centre. If a centre has more jelly fishes who live for one year, then the percentage will be higher.
“If you have a centre that has more sharks than any other ones then the mortality rate will be lower. We have two sea turtles in our centre who are 75-years-old.
“The Brighton team is dedicated and passionate and we carry out regular checks on our animals’ health and our water quality. If we lose an animal from unnatural causes we do post-mortem checks.”
from The Argus, Brighton
==========================
SEA LIFE Brighton has hit back at criticism at how the aquariums looked after its animals after a report showed 30 per cent of them died in just one year at a centre.
The popular attraction made national headlines after it was revealed sea creatures in bases at Great Yarmouth and Scarborough have very high mortality rates.
Experts from the Marine Conservation Society expressed concerns at the centres’ management after figures were released from a Freedom of Information request made by the BBC.
It reported a total of 4,500 animals died from 2015-2016, and creatures in Great Yarmouth centre had the highest death rate at 812 out of 2,293 animals. The data included Birmingham, Blackpool, Hunstanton, London, Manchester, Scarborough and Weymouth.
Brighton did not provide their numbers but they have revealed to The Argus that 15 per cent of their animals have died in the past three years.
The centre houses around 3,500 creatures in their aquarium.
A spokesman said: “Brighton Sea Life has not revealed our numbers as we only provide figures to the local health authority.
“Sea Life places the very highest priority on the welfare of the animals at its sites, which are supported by experienced animal care teams, marine biologists and world-renowned veterinary consultants.
“Sea Life has a strong track record in animal husbandry and complies with all the laws and regulations under the Zoo Licensing Act.
“We take an active role in promoting conservation, playing a leading part in rescue and rehabilitation, breeding select species at our facilities and educating the many millions of visitors to our attractions.”
The Sea Life spokesman responded to criticism from experts who questioned how the centres looked after the animals.
He said: “You can’t apply a blanket percentage of mortality rates across all centres. It is utter nonsense.
“Death rates depends on what animals you have in the centre. If a centre has more jelly fishes who live for one year, then the percentage will be higher.
“If you have a centre that has more sharks than any other ones then the mortality rate will be lower. We have two sea turtles in our centre who are 75-years-old.
“The Brighton team is dedicated and passionate and we carry out regular checks on our animals’ health and our water quality. If we lose an animal from unnatural causes we do post-mortem checks.”
from The Argus, Brighton
==========================
Robin Hood Aquarists Society Auction
Sunday 8th April 2018
The Robin Hood Aquarists Society Nottingham will be holding an auction of fish, plants and equipment on Sunday 8th April 2018 at the Highbank Community Centre, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 9DG.
Doors open 10.30am and Auction starts 11am. Refreshments will be available throughout the day and a licensed bar has been applied for.
Admission to the auction is free. We look forward to seeing you there.
PLEASE NOTE: Smoking is strictly prohibited within the building and this includes E-cigarettes. Also it is now council policy that no dogs are permitted in the building.
For further details, including booking an auction lot, please contact e-mail: rhaqua@hotmail.co.uk
==========================
Sunday 8th April 2018
The Robin Hood Aquarists Society Nottingham will be holding an auction of fish, plants and equipment on Sunday 8th April 2018 at the Highbank Community Centre, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 9DG.
Doors open 10.30am and Auction starts 11am. Refreshments will be available throughout the day and a licensed bar has been applied for.
Admission to the auction is free. We look forward to seeing you there.
PLEASE NOTE: Smoking is strictly prohibited within the building and this includes E-cigarettes. Also it is now council policy that no dogs are permitted in the building.
For further details, including booking an auction lot, please contact e-mail: rhaqua@hotmail.co.uk
==========================
Cleaner Wrasses make Client fish brainier by eating blood feasting parasites
It’s not easy for fish to clean themselves, without limbs or digits to scrub those hard-to-reach places. Fortunately for them, coral reefs come with cleaning stations.
At particular sites, an itchy individual can attract the attention of the bluestreak cleaner wrasse—a slender fish, with blue and yellow markings and a prominent black stripe. On seeing these colors, the itchy “client” strikes a specific pose, allowing the wrasse to snake across its body, mouth, and gills, picking off parasites and dead skin along the way. The wrasse gets a meal. The client gets exfoliated. A single wrasse works for around four hours a day, and in that time, it can inspect more than 2,000 clients.
The wrasse are remarkably savvy about how they perform their services. Redouan Bshary, from the University of Neuchâtel, has shown that they sometimes cheat their clients by taking illicit bites of the protective mucus covering their skin. If the clients are watching, the wrasse restrain themselves from such shenanigans, in an effort to maintain their reputation. If disgruntled clients chase them, they try to make amends by offering a complementary fin massage. If high-status clients pop by—large, visiting predators like sharks or groupers—the cleaners prioritize them over smaller fish that live in the area. They’re surprisingly intelligent for fish.
And it seems that, by removing parasites, they also make other fish more intelligent.
We know this because, in 2000, Alexandra Grutter, from the University of Queensland, started removing cleaner wrasse from patches of reef around Australia’s Lizard Island. Every three months, she and her team would net every cleaner in these areas and move them elsewhere. The other small fish in these patches won’t cross the large tracts of open sand between them. So, for entire generations, Grutter deprived them of the cleaners’ attentions.
On the de-wrassed reefs, the total number of fish species halved, and their numbers fell by three-quarters. Some damselfish remained, but they were smallerthan usual—a clear sign that their physical health depends on regular cleaning.
Sandra Binning, who’s also from the University of Neuchâtel, has shown that the damsels’ mental prowess is also influenced by the cleaners. Working with Grutter and Bshary, she captured damselfish from various reefs and put them through a series of challenges. First, she put square plates on either side of their tank. One of these hid a chunk of food that the fish could smell but not reach, while the other hid a more accessible morsel. The damselfish had to learn which plate to swim up to—a simple spatial-memory test, and one that every individual passed. Next, Binning swapped the location of the correct plate; again, all the fish learned to change their behavior.
Things changed when she gave them a more difficult task. This time, they had to approach the correct plate based not on its location, but on its appearance. This skill—visual discrimination—is vitally important to a damselfish. “They have to learn very quickly, on the basis of color and pattern, which fish are safe to be around, and what competitors or friends look like,” says Binning. “They’re very good at that.”
But not all of them. The fish that had been serviced by cleaners solved the task faster, and in greater numbers, than those without a history of such services, even when the two groups were matched for size.
“It’s easy to imagine how that would work,” says Isabelle Côté, a researcher from Simon Fraser University who wasn’t involved in the study. “Imagine having an itch that you just can’t scratch, no matter what you do. Ultimately, it drives you to distraction. That might well be similar to what these fish that can’t visit cleaners are feeling. It means that these cleaning interactions are even more important than we had anticipated.”
Without the cleaners, the damselfish might also not have enough energy to fully fuel their demanding brains. They’re targeted by parasitic, bloodsucking crustaceans, which makes them “anemic, sluggish, and weak,” Binning says. When cleaners remove these parasites, the distressed damsels can divert their energies toward other matters—like thinking. Binning confirmed this idea by collecting fish that had grown up in the presence of cleaners, and deliberately infecting them with the bloodsucking parasites. Sure enough, they performed badly in the visual test, just like their peers from cleaner-free reefs.
It’s too easy to see the parasites as the villains of this story, however. In many way, they’re the glue that cements the relationship between the cleaners and their clients, says the disease ecologist Carrie Cizauskas. “Take them away, and it’s debatable whether the cleaner wrasses would be able to survive on client skin detritus alone,” she says.
And the cleaners, through their ministrations, could shape the intellectual development of an entire ecosystem. After all, “there are many other species of clients, like parrotfish and groupers, that are way more parasitized and get much higher priority,” Binning says. “The hierarchy of service is so complex, and our damselfish get cleaned when there’s no one else around.”
from the Atlantic
==========================
It’s not easy for fish to clean themselves, without limbs or digits to scrub those hard-to-reach places. Fortunately for them, coral reefs come with cleaning stations.
At particular sites, an itchy individual can attract the attention of the bluestreak cleaner wrasse—a slender fish, with blue and yellow markings and a prominent black stripe. On seeing these colors, the itchy “client” strikes a specific pose, allowing the wrasse to snake across its body, mouth, and gills, picking off parasites and dead skin along the way. The wrasse gets a meal. The client gets exfoliated. A single wrasse works for around four hours a day, and in that time, it can inspect more than 2,000 clients.
The wrasse are remarkably savvy about how they perform their services. Redouan Bshary, from the University of Neuchâtel, has shown that they sometimes cheat their clients by taking illicit bites of the protective mucus covering their skin. If the clients are watching, the wrasse restrain themselves from such shenanigans, in an effort to maintain their reputation. If disgruntled clients chase them, they try to make amends by offering a complementary fin massage. If high-status clients pop by—large, visiting predators like sharks or groupers—the cleaners prioritize them over smaller fish that live in the area. They’re surprisingly intelligent for fish.
And it seems that, by removing parasites, they also make other fish more intelligent.
We know this because, in 2000, Alexandra Grutter, from the University of Queensland, started removing cleaner wrasse from patches of reef around Australia’s Lizard Island. Every three months, she and her team would net every cleaner in these areas and move them elsewhere. The other small fish in these patches won’t cross the large tracts of open sand between them. So, for entire generations, Grutter deprived them of the cleaners’ attentions.
On the de-wrassed reefs, the total number of fish species halved, and their numbers fell by three-quarters. Some damselfish remained, but they were smallerthan usual—a clear sign that their physical health depends on regular cleaning.
Sandra Binning, who’s also from the University of Neuchâtel, has shown that the damsels’ mental prowess is also influenced by the cleaners. Working with Grutter and Bshary, she captured damselfish from various reefs and put them through a series of challenges. First, she put square plates on either side of their tank. One of these hid a chunk of food that the fish could smell but not reach, while the other hid a more accessible morsel. The damselfish had to learn which plate to swim up to—a simple spatial-memory test, and one that every individual passed. Next, Binning swapped the location of the correct plate; again, all the fish learned to change their behavior.
Things changed when she gave them a more difficult task. This time, they had to approach the correct plate based not on its location, but on its appearance. This skill—visual discrimination—is vitally important to a damselfish. “They have to learn very quickly, on the basis of color and pattern, which fish are safe to be around, and what competitors or friends look like,” says Binning. “They’re very good at that.”
But not all of them. The fish that had been serviced by cleaners solved the task faster, and in greater numbers, than those without a history of such services, even when the two groups were matched for size.
“It’s easy to imagine how that would work,” says Isabelle Côté, a researcher from Simon Fraser University who wasn’t involved in the study. “Imagine having an itch that you just can’t scratch, no matter what you do. Ultimately, it drives you to distraction. That might well be similar to what these fish that can’t visit cleaners are feeling. It means that these cleaning interactions are even more important than we had anticipated.”
Without the cleaners, the damselfish might also not have enough energy to fully fuel their demanding brains. They’re targeted by parasitic, bloodsucking crustaceans, which makes them “anemic, sluggish, and weak,” Binning says. When cleaners remove these parasites, the distressed damsels can divert their energies toward other matters—like thinking. Binning confirmed this idea by collecting fish that had grown up in the presence of cleaners, and deliberately infecting them with the bloodsucking parasites. Sure enough, they performed badly in the visual test, just like their peers from cleaner-free reefs.
It’s too easy to see the parasites as the villains of this story, however. In many way, they’re the glue that cements the relationship between the cleaners and their clients, says the disease ecologist Carrie Cizauskas. “Take them away, and it’s debatable whether the cleaner wrasses would be able to survive on client skin detritus alone,” she says.
And the cleaners, through their ministrations, could shape the intellectual development of an entire ecosystem. After all, “there are many other species of clients, like parrotfish and groupers, that are way more parasitized and get much higher priority,” Binning says. “The hierarchy of service is so complex, and our damselfish get cleaned when there’s no one else around.”
from the Atlantic
==========================
Pseudacanthicus major • One of the Largest Known Loricariidae(Hypostominae: Ancistrini), A Species from rio Tocantins Basin, Brazil
Pseudacanthicus major Chamon & Costa e Silva, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.3.5
Abstract
The genus Pseudacanthicus currently comprises the following six species distributed in the Amazon and Tocantins basins, and coastal drainages from Guyana to French Guyana: P. serratus, P. fordii, P. histrix, P. spinosus, P. leopardus, P. pitanga, and P. pirarara. Herein we describe Pseudacanthicus major, from rio Tocantins basin, one of the largest loricariid species known. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: having body color pattern with dark brown background without spots or blotches and dorsal and caudal fins with transversal white bands; anterior process of compound pterotic with no contacting with the posterior margin of the orbit and by the absence of a conspicuous crest on the posterior edge of parieto-supraocciptal. Other osteological characteristics are further used to diagnose P. major from others congeners. A discussion on gigantism and miniaturization in freshwater fish, ornamental fisheries activities, threats and conservation of the new species are also provided.
Keywords: Pisces, Amazon Basin, fish trade, Gigantism, Neotropical, taxonomy, conservation
Pseudacanthicus major, new species
Etymology. The specific epithet major, derives from Latin meaning greater than, larger than, in allusion to the large size of the specimens in comparison with others species of the genus. An adjective.
Remarks. Pseudacanthicus major is known and marketed in ornamental fish trade, like others species of the genus. Pseudacanthicus major is recognized in the L number system employed by aquarists as L186 (Schraml & Schaefer, 2004; Stawikowski et al., 2004; Werner et al., 2005). There is no suggestion that the species is consumed as food source by the colonies of fishermen (pers. obs.)
Carine C. Chamon and Thiago Costa e Silva. 2018. Pseudacanthicus major: Description of One of the Largest Known Loricariidae (Hypostominae: Ancistrini), A Species from rio Tocantins Basin, Brazil. Zootaxa. 4387(3); 499–510. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/323447355_Pseudacanthicus_major_from_rio_Tocantins_basin_Brazil
==========================
Pseudacanthicus major Chamon & Costa e Silva, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.3.5
Abstract
The genus Pseudacanthicus currently comprises the following six species distributed in the Amazon and Tocantins basins, and coastal drainages from Guyana to French Guyana: P. serratus, P. fordii, P. histrix, P. spinosus, P. leopardus, P. pitanga, and P. pirarara. Herein we describe Pseudacanthicus major, from rio Tocantins basin, one of the largest loricariid species known. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: having body color pattern with dark brown background without spots or blotches and dorsal and caudal fins with transversal white bands; anterior process of compound pterotic with no contacting with the posterior margin of the orbit and by the absence of a conspicuous crest on the posterior edge of parieto-supraocciptal. Other osteological characteristics are further used to diagnose P. major from others congeners. A discussion on gigantism and miniaturization in freshwater fish, ornamental fisheries activities, threats and conservation of the new species are also provided.
Keywords: Pisces, Amazon Basin, fish trade, Gigantism, Neotropical, taxonomy, conservation
Pseudacanthicus major, new species
Etymology. The specific epithet major, derives from Latin meaning greater than, larger than, in allusion to the large size of the specimens in comparison with others species of the genus. An adjective.
Remarks. Pseudacanthicus major is known and marketed in ornamental fish trade, like others species of the genus. Pseudacanthicus major is recognized in the L number system employed by aquarists as L186 (Schraml & Schaefer, 2004; Stawikowski et al., 2004; Werner et al., 2005). There is no suggestion that the species is consumed as food source by the colonies of fishermen (pers. obs.)
Carine C. Chamon and Thiago Costa e Silva. 2018. Pseudacanthicus major: Description of One of the Largest Known Loricariidae (Hypostominae: Ancistrini), A Species from rio Tocantins Basin, Brazil. Zootaxa. 4387(3); 499–510. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/323447355_Pseudacanthicus_major_from_rio_Tocantins_basin_Brazil
==========================
BIGGEST AQUATICS AUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST ON THE 13th of May!!
No commission for buyers
Normally around 30+ sellers from all over the country
Dry goods tables
Not an online auction (only people in the hall will grab the bargains)
Cash only sale
Better selection of fish then most shops
Rough list of fish will be on the events page
N.E.T.S. Aquatics society are holding an auction on the 13th of may, we organize the biggest of its kind in the northeast, normally attracting around 30+ sellers made up of some of the best breeders and hobbyist in the country. Coming together for 1 day ONLY to sell there items....
JOIN OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO OR DROP ME AN INBOX
https://www.facebook.com/events/301251447020916/
==========================
No commission for buyers
Normally around 30+ sellers from all over the country
Dry goods tables
Not an online auction (only people in the hall will grab the bargains)
Cash only sale
Better selection of fish then most shops
Rough list of fish will be on the events page
N.E.T.S. Aquatics society are holding an auction on the 13th of may, we organize the biggest of its kind in the northeast, normally attracting around 30+ sellers made up of some of the best breeders and hobbyist in the country. Coming together for 1 day ONLY to sell there items....
JOIN OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO OR DROP ME AN INBOX
https://www.facebook.com/events/301251447020916/
==========================
Dellichthys trnskii • A New Species of Sea Urchin Associating Clingfish of the Genus Dellichthys(Teleostei, Gobiesocidae) from New Zealand
Dellichthys trnskii
Conway, Stewart & Summers, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.740.22712
Abstract
A new species of clingfish, Dellichthys trnskii sp. n. is described on the basis of 27 specimens, 11.9–46.0 mm SL, collected from intertidal and shallow coastal waters of New Zealand. It is distinguished from its only congener, D. morelandi Briggs, 1955 by characters of the cephalic sensory system and oral jaws, snout shape, and colouration in life. A rediagnosis is provided for D. morelandi, which is shown to exhibit sexual dimorphism in snout shape.
Keywords: Taxonomy, marine fishes, Acanthomorpha, sexual dimorphism
Figure 1. Dellichthys trnskii, AIM MA73570, holotype, male, 22.8 mm SL; New Zealand: Northland, Pacific Bay, Tutukaka Coast.
Dellichthys trnskii sp. n.
Diagnosis: Dellichthys trnskii is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: snout broad, short (length less than or equal to interorbital distance); upper and lower jaws equal in length or lower jaw only slight shorter than the upper; upper jaw teeth not visible or only few teeth visible in gap between upper and lower lip at tip of jaws when jaws are closed; patch of teeth on lingual surface of premaxilla roughly rectangular, with ~50 small conical teeth; skin fold on surface of snout directly posterior to fold of upper lip; postorbital lateral line canal pore 2 located directly above preopercular lateral line canal pore 3; tip of snout and lower jaw pale pink in life; dorsal and lateral surface of head light yellow to green in life; body pale orange to yellow in life; and median fins transparent and without faint brown reticulate markings in life.
Distribution: Dellichthys trnskii is endemic to New Zealand coastal waters, currently known only from shallow (0–7 meters in depth) waters along the northeastern coast of both the North Island (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Northland, and Wellington) and South Island (Marlborough Sounds) . Its occurrence further south may be confirmed by further sampling and by a better understanding of the differences between the two species.
Notes on biology: At the type locality, D. trnskii was found primarily under rocks or boulders covered with filamentous algae or low macroalgae often in close proximity to the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus. Small dense objects, possibly sand grains, are visible in the pharyngeal cavity and gut of the CT scanned paratype (NMNZ P.028060, 25.0 mm SL; Figs 3, 6). A single ctenoid scale also is lodged in the opercular opening of this individual (Fig. 3). Whether this scale was ingested or entered the opercular opening subsequent to capture is difficult to confirm. The specimen was collected with a large number of associated sub-tidal species including triplefins, some of which could have shed scales in the bag.
Etymology: Named for Tom Trnski, who played a key role in the discovery of the new species by collecting in depths beyond the reach of the first author. A noun in the genitive.
Kevin W. Conway, Andrew L. Stewart and Adam P. Summers. 2018. A New Species of Sea Urchin Associating Clingfish of the Genus Dellichthys from New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys. 740: 77-95. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.740.22712
==========================
Dellichthys trnskii
Conway, Stewart & Summers, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.740.22712
Abstract
A new species of clingfish, Dellichthys trnskii sp. n. is described on the basis of 27 specimens, 11.9–46.0 mm SL, collected from intertidal and shallow coastal waters of New Zealand. It is distinguished from its only congener, D. morelandi Briggs, 1955 by characters of the cephalic sensory system and oral jaws, snout shape, and colouration in life. A rediagnosis is provided for D. morelandi, which is shown to exhibit sexual dimorphism in snout shape.
Keywords: Taxonomy, marine fishes, Acanthomorpha, sexual dimorphism
Figure 1. Dellichthys trnskii, AIM MA73570, holotype, male, 22.8 mm SL; New Zealand: Northland, Pacific Bay, Tutukaka Coast.
Dellichthys trnskii sp. n.
Diagnosis: Dellichthys trnskii is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: snout broad, short (length less than or equal to interorbital distance); upper and lower jaws equal in length or lower jaw only slight shorter than the upper; upper jaw teeth not visible or only few teeth visible in gap between upper and lower lip at tip of jaws when jaws are closed; patch of teeth on lingual surface of premaxilla roughly rectangular, with ~50 small conical teeth; skin fold on surface of snout directly posterior to fold of upper lip; postorbital lateral line canal pore 2 located directly above preopercular lateral line canal pore 3; tip of snout and lower jaw pale pink in life; dorsal and lateral surface of head light yellow to green in life; body pale orange to yellow in life; and median fins transparent and without faint brown reticulate markings in life.
Distribution: Dellichthys trnskii is endemic to New Zealand coastal waters, currently known only from shallow (0–7 meters in depth) waters along the northeastern coast of both the North Island (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Northland, and Wellington) and South Island (Marlborough Sounds) . Its occurrence further south may be confirmed by further sampling and by a better understanding of the differences between the two species.
Notes on biology: At the type locality, D. trnskii was found primarily under rocks or boulders covered with filamentous algae or low macroalgae often in close proximity to the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus. Small dense objects, possibly sand grains, are visible in the pharyngeal cavity and gut of the CT scanned paratype (NMNZ P.028060, 25.0 mm SL; Figs 3, 6). A single ctenoid scale also is lodged in the opercular opening of this individual (Fig. 3). Whether this scale was ingested or entered the opercular opening subsequent to capture is difficult to confirm. The specimen was collected with a large number of associated sub-tidal species including triplefins, some of which could have shed scales in the bag.
Etymology: Named for Tom Trnski, who played a key role in the discovery of the new species by collecting in depths beyond the reach of the first author. A noun in the genitive.
Kevin W. Conway, Andrew L. Stewart and Adam P. Summers. 2018. A New Species of Sea Urchin Associating Clingfish of the Genus Dellichthys from New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys. 740: 77-95. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.740.22712
==========================
Flash photography does not induce stress in the Ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Myers & Harry, 1948) in aquaria
Authors
==========================
Authors
- K. Knopf,
- K. Buschmann,
- M. Hansel,
- J. Radinger,
- W. Kloas
- First published: 28 February 2018Full publication history
- DOI: 10.1111/jai.13673 View/save citation
==========================
National Betta Show 2018
June 22 - 24, 2018
at 11:00am - 5:00pm
The Oak Hotel - Hockley Heath - Solihull
8640 Stratford Rd, Hockley Heath,
Solihull B94 5NW, UK
www.BETTASHOW.CO.UK
==========================
June 22 - 24, 2018
at 11:00am - 5:00pm
The Oak Hotel - Hockley Heath - Solihull
8640 Stratford Rd, Hockley Heath,
Solihull B94 5NW, UK
www.BETTASHOW.CO.UK
==========================
Taxonomic Revision of the Cis-Andean Species of MylossomaEigenmann & Kennedy, 1903 (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae)
Mylossoma albiscopum
in Mateussi, Oliveira & Pavanelli, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.2.3
Abstract
A revision of the cis-Andean species of Mylossoma is presented. Four species were recognized: M. albiscopum and M. aureum from the rio Amazonas and rio Orinoco basins; M. duriventre, from the rio Paraguai, lower rio Paraná and rio Uruguai basins; and M. unimaculatum, an endemic species from the Tocantins-Araguaia system. Both Mylossoma albiscopum and M. unimaculatum were removed from the synonymy of Mylossoma duriventre, which had its occurrence range restricted to the La Plata basin. The recognition of these four valid species corroborates the results of a previous DNA barcode study. Redescriptions of each species, and an identification key for the genus are provided.
Keywords: Pisces, biodiversity, freshwater fishes, systematics, taxonomy
Nadayca T. B. Mateussi, Claudio Oliveira and Carla S. Pavanelli. 2018. Taxonomic Revision of the Cis-Andean Species of Mylossoma Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903 (Teleostei: Characiformes: Serrasalmidae). Zootaxa. 4387(2); 275–309. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.2.3
==========================
Mylossoma albiscopum
in Mateussi, Oliveira & Pavanelli, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.2.3
Abstract
A revision of the cis-Andean species of Mylossoma is presented. Four species were recognized: M. albiscopum and M. aureum from the rio Amazonas and rio Orinoco basins; M. duriventre, from the rio Paraguai, lower rio Paraná and rio Uruguai basins; and M. unimaculatum, an endemic species from the Tocantins-Araguaia system. Both Mylossoma albiscopum and M. unimaculatum were removed from the synonymy of Mylossoma duriventre, which had its occurrence range restricted to the La Plata basin. The recognition of these four valid species corroborates the results of a previous DNA barcode study. Redescriptions of each species, and an identification key for the genus are provided.
Keywords: Pisces, biodiversity, freshwater fishes, systematics, taxonomy
Nadayca T. B. Mateussi, Claudio Oliveira and Carla S. Pavanelli. 2018. Taxonomic Revision of the Cis-Andean Species of Mylossoma Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903 (Teleostei: Characiformes: Serrasalmidae). Zootaxa. 4387(2); 275–309. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4387.2.3
==========================
Cueva del Azufre
Poecilia mexicana cave morph
Predator Giant Water Bug
Cave biology and Poecilia mexicana
In the Cueva del Azufre system in Mexico, nature provides us with a unique natural experiment. The small livebearing fish, Poecilia mexicana, inhabits surface and cave habitats, some of which contain high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Current research projects focus on the general ecology of the unique cave ecosystem, as the evolutionary ecology of the different P. mexicana populations, and the genetic basis of the striking phenotypic variation observed across proximate – albeit environmentally distinct – populations.
Effects of adverse environmental factors on phenotypic evolutionIn the Cueva del Azufre system, P. mexicana not only have to cope with perpetual darkness and acutely toxic levels of H2S, but biotic environmental conditions, such as food availability and predation regime, also differ among habitat types. We study causes and consequences of local adaptation of populations living under different environmental conditions.
Predator-prey-interactionsCave fish are usually considered the top predators in their ecosystems. In the Cueva del Azufre system, however, cave fish are preyed upon by giant water-bugs of the genus Belostoma, which occur at high densities. We investigate factors affecting Belostoma predation on cave fish (e.g., what are the underlying causes of sex- and size-specific predation?). Furthermore, we study the potential evolutionary consequences of differential predation by the water-bugs.
Food web analysesWhereas the absence of light precludes photo-autotrophic primary production in caves, the presence of H2S allows for chemoautotropic production by sulfide-oxidizing bacteria in sulfidic habitats. We use stable isotope analyses to elucidate the food web structure as well as the sources of carbon in different habitat types.
Search for:SearchCurrent research projects
from Tobler Laboratory at Kansas State University
==========================
In the Cueva del Azufre system in Mexico, nature provides us with a unique natural experiment. The small livebearing fish, Poecilia mexicana, inhabits surface and cave habitats, some of which contain high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Current research projects focus on the general ecology of the unique cave ecosystem, as the evolutionary ecology of the different P. mexicana populations, and the genetic basis of the striking phenotypic variation observed across proximate – albeit environmentally distinct – populations.
Effects of adverse environmental factors on phenotypic evolutionIn the Cueva del Azufre system, P. mexicana not only have to cope with perpetual darkness and acutely toxic levels of H2S, but biotic environmental conditions, such as food availability and predation regime, also differ among habitat types. We study causes and consequences of local adaptation of populations living under different environmental conditions.
Predator-prey-interactionsCave fish are usually considered the top predators in their ecosystems. In the Cueva del Azufre system, however, cave fish are preyed upon by giant water-bugs of the genus Belostoma, which occur at high densities. We investigate factors affecting Belostoma predation on cave fish (e.g., what are the underlying causes of sex- and size-specific predation?). Furthermore, we study the potential evolutionary consequences of differential predation by the water-bugs.
Food web analysesWhereas the absence of light precludes photo-autotrophic primary production in caves, the presence of H2S allows for chemoautotropic production by sulfide-oxidizing bacteria in sulfidic habitats. We use stable isotope analyses to elucidate the food web structure as well as the sources of carbon in different habitat types.
Search for:SearchCurrent research projects
- Adaptation to hydrogen sulfide
- Ecological speciation
- Evolutionary and physiological ecology
- Cave biology
- Phenotypic evolution & ecological dynamics
from Tobler Laboratory at Kansas State University
==========================
Brazil announces end to Amazon mega-dam building policy
An indigenous leader in April 2015 at the São Manoel dam construction site on the Teles Pires River in the Tapajós basin. Photo by Midia Ninja courtesy of International Rivers.In a surprise move, the Brazilian government has announced that the era of building big hydroelectric dams in the Amazon basin, long criticized by environmentalists and indigenous groups, is ending. “We are not prejudiced against big [hydroelectric] projects, but we have to respect the views of society, which views them with restrictions,” Paulo Pedrosa, the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, told O Globo newspaper.
According to Pedrosa, Brazil has the potential to generate an additional 50 gigawatts of energy by 2050 through the building of new dams but, of this total, only 23 percent would not affect in some way indigenous land, quilombos (communities set up by runaway slaves) and federally protected areas. The government, he says, doesn’t have the stomach to take on the battles.
Pedrosa went on: “Nor are we disposed to take actions that mask the costs and the risks [of hydroelectric projects].” This statement seems to refer to the actions of previous governments, particularly under President Dilma Rousseff and the Workers’ Party (PT), which made it difficult to evaluate the real expense and environmental impact of large dams, such as Belo Monte on the Xingu River. It was only after construction of this particular dam that the huge cost – financial, social and environmental – was fully revealed.
That’s one reason such mega-projects began meeting with a rising storm of protest. For example, in 2016, after many indigenous demonstrations, IBAMA,* the environmental agency, suspended the building of a large dam on the Tapajós River – São Luiz do Tapajós – which would have flooded part of the Munduruku indigenous territory of Sawre-Muybu. However, because the government never officially cancelled the dam, Indians and environmentalists have long feared that the project could be relaunched at any moment. However, according to O Globo, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has announced that it will “no longer fight for the [São Luiz do Tapajós] project.”
The Belo Monte mega-dam under construction.(Picture 1). Belo Monte displaced somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 people and did tremendous damage to the Xingu River fishery, along with other environmental harm. Its construction was cloaked in charges of government and construction company corruption. .“I don’t think any more big hydro dams will be built,” said Mauro Maura Severino, a lecturer in electric energy at the University of Brasilia. ”Brazil should move towards clean energy, like solar and wind.”
João Carlos Mello, from Thymos Energia, a consulting company, agreed: “The future lies with renewable energy, such as wind, and much smaller dams. The tendency will be to generate the energy much nearer to where it will be consumed.”
While the Temer administration hasn’t said so, experts say there is no doubt that hard economic realities played a chief role in the government’s turnabout. In the past, the huge Brazilian development bank, BNDES (National Bank of Economic and Social Development), subsidized mega-dams to the tune of billions of dollars, funnelling the money through state companies, which became powerful as a result. For example, Eletrobrás, Latin America’s biggest utility company, owns 49.98 percent of Belo Monte. Furnas, a regional power utility and Eletrobras subsidiary, owns 39 percent of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric project and, through its subsidiaries, 40 percent of the Jirau dams – both large, controversial projects built on the Madeira River.
The Santo Antônio dam on the Madeira River, Brazil, part of the Madeira Hydroelectric Complex. An era of mega-dam construction in the Amazon basin that damaged freshwater and forest ecosystems may be coming to an end. Photo by the Brazil’s Growth Acceleration Program (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC) on flickr, used under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 licenseHowever, in August of last year Temer stunned the market by announcing the privatization of Eletrobras. Edvaldo Santana, the former director of ANEEL (the National Agency of Electric Energy), said: “The privatization of Eletrobrás is a relevant factor [in the change of policy regarding mega-dams]. Neither Belo Monte nor Santo Antônio nor Jirau would have existed – or would have taken much longer to build – without Eletrobras” and the infusion of cash from BNDES.
Brazil’s political climate has also changed since the heyday of mega-dam construction under presidents Lula and Rousseff. By 2016, for example, when Mongabay wrote a series of articles about BNDES and its funding of the big Amazon dams, it could no longer find anyone – not even an engineer or an energy expert – willing to defend the Belo Monte dam. Although few were willing to speak on record then, many agreed that the only reason Belo Monte was built was because the PT government needed a big construction project by which the political party could pay back the big construction companies, like Odebrecht, for the huge sums in illegal electoral campaign contributions the firms had provided.
Such deals are no longer possible thanks to the far-reaching corruption scandal known as Lava-Jato (Car Wash) that ensnared a vast swath of Brazil’s political and business elite, including top executives from major construction companies. Investigations are ongoing.
Back in 2016, Felício Pontes, a MPF Prosecutor in the state of Pará, told Mongabay: “The factor that explains the irrational option for hydroelectric stations in the Amazon is corruption… In other words, energy planning in Brazil is not treated as a strategic issue involving the future of the nation but, at least since the time of the military dictatorship, as a source of money for construction companies and politicians. I think that, until these questions are exposed and resolved, we will continue to have expensive and inefficient dams that have a serious social and environmental impact in Amazonia.”
In 2015, an indigenous alliance demanded that Brazil halt Amazon dam construction. The Brazilian government has just announced an end to its mega-dam construction policy in the Amazon basin. Photo courtesy of Amazon WatchThe government’s hydroelectric dams policy change announced this week will surely be greeted as a hopeful sign by environmentalists and indigenous groups. But experts warn that a much bigger strategic policy shift is needed regarding infrastructure planning and agribusiness before the Amazon can be deemed safe from major deforestation.
Over the last 18 months, the bancada ruralista, the rural lobby in Congress, has won victory after victory, leading to policies meant to benefit agribusiness while threatening conservation units and indigenous territories. That drive seems likely to intensify in the months leading up to October’s presidential election. There is, for example, still talk of a hugely environmentally harmful project that would turn the Tapajos river basin into an industrial waterway, with its tributaries and main stem dredged and rapids dynamited.
Hydroelectric dams have caused great damage to indigenous and traditional communities and the environment, but they are only one of many serious Amazon threats – new roads, railways, waterways, mines and other infrastructure all result in great destruction. While the just-announced shift in hydropower policy is important, experts agree that major changes are needed before one can talk of a real conservation breakthrough in the Brazilian Amazon.
Correction: When originally published on 3 January, this story stated that the Rousseff administration archived the São Luiz do Tapajós dam. However, Rousseff was suspended from her duties by Brazil’s House of Deputies on 12 May, with Michel Temer assuming her duties as interim president. The dam was archived in early August by IBAMA. The Senate voted on 31 August for Rousseff’s impeachment, and Temer was then sworn in as president.
==========================
- Brazil’s government announced a major shift away from its policy of building mega-dams in the Brazilian Amazon – a strategy born during the country’s military dictatorship (1964-1985) and vigorously carried forward down to the present day.
- The Temer government claims the decision is a response to intense resistance from environmentalists and indigenous groups, but while that may be part of the reason, experts see other causes as well.
- The decline in political influence of Brazil’s gigantic construction companies caused by the Lava Jato (Car Wash) corruption investigation is likely a major cause of the change in policy. So is the current depressed state of Brazil’s economy, which makes it unlikely that Brazil’s huge development bank (BNDES) will invest in such multi-billion dollar projects.
- While environmentalists and indigenous groups will likely celebrate the shift away from the mega-dam policy, experts warn that many threats to the Amazon remain, including pressure by Brazil’s ruralist lobby to open up conserved areas and indigenous lands to agribusiness, along with threats posed by new road, rail, waterway and mining projects.
An indigenous leader in April 2015 at the São Manoel dam construction site on the Teles Pires River in the Tapajós basin. Photo by Midia Ninja courtesy of International Rivers.In a surprise move, the Brazilian government has announced that the era of building big hydroelectric dams in the Amazon basin, long criticized by environmentalists and indigenous groups, is ending. “We are not prejudiced against big [hydroelectric] projects, but we have to respect the views of society, which views them with restrictions,” Paulo Pedrosa, the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, told O Globo newspaper.
According to Pedrosa, Brazil has the potential to generate an additional 50 gigawatts of energy by 2050 through the building of new dams but, of this total, only 23 percent would not affect in some way indigenous land, quilombos (communities set up by runaway slaves) and federally protected areas. The government, he says, doesn’t have the stomach to take on the battles.
Pedrosa went on: “Nor are we disposed to take actions that mask the costs and the risks [of hydroelectric projects].” This statement seems to refer to the actions of previous governments, particularly under President Dilma Rousseff and the Workers’ Party (PT), which made it difficult to evaluate the real expense and environmental impact of large dams, such as Belo Monte on the Xingu River. It was only after construction of this particular dam that the huge cost – financial, social and environmental – was fully revealed.
That’s one reason such mega-projects began meeting with a rising storm of protest. For example, in 2016, after many indigenous demonstrations, IBAMA,* the environmental agency, suspended the building of a large dam on the Tapajós River – São Luiz do Tapajós – which would have flooded part of the Munduruku indigenous territory of Sawre-Muybu. However, because the government never officially cancelled the dam, Indians and environmentalists have long feared that the project could be relaunched at any moment. However, according to O Globo, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has announced that it will “no longer fight for the [São Luiz do Tapajós] project.”
The Belo Monte mega-dam under construction.(Picture 1). Belo Monte displaced somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 people and did tremendous damage to the Xingu River fishery, along with other environmental harm. Its construction was cloaked in charges of government and construction company corruption. .“I don’t think any more big hydro dams will be built,” said Mauro Maura Severino, a lecturer in electric energy at the University of Brasilia. ”Brazil should move towards clean energy, like solar and wind.”
João Carlos Mello, from Thymos Energia, a consulting company, agreed: “The future lies with renewable energy, such as wind, and much smaller dams. The tendency will be to generate the energy much nearer to where it will be consumed.”
While the Temer administration hasn’t said so, experts say there is no doubt that hard economic realities played a chief role in the government’s turnabout. In the past, the huge Brazilian development bank, BNDES (National Bank of Economic and Social Development), subsidized mega-dams to the tune of billions of dollars, funnelling the money through state companies, which became powerful as a result. For example, Eletrobrás, Latin America’s biggest utility company, owns 49.98 percent of Belo Monte. Furnas, a regional power utility and Eletrobras subsidiary, owns 39 percent of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric project and, through its subsidiaries, 40 percent of the Jirau dams – both large, controversial projects built on the Madeira River.
The Santo Antônio dam on the Madeira River, Brazil, part of the Madeira Hydroelectric Complex. An era of mega-dam construction in the Amazon basin that damaged freshwater and forest ecosystems may be coming to an end. Photo by the Brazil’s Growth Acceleration Program (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC) on flickr, used under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 licenseHowever, in August of last year Temer stunned the market by announcing the privatization of Eletrobras. Edvaldo Santana, the former director of ANEEL (the National Agency of Electric Energy), said: “The privatization of Eletrobrás is a relevant factor [in the change of policy regarding mega-dams]. Neither Belo Monte nor Santo Antônio nor Jirau would have existed – or would have taken much longer to build – without Eletrobras” and the infusion of cash from BNDES.
Brazil’s political climate has also changed since the heyday of mega-dam construction under presidents Lula and Rousseff. By 2016, for example, when Mongabay wrote a series of articles about BNDES and its funding of the big Amazon dams, it could no longer find anyone – not even an engineer or an energy expert – willing to defend the Belo Monte dam. Although few were willing to speak on record then, many agreed that the only reason Belo Monte was built was because the PT government needed a big construction project by which the political party could pay back the big construction companies, like Odebrecht, for the huge sums in illegal electoral campaign contributions the firms had provided.
Such deals are no longer possible thanks to the far-reaching corruption scandal known as Lava-Jato (Car Wash) that ensnared a vast swath of Brazil’s political and business elite, including top executives from major construction companies. Investigations are ongoing.
Back in 2016, Felício Pontes, a MPF Prosecutor in the state of Pará, told Mongabay: “The factor that explains the irrational option for hydroelectric stations in the Amazon is corruption… In other words, energy planning in Brazil is not treated as a strategic issue involving the future of the nation but, at least since the time of the military dictatorship, as a source of money for construction companies and politicians. I think that, until these questions are exposed and resolved, we will continue to have expensive and inefficient dams that have a serious social and environmental impact in Amazonia.”
In 2015, an indigenous alliance demanded that Brazil halt Amazon dam construction. The Brazilian government has just announced an end to its mega-dam construction policy in the Amazon basin. Photo courtesy of Amazon WatchThe government’s hydroelectric dams policy change announced this week will surely be greeted as a hopeful sign by environmentalists and indigenous groups. But experts warn that a much bigger strategic policy shift is needed regarding infrastructure planning and agribusiness before the Amazon can be deemed safe from major deforestation.
Over the last 18 months, the bancada ruralista, the rural lobby in Congress, has won victory after victory, leading to policies meant to benefit agribusiness while threatening conservation units and indigenous territories. That drive seems likely to intensify in the months leading up to October’s presidential election. There is, for example, still talk of a hugely environmentally harmful project that would turn the Tapajos river basin into an industrial waterway, with its tributaries and main stem dredged and rapids dynamited.
Hydroelectric dams have caused great damage to indigenous and traditional communities and the environment, but they are only one of many serious Amazon threats – new roads, railways, waterways, mines and other infrastructure all result in great destruction. While the just-announced shift in hydropower policy is important, experts agree that major changes are needed before one can talk of a real conservation breakthrough in the Brazilian Amazon.
Correction: When originally published on 3 January, this story stated that the Rousseff administration archived the São Luiz do Tapajós dam. However, Rousseff was suspended from her duties by Brazil’s House of Deputies on 12 May, with Michel Temer assuming her duties as interim president. The dam was archived in early August by IBAMA. The Senate voted on 31 August for Rousseff’s impeachment, and Temer was then sworn in as president.
==========================
Jellyfish? Do you want a cornet or a wafer?
PETER FROST wonders how long it will be before British holidaymakers are eating jellyfish ice cream
THE exceptional storms over Christmas and New Year have seen a rapid increase in jellyfish blooms around our coast and it isn’t just along the British coast. Jellyfish numbers have also reached a worrying high in the Mediterranean.
It seems jellyfish numbers are increasing all over the globe and the scale of the population increase is both impressive and worrying.
One leading Italian marine biologist is urging us to start eating jellyfish both to reduce numbers and to give us a new cheap source of both delicious and nourishing protein.
We don’t really know why numbers are growing so fast. Some scientists say that pollution is driving up the number of algal blooms and depriving the seas of oxygen. That’s bad for shellfish and other fish species but jellyfish do well in these conditions.
Others believe it is a side effect of commercial overfishing. Still others say that it is just a natural cycle and nothing to worry about. I bet they are the ones advising Donald Trump.
Weather and warm summers remain a key factor in the number of jellyfish that invade our summer beaches I am sure.
Offshore wind farms and oil and gas platforms might be to blame, as they inadvertently provide an ideal habitat for the creatures to thrive.
One particularly hazardous breed, the mauve stinger (pictured), is rearing its tentacles more frequently around Britain. Their sting is classified as one of the worst, often causing a burning sensation, intense pain and skin rashes.
Over in Italy Professor Silvio Grecio — one of that countries’ most esteemed marine biologists — has been experimenting with ways to make this harmful sea creature appetising.
The number of jellyfish in the Mediterranean has risen by 400 per cent in the last 13 years due to pollution and climate change.
It’s a big issue for biodiversity, explained Grecio, who insists the jellyfish are a highly opportunistic species that quickly conquer empty spaces in the sea and are consequently inhibiting marine food chains.
“Now man must be the new predator of jellyfish,” he says and in order to encourage people to eat jellyfish Grecio is focusing on highlighting the nutritional benefits of the species.
He suggests recipes which use Asian flavourings like soy and sesame oil. One popular dish deep-fries them in tempura batter rather like the popular calamari dish.
The environmentalist turned chef suggests cooking them in boiling water for a few minutes with lemon juice and vinegar and then plunging them into ice.
The hot water sterilises the meat getting rid of bacteria and also destroys the stinging poison.
“Jellyfish remind me of oysters,” says the Grecio. “When you eat them you experience an explosion of the sea on your tongue — they are, after all, 90 per cent seawater.”
“The sea is full of jellyfish and it’s a big problem for biodiversity,” Greco believes: “They are a rampant, opportunistic species that immediately take over any empty space in the water.”
Illegal overfishing of natural jellyfish predators like tuna and turtles has left the coast clear for them to multiply.
Eating jellyfish is an idea the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation is encouraging too.
For years, fishermen have been finding their nets increasingly burdened with unwanted jellyfish that they simply throw back into the sea.
Greco hopes this will change and says that sustainability aside, jellyfish is actually good for you — rich in protein and collagen, low in calories, and fat-free.
Edible jellyfish is a seafood that is already harvested and consumed in several Asian and south-east Asian countries where it is considered a delicacy.
It is also often processed into a dried product. When reconstituted it is used in salads, sushi and noodle dishes.
In China, some species of jellyfish have been used as a source of food and ingredient for over 1,700 years.
A few Chinese restaurants in Britain offer this rare delicacy.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam all catch, dry and pickle jellyfish. It is considered a special delicacy in Japan.
Jellyfish salad is a popular dish in some areas of Asia. Jellyfish sushi is very popular in Japan and, in Thailand, a crunchy style of noodle is produced using jellyfish.
One Japanese company now produces a vanilla and jellyfish ice cream. It was invented in 2009 to use up large quantities of Nomura’s Jellyfish that were plaguing Japanese beaches.
In 2013 British ice cream wizard Charlie Francis created For Halloween a glow-in-the-dark ice cream using synthesised jellyfish proteins — the same ones that allow these marine animals to produce light — bioluminescence — inside their bodies. The biggest snag was that a glowing cone cost around £150.
==========================
PETER FROST wonders how long it will be before British holidaymakers are eating jellyfish ice cream
THE exceptional storms over Christmas and New Year have seen a rapid increase in jellyfish blooms around our coast and it isn’t just along the British coast. Jellyfish numbers have also reached a worrying high in the Mediterranean.
It seems jellyfish numbers are increasing all over the globe and the scale of the population increase is both impressive and worrying.
One leading Italian marine biologist is urging us to start eating jellyfish both to reduce numbers and to give us a new cheap source of both delicious and nourishing protein.
We don’t really know why numbers are growing so fast. Some scientists say that pollution is driving up the number of algal blooms and depriving the seas of oxygen. That’s bad for shellfish and other fish species but jellyfish do well in these conditions.
Others believe it is a side effect of commercial overfishing. Still others say that it is just a natural cycle and nothing to worry about. I bet they are the ones advising Donald Trump.
Weather and warm summers remain a key factor in the number of jellyfish that invade our summer beaches I am sure.
Offshore wind farms and oil and gas platforms might be to blame, as they inadvertently provide an ideal habitat for the creatures to thrive.
One particularly hazardous breed, the mauve stinger (pictured), is rearing its tentacles more frequently around Britain. Their sting is classified as one of the worst, often causing a burning sensation, intense pain and skin rashes.
Over in Italy Professor Silvio Grecio — one of that countries’ most esteemed marine biologists — has been experimenting with ways to make this harmful sea creature appetising.
The number of jellyfish in the Mediterranean has risen by 400 per cent in the last 13 years due to pollution and climate change.
It’s a big issue for biodiversity, explained Grecio, who insists the jellyfish are a highly opportunistic species that quickly conquer empty spaces in the sea and are consequently inhibiting marine food chains.
“Now man must be the new predator of jellyfish,” he says and in order to encourage people to eat jellyfish Grecio is focusing on highlighting the nutritional benefits of the species.
He suggests recipes which use Asian flavourings like soy and sesame oil. One popular dish deep-fries them in tempura batter rather like the popular calamari dish.
The environmentalist turned chef suggests cooking them in boiling water for a few minutes with lemon juice and vinegar and then plunging them into ice.
The hot water sterilises the meat getting rid of bacteria and also destroys the stinging poison.
“Jellyfish remind me of oysters,” says the Grecio. “When you eat them you experience an explosion of the sea on your tongue — they are, after all, 90 per cent seawater.”
“The sea is full of jellyfish and it’s a big problem for biodiversity,” Greco believes: “They are a rampant, opportunistic species that immediately take over any empty space in the water.”
Illegal overfishing of natural jellyfish predators like tuna and turtles has left the coast clear for them to multiply.
Eating jellyfish is an idea the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation is encouraging too.
For years, fishermen have been finding their nets increasingly burdened with unwanted jellyfish that they simply throw back into the sea.
Greco hopes this will change and says that sustainability aside, jellyfish is actually good for you — rich in protein and collagen, low in calories, and fat-free.
Edible jellyfish is a seafood that is already harvested and consumed in several Asian and south-east Asian countries where it is considered a delicacy.
It is also often processed into a dried product. When reconstituted it is used in salads, sushi and noodle dishes.
In China, some species of jellyfish have been used as a source of food and ingredient for over 1,700 years.
A few Chinese restaurants in Britain offer this rare delicacy.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam all catch, dry and pickle jellyfish. It is considered a special delicacy in Japan.
Jellyfish salad is a popular dish in some areas of Asia. Jellyfish sushi is very popular in Japan and, in Thailand, a crunchy style of noodle is produced using jellyfish.
One Japanese company now produces a vanilla and jellyfish ice cream. It was invented in 2009 to use up large quantities of Nomura’s Jellyfish that were plaguing Japanese beaches.
In 2013 British ice cream wizard Charlie Francis created For Halloween a glow-in-the-dark ice cream using synthesised jellyfish proteins — the same ones that allow these marine animals to produce light — bioluminescence — inside their bodies. The biggest snag was that a glowing cone cost around £150.
==========================
Sewage and livestock waste is killing Britain's seagrass meadows
The ‘canaries of the sea’ are sending a worrying message about the health of our oceans
We know that the seagrass meadows surrounding the UK are in a perilous state of decline, and our recently published research has now uncovered one of the biggest causes. Our study suggests that a major driver of seagrass decline is nutrient pollution from sewage and livestock waste.
Though a new finding, it sadly comes as no surprise, given that about 40 per cent of rivers in England and Wales are polluted with sewage.
This nutrient pollution puts the long-term viability of seagrass meadows in doubt. Over-enrichment results in the suffocation of seagrass. The nutrients cause microscopic algae – called epiphytes – to smother the seagrass leaves, decreasing their ability to capture light, ultimately killing them, and destroying the habitat for fish and other marine animals.
Seagrass is know as ‘the canary of the sea’In addition to this environmental impact, we found that several areas, including the Thames waterway seagrass and a meadow in Studland Bay, Dorset – which are popular with swimmers and boaters – were considerably enriched in nutrients from sewage, livestock effluent and/or human waste. Despite this, neither location, nor any other we identified with the same problem, were classed as unsuitable for swimmers.
Outdated treatment
Clearly, we have a massive problem at hand – but water companies, farmers and the Government have not and are still not doing enough to prevent it.
Though efforts have been made to develop a British marine protected area network, and EU legislation has improved water quality in the last few decades, we have found these initiatives to be insufficient. Ten of the 11 sites we studied were in areas with designated EU protection, but most of these seagrass meadows were still polluted with nutrients derived from urban sewage and livestock waste.
So how has this happened? Analysis of the seagrass tissues points to constant sewage exposure. Old and outdated water treatment facilities are one of the likely culprits, resulting in discharges of untreated sewage during times of heavy rainfall. These are legal, but evidently the capacity of these facilities is insufficient to handle the country’s needs, and waterways are suffering because of it.
There is also the problem of livestock waste. Farming is now one of the UK’s leading causes of water pollution, and inefficiencies in storage and disposal of slurry mean that it ends up in rivers and coastal waters.
Local and national
Evidently, in addition to national and international initiatives, we need to start quickly identifying and understanding all local threats to seagrass. Especially if we are going to harmonise conservation goals with sustainable economic development. Only by finding out specifically where the nutrients affecting seagrass areas have come from can we really start to think about a targeted solution for each meadow.
Unfortunately, to date, the conservation of specific seagrass meadows is rarely based on the explicit consideration of local threats and drivers. Instead, projects focus on conserving seagrass as part of a broader plan, incorporating other specific habitats or species. While this may be effective at dealing with problems such as the impact on fisheries, and is certainly a step forward for the marine environment, it doesn’t deal with the persistent and chronic problem of pollution – which can go largely unnoticed.
==========================
The ‘canaries of the sea’ are sending a worrying message about the health of our oceans
We know that the seagrass meadows surrounding the UK are in a perilous state of decline, and our recently published research has now uncovered one of the biggest causes. Our study suggests that a major driver of seagrass decline is nutrient pollution from sewage and livestock waste.
Though a new finding, it sadly comes as no surprise, given that about 40 per cent of rivers in England and Wales are polluted with sewage.
This nutrient pollution puts the long-term viability of seagrass meadows in doubt. Over-enrichment results in the suffocation of seagrass. The nutrients cause microscopic algae – called epiphytes – to smother the seagrass leaves, decreasing their ability to capture light, ultimately killing them, and destroying the habitat for fish and other marine animals.
Seagrass is know as ‘the canary of the sea’In addition to this environmental impact, we found that several areas, including the Thames waterway seagrass and a meadow in Studland Bay, Dorset – which are popular with swimmers and boaters – were considerably enriched in nutrients from sewage, livestock effluent and/or human waste. Despite this, neither location, nor any other we identified with the same problem, were classed as unsuitable for swimmers.
Outdated treatment
Clearly, we have a massive problem at hand – but water companies, farmers and the Government have not and are still not doing enough to prevent it.
Though efforts have been made to develop a British marine protected area network, and EU legislation has improved water quality in the last few decades, we have found these initiatives to be insufficient. Ten of the 11 sites we studied were in areas with designated EU protection, but most of these seagrass meadows were still polluted with nutrients derived from urban sewage and livestock waste.
So how has this happened? Analysis of the seagrass tissues points to constant sewage exposure. Old and outdated water treatment facilities are one of the likely culprits, resulting in discharges of untreated sewage during times of heavy rainfall. These are legal, but evidently the capacity of these facilities is insufficient to handle the country’s needs, and waterways are suffering because of it.
There is also the problem of livestock waste. Farming is now one of the UK’s leading causes of water pollution, and inefficiencies in storage and disposal of slurry mean that it ends up in rivers and coastal waters.
Local and national
Evidently, in addition to national and international initiatives, we need to start quickly identifying and understanding all local threats to seagrass. Especially if we are going to harmonise conservation goals with sustainable economic development. Only by finding out specifically where the nutrients affecting seagrass areas have come from can we really start to think about a targeted solution for each meadow.
Unfortunately, to date, the conservation of specific seagrass meadows is rarely based on the explicit consideration of local threats and drivers. Instead, projects focus on conserving seagrass as part of a broader plan, incorporating other specific habitats or species. While this may be effective at dealing with problems such as the impact on fisheries, and is certainly a step forward for the marine environment, it doesn’t deal with the persistent and chronic problem of pollution – which can go largely unnoticed.
==========================
The Burbot (Lota lota)
Fish Face Close Up! One of the Burbot, with its single distinguishable barbel,
caught near an artificial reef in the St. Clair River. Credit: Jennifer L Johnson,
USFWS
Burbot (Lota lota) are a species of fish that are truly unique in North America. A member of the Lotidae family, Burbot are essentially a freshwater cod and are the only species of their kind. Distinguished by a single barbel on the chin, these winter spawners are typically associated with cold, deep water of lakes and large rivers. Not much is known regarding the population status of Burbot across their range, particularly in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers.
The Detroit and St. Clair rivers historically supported an abundant fishery; however like many river systems, these rivers have been greatly altered. The creation of navigation channels and other anthropogenic disturbances have resulted in the decline of native fish populations and loss of habitat. Like many other native fish species, pollution, invasive species, and habitat degradation may have contributed to declining numbers of Burbot. In order to restore these impairments, artificial reefs have been constructed in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. While Burbot were not a target species when considering reef construction, they are a species which may be benefiting.
Picture :Jennifer Johnson with the USFWS holds a
Burbot captured during fall gill net surveys
on the St. Clair River. Credit: USFWS
Each year the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) - Waterford Substation conducts several surveys on the St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) using multiple gear types. Prior to the beginning of reef construction, no Burbot were recorded in any surveys. In 2015, all that changed. A total of five Burbot were caught in SCDRS that year. Three occurred in the St. Clair River while two were caught in the Detroit River. Even more Burbot were caught during the last field season with a total of eight in 2016. This time five were caught in the Detroit River and three in the St. Clair River. This means a total 13 Burbot have been caught in the last two years. Thirteen may not seem like a lot of fish, but when compared to zero in the previous 10 plus years, thirteen is a good number! Both the time of the year and gear type used in the survey does not seem to have an effect on whether or not Burbot were captured. Fish were caught in setlines, gill nets, and minnow traps in months ranging from April through December.
How does this relate to the artificial reefs? One of factors the Burbot catches had in common was the reefs. All of the Burbot captured in the Detroit River have been caught during surveys near the artificial reefs which have been constructed since 2008. Only two of the Burbot caught over the last two years in the St. Clair River were not caught on or near the reefs.
While it cannot be said conclusively that the artificial reefs in the SCDRS are benefiting Burbot populations, Alpena FWCO –Waterford Substation have documented Burbot utilizing this area. While various populations may be declining, the future for Burbot in the St. Clair – Detroit River System may be bright.
The Burbot is rare in the UK.
==========================
Fish Face Close Up! One of the Burbot, with its single distinguishable barbel,
caught near an artificial reef in the St. Clair River. Credit: Jennifer L Johnson,
USFWS
Burbot (Lota lota) are a species of fish that are truly unique in North America. A member of the Lotidae family, Burbot are essentially a freshwater cod and are the only species of their kind. Distinguished by a single barbel on the chin, these winter spawners are typically associated with cold, deep water of lakes and large rivers. Not much is known regarding the population status of Burbot across their range, particularly in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers.
The Detroit and St. Clair rivers historically supported an abundant fishery; however like many river systems, these rivers have been greatly altered. The creation of navigation channels and other anthropogenic disturbances have resulted in the decline of native fish populations and loss of habitat. Like many other native fish species, pollution, invasive species, and habitat degradation may have contributed to declining numbers of Burbot. In order to restore these impairments, artificial reefs have been constructed in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. While Burbot were not a target species when considering reef construction, they are a species which may be benefiting.
Picture :Jennifer Johnson with the USFWS holds a
Burbot captured during fall gill net surveys
on the St. Clair River. Credit: USFWS
Each year the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) - Waterford Substation conducts several surveys on the St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) using multiple gear types. Prior to the beginning of reef construction, no Burbot were recorded in any surveys. In 2015, all that changed. A total of five Burbot were caught in SCDRS that year. Three occurred in the St. Clair River while two were caught in the Detroit River. Even more Burbot were caught during the last field season with a total of eight in 2016. This time five were caught in the Detroit River and three in the St. Clair River. This means a total 13 Burbot have been caught in the last two years. Thirteen may not seem like a lot of fish, but when compared to zero in the previous 10 plus years, thirteen is a good number! Both the time of the year and gear type used in the survey does not seem to have an effect on whether or not Burbot were captured. Fish were caught in setlines, gill nets, and minnow traps in months ranging from April through December.
How does this relate to the artificial reefs? One of factors the Burbot catches had in common was the reefs. All of the Burbot captured in the Detroit River have been caught during surveys near the artificial reefs which have been constructed since 2008. Only two of the Burbot caught over the last two years in the St. Clair River were not caught on or near the reefs.
While it cannot be said conclusively that the artificial reefs in the SCDRS are benefiting Burbot populations, Alpena FWCO –Waterford Substation have documented Burbot utilizing this area. While various populations may be declining, the future for Burbot in the St. Clair – Detroit River System may be bright.
The Burbot is rare in the UK.
==========================
Petfish Monthly May 1973 is now online at:- http://aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
========================================
Larval Swimming Capacities Affect Genetic Differentiation and Range Size in Demersal Marine Fishes
The swimming capacities of pelagic larvae affects gene flow and range size in demersal marine fishes.
in Nanninga & Manica, 2018. DOI: 10.3354/meps12515
Photo: Frank Baensch
ABSTRACT
Dispersal is a fundamental process governing the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of any given species. Due to inherent challenges associated with measuring dispersal directly, identifying proxies for dispersal capacity has long been an active field of research across ecosystems. In marine systems, pelagic larval duration (PLD) has been one of the most widely used indicators of interspecific dispersal potential. The validity of this proxy, however, relies mostly on the assumption of entirely passive dispersal, a notion that has been challenged by findings of strong larval behavioural capabilities. Here, we assessed the effect of larval swimming capacities measured as mean critical swimming speed (U-crit) on emergent species-level properties related to dispersal potential, population genetic structure and global range size, in demersal marine fishes. In a meta-analytic framework, we tested the relative importance of U-crit versus other intrinsic (PLD, egg type, adult body size) and extrinsic (genetic marker type, study scale) predictors of isolation-by-distance slope, global FST and range size. U-crit showed stronger relationships with all emergent response variables than PLD and was consistently the most important predictor in multi-model inference. Our findings indicate that larval swimming capacities could serve as a powerful indicator of a species’ long-distance dispersal potential.
KEY WORDS: Larval dispersal · Critical swimming speed · Connectivity · Genetic structure · Isolation-by-distance · Range size
Gerrit B. Nanninga and Andrea Manica. 2018. Larval Swimming Capacities Affect Genetic Differentiation and Range Size in Demersal Marine Fishes. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 589;1-12. DOI: 10.3354/meps12515
twitter.com/TrevorABranch/status/967115273894440961
twitter.com/GerritNanninga/status/967159290065666048
==========================
The swimming capacities of pelagic larvae affects gene flow and range size in demersal marine fishes.
in Nanninga & Manica, 2018. DOI: 10.3354/meps12515
Photo: Frank Baensch
ABSTRACT
Dispersal is a fundamental process governing the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of any given species. Due to inherent challenges associated with measuring dispersal directly, identifying proxies for dispersal capacity has long been an active field of research across ecosystems. In marine systems, pelagic larval duration (PLD) has been one of the most widely used indicators of interspecific dispersal potential. The validity of this proxy, however, relies mostly on the assumption of entirely passive dispersal, a notion that has been challenged by findings of strong larval behavioural capabilities. Here, we assessed the effect of larval swimming capacities measured as mean critical swimming speed (U-crit) on emergent species-level properties related to dispersal potential, population genetic structure and global range size, in demersal marine fishes. In a meta-analytic framework, we tested the relative importance of U-crit versus other intrinsic (PLD, egg type, adult body size) and extrinsic (genetic marker type, study scale) predictors of isolation-by-distance slope, global FST and range size. U-crit showed stronger relationships with all emergent response variables than PLD and was consistently the most important predictor in multi-model inference. Our findings indicate that larval swimming capacities could serve as a powerful indicator of a species’ long-distance dispersal potential.
KEY WORDS: Larval dispersal · Critical swimming speed · Connectivity · Genetic structure · Isolation-by-distance · Range size
Gerrit B. Nanninga and Andrea Manica. 2018. Larval Swimming Capacities Affect Genetic Differentiation and Range Size in Demersal Marine Fishes. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 589;1-12. DOI: 10.3354/meps12515
twitter.com/TrevorABranch/status/967115273894440961
twitter.com/GerritNanninga/status/967159290065666048
==========================
The Identity of Aplocheilus andamanicus (Köhler, 1906)(Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes), An Endemic Killifish from the Andaman Islands, with Notes on Odontopsis armata
Aplocheilus andamanicus (Köhler, 1906)
in Katwate, Kumkar, Britz, Raghavan & Dahanukar, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4382.1.6
Abstract
In his work on the fishes of the Andaman Islands, Francis Day (1870) collected large-sized specimens of Aplocheilus from the south Andamans. Despite differences in the size and dorsal-fin ray counts, Day refrained from recognising the Andaman Aplocheilus as a distinct species and considered it as Aplocheilus panchax, a species distributed in the Ganges delta and across the eastern coast of mainland India. However, Day mentioned the differences in fin-ray counts between these two populations. Subsequently Köhler (1906) described the Andaman population as Haplochilus andamanicus (now in Aplocheilus), referring to the diagnostic characters initially discovered by Day. This species failed to receive recognition from taxonomists, because of the uncertainty regarding the validity of the species and its questionable synonymy with A. panchax. In this study, based on morphological and molecular evidence, we demonstrate that A. andamanicus is indeed a distinct and valid species, which can easily be diagnosed from the widespread A. panchax. While resolving the identity of A. andamanicus, we also demonstrate that the congeners from southeast Asia form a genetically distinct group for which the name Odontopsis armata is available.
Keywords: Pisces, Aplocheilus panchax, freshwater fish, taxonomy, South Asia
Unmesh Katwate, Pradeep Kumkar, Ralf Britz, Rajeev Raghavan and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. The Identity of Aplocheilus andamanicus (Köhler, 1906) (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes), An Endemic Killifish from the Andaman Islands, with Notes on Odontopsis armata van Hasselt. Zootaxa. 4382(1); 159–174. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4382.1.6
facebook.com/TheUnmesh/posts/10208579955375536
facebook.com/indiagillsbangalore/photos/585246375144651
==========================
Aplocheilus andamanicus (Köhler, 1906)
in Katwate, Kumkar, Britz, Raghavan & Dahanukar, 2018.
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4382.1.6
Abstract
In his work on the fishes of the Andaman Islands, Francis Day (1870) collected large-sized specimens of Aplocheilus from the south Andamans. Despite differences in the size and dorsal-fin ray counts, Day refrained from recognising the Andaman Aplocheilus as a distinct species and considered it as Aplocheilus panchax, a species distributed in the Ganges delta and across the eastern coast of mainland India. However, Day mentioned the differences in fin-ray counts between these two populations. Subsequently Köhler (1906) described the Andaman population as Haplochilus andamanicus (now in Aplocheilus), referring to the diagnostic characters initially discovered by Day. This species failed to receive recognition from taxonomists, because of the uncertainty regarding the validity of the species and its questionable synonymy with A. panchax. In this study, based on morphological and molecular evidence, we demonstrate that A. andamanicus is indeed a distinct and valid species, which can easily be diagnosed from the widespread A. panchax. While resolving the identity of A. andamanicus, we also demonstrate that the congeners from southeast Asia form a genetically distinct group for which the name Odontopsis armata is available.
Keywords: Pisces, Aplocheilus panchax, freshwater fish, taxonomy, South Asia
Unmesh Katwate, Pradeep Kumkar, Ralf Britz, Rajeev Raghavan and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2018. The Identity of Aplocheilus andamanicus (Köhler, 1906) (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes), An Endemic Killifish from the Andaman Islands, with Notes on Odontopsis armata van Hasselt. Zootaxa. 4382(1); 159–174. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4382.1.6
facebook.com/TheUnmesh/posts/10208579955375536
facebook.com/indiagillsbangalore/photos/585246375144651
==========================
Audrey Lilian Cheswright
!9th November 1936 16th February 2018
It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Audrey Cheswright an Honorary Life Member of Southend , Leigh & District Aquarist Society passed away on the morning of February 16th 2018.
Audrey has been associated with fish and fish clubs since she first met her husband Dave, indeed the first date with Dave was to a Fish Show.
I first met Audrey when I was persuaded by Chris Skilton and the late George Yallop to to take them to Dave & Audrey's to view Dave's fish house. In those days it was common practice to just turn up at a fellow aquarists place unannounced. Although Audrey was just days before giving birth to Chris she made no bones about it and welcomed us with tea and cakes.
Audrey was for many years the clubs Catering Secretary and also arranged and served the Judges at our Show with proper meals after they had completed the judging.
On one occasion Dave asked her to check on his fish house whilst he was out and as she entered a large bow fronted aquarium decided to shatter it's front glass and completely soak her from head to foot. Most spouses would after that have decided that fishes were not for them– but not Audrey!
In April 1983 Dave passed away but Audrey insisted in carrying on with the club until the late 1990`s. For all her years of unstinting service to the Society she was awarded a Life Membership as thanks for all the help she gave to our Society.
May I and all the aquarists who knew her, offer our heartfelt condolences to her son Chris, her daughter Ann and her grandson Jack
Peter Capon
==========================
!9th November 1936 16th February 2018
It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Audrey Cheswright an Honorary Life Member of Southend , Leigh & District Aquarist Society passed away on the morning of February 16th 2018.
Audrey has been associated with fish and fish clubs since she first met her husband Dave, indeed the first date with Dave was to a Fish Show.
I first met Audrey when I was persuaded by Chris Skilton and the late George Yallop to to take them to Dave & Audrey's to view Dave's fish house. In those days it was common practice to just turn up at a fellow aquarists place unannounced. Although Audrey was just days before giving birth to Chris she made no bones about it and welcomed us with tea and cakes.
Audrey was for many years the clubs Catering Secretary and also arranged and served the Judges at our Show with proper meals after they had completed the judging.
On one occasion Dave asked her to check on his fish house whilst he was out and as she entered a large bow fronted aquarium decided to shatter it's front glass and completely soak her from head to foot. Most spouses would after that have decided that fishes were not for them– but not Audrey!
In April 1983 Dave passed away but Audrey insisted in carrying on with the club until the late 1990`s. For all her years of unstinting service to the Society she was awarded a Life Membership as thanks for all the help she gave to our Society.
May I and all the aquarists who knew her, offer our heartfelt condolences to her son Chris, her daughter Ann and her grandson Jack
Peter Capon
==========================
Exostoma sectile • A New Glyptosternine Catfish (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Northern Myanmar
Exostoma sectile Ng & Kottelat. 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-613
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
A new species of sisorid catfish in the genus Exostoma is described from the upper Irrawaddy River drainage in northern Myanmar. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the condition of the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base, the degree of tuberculation in the preorbital area, as well as morphometric data for the nasal barbel length, snout length, interorbital distance, adipose fin-base length, body depth at anus, caudal-peduncle length, and caudal-peduncle depth. The taxonomic status of congeners in the Irrawaddy River drainage is also discussed, and E. chaudhurii is revalidated as a distinct species.
Fig. 1. Exostoma sectile, holotype, MHNG 2767.061, 78.2 mm SL. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views.
Exostoma sectile, new species
Distribution.-- This species is known from a single locality near Putao in the upper Irrawaddy River drainage in northern Myanmar.
Etymology.— The specific epithet comes from the Latin adjective sectilis, -is, -e, meaning cut or cleft. This is used in reference to the presence of a distinct incision or notch at the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base in this species.
Heok Hee Ng and Maurice Kottelat. 2018. A New Glyptosternine Catfish from Northern Myanmar (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae). Copeia. 106(1); 63-69. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-613
ResearchGate.net/publication/323076647_A_New_Glyptosternine_Catfish_from_northern_Myanmar
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/962039021852549120
==========================
Exostoma sectile Ng & Kottelat. 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-613
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
A new species of sisorid catfish in the genus Exostoma is described from the upper Irrawaddy River drainage in northern Myanmar. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the condition of the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base, the degree of tuberculation in the preorbital area, as well as morphometric data for the nasal barbel length, snout length, interorbital distance, adipose fin-base length, body depth at anus, caudal-peduncle length, and caudal-peduncle depth. The taxonomic status of congeners in the Irrawaddy River drainage is also discussed, and E. chaudhurii is revalidated as a distinct species.
Fig. 1. Exostoma sectile, holotype, MHNG 2767.061, 78.2 mm SL. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views.
Exostoma sectile, new species
Distribution.-- This species is known from a single locality near Putao in the upper Irrawaddy River drainage in northern Myanmar.
Etymology.— The specific epithet comes from the Latin adjective sectilis, -is, -e, meaning cut or cleft. This is used in reference to the presence of a distinct incision or notch at the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base in this species.
Heok Hee Ng and Maurice Kottelat. 2018. A New Glyptosternine Catfish from Northern Myanmar (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae). Copeia. 106(1); 63-69. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-613
ResearchGate.net/publication/323076647_A_New_Glyptosternine_Catfish_from_northern_Myanmar
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/962039021852549120
==========================
Resurrection of the Sixgill Shark Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969 (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae), with Comments on Its Distribution in the northwest Atlantic Ocean
Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969
in Daly-Engel, Baremore, Grubbs, et al., 2018.
DOI: 10.1007/s12526-018-0849-x
facebook.com/SharkReferences
Abstract
The sixgill sharks of the genus Hexanchus (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae) are large, rarely encountered deep-sea sharks, thought to comprise just two species: the bluntnose sixgill Hexanchus griseus (Bonaterre, 1788) and the bigeye sixgill Hexanchus nakamurai (Teng, 1962). Their distribution is putatively worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, but many verified records for these species are lacking, and misidentification is common. Taxonomic uncertainty has long surrounded H. nakamurai in particular, with debate as to whether individuals from the Atlantic constitute a separate species. Using 1,310 base pairs of two mitochondrial genes, COI and ND2, we confirm that bigeye sixgill sharks from the Atlantic Ocean (Belize, Gulf of Mexico, and Bahamas) diverge from those in the Pacific and Indian Oceans (Japan, La Reunion, and Madagascar) with 7.037% sequence divergence. This difference is similar to the genetic distance between both Atlantic and Indo-Pacific bigeye sixgill sharks and the bluntnose sixgill shark (7.965% and 8.200%, respectively), and between the entire genus Hexanchus and its sister genus Heptranchias (8.308%). Such variation far exceeds previous measures of species-level genetic divergence in elasmobranchs, even among slowly-evolving deep-water taxa. Given the high degree of morphological similarity within Hexanchus, and the fact that cryptic diversity is common even among frequently observed shark species, we conclude that these results support the resurrection of the name Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969 for bigeye sixgill sharks in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. We propose the common name “Atlantic sixgill shark” for H. vitulus, and provide new locality records from Belize, as well as comments on its overall distribution.
Keywords: Systematics, Mitochondrial DNA, Phylogenetics, Speciation, Elasmobranchs
An adult Atlantic sixgill shark swims in the waters off Belize.
photo: Ivy Baremore/Maralliance
Toby S. Daly-Engel, Ivy E. Baremore, R. Dean Grubbs, Simon J. B. Gulak, Rachel T. Graham and Michael P. Enzenauer. 2018. Resurrection of the Sixgill Shark Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969 (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae), with comments on its distribution in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Marine Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1007/s12526-018-0849-x
New species of shark discovered through genetic testing phy.so/438254250 via @physorg_com
facebook.com/SharkReferences/photos/1718179378202159
==========================
Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969
in Daly-Engel, Baremore, Grubbs, et al., 2018.
DOI: 10.1007/s12526-018-0849-x
facebook.com/SharkReferences
Abstract
The sixgill sharks of the genus Hexanchus (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae) are large, rarely encountered deep-sea sharks, thought to comprise just two species: the bluntnose sixgill Hexanchus griseus (Bonaterre, 1788) and the bigeye sixgill Hexanchus nakamurai (Teng, 1962). Their distribution is putatively worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, but many verified records for these species are lacking, and misidentification is common. Taxonomic uncertainty has long surrounded H. nakamurai in particular, with debate as to whether individuals from the Atlantic constitute a separate species. Using 1,310 base pairs of two mitochondrial genes, COI and ND2, we confirm that bigeye sixgill sharks from the Atlantic Ocean (Belize, Gulf of Mexico, and Bahamas) diverge from those in the Pacific and Indian Oceans (Japan, La Reunion, and Madagascar) with 7.037% sequence divergence. This difference is similar to the genetic distance between both Atlantic and Indo-Pacific bigeye sixgill sharks and the bluntnose sixgill shark (7.965% and 8.200%, respectively), and between the entire genus Hexanchus and its sister genus Heptranchias (8.308%). Such variation far exceeds previous measures of species-level genetic divergence in elasmobranchs, even among slowly-evolving deep-water taxa. Given the high degree of morphological similarity within Hexanchus, and the fact that cryptic diversity is common even among frequently observed shark species, we conclude that these results support the resurrection of the name Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969 for bigeye sixgill sharks in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. We propose the common name “Atlantic sixgill shark” for H. vitulus, and provide new locality records from Belize, as well as comments on its overall distribution.
Keywords: Systematics, Mitochondrial DNA, Phylogenetics, Speciation, Elasmobranchs
An adult Atlantic sixgill shark swims in the waters off Belize.
photo: Ivy Baremore/Maralliance
Toby S. Daly-Engel, Ivy E. Baremore, R. Dean Grubbs, Simon J. B. Gulak, Rachel T. Graham and Michael P. Enzenauer. 2018. Resurrection of the Sixgill Shark Hexanchus vitulus Springer & Waller, 1969 (Hexanchiformes, Hexanchidae), with comments on its distribution in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Marine Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1007/s12526-018-0849-x
New species of shark discovered through genetic testing phy.so/438254250 via @physorg_com
facebook.com/SharkReferences/photos/1718179378202159
==========================
Anarhichas minor
Chiasmodon harteli
Canada finally has a list of all our Arctic fish, 58 years in the making
Published on: February 19, 2018 | Last Updated: February 19, 2018 2:13 PM EST
Figure 1 Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor). Credit: Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility, DFO.
It was 1960 and Canada’s fisheries managers had a problem: No one fully knew what kinds of fish were in our oceans, or where they lived.
Not understanding what fish we have can be a national problem, as the crash of the Atlantic cod fishery later proved.
So the Fisheries Research Board of Canada began gathering information, and soon there were descriptions and maps for the Atlantic fish, Pacific fish and freshwater fish — but still nothing for the Arctic Ocean. The problem stayed that way for decades.
“The problem in this case was twofold,” recalled James Reist, a veteran Fisheries and Oceans researcher. “The specimens weren’t there, basic information wasn’t there, and then on top of that was the difficulty of working in the north, and the expense.”
Figure 2 Hartel’s Swallower (Chiasmodon harteli)- top and dorsal views. Illustration shows the fish with its prey inside the stomach. OTTWP
Some Arctic fish were well known in one sense — everyone knows what an Arctic char looks like — but their distribution had to be mapped out. Other species were real mysteries, such as the deep-sea creatures of which only one or two specimens have ever been found.
The task fell in the end to Ottawa’s Don McAllister, the young curator of fishes (he was still in his 20s) at what is now the Canadian Museum of Nature, and an Arctic specialist.
“Don McAllister began the effort in about 1960 or so,” Reist said.
This week, the result is finally in print: Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada has more than 600 pages of every known fish in our north, from halibut to sculpins to the massive Greenland shark.
The book is edited by Reist and Brian Coad, a long-time researcher at the nature museum, with contributions from many sources, including Noel Alfonso and Claude Renaud of the museum. It’s dedicated to McAllister, who died in 2001.
There’s a book launch with free admission at the museum Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The book production began in the early 1990s but they took the slow road in order to get pinpoint accuracy in the many maps.
“Rather than plot generalized distributions, sort of where we think the fish should be, we undertook a massive effort … to go through all of the available information,” Reist said. This detective work led through formal research studies, but also through old typed reports from fisheries managers and consultants.
Reist has occupied a lot of his career on Arctic fish that spend summer at sea but move inland to spend the winter and spawn in rivers. These include the different kinds of char.
He still marvels at their ability to adapt to harsh and changing conditions: “Low temperatures for much of the year, sea ice and ice in freshwater, highly variable environmental conditions,” he said, and water that doesn’t have a lot of food in it.
He also noted the weird fish — especially in the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay — from several thousand metres deep, with huge jaws, enormous bellies and not a lot else.
“They are adapted so that anything they encounter, they eat. Anybody they meet in the deep water, they will try to consume.”
The book normally costs $99.95, and can be ordered specially by bookstores. There is an introductory special online from U of T Press for $74.95. It is published jointly by the museum and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
==========================
Published on: February 19, 2018 | Last Updated: February 19, 2018 2:13 PM EST
Figure 1 Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor). Credit: Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility, DFO.
It was 1960 and Canada’s fisheries managers had a problem: No one fully knew what kinds of fish were in our oceans, or where they lived.
Not understanding what fish we have can be a national problem, as the crash of the Atlantic cod fishery later proved.
So the Fisheries Research Board of Canada began gathering information, and soon there were descriptions and maps for the Atlantic fish, Pacific fish and freshwater fish — but still nothing for the Arctic Ocean. The problem stayed that way for decades.
“The problem in this case was twofold,” recalled James Reist, a veteran Fisheries and Oceans researcher. “The specimens weren’t there, basic information wasn’t there, and then on top of that was the difficulty of working in the north, and the expense.”
Figure 2 Hartel’s Swallower (Chiasmodon harteli)- top and dorsal views. Illustration shows the fish with its prey inside the stomach. OTTWP
Some Arctic fish were well known in one sense — everyone knows what an Arctic char looks like — but their distribution had to be mapped out. Other species were real mysteries, such as the deep-sea creatures of which only one or two specimens have ever been found.
The task fell in the end to Ottawa’s Don McAllister, the young curator of fishes (he was still in his 20s) at what is now the Canadian Museum of Nature, and an Arctic specialist.
“Don McAllister began the effort in about 1960 or so,” Reist said.
This week, the result is finally in print: Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada has more than 600 pages of every known fish in our north, from halibut to sculpins to the massive Greenland shark.
The book is edited by Reist and Brian Coad, a long-time researcher at the nature museum, with contributions from many sources, including Noel Alfonso and Claude Renaud of the museum. It’s dedicated to McAllister, who died in 2001.
There’s a book launch with free admission at the museum Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The book production began in the early 1990s but they took the slow road in order to get pinpoint accuracy in the many maps.
“Rather than plot generalized distributions, sort of where we think the fish should be, we undertook a massive effort … to go through all of the available information,” Reist said. This detective work led through formal research studies, but also through old typed reports from fisheries managers and consultants.
Reist has occupied a lot of his career on Arctic fish that spend summer at sea but move inland to spend the winter and spawn in rivers. These include the different kinds of char.
He still marvels at their ability to adapt to harsh and changing conditions: “Low temperatures for much of the year, sea ice and ice in freshwater, highly variable environmental conditions,” he said, and water that doesn’t have a lot of food in it.
He also noted the weird fish — especially in the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay — from several thousand metres deep, with huge jaws, enormous bellies and not a lot else.
“They are adapted so that anything they encounter, they eat. Anybody they meet in the deep water, they will try to consume.”
The book normally costs $99.95, and can be ordered specially by bookstores. There is an introductory special online from U of T Press for $74.95. It is published jointly by the museum and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
==========================
Tugenchromis pickfordi • A Stem-group Cichlid of the ‘East African Radiation’ from the upper Miocene of central Kenya
Tugenchromis pickfordi
Altner, Schliewen, Penk & Reichenbacher, 2017
DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1297819
en.palaeontologie.geowissenschaften.uni-muenchen.de
ABSTRACT
The highly diverse tropical freshwater fish family Cichlidae is sparsely represented in the fossil record. Here we describe the new cichlid †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Miocene (9–10 Ma) of central Kenya. The new taxon possesses a unique combination of characters, including six lateral line foramina on the lacrimal, three lateral line segments, cycloid scales, and a low number of vertebrae (29), dorsal fin spines (13), and dorsal soft rays (9). Its lacrimal morphology and tripartite lateral line suggest an affinity with the present-day Lake Tanganyika tribes Ectodini and Limnochromini, and thus with members of the ‘East African Radiation’ among the African cichlids. To further elucidate the relationships of †T. pickfordi, we used a comprehensive comparative data set comprising meristic data from all present-day tribes of the ‘East African Radiation.’ Principal coordinates analyses support links between the fossil and Ectodini + Limnochromini, and additionally with modern Haplochromini. We conclude that †T. pickfordi could be an extinct lineage within the ‘most ancient Tanganyika tribes,’ or a stem lineage of the ‘ancient Tanganyika mouthbrooders.’ A direct relationship to the Haplochromini is unlikely because its members do not exhibit the derived characteristics of the lacrimal as seen in †T. pickfordi. Because Lake Tanganyika is located in the western branch of the East African Rift System, †T. pickfordi from the eastern branch supports the ‘melting-pot Tanganyika hypothesis,’ which posits that the cichlids of modern Lake Tanganyika are derived from riverine lineages that had already diversified prior to the lake formation.
FIGURE †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov. A1–A2, holotype in part (OCO-5-35) and counterpart (OCO-5-22); A3, right lateral view of the specimen (shading refers to ribs from the left side of the specimen);
Abbreviations: cl, cleithrum; cor, coracoid; ep, epural; hs, hemal spine; hyp, hypural plate; lac, lacrimal; nlc, neurocranial lateral line canal; ns, neural spine; o, otolith; op, operculum; ph, parhypural; pha, pharyngeal teeth; ppc, postcleithrum; ptt, posttemporal; pu, preural centrum; rad, radials; sca, scapula; scl, supracleithrum; sop, suboperculum; us, urostyle; un1, uroneural 1; = , tubular lateral line scale; °, pitted lateral line scale.
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY
CICHLIDAE Bonaparte, 1835
PSEUDOCRENILABRINAE Fowler, 1934
†TUGENCHROMIS, nov. gen.
Generic Diagnosis: Lateral line on the trunk divided into three segments, two of which are posterior lateral lines. One posterior segment positioned ventrally, the other dorsally to the anterior lateral line segment. This is a condition not seen in any other cichlid genus.
Etymology: ‘Tugen’ refers to the ‘Tugen Hills’ (named after the local people, i.e., the ‘Tugen,’ a subgroup of the Kalenjin ethnic group), in which the type locality of the new fossil taxon is located. The Greek word ‘Chromis’ (χρόμις) is a name used by the Ancient Greek and was applied to various fish. It is a common second element in cichlid genus names. Tugenchromis is masculine.
Type Species: †Tugenchromis pickfordi, sp. nov.
†TUGENCHROMIS PICKFORDI, sp. nov.
Holotype: OCO-5-22/35, partially complete skeleton in part and counterpart (Fig. 2A1–A3), approximately 60 mm total length, 33.5 mm body length.
Etymology: Species named in honor of the paleontologist Martin Pickford in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the geology and paleontology of East Africa.
Locality, Horizon, and Age: Outcrop Waril in Central Kenya; Ngorora Formation, Member E; late Miocene (9–10 Ma) (see Rasmussen et al., 2017).
CONCLUSION:
Based on lacrimal morphology and meristic data derived from all present-day cichlids of the ‘East African Radiation,’ we propose that the newly discovered cichlid fossil from the upper Miocene of Central Kenya either represents a stem lineage of the ‘ancient Tanganyika mouthbrooders’ or an extinct lineage within the ‘most ancient Tanganyika tribes.’ This result implies that the use of a comprehensive set of comparative material derived from extant cichlids may make it possible to phylogenetically place other fossil cichlids with greater confidence in future studies.
Apart from a lower Miocene cichlid from Uganda (‘cf. Pelmatochromis spp.’), none of the previously described fossil cichlid taxa from Africa, Arabia, and Europe possess distinctive similarities to †T. pickfordi. This indicates that the Ngorora fish Lagerstätte in Central Kenya may provide an unrivalled window into the evolutionary history of African cichlids, particularly into the origin of the ‘East African Radiation,’ i.e., the megadiversity of the present-day cichlids in Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, and Lake Victoria.
Furthermore, the new fossil provides additional support for the presence of an ancient east-west connection (e.g., proto-Malagarasi River) between the Central Kenya Rift and Lake Tanganyika, which is consistent with previous assumptions regarding the hydrological networks across East and Central Africa during the Miocene.
Melanie Altner, Ulrich K. Schliewen, Stefanie B. R. Penk and Bettina Reichenbacher. 2017 . †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Miocene—A Stem-group Cichlid of the ‘East African Radiation’. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 37(2); e1297819. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1297819
en.palaeontologie.geowissenschaften.uni-muenchen.de/forschung/forsch_gebiete/kenya/index.html
twitter.com/gombessagirl/status/861246850854244354
==========================
Tugenchromis pickfordi
Altner, Schliewen, Penk & Reichenbacher, 2017
DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1297819
en.palaeontologie.geowissenschaften.uni-muenchen.de
ABSTRACT
The highly diverse tropical freshwater fish family Cichlidae is sparsely represented in the fossil record. Here we describe the new cichlid †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Miocene (9–10 Ma) of central Kenya. The new taxon possesses a unique combination of characters, including six lateral line foramina on the lacrimal, three lateral line segments, cycloid scales, and a low number of vertebrae (29), dorsal fin spines (13), and dorsal soft rays (9). Its lacrimal morphology and tripartite lateral line suggest an affinity with the present-day Lake Tanganyika tribes Ectodini and Limnochromini, and thus with members of the ‘East African Radiation’ among the African cichlids. To further elucidate the relationships of †T. pickfordi, we used a comprehensive comparative data set comprising meristic data from all present-day tribes of the ‘East African Radiation.’ Principal coordinates analyses support links between the fossil and Ectodini + Limnochromini, and additionally with modern Haplochromini. We conclude that †T. pickfordi could be an extinct lineage within the ‘most ancient Tanganyika tribes,’ or a stem lineage of the ‘ancient Tanganyika mouthbrooders.’ A direct relationship to the Haplochromini is unlikely because its members do not exhibit the derived characteristics of the lacrimal as seen in †T. pickfordi. Because Lake Tanganyika is located in the western branch of the East African Rift System, †T. pickfordi from the eastern branch supports the ‘melting-pot Tanganyika hypothesis,’ which posits that the cichlids of modern Lake Tanganyika are derived from riverine lineages that had already diversified prior to the lake formation.
FIGURE †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov. A1–A2, holotype in part (OCO-5-35) and counterpart (OCO-5-22); A3, right lateral view of the specimen (shading refers to ribs from the left side of the specimen);
Abbreviations: cl, cleithrum; cor, coracoid; ep, epural; hs, hemal spine; hyp, hypural plate; lac, lacrimal; nlc, neurocranial lateral line canal; ns, neural spine; o, otolith; op, operculum; ph, parhypural; pha, pharyngeal teeth; ppc, postcleithrum; ptt, posttemporal; pu, preural centrum; rad, radials; sca, scapula; scl, supracleithrum; sop, suboperculum; us, urostyle; un1, uroneural 1; = , tubular lateral line scale; °, pitted lateral line scale.
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY
CICHLIDAE Bonaparte, 1835
PSEUDOCRENILABRINAE Fowler, 1934
†TUGENCHROMIS, nov. gen.
Generic Diagnosis: Lateral line on the trunk divided into three segments, two of which are posterior lateral lines. One posterior segment positioned ventrally, the other dorsally to the anterior lateral line segment. This is a condition not seen in any other cichlid genus.
Etymology: ‘Tugen’ refers to the ‘Tugen Hills’ (named after the local people, i.e., the ‘Tugen,’ a subgroup of the Kalenjin ethnic group), in which the type locality of the new fossil taxon is located. The Greek word ‘Chromis’ (χρόμις) is a name used by the Ancient Greek and was applied to various fish. It is a common second element in cichlid genus names. Tugenchromis is masculine.
Type Species: †Tugenchromis pickfordi, sp. nov.
†TUGENCHROMIS PICKFORDI, sp. nov.
Holotype: OCO-5-22/35, partially complete skeleton in part and counterpart (Fig. 2A1–A3), approximately 60 mm total length, 33.5 mm body length.
Etymology: Species named in honor of the paleontologist Martin Pickford in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the geology and paleontology of East Africa.
Locality, Horizon, and Age: Outcrop Waril in Central Kenya; Ngorora Formation, Member E; late Miocene (9–10 Ma) (see Rasmussen et al., 2017).
CONCLUSION:
Based on lacrimal morphology and meristic data derived from all present-day cichlids of the ‘East African Radiation,’ we propose that the newly discovered cichlid fossil from the upper Miocene of Central Kenya either represents a stem lineage of the ‘ancient Tanganyika mouthbrooders’ or an extinct lineage within the ‘most ancient Tanganyika tribes.’ This result implies that the use of a comprehensive set of comparative material derived from extant cichlids may make it possible to phylogenetically place other fossil cichlids with greater confidence in future studies.
Apart from a lower Miocene cichlid from Uganda (‘cf. Pelmatochromis spp.’), none of the previously described fossil cichlid taxa from Africa, Arabia, and Europe possess distinctive similarities to †T. pickfordi. This indicates that the Ngorora fish Lagerstätte in Central Kenya may provide an unrivalled window into the evolutionary history of African cichlids, particularly into the origin of the ‘East African Radiation,’ i.e., the megadiversity of the present-day cichlids in Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, and Lake Victoria.
Furthermore, the new fossil provides additional support for the presence of an ancient east-west connection (e.g., proto-Malagarasi River) between the Central Kenya Rift and Lake Tanganyika, which is consistent with previous assumptions regarding the hydrological networks across East and Central Africa during the Miocene.
Melanie Altner, Ulrich K. Schliewen, Stefanie B. R. Penk and Bettina Reichenbacher. 2017 . †Tugenchromis pickfordi, gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Miocene—A Stem-group Cichlid of the ‘East African Radiation’. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 37(2); e1297819. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1297819
en.palaeontologie.geowissenschaften.uni-muenchen.de/forschung/forsch_gebiete/kenya/index.html
twitter.com/gombessagirl/status/861246850854244354
==========================
Satanoperca curupira • A New Cichlid Species from the rio Madeira Basin (Teleostei: Cichlidae)in Brazil
Satanoperca curupira
Ota, Kullander, Deprá, da Graça & Pavanelli, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.1.6
Abstract
Satanoperca curupira, new species, is described from the rio Madeira basin in the State of Rondônia, Brazil. It is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 3–7 dark-brown oblique stripes on the lachrymal (vs. 2 well-defined dark-brown stripes, or dark-brown stripes absent) and an irregular pattern of dark-brown stripes on cheek and opercular series (vs. cheek without dark-brown markings or with light-beige rounded spots). According to meristic and color pattern characters, the new species is considered a member of the S. jurupari species group, and is syntopic with S. jurupari, which is widespread in the Amazon basin. The restricted geographical range of the new species is congruent to that observed for some other Satanoperca species.
Keywords: Pisces, Geophaginae, Neotropical region, Satanoperca jurupari species-group, taxonomy
FIGURE Satanoperca curupira, living specimen photographed just after capture in the rio Jaru, rio Madeira basin in Brazil (photo by U. Werner).
Satanoperca curupira, new species
Satanoperca sp. “Jaru” —. Weidner 2000: 243 (photograph of living specimen).
Satanoperca jurupari —. Stawikowski & Werner 2004: 404 (photograph of living specimen) —. Graça et al. 2013: 373 (in part; lots UFRO-I 7869 and UFRO-I 11589).
Distribution. Satanoperca curupira is known from the rio Madeira basin in Brazil, occurring in the main channel of the rio Madeira and in several tributaries draining the Brazilian shield (rio Jaciparaná, rio Jamari, rio Jaru and rio Machado), and also at the rio Roosevelt (a tributary of the rio Aripuanã), and at the rio São Luis (a tributary of the rio Guaporé) (Fig. 5).
Etymology. The specific name curupira refers to a mythological creature of Brazilian folklore that protects the forest and its inhabitants, punishing those who hunt for pleasure or who kill breeding females or defenseless juveniles (Pereira 1994). The Curupira legend reveals the relationship between the indigenous people and the forest: it is not about exploration and indiscriminate use, but respect for life. A noun in apposition.
Renata R. Ota, Sven O. Kullander, Gabriel C. Deprá, Weferson J. da Graça and Carla S. Pavanelli. 2018. Satanoperca curupira, A New Cichlid Species from the rio Madeira basin in Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa. 4379(1);103–112. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.1.6
ResearchGgate.net/publication/323130025_Satanoperca_curupira_a_new_cichlid_species_from_the_rio_Madeira_basin_in_Brazil
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1585926344790484
==========================
Satanoperca curupira
Ota, Kullander, Deprá, da Graça & Pavanelli, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.1.6
Abstract
Satanoperca curupira, new species, is described from the rio Madeira basin in the State of Rondônia, Brazil. It is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 3–7 dark-brown oblique stripes on the lachrymal (vs. 2 well-defined dark-brown stripes, or dark-brown stripes absent) and an irregular pattern of dark-brown stripes on cheek and opercular series (vs. cheek without dark-brown markings or with light-beige rounded spots). According to meristic and color pattern characters, the new species is considered a member of the S. jurupari species group, and is syntopic with S. jurupari, which is widespread in the Amazon basin. The restricted geographical range of the new species is congruent to that observed for some other Satanoperca species.
Keywords: Pisces, Geophaginae, Neotropical region, Satanoperca jurupari species-group, taxonomy
FIGURE Satanoperca curupira, living specimen photographed just after capture in the rio Jaru, rio Madeira basin in Brazil (photo by U. Werner).
Satanoperca curupira, new species
Satanoperca sp. “Jaru” —. Weidner 2000: 243 (photograph of living specimen).
Satanoperca jurupari —. Stawikowski & Werner 2004: 404 (photograph of living specimen) —. Graça et al. 2013: 373 (in part; lots UFRO-I 7869 and UFRO-I 11589).
Distribution. Satanoperca curupira is known from the rio Madeira basin in Brazil, occurring in the main channel of the rio Madeira and in several tributaries draining the Brazilian shield (rio Jaciparaná, rio Jamari, rio Jaru and rio Machado), and also at the rio Roosevelt (a tributary of the rio Aripuanã), and at the rio São Luis (a tributary of the rio Guaporé) (Fig. 5).
Etymology. The specific name curupira refers to a mythological creature of Brazilian folklore that protects the forest and its inhabitants, punishing those who hunt for pleasure or who kill breeding females or defenseless juveniles (Pereira 1994). The Curupira legend reveals the relationship between the indigenous people and the forest: it is not about exploration and indiscriminate use, but respect for life. A noun in apposition.
Renata R. Ota, Sven O. Kullander, Gabriel C. Deprá, Weferson J. da Graça and Carla S. Pavanelli. 2018. Satanoperca curupira, A New Cichlid Species from the rio Madeira basin in Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa. 4379(1);103–112. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.1.6
ResearchGgate.net/publication/323130025_Satanoperca_curupira_a_new_cichlid_species_from_the_rio_Madeira_basin_in_Brazil
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1585926344790484
==========================
Enneapterygius velatus
New Species of Deepwater Triplefin
2Enneapterygius velatus is a new species of triplefin recently described from Japan. Coming from the deep waters of the Ryukyu Islands, the holotypes for this new fish was collected at 55 meters (180 feet) deep but it has been photographed as shallow as 30m/100ft. This deepwater triplefin is remarkable for having an extremely long first dorsal fin which is further adorned with additional extensions and filaments.
Triplefins are a very interesting group of blennioid fishes which are all but absent in the aquarium hobby. Their small size, intricate camouflage and bright colored males of some species would make them a great aquarium inhabitant, and it should be ‘manageable’ to breed them in captivity. [Ichtyo. Research]
from Reef Builder
==========================
2Enneapterygius velatus is a new species of triplefin recently described from Japan. Coming from the deep waters of the Ryukyu Islands, the holotypes for this new fish was collected at 55 meters (180 feet) deep but it has been photographed as shallow as 30m/100ft. This deepwater triplefin is remarkable for having an extremely long first dorsal fin which is further adorned with additional extensions and filaments.
Triplefins are a very interesting group of blennioid fishes which are all but absent in the aquarium hobby. Their small size, intricate camouflage and bright colored males of some species would make them a great aquarium inhabitant, and it should be ‘manageable’ to breed them in captivity. [Ichtyo. Research]
from Reef Builder
==========================
Panaqolus claustellifer • A New Species of Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Branco
Panaqolus claustellifer
Tan, Souza & Armbruster, 2016
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-20150033
A new species of Panaqolus is described from material from the Takutu River and the mainstem rio Branco. The new species is diagnosed from congeners by its color pattern consisting of dark and light bars on the body, bands on the fins, and with dots and vermiculations absent (vs. no bars in P. albomaculatus, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko, vs. fins unbanded in P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. koko, and P. nix, and vs. dots and vermiculations present in P. albivermis and P. maccus). The new species is diagnosed from barred species of Panaqolus by its specific bar number and orientation and color pattern on its head, with bars oriented in a anteroventral-posterodorsal direction (vs. anterodorsal-posteroventral bars in P. gnomus), having consistently 5 bars (n = 4) on the trunk that do not increase with size (vs. number increasing with size in P. purusiensis and vs. 6-12 in P. changae), and the color pattern on the head of straight lines extending from posterior to the eye to the snout margin, splitting in the middle portion of the line in larger specimens (vs. small, dense reticulate lines in P. changae). Biogeographically, we infer that the new species ancestrally originated in the Amazon river, dispersing to the Takutu River after the Amazon captured part of the Proto-Berbice.
Keywords: Brazil, Guyana, Hypostominae, Takutu River.
Fig. Panaqolus claustellifer, new species, CSBD F1702/AUM 44721, Takutu River, holotype, adult male, 61.6 mm SL, lateral view is of right side and flipped horizontally. Photo by Milton Tan.
Panaqolus claustellifer, new species
Diagnosis. Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from most other described species ofPanaqolus by its color pattern of dark and light bars on the body, bands on the fins, and with dots and vermiculations absent (vs. no bars in P. albomaculatus, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko, vs. fins unbanded in P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. koko, and P. nix, and vs. dots and vermiculations present in P. albivermis and P. maccus ). Additionally, Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from P. albivermis, P. albomaculatus, and P. nix by dentaries forming an acute angle ~70º vs. dentaries forming a very acute angle to dentaries parallel), and from P. koko by spoon-shaped teeth with small lateral cusps vs. quadrate teeth with strong lateral cusps. Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from other barred species of Panaqolus by the specific bar number and orientation and color pattern on the head, with bars oriented in a anteroventral-posterodorsal direction (vs. anterodorsal-posteroventral bars in P. gnomus), having consistently 5 bars (n = 4) on the trunk that do not increase with size (vs. number increasing with size in P. purusiensis and fading at body sizes >85 mm SL, and vs. 6-12 in P. changae), and the color pattern on the head of straight lines extending from posterior to the eye to the snout margin, splitting in the middle portion of the line in larger specimens (vs. small, dense reticulate lines in P. changae).
Etymology. From the Latin claustellum , meaning keyhole, and the Latin fero , meaning to bear. Refers to the dark brown lines on the snout surrounding a keyhole-like shape of light-brown base coloration. Treated as a masculine adjective.
Ecological notes. Individuals of Panaqolus claustellifer were found in shallow cataracts along the Takutu river, a whitewater system. The substrate was sandy with lateritic rocks interspersed. Surrounding habitat consisted of a narrow strip of gallery forest, but mostly savanna. Small specimens <20 mm SL (AUM 47717, AUM 65708) likely represent young-of-year that have hatched less than a couple weeks prior to collection.
Distribution. Panaqolus claustellifer occurs in the Takutu river and the mainstem rio Branco of Brazil and Guyana.
Milton Tan, Lesley S. de Souza and Jonathan W. Armbruster. 2016. A New Species of Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Branco. Neotropical Ichthyology. 14(2); e150033. DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-20150033
scielo.br/pdf/ni/v14n2/1982-0224-ni-14-02-e150033.pdf
twitter.com/LesleydeSouza/status/752596385288097792
==========================
Panaqolus claustellifer
Tan, Souza & Armbruster, 2016
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-20150033
A new species of Panaqolus is described from material from the Takutu River and the mainstem rio Branco. The new species is diagnosed from congeners by its color pattern consisting of dark and light bars on the body, bands on the fins, and with dots and vermiculations absent (vs. no bars in P. albomaculatus, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko, vs. fins unbanded in P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. koko, and P. nix, and vs. dots and vermiculations present in P. albivermis and P. maccus). The new species is diagnosed from barred species of Panaqolus by its specific bar number and orientation and color pattern on its head, with bars oriented in a anteroventral-posterodorsal direction (vs. anterodorsal-posteroventral bars in P. gnomus), having consistently 5 bars (n = 4) on the trunk that do not increase with size (vs. number increasing with size in P. purusiensis and vs. 6-12 in P. changae), and the color pattern on the head of straight lines extending from posterior to the eye to the snout margin, splitting in the middle portion of the line in larger specimens (vs. small, dense reticulate lines in P. changae). Biogeographically, we infer that the new species ancestrally originated in the Amazon river, dispersing to the Takutu River after the Amazon captured part of the Proto-Berbice.
Keywords: Brazil, Guyana, Hypostominae, Takutu River.
Fig. Panaqolus claustellifer, new species, CSBD F1702/AUM 44721, Takutu River, holotype, adult male, 61.6 mm SL, lateral view is of right side and flipped horizontally. Photo by Milton Tan.
Panaqolus claustellifer, new species
Diagnosis. Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from most other described species ofPanaqolus by its color pattern of dark and light bars on the body, bands on the fins, and with dots and vermiculations absent (vs. no bars in P. albomaculatus, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko, vs. fins unbanded in P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. koko, and P. nix, and vs. dots and vermiculations present in P. albivermis and P. maccus ). Additionally, Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from P. albivermis, P. albomaculatus, and P. nix by dentaries forming an acute angle ~70º vs. dentaries forming a very acute angle to dentaries parallel), and from P. koko by spoon-shaped teeth with small lateral cusps vs. quadrate teeth with strong lateral cusps. Panaqolus claustellifer is diagnosed from other barred species of Panaqolus by the specific bar number and orientation and color pattern on the head, with bars oriented in a anteroventral-posterodorsal direction (vs. anterodorsal-posteroventral bars in P. gnomus), having consistently 5 bars (n = 4) on the trunk that do not increase with size (vs. number increasing with size in P. purusiensis and fading at body sizes >85 mm SL, and vs. 6-12 in P. changae), and the color pattern on the head of straight lines extending from posterior to the eye to the snout margin, splitting in the middle portion of the line in larger specimens (vs. small, dense reticulate lines in P. changae).
Etymology. From the Latin claustellum , meaning keyhole, and the Latin fero , meaning to bear. Refers to the dark brown lines on the snout surrounding a keyhole-like shape of light-brown base coloration. Treated as a masculine adjective.
Ecological notes. Individuals of Panaqolus claustellifer were found in shallow cataracts along the Takutu river, a whitewater system. The substrate was sandy with lateritic rocks interspersed. Surrounding habitat consisted of a narrow strip of gallery forest, but mostly savanna. Small specimens <20 mm SL (AUM 47717, AUM 65708) likely represent young-of-year that have hatched less than a couple weeks prior to collection.
Distribution. Panaqolus claustellifer occurs in the Takutu river and the mainstem rio Branco of Brazil and Guyana.
Milton Tan, Lesley S. de Souza and Jonathan W. Armbruster. 2016. A New Species of Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Branco. Neotropical Ichthyology. 14(2); e150033. DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-20150033
scielo.br/pdf/ni/v14n2/1982-0224-ni-14-02-e150033.pdf
twitter.com/LesleydeSouza/status/752596385288097792
==========================
A Euryhaline Fish, Lost in the Desert: The Unexpected Metapopulation Structure of Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) in the Sebkha of Imlili, Morocco
Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862)
in Agnèse, Louizi, Gilles, et al., 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.002
Abstract
Euryhaline Cichlid fish of the species Coptodon guineensis are present in different water holes situated in a dried depression in the desert in the extreme South of Morocco, the Sebkha of Imlili. A genetic survey of this population, using complete sequences of the ND2 gene (mtDNA) and sixteen microsatellite loci, revealed that the fish in the sebkha did not form a single population, but rather a metapopulation. This metapopulational structure may be regarded as good news from the point of view of the conservation of fish in the sebkha. Although small individual populations may have short, finite life spans, the metapopulation as a whole is more stable, because immigrants from one population are likely to re-colonize the habitat, left open by the extinction of another.
Keywords: Tilapia; Conservation; Endangered species
Fig. Views of the sebkha and the fish present in the water holes.
A. View from the top of the sand dunes. B. Band of plants surrounding the sebkha. C. Sandy soil with salt crystallization. D. Permanent water holes (two are clearly visible, five are indicated with arrows). E. Fish in a permanent hole. F. Close up of two specimens of C. guineensis from the sebkha (male above, female below).
Jean-François Agnèse, Halima Louizi, André Gilles, Ouafae Berrada Rkhami, Abdelaziz Benhoussa, Abdeljebbar Qninba and Antoine Pariselle. 2018. A Euryhaline Fish, Lost in the Desert: The Unexpected Metapopulation Structure of Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) in the Sebkha of Imlili [Un poisson euryhalin perdu dans le désert : structure métapopulationnelle inattendue de Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) dans la Sebkha d’Imili]. Comptes Rendus Biologies. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.002
==========================
Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862)
in Agnèse, Louizi, Gilles, et al., 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.002
Abstract
Euryhaline Cichlid fish of the species Coptodon guineensis are present in different water holes situated in a dried depression in the desert in the extreme South of Morocco, the Sebkha of Imlili. A genetic survey of this population, using complete sequences of the ND2 gene (mtDNA) and sixteen microsatellite loci, revealed that the fish in the sebkha did not form a single population, but rather a metapopulation. This metapopulational structure may be regarded as good news from the point of view of the conservation of fish in the sebkha. Although small individual populations may have short, finite life spans, the metapopulation as a whole is more stable, because immigrants from one population are likely to re-colonize the habitat, left open by the extinction of another.
Keywords: Tilapia; Conservation; Endangered species
Fig. Views of the sebkha and the fish present in the water holes.
A. View from the top of the sand dunes. B. Band of plants surrounding the sebkha. C. Sandy soil with salt crystallization. D. Permanent water holes (two are clearly visible, five are indicated with arrows). E. Fish in a permanent hole. F. Close up of two specimens of C. guineensis from the sebkha (male above, female below).
Jean-François Agnèse, Halima Louizi, André Gilles, Ouafae Berrada Rkhami, Abdelaziz Benhoussa, Abdeljebbar Qninba and Antoine Pariselle. 2018. A Euryhaline Fish, Lost in the Desert: The Unexpected Metapopulation Structure of Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) in the Sebkha of Imlili [Un poisson euryhalin perdu dans le désert : structure métapopulationnelle inattendue de Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) dans la Sebkha d’Imili]. Comptes Rendus Biologies. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.002
==========================
Melanosternarchus amaru • A New Genus and Species of Electric Ghost Knifefish (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae) from the Amazon Basin
Melanosternarchus amaru
Bernt, Crampton, Orfinger & Albert, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4378.4.1
Abstract
We describe Melanosternarchus amaru as a new genus and species of Apteronotidae from the deep channels of blackwater and clearwater tributaries of the Amazon River in Brazil and Peru. The new species superficially resembles members of the widespread “Apteronotus” bonapartii species group, from which it can be readily distinguished by expanded bones of the infraorbital laterosensory canal. It can further be distinguished from all other apteronotids by a unique combination of characters: reduced premaxillary dentition, a large gape, and an absence of scales from the entire dorsum. A molecular phylogenetic analysis using three mitochondrial loci and one nuclear locus (~3000 bp) places this genus as sister to Compsaraia, and these two genera together as a clade sister to Pariosternarchus; all nodes with strong statistical support. The clade formed by these three genera includes five species, four of which are restricted to the Amazon basin. The apparent habitat preference of the new species for low-conductivity blackwater and clearwater rivers has not been reported in other apteronotid species.
Keywords: Pisces, Neotropics, Peru, Brazil, diversity, Blackwater, taxonomy
Melanosternarchus, new genus
Type species. Melanosternarchus amaru, new species,
by monotypy and original designation.
Etymology. Melano from the Greek melas, meaning black in reference to dark pigmentation and presence in blackwater rivers, and sternarchus, a name commonly used in apteronotid taxonomy, from the Greek sternon (chest) and archos (rectum), referring to the anterior position of the anus.
Melanosternarchus amaru, new species
Etymology. The species name is from the Quechuan amaru, a mythical serpent, referring to the snakelike shape of this fish. A noun in apposition.
Maxwell J. Bernt, William G. R. Crampton, Alexander B. Orfinger and James S. Albert. 2018. Melanosternarchus amaru, A New Genus and Species of Electric Ghost Knifefish (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae) from the Amazon Basin. Zootaxa. 4378(4); 451–479. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4378.4.1
ResearchGate.net/publication/323120879_Melanosternarchus_amaru_a_new_genus_and_species_of_electric_ghost_knifefish_from_the_Amazon_Basin
twitter.com/MJBernt/status/962898598013923329
facebook.com/AlexOrfinger/posts/10156093177785419
==========================
Melanosternarchus amaru
Bernt, Crampton, Orfinger & Albert, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4378.4.1
Abstract
We describe Melanosternarchus amaru as a new genus and species of Apteronotidae from the deep channels of blackwater and clearwater tributaries of the Amazon River in Brazil and Peru. The new species superficially resembles members of the widespread “Apteronotus” bonapartii species group, from which it can be readily distinguished by expanded bones of the infraorbital laterosensory canal. It can further be distinguished from all other apteronotids by a unique combination of characters: reduced premaxillary dentition, a large gape, and an absence of scales from the entire dorsum. A molecular phylogenetic analysis using three mitochondrial loci and one nuclear locus (~3000 bp) places this genus as sister to Compsaraia, and these two genera together as a clade sister to Pariosternarchus; all nodes with strong statistical support. The clade formed by these three genera includes five species, four of which are restricted to the Amazon basin. The apparent habitat preference of the new species for low-conductivity blackwater and clearwater rivers has not been reported in other apteronotid species.
Keywords: Pisces, Neotropics, Peru, Brazil, diversity, Blackwater, taxonomy
Melanosternarchus, new genus
Type species. Melanosternarchus amaru, new species,
by monotypy and original designation.
Etymology. Melano from the Greek melas, meaning black in reference to dark pigmentation and presence in blackwater rivers, and sternarchus, a name commonly used in apteronotid taxonomy, from the Greek sternon (chest) and archos (rectum), referring to the anterior position of the anus.
Melanosternarchus amaru, new species
Etymology. The species name is from the Quechuan amaru, a mythical serpent, referring to the snakelike shape of this fish. A noun in apposition.
Maxwell J. Bernt, William G. R. Crampton, Alexander B. Orfinger and James S. Albert. 2018. Melanosternarchus amaru, A New Genus and Species of Electric Ghost Knifefish (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae) from the Amazon Basin. Zootaxa. 4378(4); 451–479. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4378.4.1
ResearchGate.net/publication/323120879_Melanosternarchus_amaru_a_new_genus_and_species_of_electric_ghost_knifefish_from_the_Amazon_Basin
twitter.com/MJBernt/status/962898598013923329
facebook.com/AlexOrfinger/posts/10156093177785419
==========================
'Unique' fish evolving despite thousands of generations of clones, say scientists
Named the Amazon molly after the mythological warrior women, the fish species has confounded established theories of evolution.
Image:The Amazon molly is an entirely female species of fish. Pic: Manfred Schartl
The Amazon molly is the only animal with a spine that is capable of reproducing without having sex and its existence has baffled scientists.
"According to established theories, this species should no longer exist. It should have long become extinct during the course of evolution," said Dr Manfred Schartl of the University of Wurzburg in Germany.
Dr Schartl led a study which sequenced the Amazon molly's genome and is published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
He said the fish appeared to be thriving.
Normally, harmful changes occur in a creature's genome which would destroy such a species.
Dr Schartl explained: "In creatures whose offspring are pure clones, these defects would accumulate over generations until there are no more healthy individuals."
Species that are direct clones are also not expected to evolve because new generations do not get to build upon the successful genetic material of previous generations.
"These species are usually not capable of adapting to environmental changes as quickly as their sexually producing counterparts," said Dr Schartl.
But after sequencing its genome, the researchers found that the Amazon molly was different.
"We found little evidence of genetic degeneration in the Amazon molly, but rather a unique genetic variability and clear signs of an ongoing evolutionary process," he said.
According to the research, the Amazon molly evolved approximately 100,000 years ago - and with a new generation born every three to four months, there have been approximately 500,000 identical molly species.
Although its name suggests a southern American habitat, the fish is actually native to the fresh waters in the border region of Texas and Mexico.
It gained its name as a reference to the Amazon warriors of Greek mythology.
Its offspring are all female, and all identical clones of the mother - a process known as gynogenesis.
Found on Sky news site -- the original picture is not formosa as it shows a male!
==========================
Named the Amazon molly after the mythological warrior women, the fish species has confounded established theories of evolution.
Image:The Amazon molly is an entirely female species of fish. Pic: Manfred Schartl
- The photo on the Sky site is not Poecilia formosa as the lower fish is MALE! The second ¬photo is a P. formosa
The Amazon molly is the only animal with a spine that is capable of reproducing without having sex and its existence has baffled scientists.
"According to established theories, this species should no longer exist. It should have long become extinct during the course of evolution," said Dr Manfred Schartl of the University of Wurzburg in Germany.
Dr Schartl led a study which sequenced the Amazon molly's genome and is published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
He said the fish appeared to be thriving.
Normally, harmful changes occur in a creature's genome which would destroy such a species.
Dr Schartl explained: "In creatures whose offspring are pure clones, these defects would accumulate over generations until there are no more healthy individuals."
Species that are direct clones are also not expected to evolve because new generations do not get to build upon the successful genetic material of previous generations.
"These species are usually not capable of adapting to environmental changes as quickly as their sexually producing counterparts," said Dr Schartl.
But after sequencing its genome, the researchers found that the Amazon molly was different.
"We found little evidence of genetic degeneration in the Amazon molly, but rather a unique genetic variability and clear signs of an ongoing evolutionary process," he said.
According to the research, the Amazon molly evolved approximately 100,000 years ago - and with a new generation born every three to four months, there have been approximately 500,000 identical molly species.
Although its name suggests a southern American habitat, the fish is actually native to the fresh waters in the border region of Texas and Mexico.
It gained its name as a reference to the Amazon warriors of Greek mythology.
Its offspring are all female, and all identical clones of the mother - a process known as gynogenesis.
Found on Sky news site -- the original picture is not formosa as it shows a male!
==========================
New Perspective on Lanternfish Relationships and Classification using Genomic and Morphological Data
Martin, Olson, Girard, Smith & Davis, 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.029
twitter.com/Lampichthys
Highlights
• This is the first phylogenetic study to integrate morphological and molecular data to specifically address the relationships within Myctophiformes.
• This study presents the first hypotheses of evolutionary relationships of lanternfishes that includes a phylogenomic dataset.
• A revised classification of lanternfishes is presented that includes five subfamilies within the family Myctophidae.
• The Diaphinae are recovered as the sister group to the Myctophinae.
Abstract
Massive parallel sequencing allows scientists to gather DNA sequences composed of millions of base pairs that can be combined into large datasets and analyzed to infer organismal relationships at a genome-wide scale in non-model organisms. Although the use of these large datasets is becoming more widespread, little to no work has been done in estimating phylogenetic relationships using UCEs in deep-sea fishes. Among deep-sea animals, the 257 species of lanternfishes (Myctophiformes) are among the most important open-ocean lineages, representing half of all mesopelagic vertebrate biomass. With this relative abundance, they are key members of the midwater food web where they feed on smaller invertebrates and fishes in addition to being a primary prey item for other open-ocean animals. Understanding the evolution and relationships of midwater organisms generally, and this dominant group of fishes in particular, is necessary for understanding and preserving the underexplored deep-sea ecosystem. Despite substantial congruence in the evolutionary relationships among deep-sea lanternfishes at higher classification levels in previous studies, the relationships among tribes, genera, and species within Myctophidae often conflict across phylogenetic studies or lack resolution and support. Herein we provide the first genome-scale phylogenetic analysis of lanternfishes, and we integrate these data from across the nuclear genome with additional protein-coding gene sequences and morphological data to further test evolutionary relationships among lanternfishes. Our phylogenetic hypotheses of relationships among lanternfishes are entirely congruent across a diversity of analyses that vary in methods, taxonomic sampling, and data analyzed. Within the Myctophiformes, the Neoscopelidae is inferred to be monophyletic and sister to a monophyletic Myctophidae. The current classification of lanternfishes is incongruent with our phylogenetic tree, so we recommend revisions that retain much of the traditional tribal structure and recognize five subfamilies instead of the traditional two subfamilies. The revised monophyletic taxonomy of myctophids includes the elevation of three former lampanyctine tribes to subfamilies. A restricted Lampanyctinae was recovered sister to Notolychninae. These two clades together were recovered as the sister group to the Gymnoscopelinae. Combined, these three subfamilies were recovered as the sister group to a clade composed of a monophyletic Diaphinae sister to the traditional Myctophinae. Our results corroborate recent multilocus molecular studies that infer a polyphyletic Myctophum in Myctophinae, and a para- or polyphyletic Lampanyctus and Nannobrachium within Lampanyctinae. We resurrect Dasyscopelus and Ctenoscopelus for the independent clades traditionally classified as species of Myctophum, and we place Nannobrachium into the synonymy of Lampanyctus.
Keywords: Phylogenomic, Evolution, Deep Sea, Taxonomy, Classification
Rene P. Martin, Emily E. Olson, Matthew G. Girard, Wm. Leo Smith and Matthew P. Davis. 2018. Light in the Darkness: New Perspective on Lanternfish Relationships and Classification using Genomic and Morphological Data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 121; 71-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.029
twitter.com/Lampichthys/status/959812633309450242
Martin, Olson, Girard, Smith & Davis, 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.029
twitter.com/Lampichthys
Highlights
• This is the first phylogenetic study to integrate morphological and molecular data to specifically address the relationships within Myctophiformes.
• This study presents the first hypotheses of evolutionary relationships of lanternfishes that includes a phylogenomic dataset.
• A revised classification of lanternfishes is presented that includes five subfamilies within the family Myctophidae.
• The Diaphinae are recovered as the sister group to the Myctophinae.
Abstract
Massive parallel sequencing allows scientists to gather DNA sequences composed of millions of base pairs that can be combined into large datasets and analyzed to infer organismal relationships at a genome-wide scale in non-model organisms. Although the use of these large datasets is becoming more widespread, little to no work has been done in estimating phylogenetic relationships using UCEs in deep-sea fishes. Among deep-sea animals, the 257 species of lanternfishes (Myctophiformes) are among the most important open-ocean lineages, representing half of all mesopelagic vertebrate biomass. With this relative abundance, they are key members of the midwater food web where they feed on smaller invertebrates and fishes in addition to being a primary prey item for other open-ocean animals. Understanding the evolution and relationships of midwater organisms generally, and this dominant group of fishes in particular, is necessary for understanding and preserving the underexplored deep-sea ecosystem. Despite substantial congruence in the evolutionary relationships among deep-sea lanternfishes at higher classification levels in previous studies, the relationships among tribes, genera, and species within Myctophidae often conflict across phylogenetic studies or lack resolution and support. Herein we provide the first genome-scale phylogenetic analysis of lanternfishes, and we integrate these data from across the nuclear genome with additional protein-coding gene sequences and morphological data to further test evolutionary relationships among lanternfishes. Our phylogenetic hypotheses of relationships among lanternfishes are entirely congruent across a diversity of analyses that vary in methods, taxonomic sampling, and data analyzed. Within the Myctophiformes, the Neoscopelidae is inferred to be monophyletic and sister to a monophyletic Myctophidae. The current classification of lanternfishes is incongruent with our phylogenetic tree, so we recommend revisions that retain much of the traditional tribal structure and recognize five subfamilies instead of the traditional two subfamilies. The revised monophyletic taxonomy of myctophids includes the elevation of three former lampanyctine tribes to subfamilies. A restricted Lampanyctinae was recovered sister to Notolychninae. These two clades together were recovered as the sister group to the Gymnoscopelinae. Combined, these three subfamilies were recovered as the sister group to a clade composed of a monophyletic Diaphinae sister to the traditional Myctophinae. Our results corroborate recent multilocus molecular studies that infer a polyphyletic Myctophum in Myctophinae, and a para- or polyphyletic Lampanyctus and Nannobrachium within Lampanyctinae. We resurrect Dasyscopelus and Ctenoscopelus for the independent clades traditionally classified as species of Myctophum, and we place Nannobrachium into the synonymy of Lampanyctus.
Keywords: Phylogenomic, Evolution, Deep Sea, Taxonomy, Classification
Rene P. Martin, Emily E. Olson, Matthew G. Girard, Wm. Leo Smith and Matthew P. Davis. 2018. Light in the Darkness: New Perspective on Lanternfish Relationships and Classification using Genomic and Morphological Data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 121; 71-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.12.029
twitter.com/Lampichthys/status/959812633309450242
Thousands of farm fish escape into loch
A hole in a new net was found on Thursday afternoon during routine weekly checks.
Farming director for Dawnfresh Alison Hutchins said it was the site team at the Braevallich farm who found the hole along the seam in a net only installed in November 2017.
‘The team immediately fixed the problem and notified Marine Scotland, before inspecting all of the other nets on the farm, finding no further problems. Using specialised equipment to count the fish in the net, regrettably we estimate that 5,400 fish have escaped into the loch. These fish are all bred as Triploid’s so are sterile and, thus, unable to breed. The local fisheries board has also been alerted,’ she said.
Ms Hutchins added: ‘We would usually expect a net such as this to last between five and seven years so, as this one was only installed in November 2017, the manufacturers have already been onsite to remove the net to determine if it might have had a fault of some kind, as other likely causes such as predators are highly unlikely at this site.’
from The Oban Times
==========================
A hole in a new net was found on Thursday afternoon during routine weekly checks.
Farming director for Dawnfresh Alison Hutchins said it was the site team at the Braevallich farm who found the hole along the seam in a net only installed in November 2017.
‘The team immediately fixed the problem and notified Marine Scotland, before inspecting all of the other nets on the farm, finding no further problems. Using specialised equipment to count the fish in the net, regrettably we estimate that 5,400 fish have escaped into the loch. These fish are all bred as Triploid’s so are sterile and, thus, unable to breed. The local fisheries board has also been alerted,’ she said.
Ms Hutchins added: ‘We would usually expect a net such as this to last between five and seven years so, as this one was only installed in November 2017, the manufacturers have already been onsite to remove the net to determine if it might have had a fault of some kind, as other likely causes such as predators are highly unlikely at this site.’
from The Oban Times
==========================
Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion • A New Species of Miniature Fish of the Genus Microphilypnus Myers, 1927 (Gobioidei: Eleotridae) from the Upper Rio Negro Basin, Amazonas, Brazil
Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion
Caires & Toledo-Piza, 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-634 twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
A new species of the eleotrid genus Microphilypus from the Upper Rio Negro basin is described herein. It differs from all congeners in the presence of 5–6 arched rows of melanophores on the abdominal region, posterior to the base of the pelvic fins, followed by six large irregularly oval black blotches, with the tips of the three posteriormost blotches visible in lateral view; a dark teardrop-shaped blotch on the caudal peduncle, extending to the base of the ventral caudal rays; five light brown blotches along the dorsal profile of the body, between the origin of the second dorsal fin and the caudal peduncle; and the poorly developed laterosensory system on the head, with horizontal rows of head papillae b and d absent. A key to the species of Microphilypnus is presented.
Rodrigo A. Caires and Mônica Toledo-Piza. 2018. A New Species of Miniature Fish of the Genus Microphilypnus Myers, 1927 (Gobioidei: Eleotridae) from the Upper Rio Negro Basin, Amazonas, Brazil. Copeia. 106(1); 49-55. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-634
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/962034114386739200
==========================
Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion
Caires & Toledo-Piza, 2018
DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-634 twitter.com/ASIHCopeia
A new species of the eleotrid genus Microphilypus from the Upper Rio Negro basin is described herein. It differs from all congeners in the presence of 5–6 arched rows of melanophores on the abdominal region, posterior to the base of the pelvic fins, followed by six large irregularly oval black blotches, with the tips of the three posteriormost blotches visible in lateral view; a dark teardrop-shaped blotch on the caudal peduncle, extending to the base of the ventral caudal rays; five light brown blotches along the dorsal profile of the body, between the origin of the second dorsal fin and the caudal peduncle; and the poorly developed laterosensory system on the head, with horizontal rows of head papillae b and d absent. A key to the species of Microphilypnus is presented.
Rodrigo A. Caires and Mônica Toledo-Piza. 2018. A New Species of Miniature Fish of the Genus Microphilypnus Myers, 1927 (Gobioidei: Eleotridae) from the Upper Rio Negro Basin, Amazonas, Brazil. Copeia. 106(1); 49-55. DOI: 10.1643/CI-17-634
twitter.com/ASIHCopeia/status/962034114386739200
==========================
Oceanic plastic trash conveys disease to coral reefs
Source:
Cornell University
Summary:
For coral reefs, the threat of climate change and bleaching are bad enough. An international research group has now found that plastic trash -- ubiquitous throughout the world's oceans -- intensifies disease for coral, adding to reef peril.
FULL STORY
Plastic pollution carries diseases to coral reefs.
Credit: © whitcomberd / FotoliaFor coral reefs, the threat of climate change and bleaching are bad enough. An international research group led by Cornell University has found that plastic trash -- ubiquitous throughout the world's oceans -- intensifies disease for coral, adding to reef peril, according to a new study in the journal Science.
"Plastic debris acts like a marine motorhome for microbes," said the study's lead author, Joleah Lamb, a postdoctoral research fellow at Cornell. She began collecting this data as a doctoral candidate at James Cook University in Australia.
"Plastics make ideal vessels for colonizing microscopic organisms that could trigger disease if they come into contact with corals," Lamb said. "Plastic items -- commonly made of polypropylene, such as bottle caps and toothbrushes -- have been shown to become heavily inhabited by bacteria. This is associated with the globally devastating group of coral diseases known as white syndromes."
When plastic debris meets coral, the authors say, the likelihood of disease increases from 4 to 89 percent -- a 20-fold change. The scientists estimate that about 11.1 billion plastic items are entangled on reefs across the Asia-Pacific region, and that this will likely increase 40 percent over the next seven years.
Coral are tiny animals with living tissue that cling to and build upon one another to form "apartments," or reefs. Bacterial pathogens ride aboard the plastics, disturbing delicate coral tissues and their microbiome.
"What's troubling about coral disease is that once the coral tissue loss occurs, it's not coming back," said Lamb. "It's like getting gangrene on your foot and there is nothing you can do to stop it from affecting your whole body."
Lamb and colleagues surveyed 159 coral reefs from Indonesia, Australia, Myanmar and Thailand, visually examining nearly 125,000 reef-building corals for tissue loss and disease lesions. The number of plastic items varied widely, from 0.4 items per 100 square meters (about the size of a two-bedroom Manhattan flat), in Australia, to 25.6 items per 100 square meters in Indonesia. This is significant given that 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons of plastic waste are estimated to enter the ocean in a single year, Lamb said.
The scientists forecast that by 2025, plastic going into the marine environment will increase to roughly 15.7 billion plastic items on coral reefs, which could lead to skeletal eroding band disease, white syndromes and black band disease.
"Our work shows that plastic pollution is killing corals. Our goal is to focus less on measuring things dying and more on finding solutions," said senior author Drew Harvell, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. "While we can't stop the huge impact of global warming on coral health in the short term, this new work should drive policy toward reducing plastic pollution."
Coral reefs are productive habitats in the middle of nutrient-poor waters, Harvell said. Thanks to the symbiotic relationship between corals and their solar-powered algae, "this miracle of construction creates the foundation for the greatest biodiversity in our oceans," she said. "Corals are creating a habitat for other species, and reefs are critical to fisheries."
Said Lamb: "This study demonstrates that reductions in the amount of plastic waste entering the ocean will have direct benefits to coral reefs by reducing disease-associated mortality."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cornell University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cornell University. "A 'marine motorhome for microbes': Oceanic plastic trash conveys disease to coral reefs." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 January 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180125140848.htm>.
==========================
Source:
Cornell University
Summary:
For coral reefs, the threat of climate change and bleaching are bad enough. An international research group has now found that plastic trash -- ubiquitous throughout the world's oceans -- intensifies disease for coral, adding to reef peril.
FULL STORY
Plastic pollution carries diseases to coral reefs.
Credit: © whitcomberd / FotoliaFor coral reefs, the threat of climate change and bleaching are bad enough. An international research group led by Cornell University has found that plastic trash -- ubiquitous throughout the world's oceans -- intensifies disease for coral, adding to reef peril, according to a new study in the journal Science.
"Plastic debris acts like a marine motorhome for microbes," said the study's lead author, Joleah Lamb, a postdoctoral research fellow at Cornell. She began collecting this data as a doctoral candidate at James Cook University in Australia.
"Plastics make ideal vessels for colonizing microscopic organisms that could trigger disease if they come into contact with corals," Lamb said. "Plastic items -- commonly made of polypropylene, such as bottle caps and toothbrushes -- have been shown to become heavily inhabited by bacteria. This is associated with the globally devastating group of coral diseases known as white syndromes."
When plastic debris meets coral, the authors say, the likelihood of disease increases from 4 to 89 percent -- a 20-fold change. The scientists estimate that about 11.1 billion plastic items are entangled on reefs across the Asia-Pacific region, and that this will likely increase 40 percent over the next seven years.
Coral are tiny animals with living tissue that cling to and build upon one another to form "apartments," or reefs. Bacterial pathogens ride aboard the plastics, disturbing delicate coral tissues and their microbiome.
"What's troubling about coral disease is that once the coral tissue loss occurs, it's not coming back," said Lamb. "It's like getting gangrene on your foot and there is nothing you can do to stop it from affecting your whole body."
Lamb and colleagues surveyed 159 coral reefs from Indonesia, Australia, Myanmar and Thailand, visually examining nearly 125,000 reef-building corals for tissue loss and disease lesions. The number of plastic items varied widely, from 0.4 items per 100 square meters (about the size of a two-bedroom Manhattan flat), in Australia, to 25.6 items per 100 square meters in Indonesia. This is significant given that 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons of plastic waste are estimated to enter the ocean in a single year, Lamb said.
The scientists forecast that by 2025, plastic going into the marine environment will increase to roughly 15.7 billion plastic items on coral reefs, which could lead to skeletal eroding band disease, white syndromes and black band disease.
"Our work shows that plastic pollution is killing corals. Our goal is to focus less on measuring things dying and more on finding solutions," said senior author Drew Harvell, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. "While we can't stop the huge impact of global warming on coral health in the short term, this new work should drive policy toward reducing plastic pollution."
Coral reefs are productive habitats in the middle of nutrient-poor waters, Harvell said. Thanks to the symbiotic relationship between corals and their solar-powered algae, "this miracle of construction creates the foundation for the greatest biodiversity in our oceans," she said. "Corals are creating a habitat for other species, and reefs are critical to fisheries."
Said Lamb: "This study demonstrates that reductions in the amount of plastic waste entering the ocean will have direct benefits to coral reefs by reducing disease-associated mortality."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Cornell University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Joleah B. Lamb, Bette L. Willis, Evan A. Fiorenza, Courtney S. Couch, Robert Howard, Douglas N. Rader, James D. True, Lisa A. Kelly, Awaludinnoer Ahmad, Jamaluddin Jompa, C. Drew Harvell. Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs. Science, 2018 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar3320
Cornell University. "A 'marine motorhome for microbes': Oceanic plastic trash conveys disease to coral reefs." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 January 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180125140848.htm>.
==========================
This Deep-Sea Fish Lays Its Eggs in the Most Hellish Nursery on the Planet
The oceans are largely unexplored, but if you want to find something interesting, there’s no better place to visit than a hydrothermal vent.
Often marked by dark plumes gushing into frigid water, the vents mark spots where magma rises close to the seafloor and heats the water to temperatures that can reach over 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Warmth and nutrients from the vents provide the basis for a vibrant deep-sea community, populated by creatures that often never see the sun’s light. And, for some animals, these vents have become the ideal nursery.
Into the DarkResearchers from the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos ventured to a deep-sea vent field just north of the islands with an ROV. There, a mile beneath the waves, they found a jumble of yellow casings, which looked something like pillows with little antennae, scattered about the seafloor. Though they’ve been called “mermaid’s purses” for their appearance, what the researchers had actually found was eggs — over 150 of them — from the Pacific white skate, a relative of sharks that looks something like a stingray. This particular species is known to mostly inhabit the deep oceans, and sightings are consequently rare.
A different species of skate, Raja undulata. (Credit: Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock)
Though the researchers didn’t find any of the skates nearby, the huge cluster of eggs betrayed their presence. In research published Thursday in Nature Scientific Reports, they theorize that the skates are using the vents like incubators to warm their eggs and speed up hatching times. Cold temperatures slow the processes of life down — animals in cold places seem to live longer as a result — and temperatures in the deep ocean verge on freezing.
The result is eggs that take an abnormally long time to hatch. Another closely related species of skate lays eggs that don’t hatch for over three years, and because the water here is colder, the researchers think that Pacific white skate eggs might take even longer to hatch — more than four years total.
Staying WarmPlacing their eggs near hydrothermal vents, where the water is warmer, though not by much, could accelerate the development process and cut down on the time the eggs must sit unattended. Because skates don’t brood their eggs, the unhatched offspring are vulnerable to predators or misfortune, so the less time they sit around for, the better.
Egg casings whose inhabitants had already hatched were littered around the site as well, indicating that skates had been coming to this site to deposit their eggs for at least several years. Most of the eggs were located near to the vents, where the water is warmest, adding weight to the researchers’ theory that the placement was intentional. When we say “warm,” though, it’s pretty relative. The ambient water temperature at the site was about 37 degrees and the water by the vents was only a few degrees warmer.
It’s the first time such behavior has been reported in the ocean, although it’s been documented before on land. Megapode birds on the island of Tonga in Polynesia dig their eggs into geothermally-warmed soils, and a species of dinosaur was thought to do something similar as well. Several other reptile and bird species are known to seek out warm soils for their eggs as well.
Hydrothermal vent sites may hold other advantages for offspring as well — such as more readily available nutrients or prey — though the researchers aren’t sure yet. They end with a note of caution regarding the skate nursery: Hydrothermal vents are often targeted by deep-sea mining companies for the minerals that accumulate there. Though the skate eggs the researchers found lie in a protected area, others might not be so lucky.
==========================
Crenicichla ploegi • A New Species of Pike-cichlid of the C. saxatilis Group (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Rio Juruena and upper Rio Paraguai Basins in Brazil, with An Updated Diagnosis and Biogeographical Comments on the Group
Crenicichla ploegi
Varella, Loeb, Lima & Kullander, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.3.3
Abstract
Crenicichla ploegi, new species, is described based on material from the Rio Juruena (Rio Papagaio, Rio do Sangue, Rio Arinos, and Rio Juruena itself) and from tributaries of the upper Rio Paraguai (upper Rio Jauru, upper Rio Cabaçal and upper Rio Sepotuba) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Crenicichla ploegi is the twenty-third species of the C. saxatilis group. It is distinguished from all other species of the group by the presence of dark spots and vermiculations on snout, interorbital area and dorsally on head in adults vs. dark markings absent or present only in juveniles but absent in adults, and by the presence of a deep and strongly pigmented lateral band present in both juveniles and adults, occupying a depth of 4–6 horizontal scale rows vs. lateral band narrower, occupying a depth of 2–3 horizontal scale rows, and conspicuous only in juveniles and smaller specimens, faded or absent in larger specimens. Diagnostic characteristics of the C. saxatilis group proposed in previous studies were discussed to update the diagnosis of the group, and morphological comparisons among the species included in the group, with biogeographical comments, are provided. The presence of conspicuous dark markings dorsally on the head and the presence of a prominent midlateral band are hypothesized to be paedomorphic characteristics, retained from juvenile conditions in the context of the species of the C. saxatilis group.
Keywords: Pisces, biogeography, coloration, paedomorphy, species groups
FIGURE . Crenicichla ploegi, a male (left) and a female (right) photographed alive in the Rio Verde, tributary of the Rio Papagaio, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Photo by Marcelo Krause.
Distribution: Crenicichla ploegi is known both from the upper Rio Paraguai basin, and from tributaries of the upper Rio Juruena, in Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
Etymology: Crenicichla ploegi is named in honor of the Dutch ichthyologist Alex Ploeg, whose PhD thesis dealt with the taxonomic revision, biogeography and phylogeny of Crenicichla, and who published papers on systematics of the genus from 1986 to 1991, describing a total of 23 species, 18 of which still considered to be valid. Since then, he worked as interlocutor between the ornamental fish industry and other institutions worldwide.
Unfortunately, Dr. Ploeg perished with his wife and son in the Malaysia Airlines 17 (MH17) airplane attack in Ukraine on 17 July 2014.
Habitat and ecological notes: Crenicichla ploegi has been collected in a variety of aquatic habitats, but mostly in streams and mid-sized rivers. The type locality is actually an exception, being a large river pool, more than 100 meters wide. Streams and rivers inhabited by C. ploegi possess clear water, a moderate to fast water flow, and rocky bottoms, usually with well-developed riparian forest, although the species has also been collected in rivers with highly disturbed or suppressed riparian forest.
Henrique R. Varella, Marina V. Loeb, Flávio C.T. Lima and Sven O. Kullander. 2018. Crenicichla ploegi, A New Species of Pike-cichlid of the C. saxatilis Group from the Rio Juruena and upper Rio Paraguai Basins in Brazil, with An Updated Diagnosis and Biogeographical Comments on the Group (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa. 4377(3); 361–386. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.3.3
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1577559488960503
facebook.com/PecesArgentina/photos/640499162954023
==========================
Crenicichla ploegi
Varella, Loeb, Lima & Kullander, 2018
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.3.3
Abstract
Crenicichla ploegi, new species, is described based on material from the Rio Juruena (Rio Papagaio, Rio do Sangue, Rio Arinos, and Rio Juruena itself) and from tributaries of the upper Rio Paraguai (upper Rio Jauru, upper Rio Cabaçal and upper Rio Sepotuba) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Crenicichla ploegi is the twenty-third species of the C. saxatilis group. It is distinguished from all other species of the group by the presence of dark spots and vermiculations on snout, interorbital area and dorsally on head in adults vs. dark markings absent or present only in juveniles but absent in adults, and by the presence of a deep and strongly pigmented lateral band present in both juveniles and adults, occupying a depth of 4–6 horizontal scale rows vs. lateral band narrower, occupying a depth of 2–3 horizontal scale rows, and conspicuous only in juveniles and smaller specimens, faded or absent in larger specimens. Diagnostic characteristics of the C. saxatilis group proposed in previous studies were discussed to update the diagnosis of the group, and morphological comparisons among the species included in the group, with biogeographical comments, are provided. The presence of conspicuous dark markings dorsally on the head and the presence of a prominent midlateral band are hypothesized to be paedomorphic characteristics, retained from juvenile conditions in the context of the species of the C. saxatilis group.
Keywords: Pisces, biogeography, coloration, paedomorphy, species groups
FIGURE . Crenicichla ploegi, a male (left) and a female (right) photographed alive in the Rio Verde, tributary of the Rio Papagaio, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Photo by Marcelo Krause.
Distribution: Crenicichla ploegi is known both from the upper Rio Paraguai basin, and from tributaries of the upper Rio Juruena, in Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
Etymology: Crenicichla ploegi is named in honor of the Dutch ichthyologist Alex Ploeg, whose PhD thesis dealt with the taxonomic revision, biogeography and phylogeny of Crenicichla, and who published papers on systematics of the genus from 1986 to 1991, describing a total of 23 species, 18 of which still considered to be valid. Since then, he worked as interlocutor between the ornamental fish industry and other institutions worldwide.
Unfortunately, Dr. Ploeg perished with his wife and son in the Malaysia Airlines 17 (MH17) airplane attack in Ukraine on 17 July 2014.
Habitat and ecological notes: Crenicichla ploegi has been collected in a variety of aquatic habitats, but mostly in streams and mid-sized rivers. The type locality is actually an exception, being a large river pool, more than 100 meters wide. Streams and rivers inhabited by C. ploegi possess clear water, a moderate to fast water flow, and rocky bottoms, usually with well-developed riparian forest, although the species has also been collected in rivers with highly disturbed or suppressed riparian forest.
Henrique R. Varella, Marina V. Loeb, Flávio C.T. Lima and Sven O. Kullander. 2018. Crenicichla ploegi, A New Species of Pike-cichlid of the C. saxatilis Group from the Rio Juruena and upper Rio Paraguai Basins in Brazil, with An Updated Diagnosis and Biogeographical Comments on the Group (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa. 4377(3); 361–386. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.3.3
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1577559488960503
facebook.com/PecesArgentina/photos/640499162954023
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Basic Description and Some Notes on the Evolution of Seven Sympatric Morphs of Dolly VardenSalvelinus malma from the Lake Kronotskoe Basin (Russia, Kamchatka)
Sympatric morphs of Lake Kronotskoe charrs.
W, white; L, longhead; N, nosed; S, smallmouth; B, bigmouth
Markevich, Esin & Anisimova, 2018.
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3806
Abstract
The study examines the basic morphological and ecological features of Dolly Varden from Lake Kronotskoe (Russia, Kamchatka). Seven valid morphs different in head proportions, feeding, timing, and place of spawning have been determined in this ecosystem. The basic morphometric characteristics clearly separate Lake Kronotskoe morphs from each other, as well as from its potential ancestor (Dolly Varden). According to CVA analysis, the most notable morphological characteristics determining the mouth position are the length of a lower jaw and rostrum. Furthermore, five of seven morphs inhabit different depth zones of the lake and feed on different food resources. Our data suggest that reproductive isolation may be maintained by temporal/spatial isolation for two morphs with lacustrine spawning, and by spatial isolation only for the rest of the morphs with riverine spawning. The sympatric diversity of the Lake Kronotskoe charrs is exceptionally wide, and there are no other examples for seven sympatric morphs of genus Salvelinus to coexist within a single ecosystem. This study puts forward a three-step hypothetical model of charr divergence in Lake Kronotskoe as a potential ground for future studies.
KEYWORDS: “charr problem”, diversification isolation, functional morphology, spawning, trophic polymorphism
Figure 1 Sympatric morphs of Lake Kronotskoe charrs.
W, white; L, longhead; N, nosed: 1—blunt nosed, 2—sharpnosed, 3—shovelnosed; S, smallmouth; B, bigmouth
Grigorii Markevich, Evgeny Esin and Liudmila Anisimova. 2018. Basic Description and Some Notes on the Evolution of Seven Sympatric Morphs of Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma from the Lake Kronotskoe Basin. Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3806
==========================
Sympatric morphs of Lake Kronotskoe charrs.
W, white; L, longhead; N, nosed; S, smallmouth; B, bigmouth
Markevich, Esin & Anisimova, 2018.
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3806
Abstract
The study examines the basic morphological and ecological features of Dolly Varden from Lake Kronotskoe (Russia, Kamchatka). Seven valid morphs different in head proportions, feeding, timing, and place of spawning have been determined in this ecosystem. The basic morphometric characteristics clearly separate Lake Kronotskoe morphs from each other, as well as from its potential ancestor (Dolly Varden). According to CVA analysis, the most notable morphological characteristics determining the mouth position are the length of a lower jaw and rostrum. Furthermore, five of seven morphs inhabit different depth zones of the lake and feed on different food resources. Our data suggest that reproductive isolation may be maintained by temporal/spatial isolation for two morphs with lacustrine spawning, and by spatial isolation only for the rest of the morphs with riverine spawning. The sympatric diversity of the Lake Kronotskoe charrs is exceptionally wide, and there are no other examples for seven sympatric morphs of genus Salvelinus to coexist within a single ecosystem. This study puts forward a three-step hypothetical model of charr divergence in Lake Kronotskoe as a potential ground for future studies.
KEYWORDS: “charr problem”, diversification isolation, functional morphology, spawning, trophic polymorphism
Figure 1 Sympatric morphs of Lake Kronotskoe charrs.
W, white; L, longhead; N, nosed: 1—blunt nosed, 2—sharpnosed, 3—shovelnosed; S, smallmouth; B, bigmouth
Grigorii Markevich, Evgeny Esin and Liudmila Anisimova. 2018. Basic Description and Some Notes on the Evolution of Seven Sympatric Morphs of Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma from the Lake Kronotskoe Basin. Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3806
==========================
Seaside Aquarium puzzled by mystery fish
By: KOIN 6 News Staff
The Seaside Aquarium is trying to identify this mystery fish after the eggs hatched a few days ago. (Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
SEASIDE, Ore. (KOIN) -- Can you identify this mystery fish?
Seaside Aquarium posted to its Facebook page Monday saying they found these fish eggs in January after some kelp holdfasts washed ashore after a big storm.
According to the post, they could already see "little eyes peering out" from inside the eggs, so they placed them in a brooding basket to see if they would hatch.
A few days ago, the mystery fish started to hatch.
The aquarium thought that once the fish hatched, they would be able to identify the species. However, they're still puzzled as to what this fish could be.
According to the post, the aquarium hopes they'll have better luck identifying the fish once they get a little bit bigger.
In the meantime, head to KOIN's Facebook page to let us know what type of fish you think it is.
==========================
By: KOIN 6 News Staff
The Seaside Aquarium is trying to identify this mystery fish after the eggs hatched a few days ago. (Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
SEASIDE, Ore. (KOIN) -- Can you identify this mystery fish?
Seaside Aquarium posted to its Facebook page Monday saying they found these fish eggs in January after some kelp holdfasts washed ashore after a big storm.
According to the post, they could already see "little eyes peering out" from inside the eggs, so they placed them in a brooding basket to see if they would hatch.
A few days ago, the mystery fish started to hatch.
The aquarium thought that once the fish hatched, they would be able to identify the species. However, they're still puzzled as to what this fish could be.
According to the post, the aquarium hopes they'll have better luck identifying the fish once they get a little bit bigger.
In the meantime, head to KOIN's Facebook page to let us know what type of fish you think it is.
==========================
Opsarius kanaensis• A New Species of Bariliine Fish(Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Manipur, Northeastern India
Opsarius kanaensis Arunkumar & Moyon, 2017
Species. 18(61)
ABSTRACT
Opsarius kanaensis is a new species from cyprinid fishes, Manipur. The new species is differentiated with other cyprinid fishes through the combination of morphological characters: 1 pair of short maxillary barbel, no mandibular knob, length of the origin of dorsal fin to the upper end of caudal fin lobe is longer than the distance between the origin of dorsal fin to the anterior margin of nares, 8-10 blue black lateral bands, a round blue black spot at the anterior base of caudal fin which is overlap by the last vertical band, a mid-transverse band of black colour in the dorsal fin, distinct red colouration of anal fin, depth of caudal peduncle 9.2-9.9% SL; eye diameter 6.3-8.5% SL; post dorsal length 72.1-78.5% SL; head length 18.7-24.2% SL; head depth at occiput 17.2-21.2% SL; and at eye 64.6-70.0% HL; snout length 30.8-37.2% HL; interorbital width 32.2-35.8% HL and width of head at neck 42.6-48.5% HL. A key to the species Opsarius from the Chindwin basin of Manipur is provided.
Key words: Opsarius kanaensis, North eastern India, New species.
Opsarius kanaensis new species
Diagnosis Opsarius kanaensis, a new species of bariliine cyprinid fish is described from the Yu River basin of Manipur, north eastern India. The new species can be differentiated from its congeners occurring in the Chindwin basin of Manipur in having the following combination of characters:1pair of short rudimentary maxillary barbel, no mandibular knob, length of the origin of dorsal fin to the upper end of caudal fin lobe is longer than the distance between the origin of dorsal fin to the anterior margin of nares, 8-10 blue black lateral bands, a round blue black spot at the anterior base of caudal fin which is overlap by the last vertical band, a midtransverse band of black colour in the dorsal fin, distinct red colouration of anal fin, depth of caudal peduncle 9.2-9.9% SL; eye diameter 6.3-8.5% SL; post dorsal length 72.1-78.5% SL; head length 18.7-24.2% SL; head depth at occiput 17.2-21.2% SL; and at eye 64.6-70.0% HL; snout length 30.8-37.2% HL; interorbital width 32.2-35.8% HL and width of head at neck 42.6-48.5% HL.
Habitat Opsarius kanaensis is found in fast-flowing stream and river with clear water, gravel or cobble bottoms . The new species O. kanaensisis accompanied with Schistura manipurensis, Pethia meingangbii; Glyptothorax granulus; Channa marulius; Rasbora ornatus; Devario aequipinnatus; Acanthocobitis zonalternans; Botia histronica etc.
Distribution Opsarius kanaensisis at present is known only from the Kana River, a tributary headwater of the Yu River basin of Manipur (Figure 5).
Etymology The species Opsarius kanaensis is named after the Kana River of Sajik-Tampak, located at Chakpikarong of Chandel District, Manipur.
Arunkumar L. and Wanglar Alphonsa Moyon. 2017. Opsarius kanaensis A New Species of Bariliine Fish (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Manipur, Northeastern India. Species. 18(61); 160-169.
http://www.discoveryjournals.org/Species/current_issue/2017/A14.pdf
==========================
Opsarius kanaensis Arunkumar & Moyon, 2017
Species. 18(61)
ABSTRACT
Opsarius kanaensis is a new species from cyprinid fishes, Manipur. The new species is differentiated with other cyprinid fishes through the combination of morphological characters: 1 pair of short maxillary barbel, no mandibular knob, length of the origin of dorsal fin to the upper end of caudal fin lobe is longer than the distance between the origin of dorsal fin to the anterior margin of nares, 8-10 blue black lateral bands, a round blue black spot at the anterior base of caudal fin which is overlap by the last vertical band, a mid-transverse band of black colour in the dorsal fin, distinct red colouration of anal fin, depth of caudal peduncle 9.2-9.9% SL; eye diameter 6.3-8.5% SL; post dorsal length 72.1-78.5% SL; head length 18.7-24.2% SL; head depth at occiput 17.2-21.2% SL; and at eye 64.6-70.0% HL; snout length 30.8-37.2% HL; interorbital width 32.2-35.8% HL and width of head at neck 42.6-48.5% HL. A key to the species Opsarius from the Chindwin basin of Manipur is provided.
Key words: Opsarius kanaensis, North eastern India, New species.
Opsarius kanaensis new species
Diagnosis Opsarius kanaensis, a new species of bariliine cyprinid fish is described from the Yu River basin of Manipur, north eastern India. The new species can be differentiated from its congeners occurring in the Chindwin basin of Manipur in having the following combination of characters:1pair of short rudimentary maxillary barbel, no mandibular knob, length of the origin of dorsal fin to the upper end of caudal fin lobe is longer than the distance between the origin of dorsal fin to the anterior margin of nares, 8-10 blue black lateral bands, a round blue black spot at the anterior base of caudal fin which is overlap by the last vertical band, a midtransverse band of black colour in the dorsal fin, distinct red colouration of anal fin, depth of caudal peduncle 9.2-9.9% SL; eye diameter 6.3-8.5% SL; post dorsal length 72.1-78.5% SL; head length 18.7-24.2% SL; head depth at occiput 17.2-21.2% SL; and at eye 64.6-70.0% HL; snout length 30.8-37.2% HL; interorbital width 32.2-35.8% HL and width of head at neck 42.6-48.5% HL.
Habitat Opsarius kanaensis is found in fast-flowing stream and river with clear water, gravel or cobble bottoms . The new species O. kanaensisis accompanied with Schistura manipurensis, Pethia meingangbii; Glyptothorax granulus; Channa marulius; Rasbora ornatus; Devario aequipinnatus; Acanthocobitis zonalternans; Botia histronica etc.
Distribution Opsarius kanaensisis at present is known only from the Kana River, a tributary headwater of the Yu River basin of Manipur (Figure 5).
Etymology The species Opsarius kanaensis is named after the Kana River of Sajik-Tampak, located at Chakpikarong of Chandel District, Manipur.
Arunkumar L. and Wanglar Alphonsa Moyon. 2017. Opsarius kanaensis A New Species of Bariliine Fish (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Manipur, Northeastern India. Species. 18(61); 160-169.
http://www.discoveryjournals.org/Species/current_issue/2017/A14.pdf
==========================
Declining Amazon fish
The connection comes down to food. Leandro Castello, assistant professor of fisheries at Virginia Tech, says: ‘Floodplain forests are the principal sources of food [for fish] via provision of detritus, tree leaves, fruits and insects.’ Indeed, for the economically important tambaqui fish (pictured above), which can fetch top prices in fish markets, fruits and seeds constitute the major food source during high waters when the species can enter new territories to feed and spawn. Deforestation, it seems, removes not only these food sources, but also the habitats that protect fish and their offspring from predators. ‘It shows that tropical deforestation is not just an issue that affects climate change or terrestrial biodiversity,’ says Castello.
The research analysed floodplains over a 400-square mile area of the Amazon and 12 years of regional fishery data. This was combined with land cover maps from satellite images showing the amount of woody habitat in the floodplains. The two sets of data showed the connections between the amount of fish in the Amazon’s lakes with the amount of forest around each of them. Castello’s team found that deforested areas matched with local fisheries producing much lower yields than those with larger forest areas surrounding them.
If fish do depend on forests, the link is bad news for fisheries all over the tropics. According to the report, these areas are not only some of the most productive food sources, but often sustain livelihoods of the poorest human populations. Compared to uplands, however, there are fewer protections in place for floodplains. Many are at risk of alteration. In the area studied, 56 per cent of the forests have already been cleared to make way for cattle ranches and plantations in recent years.
‘More strict legislation is necessary to protect floodplain forests from clearing to do ranching or agriculture,’ says Castello. ‘Even if cattle ranching provides more cash in the short-term, it is unlikely that such benefits will be greater than the overall food, income, and livelihood security that come from fisheries in the long-run.’
from Geographical Magazine
==========================
Gymnochanda ploegi
Gymnochanda ploegi • A New Species of Ambassid Glassperch from West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Gymnochanda ploegi Tan & Lim, 2014
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 62.
Abstract
A spectacularly coloured sexually dimorphic freshwater glassfish allied to Gymnochanda verae is described herein. It shares with its other congeners a body without scales, but differing from its congeners with males having a maroon-red first dorsal fin, expanded maroon-red anal and second dorsal fins with black distal portions, without any individual fin ray elongations free from the interradial fin membranes; head with reddish opercle cover. A key to the genus Gymnochanda is also provided.
Key words. Taxonomy, new species, Gymnochanda, sexual dimorphism, Southeast Asia
Species of Gymnochanda
Gymnochanda limi Kottelat, 1995
Gymnochanda filamentosa Fraser-Brunner, 1955
Gymnochanda flamea Roberts, 1994
Gymnochanda verae Tan & Lim, 2011
Gymnochanda ploegi, new species
Fig. Gymnochanda ploegi: A, MZB 17220, 25.9 mm SL male holotype (note: anal fin is damaged); B, MZB 17221, 26.0 mm SL female paratype.
Gymnochanda ploegi, new species
Gymnochanda cf. flamea – Kottelat & Widjarnati, 2005: 164.
Diagnosis. Gymnochanda ploegi can be differentiated from its congeners by the following characters: mature males with pinkish body with the dorsal half suffused with reddish pigments, expanded anal and second dorsal fins, the soft rays of both fins expanded to reach 2 /3 of caudal fin forming a crescentic profile, without any individual fin ray free from the interradial fin membrane; anterior part to whole of both anal and second dorsal fins maroon red in life, with posterior portion of distal rays black forming a crescentic pattern (hyaline when preserved); whole caudal fin lightly suffused with red in life (hyaline when preserved); female with yellowish body suffused with reddish pigments without any fin elongation (hyaline when preserved), both dorsal fins suffused with reddish pigments (hyaline when preserved).
Distribution. Gymnochanda ploegi is currently known from the Sanggau and Kapuas Lakes regions in West Kalimantan (Fig. 5).
Habitat notes. As its congeners, this species inhabits still water pools near swamp forest and riverine systems. Apparently, this is the first import for the ornamental fish trade (August 2014) and it took the collectors more than three hours to trek to the site (A Meng pers. comm.). In the Kapuas Lakes region, G. ploegi could be sympatric with G. filamentosa; but they were not collected in the same sample from fish traps in a swampy area with brown water (M. Kottelat pers. comm.).
Etymology. This species is named in memory of Alex Ploeg, a good friend, fellow taxonomist, advisor and fellow conservationist against alien aquatic species; for his services to the ornamental fish trade in this region and abroad in his role as the Secretary General of the Ornamental Fish International; who unfortunately perished in a terrible tragedy over Ukraine on 17 July 2014.
Fig. 5. Map of Sundaland showing distribution of Gymnochanda: round = G. filamentosa; triangle = G. flamea; square = G. limi; inverted triangle = G. verae; and diamond = G. ploegi.
Tan Heok Hui and Kelvin Lim Kok Peng. 2014. Gymnochanda ploegi, A New Species of Ambassid Glassperch from West Kalimantan, Indonesia. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 62; 688–695.
https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2017/06/62rbz688-695.pdf
ResearchGate.net/publication/266023257_Gymnochanda_ploegi_a_new_species_of_ambassid_glassperch_from_West_Kalimantan_Indonesia
==========================
Gymnochanda ploegi Tan & Lim, 2014
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 62.
Abstract
A spectacularly coloured sexually dimorphic freshwater glassfish allied to Gymnochanda verae is described herein. It shares with its other congeners a body without scales, but differing from its congeners with males having a maroon-red first dorsal fin, expanded maroon-red anal and second dorsal fins with black distal portions, without any individual fin ray elongations free from the interradial fin membranes; head with reddish opercle cover. A key to the genus Gymnochanda is also provided.
Key words. Taxonomy, new species, Gymnochanda, sexual dimorphism, Southeast Asia
Species of Gymnochanda
Gymnochanda limi Kottelat, 1995
Gymnochanda filamentosa Fraser-Brunner, 1955
Gymnochanda flamea Roberts, 1994
Gymnochanda verae Tan & Lim, 2011
Gymnochanda ploegi, new species
Fig. Gymnochanda ploegi: A, MZB 17220, 25.9 mm SL male holotype (note: anal fin is damaged); B, MZB 17221, 26.0 mm SL female paratype.
Gymnochanda ploegi, new species
Gymnochanda cf. flamea – Kottelat & Widjarnati, 2005: 164.
Diagnosis. Gymnochanda ploegi can be differentiated from its congeners by the following characters: mature males with pinkish body with the dorsal half suffused with reddish pigments, expanded anal and second dorsal fins, the soft rays of both fins expanded to reach 2 /3 of caudal fin forming a crescentic profile, without any individual fin ray free from the interradial fin membrane; anterior part to whole of both anal and second dorsal fins maroon red in life, with posterior portion of distal rays black forming a crescentic pattern (hyaline when preserved); whole caudal fin lightly suffused with red in life (hyaline when preserved); female with yellowish body suffused with reddish pigments without any fin elongation (hyaline when preserved), both dorsal fins suffused with reddish pigments (hyaline when preserved).
Distribution. Gymnochanda ploegi is currently known from the Sanggau and Kapuas Lakes regions in West Kalimantan (Fig. 5).
Habitat notes. As its congeners, this species inhabits still water pools near swamp forest and riverine systems. Apparently, this is the first import for the ornamental fish trade (August 2014) and it took the collectors more than three hours to trek to the site (A Meng pers. comm.). In the Kapuas Lakes region, G. ploegi could be sympatric with G. filamentosa; but they were not collected in the same sample from fish traps in a swampy area with brown water (M. Kottelat pers. comm.).
Etymology. This species is named in memory of Alex Ploeg, a good friend, fellow taxonomist, advisor and fellow conservationist against alien aquatic species; for his services to the ornamental fish trade in this region and abroad in his role as the Secretary General of the Ornamental Fish International; who unfortunately perished in a terrible tragedy over Ukraine on 17 July 2014.
Fig. 5. Map of Sundaland showing distribution of Gymnochanda: round = G. filamentosa; triangle = G. flamea; square = G. limi; inverted triangle = G. verae; and diamond = G. ploegi.
Tan Heok Hui and Kelvin Lim Kok Peng. 2014. Gymnochanda ploegi, A New Species of Ambassid Glassperch from West Kalimantan, Indonesia. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 62; 688–695.
https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2017/06/62rbz688-695.pdf
ResearchGate.net/publication/266023257_Gymnochanda_ploegi_a_new_species_of_ambassid_glassperch_from_West_Kalimantan_Indonesia
==========================
Charax awa
Charax awa • A New Species of Charax (Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil
Charax awa
Guimarães, De Brito, Ferreira & Ottoni, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22106
Abstract
Charax awa sp. n. is herein described from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, three coastal river basins of northeastern Brazil located between the Rios Gurupi and Parnaíba basins. These have a complex and still poorly known biogeographic history. This region is ecologically extremely relevant since it comprises three of the main Brazilian biomes, as well as, transition zones between them: Amazônia, Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga. Therefore, this area has faunal and floristic representatives of these three biomes, which makes it particularly relevant in terms of ecology, biodiversity and conservation. Charax awa sp. n. possesses a relatively small orbital diameter (22.1–28.5 % HL), what distinguishes it from most of its congeners, except from C. notulatus and C. caudimaculatus. It differs from C. caudimaculatus by a longer snout, and from C. notulatus by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle, as well as by the number of vertebrae. The new species herein described differs from its geographically closely distributed congeners, C. leticiae, C. niger, and C. pauciradiatus mainly by the relative horizontal orbital diameter. It is a “small-eyed” species. In addition, C. awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. leticiae by having a maxilla extending to the vertical line posterior to the pupil, near the posterior orbital margin and by having a lower humeral spot distance. It can be distinguished from C. pauciradiatusby more scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line and more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line and it differs from C. niger by having more transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum. In addition, it differs from C. pauciradiatus and C. niger by the absence of bony hooks on anal and pelvic-fins rays of adult males.
Key Words: Characinae, Characini, freshwater, Maranhão state, Neotropical region, Rio Mearim, Rio Munim, Rio Turiaçu, taxonomy
Charax awa sp. n.
Charax gibbosus [non Charax gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758)]: Martins and Oliveira 2011: 196-197.
Charax sp. - Martins and Oliveira 2011:196–197.
Diagnosis: Charax awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. apurensis Lucena, 1987, C. condei (Géry & Knöppel, 1976), C. delimai Menezes & Lucena, 2014, C. gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758), C. hemigrammus (Eigenmann, 1912), C. leticiae Lucena, 1987, C. macrolepis (Kner, 1858), C. metae Eigenmann, 1922, C. michaeli Lucena, 1989, C. niger Lucena, 1989, C. pauciradiatus (Günther, 1864), C. stenopterus (Cope, 1894) C. tectifer (Cope, 1870) by the orbital diameter (22.1–28.5% HL vs. 29.6–38.4% HL combined) (Fig. 2). Charax awa sp. n. differs from C. caudimaculatus Lucena, 1987 by the possession of a longer snout (snout length 23.3–32.8% HL vs. 20.3–22.8% HL); from C. notulatus Lucena, 1987 by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle (15–18 vs. 20–22) and by having more vertebrae (35 vs. 32). Furthermore, Charax awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. condei, C. hemigrammusand C. stenopterus by having the lateral line complete (vs. incomplete); from C. delimai, C. metae and C. tectifer by having a toothless ectopterygoid (vs. presence of teeth on ectopterygoid) and having the anal-fin origin always anterior to the vertical through the dorsal-fin origin (vs. anal-fin origin on, or slightly posterior to the vertical through the dorsal-fin origin); from C. condei, C. delimai, C. hemigrammus, C. metae, C. pauciradiatus and C. stenopterus by the number of scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line (11–12 vs. 6–10 combined); from C. pauciradiatus by having more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line (15–18 vs. 13–14). It can be distinguished from C. niger by having 8–10 transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum (vs. 5–6); from C. condei, C. delimai, C. metae, C. rupununi Eigenmann, 1912 by the number of scale rows around the caudal peduncle (15–18 in C. awa sp. n. vs. 12–14 combined in C. condei and C. rupununi, 19–21 combined in C. delimai and C. metae). Finally, it differs from C. leticiaeby having the maxilla extending to a vertical line posterior to pupil, near the posterior orbital margin (vs. maxilla extending slightly beyond vertical through middle of pupil) and from humeral spot distance (35.8–38.0 % SL vs. 39.0–44.0 % SL).
Distribution: Charax awa is known from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil.
Etymology: The specific epithet honors the term Awá, from Tupi-guarani, meaning “man, people, person”, used by the native tribe Guajá, from the Maranhão state, for their self-denomination.
Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Beldo Rywllon Abreu Ferreira and Felipe Polivanov Ottoni. 2018. A New Species of Charax (Ostariophysi, Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 94(1): 83-93. DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22106
==========================
Charax awa
Guimarães, De Brito, Ferreira & Ottoni, 2018
DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22106
Abstract
Charax awa sp. n. is herein described from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, three coastal river basins of northeastern Brazil located between the Rios Gurupi and Parnaíba basins. These have a complex and still poorly known biogeographic history. This region is ecologically extremely relevant since it comprises three of the main Brazilian biomes, as well as, transition zones between them: Amazônia, Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga. Therefore, this area has faunal and floristic representatives of these three biomes, which makes it particularly relevant in terms of ecology, biodiversity and conservation. Charax awa sp. n. possesses a relatively small orbital diameter (22.1–28.5 % HL), what distinguishes it from most of its congeners, except from C. notulatus and C. caudimaculatus. It differs from C. caudimaculatus by a longer snout, and from C. notulatus by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle, as well as by the number of vertebrae. The new species herein described differs from its geographically closely distributed congeners, C. leticiae, C. niger, and C. pauciradiatus mainly by the relative horizontal orbital diameter. It is a “small-eyed” species. In addition, C. awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. leticiae by having a maxilla extending to the vertical line posterior to the pupil, near the posterior orbital margin and by having a lower humeral spot distance. It can be distinguished from C. pauciradiatusby more scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line and more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line and it differs from C. niger by having more transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum. In addition, it differs from C. pauciradiatus and C. niger by the absence of bony hooks on anal and pelvic-fins rays of adult males.
Key Words: Characinae, Characini, freshwater, Maranhão state, Neotropical region, Rio Mearim, Rio Munim, Rio Turiaçu, taxonomy
Charax awa sp. n.
Charax gibbosus [non Charax gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758)]: Martins and Oliveira 2011: 196-197.
Charax sp. - Martins and Oliveira 2011:196–197.
Diagnosis: Charax awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. apurensis Lucena, 1987, C. condei (Géry & Knöppel, 1976), C. delimai Menezes & Lucena, 2014, C. gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758), C. hemigrammus (Eigenmann, 1912), C. leticiae Lucena, 1987, C. macrolepis (Kner, 1858), C. metae Eigenmann, 1922, C. michaeli Lucena, 1989, C. niger Lucena, 1989, C. pauciradiatus (Günther, 1864), C. stenopterus (Cope, 1894) C. tectifer (Cope, 1870) by the orbital diameter (22.1–28.5% HL vs. 29.6–38.4% HL combined) (Fig. 2). Charax awa sp. n. differs from C. caudimaculatus Lucena, 1987 by the possession of a longer snout (snout length 23.3–32.8% HL vs. 20.3–22.8% HL); from C. notulatus Lucena, 1987 by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle (15–18 vs. 20–22) and by having more vertebrae (35 vs. 32). Furthermore, Charax awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. condei, C. hemigrammusand C. stenopterus by having the lateral line complete (vs. incomplete); from C. delimai, C. metae and C. tectifer by having a toothless ectopterygoid (vs. presence of teeth on ectopterygoid) and having the anal-fin origin always anterior to the vertical through the dorsal-fin origin (vs. anal-fin origin on, or slightly posterior to the vertical through the dorsal-fin origin); from C. condei, C. delimai, C. hemigrammus, C. metae, C. pauciradiatus and C. stenopterus by the number of scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line (11–12 vs. 6–10 combined); from C. pauciradiatus by having more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line (15–18 vs. 13–14). It can be distinguished from C. niger by having 8–10 transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum (vs. 5–6); from C. condei, C. delimai, C. metae, C. rupununi Eigenmann, 1912 by the number of scale rows around the caudal peduncle (15–18 in C. awa sp. n. vs. 12–14 combined in C. condei and C. rupununi, 19–21 combined in C. delimai and C. metae). Finally, it differs from C. leticiaeby having the maxilla extending to a vertical line posterior to pupil, near the posterior orbital margin (vs. maxilla extending slightly beyond vertical through middle of pupil) and from humeral spot distance (35.8–38.0 % SL vs. 39.0–44.0 % SL).
Distribution: Charax awa is known from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil.
Etymology: The specific epithet honors the term Awá, from Tupi-guarani, meaning “man, people, person”, used by the native tribe Guajá, from the Maranhão state, for their self-denomination.
Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Beldo Rywllon Abreu Ferreira and Felipe Polivanov Ottoni. 2018. A New Species of Charax (Ostariophysi, Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 94(1): 83-93. DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22106
==========================
Paedocypris progenetica
WHAT IS THE SMALLEST FISH?
What is the definition of ‘smallest’? This seemingly simple question is behind a friendly rivalry that has developed between three groups of scientists.
Live individuals of Paedocypris progenetica
Photographer: H. Tan © H. Tan
Mine's smaller than yours!If the definition of the smallest species, means the shortest, then the newly described Paedocypris progenetica may take the title, at least for females. This tiny carp-relative that lives in peat swamp forests of Sumatra was described by Kottelat, Britz, Tan and Witte (see ‘Further Reading’) in a paper published in 2005. The species reaches a maximum size of 10.3 mm with females reaching maturity at 7.9 mm.
Ted Pietsch of the University of Washington, however, believes that the title of the world’s smallest fish belongs to Photocorynus spiniceps. Males of this deepsea anglerfish are parasitic on the much larger female. A 6.2 mm mature male attached to a 46 mm female was found by Pietsch in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection (Pietsch, 2005).
The claim of scientists from the Australian Museum, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center is that the title of smallest fish rests with the Stout Floater, Schindleria brevipinguis. Females of this species, a relative of gobies, which is only known from the Great Barrier Reef, reach sexual maturity by 7 mm to 8 mm in length and males mature by 6.5 mm to 7 mm. The largest specimen known is only 8.4 mm long. Watson and Walker base their claim on the fact that the Stout Infantfish is far more slender, and thus lighter than either of the other species. It is noteworthy that all gamefishing records are based on weight not length. Most people would agree that a 4 m long elephant is a bigger animal than a 5 m long snake. The Stout Infantfish is slightly longer, but at less than one-millionth of a kilogram, is almost certainly much lighter than either P. progenetica or the male P. spiniceps and is thus the smallest species. Both males and females of the Stout Infantfish are small, unlike the anglerfish species championed by Dr Pietsch.
Clearly, which species is smallest depends upon your definition of ‘small’. In the long run, it probably matters little which species is the smallest. All three species - P. progenetica, P. spiniceps and S. brevipinguis are remarkable fishes and highlight the fact that there is still much to learn about fishes.
Further reading
- Kottelat, M., Britz, R., Tan, H.H.& K-E. Witte. 2006. Paedocypris, a new genus of Southeast Asian cyprinid fish with a remarkable sexual dimorphism, comprises the world’s smallest vertebrate. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: 1-5.
- Pietsch, T.W. 2005. Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes). Ichthyological Research. 52: 207-236.
- Watson, W. & H.J. Walker Jr. 2004. The world's smallest vertebrate, Schindleria brevipinguis, a new paedomorphic species in the family Schindleriidae (Perciformes: Gobioidei). Records of the Australian Museum. 56(2): 139-142.
from the Australian Museum site
==========================
How A Quake In Alaska Moved The Rarest Fish (Cyprinodon diabolis)To Spawn In Death ValleyA massive temblor off Alaska last week made literal waves as far away as Florida, as Earth enters what some geologists say may be a busier seismic period.
When it struck early last Tuesday in the Gulf of Alaska, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake caused a small tsunami, triggering middle-of-the-night alerts along shores from British Columbia through California and sending residents fleeing to high ground and huddling in shelters. It was the U.S.’s biggest quake of the year so far, at a time when geologists say the Earth may be primed for more. By the time the waves arrived on land, however, they never reached more than three to eight inches, leading to some confusion among those who received alerts and those who didn’t.
But no alerts were sent to the typically tranquil Devil’s Hole, a shallow, 18-foot-long pool in Death Valley National Park, which straddles California and Nevada. A few minutes after the quake began, the water at Devil’s Hole began sloshing around. Along the western coast of the United States, the tsunami’s waves were pathetic; here, 1,800 miles from the epicenter, the waves reached over a foot tall, park rangers said.
Within an hour of the quake, groundwater 3,500 miles away in Fort Lauderdale yo-yoed by up to an inch and a half. Up the coast in Florida’s marshy Big Bend, water levels rose two inches in wells in Madison.
Back at Devil’s Hole, watchful park rangers noticed something else as the waves dissipated: The pool’s most famous inhabitants, a group of critically endangered desert pupfish, appeared to be spawning out of season. One telltale sign: the males glow an iridescent blue.
Pupfish spawning typically happens in the spring and fall, but it can also occur when their habitat is disturbed. In this case the culprit wasn’t a tsunami but what hydrologists call a seiche: when a standing wave appears on a river, reservoir, pond, or lake, as a result of strong winds, changes in air pressure, or, in this case, seismic waves from an earthquake passing through the ground.
“It’s crazy that distant earthquakes affect Devils Hole,” said Kevin Wilson, Aquatic Ecologist for Death Valley National Park in a statement. “We’ve seen this a few times before, but it still amazes me.”
When a seiche (pronounced say-ch) hit Devil’s Hole following an earthquake in Qaxaca, Mexico, in 2012, that, too, triggered a spawning event among the pupfish. “Environmental disaster, it seems, acted as an aphrodisiac,” Peter Byrne wrote in Scientific American. (It also spawned a viral video, below.)
With a population at last census of 115 fish, the desert pupfish, or Cyprinodon diabolis, are considered by some to be the world’s rarest fish. Devil’s Hole is their only natural habitat, and is the tiniest habitat of any endangered vertebrate species. For thousands of years the fish have relied on the pool’s steady oxygen concentrations and a constant temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit.
Their population had long hovered around 400 to 600 fish, until water levels in the pool dropped due to nearby irrigation (the pool is fed by the Nevada aquifer). After the pupfish became one of the first fish to be protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973, local landowners, complaining that the protection curtailed their right to draw water, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. The justices upheld the government’s water rights, and the desert pupfish won.
The fish are up against weirder threats, too: In 2016, three men broke into the protected Devil’s Hole area, waded into the water, vomited near it, destroyed scientific equipment, sprayed gunfire, and killed a pupfish. Last week, two of the intruders pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act and now face a maximum penalty of one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $50,000.
The earthquake-induced spawn will be a temporary boon to the pupfish’s fluctuating population (in 2006 there were only 28 of them), but the seiche may have also temporarily disturbed a key part of their diet: the algae that grows on a shallow sunlit shelf at the top of Devils Hole. “The pupfish’s food source will probably be a little reduced for a bit, but it is expected to rebound,” said Ambre Chaudoin, a Biological Science Technician at Death Valley.
==========================
When it struck early last Tuesday in the Gulf of Alaska, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake caused a small tsunami, triggering middle-of-the-night alerts along shores from British Columbia through California and sending residents fleeing to high ground and huddling in shelters. It was the U.S.’s biggest quake of the year so far, at a time when geologists say the Earth may be primed for more. By the time the waves arrived on land, however, they never reached more than three to eight inches, leading to some confusion among those who received alerts and those who didn’t.
But no alerts were sent to the typically tranquil Devil’s Hole, a shallow, 18-foot-long pool in Death Valley National Park, which straddles California and Nevada. A few minutes after the quake began, the water at Devil’s Hole began sloshing around. Along the western coast of the United States, the tsunami’s waves were pathetic; here, 1,800 miles from the epicenter, the waves reached over a foot tall, park rangers said.
Within an hour of the quake, groundwater 3,500 miles away in Fort Lauderdale yo-yoed by up to an inch and a half. Up the coast in Florida’s marshy Big Bend, water levels rose two inches in wells in Madison.
Back at Devil’s Hole, watchful park rangers noticed something else as the waves dissipated: The pool’s most famous inhabitants, a group of critically endangered desert pupfish, appeared to be spawning out of season. One telltale sign: the males glow an iridescent blue.
Pupfish spawning typically happens in the spring and fall, but it can also occur when their habitat is disturbed. In this case the culprit wasn’t a tsunami but what hydrologists call a seiche: when a standing wave appears on a river, reservoir, pond, or lake, as a result of strong winds, changes in air pressure, or, in this case, seismic waves from an earthquake passing through the ground.
“It’s crazy that distant earthquakes affect Devils Hole,” said Kevin Wilson, Aquatic Ecologist for Death Valley National Park in a statement. “We’ve seen this a few times before, but it still amazes me.”
When a seiche (pronounced say-ch) hit Devil’s Hole following an earthquake in Qaxaca, Mexico, in 2012, that, too, triggered a spawning event among the pupfish. “Environmental disaster, it seems, acted as an aphrodisiac,” Peter Byrne wrote in Scientific American. (It also spawned a viral video, below.)
With a population at last census of 115 fish, the desert pupfish, or Cyprinodon diabolis, are considered by some to be the world’s rarest fish. Devil’s Hole is their only natural habitat, and is the tiniest habitat of any endangered vertebrate species. For thousands of years the fish have relied on the pool’s steady oxygen concentrations and a constant temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit.
Their population had long hovered around 400 to 600 fish, until water levels in the pool dropped due to nearby irrigation (the pool is fed by the Nevada aquifer). After the pupfish became one of the first fish to be protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973, local landowners, complaining that the protection curtailed their right to draw water, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. The justices upheld the government’s water rights, and the desert pupfish won.
The fish are up against weirder threats, too: In 2016, three men broke into the protected Devil’s Hole area, waded into the water, vomited near it, destroyed scientific equipment, sprayed gunfire, and killed a pupfish. Last week, two of the intruders pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act and now face a maximum penalty of one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $50,000.
The earthquake-induced spawn will be a temporary boon to the pupfish’s fluctuating population (in 2006 there were only 28 of them), but the seiche may have also temporarily disturbed a key part of their diet: the algae that grows on a shallow sunlit shelf at the top of Devils Hole. “The pupfish’s food source will probably be a little reduced for a bit, but it is expected to rebound,” said Ambre Chaudoin, a Biological Science Technician at Death Valley.
==========================
Conserving the Evolutionary History of Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras (Chondrichthyes)
A representative taxon-complete tree with phylogenetic distribution of molecular data coverage.
Stein, Mull, Kuhn, et al. 2018.
@DrSharkBrain || DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0448-4
Abstract
In an era of accelerated biodiversity loss and limited conservation resources, systematic prioritization of species and places is essential. In terrestrial vertebrates, evolutionary distinctness has been used to identify species and locations that embody the greatest share of evolutionary history. We estimate evolutionary distinctness for a large marine vertebrate radiation on a dated taxon-complete tree for all 1,192 chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays and chimaeras) by augmenting a new 610-species molecular phylogeny using taxonomic constraints. Chondrichthyans are by far the most evolutionarily distinct of all major radiations of jawed vertebrates—the average species embodies 26 million years of unique evolutionary history. With this metric, we identify 21 countries with the highest richness, endemism and evolutionary distinctness of threatened species as targets for conservation prioritization. On average, threatened chondrichthyans are more evolutionarily distinct—further motivating improved conservation, fisheries management and trade regulation to avoid significant pruning of the chondrichthyan tree of life.
Picture A representative taxon-complete tree with phylogenetic distribution of molecular data coverage. Clades are shaded according to molecular data coverage within each order, and those species with molecular data are indicated by outer ticks. Red dots highlight nodes defining orders, with the paraphyletic order Rhinopristiformes delimited by two highly supported nodes.
R. William Stein, Christopher G. Mull, Tyler S. Kuhn, Neil C. Aschliman, Lindsay N. K. Davidson, Jeffrey B. Joy, Gordon J. Smith, Nicholas K. Dulvy and Arne O. Mooers. 2018. Global Priorities for Conserving the Evolutionary History of Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2; 288–298. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0448-4
twitter.com/DrSharkBrain/status/954024295537233922
Saving sharks with trees: researchers aim to save key branches of shark and ray tree of life phy.so/436013572 @physorg_com
==========================
A representative taxon-complete tree with phylogenetic distribution of molecular data coverage.
Stein, Mull, Kuhn, et al. 2018.
@DrSharkBrain || DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0448-4
Abstract
In an era of accelerated biodiversity loss and limited conservation resources, systematic prioritization of species and places is essential. In terrestrial vertebrates, evolutionary distinctness has been used to identify species and locations that embody the greatest share of evolutionary history. We estimate evolutionary distinctness for a large marine vertebrate radiation on a dated taxon-complete tree for all 1,192 chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays and chimaeras) by augmenting a new 610-species molecular phylogeny using taxonomic constraints. Chondrichthyans are by far the most evolutionarily distinct of all major radiations of jawed vertebrates—the average species embodies 26 million years of unique evolutionary history. With this metric, we identify 21 countries with the highest richness, endemism and evolutionary distinctness of threatened species as targets for conservation prioritization. On average, threatened chondrichthyans are more evolutionarily distinct—further motivating improved conservation, fisheries management and trade regulation to avoid significant pruning of the chondrichthyan tree of life.
Picture A representative taxon-complete tree with phylogenetic distribution of molecular data coverage. Clades are shaded according to molecular data coverage within each order, and those species with molecular data are indicated by outer ticks. Red dots highlight nodes defining orders, with the paraphyletic order Rhinopristiformes delimited by two highly supported nodes.
R. William Stein, Christopher G. Mull, Tyler S. Kuhn, Neil C. Aschliman, Lindsay N. K. Davidson, Jeffrey B. Joy, Gordon J. Smith, Nicholas K. Dulvy and Arne O. Mooers. 2018. Global Priorities for Conserving the Evolutionary History of Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2; 288–298. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0448-4
twitter.com/DrSharkBrain/status/954024295537233922
Saving sharks with trees: researchers aim to save key branches of shark and ray tree of life phy.so/436013572 @physorg_com
==========================
Thymichthys politus
New population of “world’s rarest fish” discovered
As few as 20 new specimens gives hope to marine researchers.
The extremely rare red handfish.
ANTONIA COOPER/RLS
An undersea area just the area of two tennis courts holds a newly discovered population of what is thought to be the world’s rarest fish.
The discovery is the result of collaboration between the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), based in Tasmania, Australia, and a citizen science project called the Reef Life Survey.
Divers from IMAS report that they have located a population of red handfish (Thymichthys politus) at an unnamed site off south-east Tasmania.
The area, just 50 metres long and 20 metres wide, contains an estimated 20 to 40 fish. It is only the second group of the critically endangered species ever discovered. The first, containing about the same number, lives several kilometres away in Frederick Henry Bay.
“Finding this second population is a huge relief as it effectively doubles how many we think are left on the planet,” says IMAS scientist and Reef Life Survey co-founder Rick Stuart-Smith.
“We’ve already learned a lot from finding this second population because their habitat isn’t identical to that of the first population, so we can take some heart from knowing red handfish are not as critically dependent on that particular set of local conditions.”
There are three species of handfish in the waters off southern Tasmania, all rare. The spotted handfish has been seen near the city of Hobart, but the third, Ziebell’s handfish (Brachiopsilus ziebelli) hasn’t been seen in more than a decade and is feared extinct.
found in Cosmos Magazine
==========================
As few as 20 new specimens gives hope to marine researchers.
The extremely rare red handfish.
ANTONIA COOPER/RLS
An undersea area just the area of two tennis courts holds a newly discovered population of what is thought to be the world’s rarest fish.
The discovery is the result of collaboration between the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), based in Tasmania, Australia, and a citizen science project called the Reef Life Survey.
Divers from IMAS report that they have located a population of red handfish (Thymichthys politus) at an unnamed site off south-east Tasmania.
The area, just 50 metres long and 20 metres wide, contains an estimated 20 to 40 fish. It is only the second group of the critically endangered species ever discovered. The first, containing about the same number, lives several kilometres away in Frederick Henry Bay.
“Finding this second population is a huge relief as it effectively doubles how many we think are left on the planet,” says IMAS scientist and Reef Life Survey co-founder Rick Stuart-Smith.
“We’ve already learned a lot from finding this second population because their habitat isn’t identical to that of the first population, so we can take some heart from knowing red handfish are not as critically dependent on that particular set of local conditions.”
There are three species of handfish in the waters off southern Tasmania, all rare. The spotted handfish has been seen near the city of Hobart, but the third, Ziebell’s handfish (Brachiopsilus ziebelli) hasn’t been seen in more than a decade and is feared extinct.
found in Cosmos Magazine
==========================
Spectracanthicus javae • A New Species of the Genus Spectracanthicus (Loricariidae, Hypostominae, Ancistrini) from the Rio Javaיs (Rio Araguaia Basin), with A Description of Gross Brain Morphology
Spectracanthicus javae
Chamon, Pereira, Mendonca & Akama, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13526
Abstract
A new species of Spectracanthicus is described from the Rio Javaés, Rio Araguaia basin. The new species is distinguished from its congeners (except Spectracanthicus immaculatus) by colour pattern: body dark grey to dark brown without dots or blotches (v. body colour with yellowish small dots in Spectracanthicus murinus, Spectracanthicus punctatissimus and Spectracanthicus tocantinensis and large white dots in Spectracanthicus zuanoni). It can be further distinguished from S. immaculatus by having thicker and less numerous teeth, with up to eight premaxillary and 20 dentary teeth (v. teeth thinner and more numerous with up to 22 premaxillary and 30 dentary teeth); dorsal and caudal fins without curved spines (v. dorsal and caudal fins with curved spines). Other osteological characters can also diagnose the new species from its congeners. In addition, a gross brain description and brief comments on the new species' ecological habitat are given.
Figure Colour in life of Spectracanthicus javae.
Spectracanthicus javae sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet (a noun in apposition) is in reference to the Javaé people, an indigenous branch of the Karajá people in Brazil who inhabit the Ilha do Bananal and confer the name of the river (Rio Javaés), where the new species was reported.
C. C. Chamon, T. N. A. Pereira, M. B. Mendonca and A. Akama. 2018. New Species of the Genus Spectracanthicus (Loricariidae, Hypostominae, Ancistrini) from the Rio Javaיs (Rio Araguaia Basin), with A Description of Gross Brain Morphology. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13526
facebook.com/israquarium/photos/1676916349041624
facebook.com/IchthyologyoftheWorld/photos/1774881345865988
Carine C. Chamon and Lúcia H. Rapp Py-Daniel. 2014. Taxonomic revision of Spectracanthicus Nijssen & Isbrücker (Loricariidae: Hypostominae: Ancistrini), with description of three new species. Neotropical Ichthyology. 12(1):1-25.
scielo.br/pdf/ni/v12n1/1679-6225-ni-12-01-00001.pdf
==========================
Spectracanthicus javae
Chamon, Pereira, Mendonca & Akama, 2018
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13526
Abstract
A new species of Spectracanthicus is described from the Rio Javaés, Rio Araguaia basin. The new species is distinguished from its congeners (except Spectracanthicus immaculatus) by colour pattern: body dark grey to dark brown without dots or blotches (v. body colour with yellowish small dots in Spectracanthicus murinus, Spectracanthicus punctatissimus and Spectracanthicus tocantinensis and large white dots in Spectracanthicus zuanoni). It can be further distinguished from S. immaculatus by having thicker and less numerous teeth, with up to eight premaxillary and 20 dentary teeth (v. teeth thinner and more numerous with up to 22 premaxillary and 30 dentary teeth); dorsal and caudal fins without curved spines (v. dorsal and caudal fins with curved spines). Other osteological characters can also diagnose the new species from its congeners. In addition, a gross brain description and brief comments on the new species' ecological habitat are given.
Figure Colour in life of Spectracanthicus javae.
Spectracanthicus javae sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet (a noun in apposition) is in reference to the Javaé people, an indigenous branch of the Karajá people in Brazil who inhabit the Ilha do Bananal and confer the name of the river (Rio Javaés), where the new species was reported.
C. C. Chamon, T. N. A. Pereira, M. B. Mendonca and A. Akama. 2018. New Species of the Genus Spectracanthicus (Loricariidae, Hypostominae, Ancistrini) from the Rio Javaיs (Rio Araguaia Basin), with A Description of Gross Brain Morphology. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13526
facebook.com/israquarium/photos/1676916349041624
facebook.com/IchthyologyoftheWorld/photos/1774881345865988
Carine C. Chamon and Lúcia H. Rapp Py-Daniel. 2014. Taxonomic revision of Spectracanthicus Nijssen & Isbrücker (Loricariidae: Hypostominae: Ancistrini), with description of three new species. Neotropical Ichthyology. 12(1):1-25.
scielo.br/pdf/ni/v12n1/1679-6225-ni-12-01-00001.pdf
==========================
Winghead sharkFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Winghead shark
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Chondrichthyes
Order:Carcharhiniformes
Family:Sphyrnidae
Genus:Eusphyra
T. N. Gill, 1862
Species:E. blochii
Binomial name
Eusphyra blochii
(G. Cuvier, 1816)
Range of the winghead shark[2]
Synonyms
Inhabiting the shallow coastal waters of the central and western Indo-Pacific, the winghead shark feeds on small bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. It gives birth to live young, with the developing embryos receiving nourishment through a placental connection. Females produce annual litters of 6 to 25 pups; depending on region, birthing may occur from February to June after a gestation period of 8–11 months. This harmless species is widely fished for meat, fins, liver oil, and fishmeal. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as Endangered in 2016, as it is thought to have declined in some parts of its range due to overfishing.
==========================
Winghead shark
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Chondrichthyes
Order:Carcharhiniformes
Family:Sphyrnidae
Genus:Eusphyra
T. N. Gill, 1862
Species:E. blochii
Binomial name
Eusphyra blochii
(G. Cuvier, 1816)
Range of the winghead shark[2]
Synonyms
- Zygaena blochii G. Cuvier, 1816
- Zygaena laticeps Cantor, 1837
- Zygaena latycephala van Hasselt, 1823
Inhabiting the shallow coastal waters of the central and western Indo-Pacific, the winghead shark feeds on small bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. It gives birth to live young, with the developing embryos receiving nourishment through a placental connection. Females produce annual litters of 6 to 25 pups; depending on region, birthing may occur from February to June after a gestation period of 8–11 months. This harmless species is widely fished for meat, fins, liver oil, and fishmeal. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as Endangered in 2016, as it is thought to have declined in some parts of its range due to overfishing.
==========================
A, Lepidotrigla longipinnis, NMV A31696-001, 121 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 111–104 m;
B, Lepidotrigla omanensis, NMV A31691-001, 110 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 149–164 m;
C, Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species, holotype, NMV A31698-001, 135 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 147–156 m.
Review of the Lepidotrigla Gurnards (Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Seaoff Myanmar with A Description of A New Species; Lepidotrigla psolokerkos
Lepidotrigla longipinnis Alcock, 1890,
Lepidotrigla psolokerkos Gomon & Psomadakis, 2018
L. omanensis Regan, 1905
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66
Abstract
A 2015 trawl survey along the coast of Myanmar provided an opportunity to assess species of the triglid genus Lepidotrigla occurring in the country. Three species, L. longipinnis Alcock, 1890, L. omanensis Regan, 1905, and an undescribed species, were identified among the 15 voucher specimens retained. A formal description of the unnamed species, as well as descriptive accounts of the other two are provided. Lepidotrigla psolokerkos, new species, based on two specimens, resembles L. alcocki Regan, 1908 described from the Saya de Malho Bank in the central Indian Ocean, differing from it in having fewer oblique scale rows between the anal fin origin and the lateral line and broader covering of dark pigmentation on the inner surface of the pectoral fin. The known geographical ranges of L. longipinnis, reported in the literature as L. riggsi Richards & Saksena, 1977, and L. omanensis are extended to the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar. A key is provided for the three species occurring in the survey area.
Key words. Indian Ocean, taxonomy, ichthyology, geographical distribution, depth range
Fig. Myanmar species of Lepidotrigla.
A, Lepidotrigla longipinnis, NMV A31696-001, 121 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 111–104 m;
B, Lepidotrigla omanensis, NMV A31691-001, 110 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 149–164 m;
C, Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species, holotype, NMV A31698-001, 135 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 147–156 m.
SYSTEMATICS
Lepidotrigla longipinnis Alcock, 1890
Proposed vernacular: Stellar Gurnard
Etymology. Initially proposed as a varietal name, longipinnis is an amalgamation of the Latin “longus” for long and “pinna” for fin, in reference to the longer pectoral fin that was considered by Alcock (1890) to distinguish what is now recognised as a distinct species from L. spiloptera Günther, 1860.
Distribution. Confined to coastal waters of the northern Indian Ocean, from at least Bombay, India to just south of the equator off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia (Fig. 4) at depths of 70 to at least 107 m.
Lepidotrigla omanensis Regan, 1905
Vernacular: Oman Gurnard
Etymology. Regan’s (1905) omanensis was named for the collecting locality “the Sea of Oman” for his three type specimens.
Distribution. Occurs in coastal waters of the northern Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden to the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar (Fig. 4) at depths of 41–335 m; apparently excluded from the Persian Gulf.
Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species
Proposed vernacular: Skinny Gurnard
Etymology. The name psolokerkos is a conjunction of the Greek psolos for “dirt” and “kerkos” for tail in reference to the distinctive grey blotch dorsoposteriorly on the caudal fin of this species.
Distribution. Known only from the two type specimens collected in the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar (Fig. 4) at depths of 151–255 m.
Martin F. Gomon and Peter N. Psomadakis. 2018. Review of the Lepidotrigla Gurnards (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea off Myanmar with A Description of A New Species. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66; 66–77. lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/66rbz066-077.pdf
==========================
B, Lepidotrigla omanensis, NMV A31691-001, 110 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 149–164 m;
C, Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species, holotype, NMV A31698-001, 135 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 147–156 m.
Review of the Lepidotrigla Gurnards (Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Seaoff Myanmar with A Description of A New Species; Lepidotrigla psolokerkos
Lepidotrigla longipinnis Alcock, 1890,
Lepidotrigla psolokerkos Gomon & Psomadakis, 2018
L. omanensis Regan, 1905
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66
Abstract
A 2015 trawl survey along the coast of Myanmar provided an opportunity to assess species of the triglid genus Lepidotrigla occurring in the country. Three species, L. longipinnis Alcock, 1890, L. omanensis Regan, 1905, and an undescribed species, were identified among the 15 voucher specimens retained. A formal description of the unnamed species, as well as descriptive accounts of the other two are provided. Lepidotrigla psolokerkos, new species, based on two specimens, resembles L. alcocki Regan, 1908 described from the Saya de Malho Bank in the central Indian Ocean, differing from it in having fewer oblique scale rows between the anal fin origin and the lateral line and broader covering of dark pigmentation on the inner surface of the pectoral fin. The known geographical ranges of L. longipinnis, reported in the literature as L. riggsi Richards & Saksena, 1977, and L. omanensis are extended to the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar. A key is provided for the three species occurring in the survey area.
Key words. Indian Ocean, taxonomy, ichthyology, geographical distribution, depth range
Fig. Myanmar species of Lepidotrigla.
A, Lepidotrigla longipinnis, NMV A31696-001, 121 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 111–104 m;
B, Lepidotrigla omanensis, NMV A31691-001, 110 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 149–164 m;
C, Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species, holotype, NMV A31698-001, 135 mm SL, Myanmar, off Ayeyarwady Delta, 147–156 m.
SYSTEMATICS
Lepidotrigla longipinnis Alcock, 1890
Proposed vernacular: Stellar Gurnard
Etymology. Initially proposed as a varietal name, longipinnis is an amalgamation of the Latin “longus” for long and “pinna” for fin, in reference to the longer pectoral fin that was considered by Alcock (1890) to distinguish what is now recognised as a distinct species from L. spiloptera Günther, 1860.
Distribution. Confined to coastal waters of the northern Indian Ocean, from at least Bombay, India to just south of the equator off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia (Fig. 4) at depths of 70 to at least 107 m.
Lepidotrigla omanensis Regan, 1905
Vernacular: Oman Gurnard
Etymology. Regan’s (1905) omanensis was named for the collecting locality “the Sea of Oman” for his three type specimens.
Distribution. Occurs in coastal waters of the northern Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden to the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar (Fig. 4) at depths of 41–335 m; apparently excluded from the Persian Gulf.
Lepidotrigla psolokerkos new species
Proposed vernacular: Skinny Gurnard
Etymology. The name psolokerkos is a conjunction of the Greek psolos for “dirt” and “kerkos” for tail in reference to the distinctive grey blotch dorsoposteriorly on the caudal fin of this species.
Distribution. Known only from the two type specimens collected in the Andaman Sea off south-eastern Myanmar (Fig. 4) at depths of 151–255 m.
Martin F. Gomon and Peter N. Psomadakis. 2018. Review of the Lepidotrigla Gurnards (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea off Myanmar with A Description of A New Species. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 66; 66–77. lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/66rbz066-077.pdf
==========================
Dutch agree to halt controversial Pulse fishing
Posted on January 17, 2018 by Jenny Hjul • 0 CommentsDUTCH pulse fishermen have agreed not to operate around sensitive areas of the English coast in a voluntary but landmark deal with local inshore fishermen.
Both sides say the move is without prejudice to any future evidence based policies which may be adopted by the authorities, or further voluntary agreements.
Pulse fishing is a technique being developed by the Dutch, where trawlers use nets that generate an electric current. Fish – particularly sole – are stunned, which forces them to float upwards, making them easier to catch.
It is not without controversy and the European parliament voted yesterday to ban it, although legislation is not guaranteed.
Campaigners, such as the French conservation group Bloom, have been leading the move to have it stopped. Critics say it kills fish and marine life other than sole and is like putting a Taser into the water.
Speaking about the deal with Dutch fishermen, NFFO (National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations) chief executive Barrie Deas said: ‘It seemed worthwhile to see if a voluntary agreement could be reached quickly, with the people most affected in the room, to ensure that the closed areas are in the right place and at the right time.
‘The Dutch fishermen have responded positively so we have taken a small step forward. I think that it is important not to oversell this agreement.
‘I hope that will help a bit but it is without prejudice to any government policies that might be adopted in the future on the basis of scientific advice.’
Pim Visser, CEO of the Dutch Organisation VisNed, said: ‘We recognise that pulse fishing is new and controversial and has led to changes in the spatial distribution and intensity of fishing in some areas.
‘An enormous amount of scientific work has been undertaken and is being undertaken to measure the effects of pulse fishing.
‘We also acknowledge the concerns of fishermen on the English side, although in my own view much of what has been said is wildly alarmist.
‘Whilst these scientific studies are being undertaken, and as a goodwill gesture, we met with the inshore fishermen from Ramsgate, the Thames Estuary, Orford and Lowestoft, in London.
‘It was a very constructive meeting and the English fishermen put forward a number of concrete proposals. The result is we are prepared to accept the closed areas suggested by the fishermen.’
found on Fishupdate
==========================
Posted on January 17, 2018 by Jenny Hjul • 0 CommentsDUTCH pulse fishermen have agreed not to operate around sensitive areas of the English coast in a voluntary but landmark deal with local inshore fishermen.
Both sides say the move is without prejudice to any future evidence based policies which may be adopted by the authorities, or further voluntary agreements.
Pulse fishing is a technique being developed by the Dutch, where trawlers use nets that generate an electric current. Fish – particularly sole – are stunned, which forces them to float upwards, making them easier to catch.
It is not without controversy and the European parliament voted yesterday to ban it, although legislation is not guaranteed.
Campaigners, such as the French conservation group Bloom, have been leading the move to have it stopped. Critics say it kills fish and marine life other than sole and is like putting a Taser into the water.
Speaking about the deal with Dutch fishermen, NFFO (National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations) chief executive Barrie Deas said: ‘It seemed worthwhile to see if a voluntary agreement could be reached quickly, with the people most affected in the room, to ensure that the closed areas are in the right place and at the right time.
‘The Dutch fishermen have responded positively so we have taken a small step forward. I think that it is important not to oversell this agreement.
‘I hope that will help a bit but it is without prejudice to any government policies that might be adopted in the future on the basis of scientific advice.’
Pim Visser, CEO of the Dutch Organisation VisNed, said: ‘We recognise that pulse fishing is new and controversial and has led to changes in the spatial distribution and intensity of fishing in some areas.
‘An enormous amount of scientific work has been undertaken and is being undertaken to measure the effects of pulse fishing.
‘We also acknowledge the concerns of fishermen on the English side, although in my own view much of what has been said is wildly alarmist.
‘Whilst these scientific studies are being undertaken, and as a goodwill gesture, we met with the inshore fishermen from Ramsgate, the Thames Estuary, Orford and Lowestoft, in London.
‘It was a very constructive meeting and the English fishermen put forward a number of concrete proposals. The result is we are prepared to accept the closed areas suggested by the fishermen.’
found on Fishupdate
==========================
BIGGEST AQUATICS AUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST of the UK
ON THE 13th of May!!
No commission for buyers
Normally around 30+ sellers from all over the country
Dry goods tables
Not an online auction (only people in the hall will grab the bargains)
Cash only sale
Better selection of fish then most shops
Rough list of fish will be on the events page
N.E.T.S. Aquatics society are holding an auction on the 13th of may, we organize the biggest of its kind in the northeast, normally attracting around 30+ sellers made up of some of the best breeders and hobbyist in the country. Coming together for 1 day ONLY to sell there items....
JOIN OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO OR DROP ME AN INBOX
https://www.facebook.com/events/301251447020916/
==========================
ON THE 13th of May!!
No commission for buyers
Normally around 30+ sellers from all over the country
Dry goods tables
Not an online auction (only people in the hall will grab the bargains)
Cash only sale
Better selection of fish then most shops
Rough list of fish will be on the events page
N.E.T.S. Aquatics society are holding an auction on the 13th of may, we organize the biggest of its kind in the northeast, normally attracting around 30+ sellers made up of some of the best breeders and hobbyist in the country. Coming together for 1 day ONLY to sell there items....
JOIN OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO OR DROP ME AN INBOX
https://www.facebook.com/events/301251447020916/
==========================
Spectrum Brands Pet LLC Introduces GloFish® Sharks to GloFish® Family of Fluorescent Fish
New species is largest GloFish® variety available, expands line to bottom-feeding fish
via Spectrum Brands Pet LLC
Blacksburg, VA, January 15, 2018 – To enhance the colorful fishkeeping experience of GloFish® and expand its livestock selection, Spectrum Brands Pet LLC has introduced GloFish® Sharks to its popular line of GloFish® fluorescent fish.
“GloFish® Sharks are a sleek and elegant addition to any freshwater aquarium — whether you’re adding to a tank with other fish or completely transforming your aquarium to a GloFish® tank,” said John Fox, Division Vice President, Aquatic Marketing, Spectrum Brands Pet LLC. “They’re a great conversation piece for fish owners since they’re larger than other GloFish® fluorescent fish but still have the same brilliant color.”
GloFish® Sharks are members of the minnow family, not actual sharks. Since these fish can reach up to 4 inches in length like their counterpart, the Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum), they should only be placed in aquariums 20 gallons or larger. While only one shark is recommended for a 20-gallon aquarium, multiple GloFish® Sharks can be kept in aquariums larger than 40 gallons as long as there is ample bottom space for each to establish territory.
When placed in an aquarium, GloFish® Sharks exist peacefully with other GloFish® and non-fluorescent community fish, and can receive the same care as their tank mates. They also serve as bottom feeders, giving the added benefit of cleaning up leftover food, unsightly algae, and small nuisance snails.
GloFish® Sharks are the latest addition to the GloFish® family, which includes GloFish® Danios, Tetras, and Barbs. Initially, Sharks will be available in two colors: Sunburst Orange® and Galactic Purple®. Like all other GloFish® fluorescent fish, they get their natural color from their parents and are not injected, painted, or dyed.
“We’re excited to introduce this dazzling new fish species to our GloFish® line. Every expansion we make can brighten up the days of fishkeepers everywhere,” said Fox.
GloFish® fluorescent fish add an alluring array of brilliant colors to any aquarium.
Spectrum Brands Pet LLC is an indirect subsidiary of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.
GLAD that these horrendous FRANKENSTEIN MONSTERS ARE BANNED IN THE UK
Found on Reef to Rainforest Media
==========================
Record low temperatures hit Florida`s Tropical Fish Farms
Fish farmers fear worst for their stocks
Florida’s fish farmers scrambled to cover their ponds with plastic to protect them from the deadly chill.
Many expect their fish to perish anyway.
Aquaculture — the growing of fish, plants and other underwater species — is a roughly $70 million industry in Florida. Between the earlier cold snap and this week’s near-record-low temperatures, some fish farmers in the bay area are projecting "considerable" losses to their crops, said Craig Watson, director of the University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin.
"It’s a big hit, needless to say, but we’ve seen worse," he said.
Fish can become stressed when the water temperature dips below 70 degrees. In water 50 degrees or lower, all but the most hardy species die. To protect more cold-sensitive species and varieties, farmers cover some ponds with a clear layer of plastic that traps heat while allowing sunlight in. Another strategy is to pump 72-degree well water into the ponds.
Nevertheless, some farmers expect to lose more than 50 percent of their more sensitive species in covered ponds, Watson said. Some are also reporting losses to more cold-tolerant fish crops in uncovered ponds.
extract from tampabay.com
==========================
Fish farmers fear worst for their stocks
Florida’s fish farmers scrambled to cover their ponds with plastic to protect them from the deadly chill.
Many expect their fish to perish anyway.
Aquaculture — the growing of fish, plants and other underwater species — is a roughly $70 million industry in Florida. Between the earlier cold snap and this week’s near-record-low temperatures, some fish farmers in the bay area are projecting "considerable" losses to their crops, said Craig Watson, director of the University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin.
"It’s a big hit, needless to say, but we’ve seen worse," he said.
Fish can become stressed when the water temperature dips below 70 degrees. In water 50 degrees or lower, all but the most hardy species die. To protect more cold-sensitive species and varieties, farmers cover some ponds with a clear layer of plastic that traps heat while allowing sunlight in. Another strategy is to pump 72-degree well water into the ponds.
Nevertheless, some farmers expect to lose more than 50 percent of their more sensitive species in covered ponds, Watson said. Some are also reporting losses to more cold-tolerant fish crops in uncovered ponds.
extract from tampabay.com
==========================
Scale-eating fish adopt clever parasitic methods to survive
January 17, 2018, University of Washington
CT-scanned image of the piranha Catoprion mento. The blue dyed segments inside the skeleton are fish scales eaten by the piranha (also shown enlarged next to the fish). Credit: University of WashingtonThink of them as extra-large parasites. A small group of fishes—possibly the world's cleverest carnivorous grazers—feeds on the scales of other fish in the tropics. The different species' approach differs: some ram their blunt noses into the sides of other fish to prey upon sloughed-off scales, while others open their jaws to gargantuan widths to pry scales off with their teeth.
A team led by biologists at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories is trying to understand these scale-feeding fish and how this odd diet influences their body evolution and behavior. The researchers published their results Jan. 17 in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
"We were expecting that with this specialized scale-eating niche, you would get specialized morphology. Instead, what you get is a mosaic of strategies for the end goal of scale feeding," said lead author Matthew Kolmann, a postdoctoral researcherat Friday Harbor Laboratories.
"This niche has a hidden complexity to it, and it is yet another story about the incredible diversity of life on Earth."
The researchers compared two species of piranha fish—one that feeds on scales only as a juvenile and another that eats scales its whole life—and two species of characin fish, commonly known as tetras, with similar eating habits as the piranhas. They found that all four of the scale-feeders varied considerably in their body shape and feeding strategy.
The piranha that eats scales its whole life, named Catoprion mento, tends to live alone. When it does hunt, it swims up behind its prey, opens its large, Jay Leno-like jaw 120 degrees and pries large scales off the sides of other fishes. These piranhas can tolerate nearly a dozen large fish scales in their stomachs at one time; that's like a human swallowing a dozen silver dollar pancakes in a single bite.
In contrast, the characin fish most similar to the piranha in life history and eating preferences gets its food in an entirely different way. The blunt-faced fish, called Roeboides affinis, has teeth on its nose and butts its face into other fish, devouring the scales as they fly off from the force of impact.
The research team gathered its data by CT scanning specimens of each fish at different ages at Friday Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island. Using iodine-contrast staining, they were able to examine the internal anatomy of the four species to better understand what traits are shared by fishes that employ such a rare feeding strategy.
The stark differences in jaw and head shape, combined with how each prefers to hunt, shows a great diversity among the small number of species that have evolved to eat scales, the researchers found.
"This study would have been extremely hard to do without the CT scanning," said co-author Jonathan Huie, a UW undergraduate student in aquatic and fishery sciences. "We were able to look at the image slices from three different points of view, and could more accurately pinpoint and measure certain elements like the jawbones."
About 50 fish species are classified as scale-eaters, and all of them live in the tropics. Previous studies have shown—and the CT scans confirm—the fish are able to digest entire scales. The mucous lining the inside of each scale is thought to be appealing to fishes, but there could be other reasons why they prefer the entire scale, Kolmann said.
Most of the piranha and characin scanning was completed last spring during an undergraduate marine biology course at Friday Harbor Laboratories. Huie, then a student in the class, and the other co-authors scanned fish from collections all over the U.S., then meticulously measured a series of traits that are important for feeding, such as the sharpness and shape of various teeth.
The completed scans join a growing online library of 3-D digital fish replicas, pioneered by Adam Summers, a co-author and professor at Friday Harbor Laboratories, with the intent of creating an open-source repository for researchers and the general public to learn about all of the fish on Earth.
Co-author Kory Evans, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, and Kolmann conceived of this project when they both discovered rare, scale-eating fish in their respective field projects involving different fish species in the Amazon.
Kolmann will continue studying the evolution and feeding patterns of piranhas in his new position at George Washington University, where he will have access to the Smithsonian Institution's fish collections.
More information: Matthew A. Kolmann et al, Specialized specialists and the narrow niche fallacy: a tale of scale-feeding fishes, Royal Society Open Science (2018). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171581
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-scale-eating-fish-clever-parasitic-methods.html#jCp
==========================
January 17, 2018, University of Washington
CT-scanned image of the piranha Catoprion mento. The blue dyed segments inside the skeleton are fish scales eaten by the piranha (also shown enlarged next to the fish). Credit: University of WashingtonThink of them as extra-large parasites. A small group of fishes—possibly the world's cleverest carnivorous grazers—feeds on the scales of other fish in the tropics. The different species' approach differs: some ram their blunt noses into the sides of other fish to prey upon sloughed-off scales, while others open their jaws to gargantuan widths to pry scales off with their teeth.
A team led by biologists at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories is trying to understand these scale-feeding fish and how this odd diet influences their body evolution and behavior. The researchers published their results Jan. 17 in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
"We were expecting that with this specialized scale-eating niche, you would get specialized morphology. Instead, what you get is a mosaic of strategies for the end goal of scale feeding," said lead author Matthew Kolmann, a postdoctoral researcherat Friday Harbor Laboratories.
"This niche has a hidden complexity to it, and it is yet another story about the incredible diversity of life on Earth."
The researchers compared two species of piranha fish—one that feeds on scales only as a juvenile and another that eats scales its whole life—and two species of characin fish, commonly known as tetras, with similar eating habits as the piranhas. They found that all four of the scale-feeders varied considerably in their body shape and feeding strategy.
The piranha that eats scales its whole life, named Catoprion mento, tends to live alone. When it does hunt, it swims up behind its prey, opens its large, Jay Leno-like jaw 120 degrees and pries large scales off the sides of other fishes. These piranhas can tolerate nearly a dozen large fish scales in their stomachs at one time; that's like a human swallowing a dozen silver dollar pancakes in a single bite.
In contrast, the characin fish most similar to the piranha in life history and eating preferences gets its food in an entirely different way. The blunt-faced fish, called Roeboides affinis, has teeth on its nose and butts its face into other fish, devouring the scales as they fly off from the force of impact.
The research team gathered its data by CT scanning specimens of each fish at different ages at Friday Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island. Using iodine-contrast staining, they were able to examine the internal anatomy of the four species to better understand what traits are shared by fishes that employ such a rare feeding strategy.
The stark differences in jaw and head shape, combined with how each prefers to hunt, shows a great diversity among the small number of species that have evolved to eat scales, the researchers found.
"This study would have been extremely hard to do without the CT scanning," said co-author Jonathan Huie, a UW undergraduate student in aquatic and fishery sciences. "We were able to look at the image slices from three different points of view, and could more accurately pinpoint and measure certain elements like the jawbones."
About 50 fish species are classified as scale-eaters, and all of them live in the tropics. Previous studies have shown—and the CT scans confirm—the fish are able to digest entire scales. The mucous lining the inside of each scale is thought to be appealing to fishes, but there could be other reasons why they prefer the entire scale, Kolmann said.
Most of the piranha and characin scanning was completed last spring during an undergraduate marine biology course at Friday Harbor Laboratories. Huie, then a student in the class, and the other co-authors scanned fish from collections all over the U.S., then meticulously measured a series of traits that are important for feeding, such as the sharpness and shape of various teeth.
The completed scans join a growing online library of 3-D digital fish replicas, pioneered by Adam Summers, a co-author and professor at Friday Harbor Laboratories, with the intent of creating an open-source repository for researchers and the general public to learn about all of the fish on Earth.
Co-author Kory Evans, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, and Kolmann conceived of this project when they both discovered rare, scale-eating fish in their respective field projects involving different fish species in the Amazon.
Kolmann will continue studying the evolution and feeding patterns of piranhas in his new position at George Washington University, where he will have access to the Smithsonian Institution's fish collections.
More information: Matthew A. Kolmann et al, Specialized specialists and the narrow niche fallacy: a tale of scale-feeding fishes, Royal Society Open Science (2018). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171581
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-scale-eating-fish-clever-parasitic-methods.html#jCp
==========================
Lipogramma schrieri
L. barrettorum
Lipogramma schrieri & L. barrettorum, two new species of Caribbean basslets
4Deepwater basslets are a source of constant fascination, and a virtual wellspring of unknown fish. The latest species to come from this broad group are Lipogramma schrieri and L. barrettorum from the southern Caribbean.
We tend to loosely classify any fish living beyond safe SCUBA depths of around 130 feet as being deepwater and many of the newest species have been found at around 200 to 400 feet deep. But Lipogramma barrettorum & L. schrieri obliterate that record by living at around 300 meters deep or nearly 1000 feet!
Liopgramma barrettorum has beautiful blue and yellow lines in its fins which would be incredible to see in real life.These bone crushing depths were reached by the trusty deep diving submersible known as the Curasub in Curaçao where the only light is a fraction of what it is at the surface. Both new species share some clear similarities with Lipogramma robinsi but have a combination of genetic markers and physical traits that helps to distinguish them.
Lipogramma schrieri pictured above and in the header image has a yellowish-brown base coloration with fairly enlarged dorsal and anal fins. A large eyespot on the base of the posterior dorsal is the most prominent feature and the unpaired fins also have a pattern of yellowish spots on a blueish background.
Meanwhile Lipogramma barrettorum has the same general appearance with the same prominent eyespot and yellowish-brown base color. However this species has smaller fin with yellow spots that arrange into fins lines in the dorsal, anal and tail fin. The biggest difference between L. barrettorum & L. schrieri is the number of vertical bars on the sides of the body – these might be faint but number around seven to eight in L. schrieri and closer to eight to ten in L. barrettorum.
The Lipogramma genus has almost doubled in the last couple of years, and a few species are not even pictured hereSince this group of basslets comes from such profound depths there’s no realistic way we’ll ever see these species in the aquarium hobby unless a dedicated captive breeding effort is established. It’s quite incredible that the specimens for Lipogramma barrettorum and L. schrieri look as good as they do in these photographs but we have no doubt that conditioned aquarium specimens would look incredibly unique.
The two new species of Lipogramma ZooKeys from the abyss of Curaçao are described by Baldwin et. al.
==========================
4Deepwater basslets are a source of constant fascination, and a virtual wellspring of unknown fish. The latest species to come from this broad group are Lipogramma schrieri and L. barrettorum from the southern Caribbean.
We tend to loosely classify any fish living beyond safe SCUBA depths of around 130 feet as being deepwater and many of the newest species have been found at around 200 to 400 feet deep. But Lipogramma barrettorum & L. schrieri obliterate that record by living at around 300 meters deep or nearly 1000 feet!
Liopgramma barrettorum has beautiful blue and yellow lines in its fins which would be incredible to see in real life.These bone crushing depths were reached by the trusty deep diving submersible known as the Curasub in Curaçao where the only light is a fraction of what it is at the surface. Both new species share some clear similarities with Lipogramma robinsi but have a combination of genetic markers and physical traits that helps to distinguish them.
Lipogramma schrieri pictured above and in the header image has a yellowish-brown base coloration with fairly enlarged dorsal and anal fins. A large eyespot on the base of the posterior dorsal is the most prominent feature and the unpaired fins also have a pattern of yellowish spots on a blueish background.
Meanwhile Lipogramma barrettorum has the same general appearance with the same prominent eyespot and yellowish-brown base color. However this species has smaller fin with yellow spots that arrange into fins lines in the dorsal, anal and tail fin. The biggest difference between L. barrettorum & L. schrieri is the number of vertical bars on the sides of the body – these might be faint but number around seven to eight in L. schrieri and closer to eight to ten in L. barrettorum.
The Lipogramma genus has almost doubled in the last couple of years, and a few species are not even pictured hereSince this group of basslets comes from such profound depths there’s no realistic way we’ll ever see these species in the aquarium hobby unless a dedicated captive breeding effort is established. It’s quite incredible that the specimens for Lipogramma barrettorum and L. schrieri look as good as they do in these photographs but we have no doubt that conditioned aquarium specimens would look incredibly unique.
The two new species of Lipogramma ZooKeys from the abyss of Curaçao are described by Baldwin et. al.
==========================
Fugu blowfish fail sparks emergency warning in Japanese city
Deadly blowfish (or Fugu) is a delicacy in Japan.(CNN)A Japanese city issued an emergency alert to residents Monday after two people ate potentially dangerous portions of fugu fish that should not have been sold.
Five packs of Yorito fugu (blunt head blowfish) were sold at a supermarket located in Gamagori city, in the central Aichi prefecture, by a licensed employee who had not removed the livers, according to Hiroko Mizuno, an official from the district's Life and Hygiene Department.
The fish, also referred to as puffer fish, contains a toxin hundreds of times more poisonous than cyanide; its liver alone can contain enough poison to kill five men. Japan has laws in place to ensure it is prepared and detoxified properly before it is sold.Fugu, with its lethal innards, is considered a winter time delicacy in Japan, with high-end Tokyo restaurants charging customers 22,000 yen ($199 US) to risk death.
An intoxicating tour of Japan's deadly puffer fish capital
The two people who consumed the fish have not reported any health problems as this time. However, Gamagori city activated an emergency warning to its citizens alerting them through all wireless systems, including community loud speakers, against eating the fugu and recalling the product.
Mizuno told CNN that this particular type of blowfish usually has very weak or no poison, but the food hygiene laws prohibit the sale of any liver given its potentially poisonous implications. The liver should never be eaten because only testing can detect the poison.
Two packs of the recalled fish were located and returned on Monday night after the city's quarantine office was alerted by a consumer who had bought the product and found the liver still inside. The office has since launched an investigation into the supermarket, Mizuno said.
A third pack was later returned accounting for all five packages.
Mizuno added that the supermarket told the quarantine office that their licensed employee who cut the blowfish thought this type of fugu was not poisonous as they had previously sold it with its liver before.Fugu's popularity in Japan
Fugu meat is sold regularly for sashimi and hot pot ingredients.
Toshiharu Hata, a fugu wholesaler in Japan previously told CNN it is traditionally served as transparent paper-thin strips on porcelain pates.
"Master chefs cut them into the shapes of chrysanthemum petals, Mount Fuji or into animals like peacocks, turtles and butterflies. Every plate is a work of art, every dish is a work of science," Hata said.
According to Western Australia's Department of Fisheries, puffer fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world after the golden poison frog.
==========================
Deadly blowfish (or Fugu) is a delicacy in Japan.(CNN)A Japanese city issued an emergency alert to residents Monday after two people ate potentially dangerous portions of fugu fish that should not have been sold.
Five packs of Yorito fugu (blunt head blowfish) were sold at a supermarket located in Gamagori city, in the central Aichi prefecture, by a licensed employee who had not removed the livers, according to Hiroko Mizuno, an official from the district's Life and Hygiene Department.
The fish, also referred to as puffer fish, contains a toxin hundreds of times more poisonous than cyanide; its liver alone can contain enough poison to kill five men. Japan has laws in place to ensure it is prepared and detoxified properly before it is sold.Fugu, with its lethal innards, is considered a winter time delicacy in Japan, with high-end Tokyo restaurants charging customers 22,000 yen ($199 US) to risk death.
An intoxicating tour of Japan's deadly puffer fish capital
The two people who consumed the fish have not reported any health problems as this time. However, Gamagori city activated an emergency warning to its citizens alerting them through all wireless systems, including community loud speakers, against eating the fugu and recalling the product.
Mizuno told CNN that this particular type of blowfish usually has very weak or no poison, but the food hygiene laws prohibit the sale of any liver given its potentially poisonous implications. The liver should never be eaten because only testing can detect the poison.
Two packs of the recalled fish were located and returned on Monday night after the city's quarantine office was alerted by a consumer who had bought the product and found the liver still inside. The office has since launched an investigation into the supermarket, Mizuno said.
A third pack was later returned accounting for all five packages.
Mizuno added that the supermarket told the quarantine office that their licensed employee who cut the blowfish thought this type of fugu was not poisonous as they had previously sold it with its liver before.Fugu's popularity in Japan
Fugu meat is sold regularly for sashimi and hot pot ingredients.
Toshiharu Hata, a fugu wholesaler in Japan previously told CNN it is traditionally served as transparent paper-thin strips on porcelain pates.
"Master chefs cut them into the shapes of chrysanthemum petals, Mount Fuji or into animals like peacocks, turtles and butterflies. Every plate is a work of art, every dish is a work of science," Hata said.
According to Western Australia's Department of Fisheries, puffer fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world after the golden poison frog.
==========================
New fisheries rules: add a ban on electric pulse fishing, say MEPs
Press Releases
PLENARY SESSION
- EU-wide ban on the use of electric pulse fishing
- Simpler rules on fishing gear and minimum size of fish
- More regional flexibility for fishermen, but also limits on catches of vulnerable stocks, especially of juvenile fish
MEPs adopted new fisheries rules-negotiations with the Council will now begin ©AP Images/European Union-EPNew EU rules on how, where and when fish can be caught, were voted on Tuesday. MEPs inserted an amendment to ban the use of pulsed electric current for fishing.
The new law - updating and combining more than 30 regulations - would provide for common measures on fishing gear and methods, the minimum size of fish that may be caught and stopping or restricting fishing in certain areas or during certain periods. It also allows for tailor-made measures to be adapted to the regional needs of each sea basin.
An amendment calling for a total ban on the use of electric current for fishing (e.g. to drive fish up out of the seabed and into the net) was passed by 402 votes to 232, with 40 abstentions.
EU-wide prohibitions
The EU rules, designed progressively to reduce juvenile catches, would, inter alia:
- prohibit some fishing gear and methods,
- impose general restrictions on the use of towed gear and static nets (list fish and shellfish species for which fishing is banned
- restrict catches of marine mammals, seabirds and marine reptiles, including special provisions to protect sensitive habitats, and
- ban practices such as “high-grading” (discarding low-priced fish even though they should legally be landed) in order to reduce discarding.
Regional measures
Regional measures would cover inter alia minimum conservation reference sizes, and closed or restricted areas. Member states and the Commission would have 18 months after the entry into force of the regulation to adopt regional rules on mesh sizes.
However, it would be possible to deviate from these regional rules, via a regional fisheries multiannual plan or, in the absence of such a plan, via a decision by the EU Commission. Member states could submit joint recommendations to this end, and MEPs ask them to “base their recommendations on the best available scientific advice”.
Quote
Rapporteur Gabriel Mato (EPP, ES), said: “The current state of standards is impractical, complex and rigid, so there is a need to revise the technical measures. Everyone agreed we needed simplification. We shouldn’t reinvent the rules, but rather make them clearer and more practical to implement for fishermen and others, with regionalisation and results-based programming which is helpful for the fishermen, and national and local authorities being able to take decisions in line with the broad framework.”
Next steps
Parliament authorised Fisheries Committee MEPs to start talks with the Council on the final wording of the legislation.
Quick facts
The current technical measures regime includes more than 30 regulations. According to the Commission these are “numerous and overly complex, making compliance and control more difficult” whilst it is “impossible to measure their impact on the achievement of the conservation objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy”.
==========================
Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants force fish to work much harder to survive McMaster University
Photo`,The site where researchers tested the metabolism of fish downstream of the Dundas Wastewater Treatment Plant in suburban Hamilton, ON. Credit: McMaster UniversityPharmaceuticals and other man-made contaminants are forcing fish that live downstream from a typical sewage treatment plant to work at least 30 per cent harder just to survive, McMaster researchers have found.
The effort to decontaminate their bodies from pollutants that persist even after water treatment makes fish vulnerable by forcing them to burn energy that would typically go toward other vital functions.
"That's a difference in metabolic rate that we would have if we started walking several extra hours a day. It's a pretty big increase in metabolism," says Graham Scott, senior author of a new paper published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. "That's a lot of resources."
Metabolism increases with activity, sickness or stress. By using valuable metabolic resources to decontaminate its own body, a fish has less energy for movement, evading predators, catching prey, and reproduction. The effort puts populations at risk, highlighting the unseen impacts of pollution, Scott says.
"A lot of studies of environmental pollution are looking major impacts that cause animals to die. We were really concerned about those impacts of pollution that are not as obvious, but still very significant," says Scott, an assistant professor of biology at McMaster University who worked with six colleagues, including animal behavior specialist Sigal Balshine and lead author Sherry Du, a graduate student in biology. "Metabolism is a lens into the inner workings of the animal, and its health and fitness."
The findings suggest that new water-treatment technology is required to protect populations from modern threats.
The researchers took wild sunfish from an unpolluted local source and submerged cages of them at different points downstream from the Dundas Wastewater Treatment Plant near the McMaster campus for three weeks in the summer of 2016.
Using laboratory analyses, the researchers compared the metabolism of the wastewater-exposed subjects to that of fish they had placed in an unpolluted pond in the headwaters of the same watershed.
The wastewater treatment plant functions well, the researchers say, but it is not made to capture modern pollutants such as birth-control medication, anti-depressants and beta blockers, and while upgrades are planned, the new technology still won't be able to clear all of the modern contaminants.
Cootes Paradise, the marsh that forms the extreme west end of Lake Ontario, is a good location for such research, Scott explains, because it is a contained environment. What happens to fish living in treated sewage outflow is likely similar in other locations with similar plants, he says.
Balshine was the senior author of a related study that recently showed the behaviour of fish living in treated wastewater outflow was also measurably different.
Taken together, Scott says, the studies of metabolism and behavior reinforce the idea that invisible pollution from emerging new contaminants is having a serious impact on populations downstream from sewage treatment plants - a problem that should be addressed.
Explore further: One fin in the grave: Necrobiome poses a health threat to fish
Journal reference: Environmental Science and Technology
Provided by: McMaster University
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-pharmaceuticals-contaminants-fish-harder-survive.html#jCp
==========================
Photo`,The site where researchers tested the metabolism of fish downstream of the Dundas Wastewater Treatment Plant in suburban Hamilton, ON. Credit: McMaster UniversityPharmaceuticals and other man-made contaminants are forcing fish that live downstream from a typical sewage treatment plant to work at least 30 per cent harder just to survive, McMaster researchers have found.
The effort to decontaminate their bodies from pollutants that persist even after water treatment makes fish vulnerable by forcing them to burn energy that would typically go toward other vital functions.
"That's a difference in metabolic rate that we would have if we started walking several extra hours a day. It's a pretty big increase in metabolism," says Graham Scott, senior author of a new paper published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. "That's a lot of resources."
Metabolism increases with activity, sickness or stress. By using valuable metabolic resources to decontaminate its own body, a fish has less energy for movement, evading predators, catching prey, and reproduction. The effort puts populations at risk, highlighting the unseen impacts of pollution, Scott says.
"A lot of studies of environmental pollution are looking major impacts that cause animals to die. We were really concerned about those impacts of pollution that are not as obvious, but still very significant," says Scott, an assistant professor of biology at McMaster University who worked with six colleagues, including animal behavior specialist Sigal Balshine and lead author Sherry Du, a graduate student in biology. "Metabolism is a lens into the inner workings of the animal, and its health and fitness."
The findings suggest that new water-treatment technology is required to protect populations from modern threats.
The researchers took wild sunfish from an unpolluted local source and submerged cages of them at different points downstream from the Dundas Wastewater Treatment Plant near the McMaster campus for three weeks in the summer of 2016.
Using laboratory analyses, the researchers compared the metabolism of the wastewater-exposed subjects to that of fish they had placed in an unpolluted pond in the headwaters of the same watershed.
The wastewater treatment plant functions well, the researchers say, but it is not made to capture modern pollutants such as birth-control medication, anti-depressants and beta blockers, and while upgrades are planned, the new technology still won't be able to clear all of the modern contaminants.
Cootes Paradise, the marsh that forms the extreme west end of Lake Ontario, is a good location for such research, Scott explains, because it is a contained environment. What happens to fish living in treated sewage outflow is likely similar in other locations with similar plants, he says.
Balshine was the senior author of a related study that recently showed the behaviour of fish living in treated wastewater outflow was also measurably different.
Taken together, Scott says, the studies of metabolism and behavior reinforce the idea that invisible pollution from emerging new contaminants is having a serious impact on populations downstream from sewage treatment plants - a problem that should be addressed.
Explore further: One fin in the grave: Necrobiome poses a health threat to fish
Journal reference: Environmental Science and Technology
Provided by: McMaster University
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-pharmaceuticals-contaminants-fish-harder-survive.html#jCp
==========================
RYEDALE AQUARIST SOCIETY 18th Open Show & Auction
Sunday 29th April 2018
Kirby Misperton Village Hall,
Malton, North Yorkshire. Y017 6XN
Open Show exhibits - 20p
The venue is ideal for a family day out. There is ample FREE PARKING plus family picnic area and enclosed playground for children.
The venue operates a strict NO SMOKING or CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL policy.
Refreshments will be available throughout the duration of the event.
OPEN SHOW AWARDS;-
Y.A.A.S. AWARDS
BEST IN SHOW
BEST EXHIBIT
BEST GOLDFISH EXHIBIT
PRIZES FOR: 1st 2nd AND 3rd PLACE IN ALL CLASSES
JUDGES
A’ Class:
Mrs. P. Jones
Mr. T. Douglas
Mr. K. Webb
Mr. E. Cheetham
BENCHING OF OPEN SHOW EXHIBITS
10.00a.m. to 12.45p.m.
AUCTION
LOTS TO BE TABLED BY 12.30p.m.
AUCTION BEGINS AT 12.45p.m.
YOU CAN PRE~BOOK A LOT THROUGH a phone call to David Marshall on 01751 472715.
AUCTIONEER: Mr. S. Jones
Please note that Ryedale A.S. will take a 15% commission on all auction lots sold. Please label lots to assist the auctioneer.
Please make sure that all electrical goods are clearly marked with the name and address of the seller.
Schedule of Open Show Classes
1.Danio and Minnow
2. Rasbora
3. Molly
4. Guppy
5. Platy
6. Swordtail
7. A.O.V. Livebearer
8. A.V. Female Livebearer
9. Breeders - Livebearer
10. Matched Pair - Livebearer
11. Betta splendens (Siamese Fighters)
12. A.O.V. Small Anabantoid (up to 10cm)
13. A.O.V. Large Anabantoid (over 10cm)
14. Sharks and Foxes
15. Small Barb (up to 10cm)
16. Large Barb (over 10cm)
17. Angel and Discus
18. Endemic Rift Lake Cichlids
19. A.O.V. Small Cichlids (up to 10cm)
20. A.O.V. Large Cichlids (over 10cm)
21. Albino and Leucistic
22. *Fundulopanchax, Scriptaphyosemion, -Archiaphyosemion, Aphyosemion and Callopanchax
23. A.O.V. Killifish
24. Pencil Fish
25. A.O.V. Small Characin (up to 7cm)
26. A.O.V. Large Characin (over 7cm)
27. Single Tailed Goldfish
28. Double Tailed Goldfish
29. A.O.V. Coldwater
30. Female Egglayer
31. Botia and Loach
32. Aspidoras and Small Corydoras (up to 5.5cm)
33. Scleromystax, Brochis and Large Corydoras (over 5.5cm)
34. A.O.V. Small Catfish (up to 15cm)
35. A.O.V. Large Catfish (over 15cm)
36. Rainbowfish
37. A.O.V. Tropical (up to 15cm)
38. A.O.V. Tropical (over 15cm)
39. Matched Pair - Egglayer
40.Breeders - Egglayers
41. Junior
42.Eggshibit
OPEN SHOW RULES
1. Judging to Y.A.A.S. rules and standards. All exhibits to be shown in slab sided containers. All show tanks to have sufficient airspace above the waterline.
2. Once benched, exhibits are not to be removed without the permission of the show steward. When de-benching is announced, all exhibitors should remain within the show room until it is established that no exhibits are missing.
3. To assist the public, exhibitors must name their entries.
4. Although Ryedale A.S. will take all possible care of exhibits no responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage to exhibits. Non-exhibitors must gain permission from the Show Steward to take photographs (flash photography is prohibited prior to and during judging) within the showing room. Members of the Ryedale Aquarist Society will be present within the showing room at all times.
5. Fish entered in Classes 9 and 40 are to consist of six fish bred by the exhibitor with the date of spawning/birth of the fry and breeding group clearly marked.
6. Fish entered in Classes 10 and 39 must be true pairs.
7. Classes 22 and 23 follow the current killie showing guide as laid down by the Y.A.A.S. Judges and Standards Committee.
8. Class 42. To enter this class, you will need to either boil an egg or find a small egg-shaped object and then use all of your artistic flair and craftwork knowledge to build your egg into a fish. As with the living exhibits you must put the name or type of fish onto a label. Judges’ discretion will decide the places.
9. Class 41 is open to under 16’s only. The youngster benching the exhibit must be present on the day.
HOW TO FIND THE VENUE
From WEST YORKSHIRE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, LANCASHIRE, THE SOUTH etc. From Tadcaster, follow the A64 onto the Malton by-pass. Branch left at signs for Flamingo Land and Steam Railway. At the roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow the A169 for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left. (There is a no through road sign.) The Village Hall is just along the road on the right.
*Should you wish to avoid the A64 then take the A1 or A19 turn off for Thirsk. Follow A170 road towards Helmsley. Follow road down from Sutton Bank (going past the turn off for Kilburn and Wass) and approx. 2 miles from Helmsley turn right after bend taking the B1257 signposted Malton. Go through Hovingham and past the turn off for Slingsby. As you enter Amotherby village turn left and go through the village (BOCM and Queen’s Head Pub are on your right). Continue on country road. Go over both the normal and the humped back bridge. Turn right SP Little Barugh and Kirby Misperton. Branch left at Little Barugh. As you enter Kirby Misperton don’t follow the left curve into the village but turn first right and this takes you to the venue car park.
From the NORTH-EAST, CUMBRIA, SCOTLAND
From Thirsk (A1 or A19) follow the instructions above marked with a star*.
If you are coming via Stokesley into Helmsley. Turn right at Helmsley Church and at mini-roundabout turn right onto A170 signposted Thirsk. At top of hill branch left B1257 signposted Malton. Then follow the instructions marked with a *.
Alternatively, you can go into Helmsley and follow the A170 signs for Pickering. At Pickering follow the road (avoiding the Local traffic only sign as you pass the garage at Middleton Village) through the outskirts of the town until you come to the traffic lights (Lidl is on your right). Carry on to the roundabout. Here you take the 3rd turning onto the A169. Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
From HUMBER BRIDGE, DRIFFIELD, HULL etc. - Follow the B1248 into Norton turning left into the high street. Go past the swimming baths, turn right over the railway crossing and follow the bend to the traffic lights. At the lights turn right. Go up the hill and past a large glass building (RDC) on your left. At the mini-roundabout go straight over and past the Church. At the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow this road for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
SCARBOROUGH, BRIDLINGTON - Follow the A64. At the Malton by-pass take the exit signposted Pickering/Malton (A169). At the roundabout take the 3nd exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow this road for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
Alternatively follow the A170 into Pickering. At the roundabout take 1st exit onto the A169. Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
From WHITBY - Follow the A169 Whitby to Pickering road into Pickering. Going past the cemetery carry straight on to the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A169 Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The
venue is on the right.
==========================
Sunday 29th April 2018
Kirby Misperton Village Hall,
Malton, North Yorkshire. Y017 6XN
Open Show exhibits - 20p
The venue is ideal for a family day out. There is ample FREE PARKING plus family picnic area and enclosed playground for children.
The venue operates a strict NO SMOKING or CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL policy.
Refreshments will be available throughout the duration of the event.
OPEN SHOW AWARDS;-
Y.A.A.S. AWARDS
BEST IN SHOW
BEST EXHIBIT
BEST GOLDFISH EXHIBIT
PRIZES FOR: 1st 2nd AND 3rd PLACE IN ALL CLASSES
JUDGES
A’ Class:
Mrs. P. Jones
Mr. T. Douglas
Mr. K. Webb
Mr. E. Cheetham
BENCHING OF OPEN SHOW EXHIBITS
10.00a.m. to 12.45p.m.
AUCTION
LOTS TO BE TABLED BY 12.30p.m.
AUCTION BEGINS AT 12.45p.m.
YOU CAN PRE~BOOK A LOT THROUGH a phone call to David Marshall on 01751 472715.
AUCTIONEER: Mr. S. Jones
Please note that Ryedale A.S. will take a 15% commission on all auction lots sold. Please label lots to assist the auctioneer.
Please make sure that all electrical goods are clearly marked with the name and address of the seller.
Schedule of Open Show Classes
1.Danio and Minnow
2. Rasbora
3. Molly
4. Guppy
5. Platy
6. Swordtail
7. A.O.V. Livebearer
8. A.V. Female Livebearer
9. Breeders - Livebearer
10. Matched Pair - Livebearer
11. Betta splendens (Siamese Fighters)
12. A.O.V. Small Anabantoid (up to 10cm)
13. A.O.V. Large Anabantoid (over 10cm)
14. Sharks and Foxes
15. Small Barb (up to 10cm)
16. Large Barb (over 10cm)
17. Angel and Discus
18. Endemic Rift Lake Cichlids
19. A.O.V. Small Cichlids (up to 10cm)
20. A.O.V. Large Cichlids (over 10cm)
21. Albino and Leucistic
22. *Fundulopanchax, Scriptaphyosemion, -Archiaphyosemion, Aphyosemion and Callopanchax
23. A.O.V. Killifish
24. Pencil Fish
25. A.O.V. Small Characin (up to 7cm)
26. A.O.V. Large Characin (over 7cm)
27. Single Tailed Goldfish
28. Double Tailed Goldfish
29. A.O.V. Coldwater
30. Female Egglayer
31. Botia and Loach
32. Aspidoras and Small Corydoras (up to 5.5cm)
33. Scleromystax, Brochis and Large Corydoras (over 5.5cm)
34. A.O.V. Small Catfish (up to 15cm)
35. A.O.V. Large Catfish (over 15cm)
36. Rainbowfish
37. A.O.V. Tropical (up to 15cm)
38. A.O.V. Tropical (over 15cm)
39. Matched Pair - Egglayer
40.Breeders - Egglayers
41. Junior
42.Eggshibit
OPEN SHOW RULES
1. Judging to Y.A.A.S. rules and standards. All exhibits to be shown in slab sided containers. All show tanks to have sufficient airspace above the waterline.
2. Once benched, exhibits are not to be removed without the permission of the show steward. When de-benching is announced, all exhibitors should remain within the show room until it is established that no exhibits are missing.
3. To assist the public, exhibitors must name their entries.
4. Although Ryedale A.S. will take all possible care of exhibits no responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage to exhibits. Non-exhibitors must gain permission from the Show Steward to take photographs (flash photography is prohibited prior to and during judging) within the showing room. Members of the Ryedale Aquarist Society will be present within the showing room at all times.
5. Fish entered in Classes 9 and 40 are to consist of six fish bred by the exhibitor with the date of spawning/birth of the fry and breeding group clearly marked.
6. Fish entered in Classes 10 and 39 must be true pairs.
7. Classes 22 and 23 follow the current killie showing guide as laid down by the Y.A.A.S. Judges and Standards Committee.
8. Class 42. To enter this class, you will need to either boil an egg or find a small egg-shaped object and then use all of your artistic flair and craftwork knowledge to build your egg into a fish. As with the living exhibits you must put the name or type of fish onto a label. Judges’ discretion will decide the places.
9. Class 41 is open to under 16’s only. The youngster benching the exhibit must be present on the day.
HOW TO FIND THE VENUE
From WEST YORKSHIRE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, LANCASHIRE, THE SOUTH etc. From Tadcaster, follow the A64 onto the Malton by-pass. Branch left at signs for Flamingo Land and Steam Railway. At the roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow the A169 for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left. (There is a no through road sign.) The Village Hall is just along the road on the right.
*Should you wish to avoid the A64 then take the A1 or A19 turn off for Thirsk. Follow A170 road towards Helmsley. Follow road down from Sutton Bank (going past the turn off for Kilburn and Wass) and approx. 2 miles from Helmsley turn right after bend taking the B1257 signposted Malton. Go through Hovingham and past the turn off for Slingsby. As you enter Amotherby village turn left and go through the village (BOCM and Queen’s Head Pub are on your right). Continue on country road. Go over both the normal and the humped back bridge. Turn right SP Little Barugh and Kirby Misperton. Branch left at Little Barugh. As you enter Kirby Misperton don’t follow the left curve into the village but turn first right and this takes you to the venue car park.
From the NORTH-EAST, CUMBRIA, SCOTLAND
From Thirsk (A1 or A19) follow the instructions above marked with a star*.
If you are coming via Stokesley into Helmsley. Turn right at Helmsley Church and at mini-roundabout turn right onto A170 signposted Thirsk. At top of hill branch left B1257 signposted Malton. Then follow the instructions marked with a *.
Alternatively, you can go into Helmsley and follow the A170 signs for Pickering. At Pickering follow the road (avoiding the Local traffic only sign as you pass the garage at Middleton Village) through the outskirts of the town until you come to the traffic lights (Lidl is on your right). Carry on to the roundabout. Here you take the 3rd turning onto the A169. Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
From HUMBER BRIDGE, DRIFFIELD, HULL etc. - Follow the B1248 into Norton turning left into the high street. Go past the swimming baths, turn right over the railway crossing and follow the bend to the traffic lights. At the lights turn right. Go up the hill and past a large glass building (RDC) on your left. At the mini-roundabout go straight over and past the Church. At the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow this road for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
SCARBOROUGH, BRIDLINGTON - Follow the A64. At the Malton by-pass take the exit signposted Pickering/Malton (A169). At the roundabout take the 3nd exit onto the A169. At the next roundabout take the second exit. Follow this road for several miles to signs for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn left here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
Alternatively follow the A170 into Pickering. At the roundabout take 1st exit onto the A169. Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The Village Hall is along the road on the right.
From WHITBY - Follow the A169 Whitby to Pickering road into Pickering. Going past the cemetery carry straight on to the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A169 Follow this road past Beansheaf to the turning for Kirby Misperton and Flamingo Land and turn right here. Follow the road (past the fences for the Zoo on your right) to the roundabout and take the left turning into the village. Follow the road to the top of the village and branch left (There is a no through road sign). The
venue is on the right.
==========================
==========================
Sardinus pilchardus
Engraulis encrasicolus
Ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) and Engraulis encrasicolus(Linnaeus, 1758) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.009
Highlights
•Fifteen percent of sampled European pilchards and European anchovies ingested microplastics and natural fibres.
•Condition index (Fulton's K) influences the ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in the sampled European pilchard.
•The ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in these fish species is widespread along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
•Eighty-three percent of ingested anthropogenic particles were fibres.
AbstractThe ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres (<5 mm) was assessed for two commercial fish species in the western Mediterranean Sea: Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus. Gastrointestinal tracts from 210 individuals from 14 stations were examined with 14.28–15.24% of the small pelagic fish S. pilchardus and E. encrasicolushaving ingested microplastics and natural fibres. A latitudinal increase in condition index (Fulton's K) of S. pilchardus gave an indication that larger individuals with better physical condition are less likely to ingest microplastics and natural fibres. Fibres were the most frequent particle type (83%) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated polyethylene terephthalate was the most common microplastics material (30%). Results from this study show that both microplastics and natural fibres of anthropogenic origin are common throughout the pelagic environment along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
From :- Marine Pollution Bulletin Volume 128, March 2018, pps 89-96
==========================
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.009
Highlights
•Fifteen percent of sampled European pilchards and European anchovies ingested microplastics and natural fibres.
•Condition index (Fulton's K) influences the ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in the sampled European pilchard.
•The ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in these fish species is widespread along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
•Eighty-three percent of ingested anthropogenic particles were fibres.
AbstractThe ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres (<5 mm) was assessed for two commercial fish species in the western Mediterranean Sea: Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus. Gastrointestinal tracts from 210 individuals from 14 stations were examined with 14.28–15.24% of the small pelagic fish S. pilchardus and E. encrasicolushaving ingested microplastics and natural fibres. A latitudinal increase in condition index (Fulton's K) of S. pilchardus gave an indication that larger individuals with better physical condition are less likely to ingest microplastics and natural fibres. Fibres were the most frequent particle type (83%) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated polyethylene terephthalate was the most common microplastics material (30%). Results from this study show that both microplastics and natural fibres of anthropogenic origin are common throughout the pelagic environment along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
From :- Marine Pollution Bulletin Volume 128, March 2018, pps 89-96
==========================
Lembeh Frogfish gets a proper Re-DescriptionS
0The Lembeh Frogfish is an interesting cryptic fish which represented a species that was has been known and beloved to underwater photographers for decades. While this species was first described as Antennarius subteres way back in 1909, and placed in the new genus Nudiantennarius in 1957, our understanding of the frogfish group of marine fish has grown substantially in the half century since.
Also known as the ocellated frogfish, since Lembeh Indonesia is a very popular dive spot for underwater photographers to capture images of cryptic marine life, Nudiantennarius subteres is perhaps one of the most photographed in the world. Armed with a cornucopia of images and much more information about this fish, a modern redescription helps to illuminate what is special about this particular frogfish.
What is particularly unique about the Lembeh Frogfish is that unlike its warty counterparts, it has much smoother skin with fewer tiny spines in its skin, giving the body a somewhat naked appearance. This smoother appearance might prevent it from looking like coral, coralline algae or rock, it sure does help look more like the sponges in the muck diving habitats this species prefers.
While uber common around Lembeh, Indonesia, Nudiantennarius subteres was first described from specimens in Luzon, Philippines but it is also known from as far as Bali. The refinement ofNudiantennarius subteres was done by Theodore Pietsch and Rachel Arnold in the November issue of the Copeia journal.
from ReefBilders
==========================
0The Lembeh Frogfish is an interesting cryptic fish which represented a species that was has been known and beloved to underwater photographers for decades. While this species was first described as Antennarius subteres way back in 1909, and placed in the new genus Nudiantennarius in 1957, our understanding of the frogfish group of marine fish has grown substantially in the half century since.
Also known as the ocellated frogfish, since Lembeh Indonesia is a very popular dive spot for underwater photographers to capture images of cryptic marine life, Nudiantennarius subteres is perhaps one of the most photographed in the world. Armed with a cornucopia of images and much more information about this fish, a modern redescription helps to illuminate what is special about this particular frogfish.
What is particularly unique about the Lembeh Frogfish is that unlike its warty counterparts, it has much smoother skin with fewer tiny spines in its skin, giving the body a somewhat naked appearance. This smoother appearance might prevent it from looking like coral, coralline algae or rock, it sure does help look more like the sponges in the muck diving habitats this species prefers.
While uber common around Lembeh, Indonesia, Nudiantennarius subteres was first described from specimens in Luzon, Philippines but it is also known from as far as Bali. The refinement ofNudiantennarius subteres was done by Theodore Pietsch and Rachel Arnold in the November issue of the Copeia journal.
from ReefBilders
==========================
Bonnet head shark
Bonnethead Sharks Consume and Digest Seagrass
A small coastal shark called the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) eats copious amounts of seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) and has adaptations in its digestive system to process vegetation, according to new research.
Leigh et al investigated the digestive function of bonnethead sharks in order to determine whether they can digest and assimilate nutrients from seagrass. Image credit: Mills Baker / CC BY 2.0.
The bonnethead shark is a member of the hammerhead shark genus Sphyrnain the family Sphyrnidae.
This species is commonly found in shallow estuaries and bays over seagrass, mud and sandy bottoms at depths from 33 to 263 feet (10-80 m).
It ranges from New England, where it is rare, to the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil and from southern California to Ecuador. It is common in the inshore waters of the Carolinas and Georgia in summer, and off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico in spring, summer, and fall.
On average, bonnethead sharks are about 2-3 feet (61-91 cm) long, with a maximum size of about 5 feet (1.5 m). Females tend to be larger than males. The body is grey-brown above and lighter on the underside.
The first evidence for plant-eating bonnethead sharks came from an unusual discovery published in 2007.
Dana Bethea, a research ecologist with NOAA Fisheries in Florida, and colleagues examined the stomach contents of bonnethead sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, and were surprised to find that more than half of the material they had ingested was seagrass.
However, it was unclear if the sharks were actually consuming grass and extracting nutrients from it, or just accidentally swallowing it as they hunted for crabs and shrimp hiding in the vegetation.
This work inspired University of California Irvine researcher Samantha Leighand co-authors to investigate the ability of bonnetheads to digest plants.
“We captured several individuals and brought them into the laboratory at Florida International University, where they were fed a diet of 90% seagrass for several weeks,” the scientists said.
“The seagrass had been labeled with stable isotope carbon-13, so when the sharks consumed it, we could test for a signature of carbon-13 in the sharks’ tissues and see if nutrients from the seagrass were actually taken up into the body.”
“We also collected the shark’s feces, to see how much of the seagrass nutrients (such as carbohydrates, proteins, etc) was simply excreted undigested.”
“Further, we looked at digestive enzymes in the intestines of the bonnetheads, to see if they even have any ability to break down plant material.”
“A purely carnivorous animal should have no mechanism to digest plants, but if the bonnethead sharks eat seagrass regularly, they should have enzymes for this purpose.”
The results were conclusive: carbon-13 from the labeled seagrass was found in the shark’s blood, so they were fully digesting and incorporating nutrients from the grass into their bodies, not just excreting it as waste.
Out of the total grass consumed, about half was actually digested and broken down by the gut, and half was excreted undigested.
The team also found that the sharks had the digestive enzyme b-glucosidase in their guts, which breaks down cellulose, an important component of plant matter.
This is the first finding of plant-specific digestive enzymes in sharks.
On top of this, the bonnetheads seemed perfectly content on their 90% vegetarian diet.
“We observed no negative health effects, and the sharks even gained weight during the study,” the researchers noted.
“While in the wild bonnethead sharks would likely eat less than 90% seagrass, the ability to thrive on such a high plant diet is further support for their ability to obtain nutrients from seagrass.”
“Adaptations for omnivory may allow the bonnetheads to be generalists as opposed to strictly predators, giving them flexibility to consume both plants and protein,” Leigh said.
“We always think of sharks as these apex predators, but here is this shark that is not really acting like an apex predator at all… but more like an omnivore.”
It is still unknown whether the sharks intentionally consume grass in the wild by grazing or if they ingest plants accidentally and have adapted a digestive mechanism to take advantage of that.
“A greater concern is what may happen to bonnethead sharks if these seagrass meadows, which are currently threatened, are destroyed,” the authors said.
“While bonnetheads are not currently endangered, this research indicates seagrass is an important part of their diet, in addition to their habitat.”
Leigh and colleagues reported their findings January 7 at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in San Francisco, CA.
_____
S.C. Leigh et al. Omnivorous Sharks? An Analysis of Bonnethead Shark Digestive Physiology Provides Evidence for Seagrass Digestion and Assimilation. SICB Annual Meetiing Abstract
==========================
A small coastal shark called the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) eats copious amounts of seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) and has adaptations in its digestive system to process vegetation, according to new research.
Leigh et al investigated the digestive function of bonnethead sharks in order to determine whether they can digest and assimilate nutrients from seagrass. Image credit: Mills Baker / CC BY 2.0.
The bonnethead shark is a member of the hammerhead shark genus Sphyrnain the family Sphyrnidae.
This species is commonly found in shallow estuaries and bays over seagrass, mud and sandy bottoms at depths from 33 to 263 feet (10-80 m).
It ranges from New England, where it is rare, to the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil and from southern California to Ecuador. It is common in the inshore waters of the Carolinas and Georgia in summer, and off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico in spring, summer, and fall.
On average, bonnethead sharks are about 2-3 feet (61-91 cm) long, with a maximum size of about 5 feet (1.5 m). Females tend to be larger than males. The body is grey-brown above and lighter on the underside.
The first evidence for plant-eating bonnethead sharks came from an unusual discovery published in 2007.
Dana Bethea, a research ecologist with NOAA Fisheries in Florida, and colleagues examined the stomach contents of bonnethead sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, and were surprised to find that more than half of the material they had ingested was seagrass.
However, it was unclear if the sharks were actually consuming grass and extracting nutrients from it, or just accidentally swallowing it as they hunted for crabs and shrimp hiding in the vegetation.
This work inspired University of California Irvine researcher Samantha Leighand co-authors to investigate the ability of bonnetheads to digest plants.
“We captured several individuals and brought them into the laboratory at Florida International University, where they were fed a diet of 90% seagrass for several weeks,” the scientists said.
“The seagrass had been labeled with stable isotope carbon-13, so when the sharks consumed it, we could test for a signature of carbon-13 in the sharks’ tissues and see if nutrients from the seagrass were actually taken up into the body.”
“We also collected the shark’s feces, to see how much of the seagrass nutrients (such as carbohydrates, proteins, etc) was simply excreted undigested.”
“Further, we looked at digestive enzymes in the intestines of the bonnetheads, to see if they even have any ability to break down plant material.”
“A purely carnivorous animal should have no mechanism to digest plants, but if the bonnethead sharks eat seagrass regularly, they should have enzymes for this purpose.”
The results were conclusive: carbon-13 from the labeled seagrass was found in the shark’s blood, so they were fully digesting and incorporating nutrients from the grass into their bodies, not just excreting it as waste.
Out of the total grass consumed, about half was actually digested and broken down by the gut, and half was excreted undigested.
The team also found that the sharks had the digestive enzyme b-glucosidase in their guts, which breaks down cellulose, an important component of plant matter.
This is the first finding of plant-specific digestive enzymes in sharks.
On top of this, the bonnetheads seemed perfectly content on their 90% vegetarian diet.
“We observed no negative health effects, and the sharks even gained weight during the study,” the researchers noted.
“While in the wild bonnethead sharks would likely eat less than 90% seagrass, the ability to thrive on such a high plant diet is further support for their ability to obtain nutrients from seagrass.”
“Adaptations for omnivory may allow the bonnetheads to be generalists as opposed to strictly predators, giving them flexibility to consume both plants and protein,” Leigh said.
“We always think of sharks as these apex predators, but here is this shark that is not really acting like an apex predator at all… but more like an omnivore.”
It is still unknown whether the sharks intentionally consume grass in the wild by grazing or if they ingest plants accidentally and have adapted a digestive mechanism to take advantage of that.
“A greater concern is what may happen to bonnethead sharks if these seagrass meadows, which are currently threatened, are destroyed,” the authors said.
“While bonnetheads are not currently endangered, this research indicates seagrass is an important part of their diet, in addition to their habitat.”
Leigh and colleagues reported their findings January 7 at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in San Francisco, CA.
_____
S.C. Leigh et al. Omnivorous Sharks? An Analysis of Bonnethead Shark Digestive Physiology Provides Evidence for Seagrass Digestion and Assimilation. SICB Annual Meetiing Abstract
==========================
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes endangered status for Barrens topminnow, Fundulus julisia.
The Barrens topminnow is a beautiful, iridescent fish, rarely growing longer than four inches, which is found in only a few creeks and springs of the Barrens Plateau in four Middle Tennessee counties. The little fish is in trouble, due to the introduction of the non-native western mosquitofish, which is invading the minnow’s habitat, out competing it for food and directly preying on young topminnows. On top of that, the impact of the drought means the minnow is struggling to survive.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing to help protect the Barrens topminnow as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
“There has already been a good deal of successful conservation work on the Barrens topminnow by many partners including the Barrens Topminnow Working Group, Conservation Fisheries Inc., and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga,” said Leopoldo Miranda, assistant regional director for the service’s Ecological Services program in the Southeast Region. “Extending protected status is a signal that more work is needed, and we look forward to cooperating with the many organizations and people trying to help this fish.”
AdvertisementRecovery efforts for the Barrens topminnow began in the 1970s and have been successful at producing fish for stocking. The Fish and Wildlife Service has also worked with landowners to protect and improve Barrens topminnow habitat. And a concerted effort began in the 1990s to restock topminnows into 27 springs throughout their historic range with the cooperation of many landowners.
The Barrens Topminnow Working Group – consisting of the USFWS, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Tech University researchers and nonprofit organizations such as the Tennessee Aquarium and Conservation Fisheries Inc. – was created in 2001 to coordinate actions such as habitat improvement, propagation and stocking. Although more than 44,000 Barrens topminnow have been stocked into 27 sites, the prevalence of the western mosquitofish has made recovery challenging.
The mosquitofish, apparently introduced into the area in the 1960s in an effort to control mosquito populations, has proved only moderately successful at doing so. But it has proved to be very efficient at outcompeting Barrens topminnows. The mosquitofish rapidly expand their populations into all corners of an available body of water. Once they move into an area where Barrens topminnows reside, the topminnows essentially cease reproduction.
Topminnow males are showy and iridescent, with background colors of greens and blues, and with reddish-orange spots and yellow fins. Females, juveniles and non-reproductive males are more drab, with pale brown bodies sprinkled with darker spots.
Current and historic range of the Barrens topminnow. (Map: USFWS)USFWS accepting public comments
The proposed endangered listing is based on the recent completion of a peer-reviewed Species Status Assessment for the fish. The Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments on this proposed rule. The Service must receive requests for public hearings in writing at this address: Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 446 Neal St., Cookeville, TN 38506 by Feb. 20, 2018.
You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R4–ES–2017–0094, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Comments must be received or postmarked by March 5, 2018.
==========================
The Barrens topminnow is a beautiful, iridescent fish, rarely growing longer than four inches, which is found in only a few creeks and springs of the Barrens Plateau in four Middle Tennessee counties. The little fish is in trouble, due to the introduction of the non-native western mosquitofish, which is invading the minnow’s habitat, out competing it for food and directly preying on young topminnows. On top of that, the impact of the drought means the minnow is struggling to survive.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing to help protect the Barrens topminnow as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
“There has already been a good deal of successful conservation work on the Barrens topminnow by many partners including the Barrens Topminnow Working Group, Conservation Fisheries Inc., and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga,” said Leopoldo Miranda, assistant regional director for the service’s Ecological Services program in the Southeast Region. “Extending protected status is a signal that more work is needed, and we look forward to cooperating with the many organizations and people trying to help this fish.”
AdvertisementRecovery efforts for the Barrens topminnow began in the 1970s and have been successful at producing fish for stocking. The Fish and Wildlife Service has also worked with landowners to protect and improve Barrens topminnow habitat. And a concerted effort began in the 1990s to restock topminnows into 27 springs throughout their historic range with the cooperation of many landowners.
The Barrens Topminnow Working Group – consisting of the USFWS, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Tech University researchers and nonprofit organizations such as the Tennessee Aquarium and Conservation Fisheries Inc. – was created in 2001 to coordinate actions such as habitat improvement, propagation and stocking. Although more than 44,000 Barrens topminnow have been stocked into 27 sites, the prevalence of the western mosquitofish has made recovery challenging.
The mosquitofish, apparently introduced into the area in the 1960s in an effort to control mosquito populations, has proved only moderately successful at doing so. But it has proved to be very efficient at outcompeting Barrens topminnows. The mosquitofish rapidly expand their populations into all corners of an available body of water. Once they move into an area where Barrens topminnows reside, the topminnows essentially cease reproduction.
Topminnow males are showy and iridescent, with background colors of greens and blues, and with reddish-orange spots and yellow fins. Females, juveniles and non-reproductive males are more drab, with pale brown bodies sprinkled with darker spots.
Current and historic range of the Barrens topminnow. (Map: USFWS)USFWS accepting public comments
The proposed endangered listing is based on the recent completion of a peer-reviewed Species Status Assessment for the fish. The Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments on this proposed rule. The Service must receive requests for public hearings in writing at this address: Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 446 Neal St., Cookeville, TN 38506 by Feb. 20, 2018.
You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R4–ES–2017–0094, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Comments must be received or postmarked by March 5, 2018.
==========================
Calls for EU to reinstate ban on 'destructive' electric pulse fishing
Campaigners say it causes unnecessary suffering but those in favour of method say it is less damaging than trawling
It is not known how many fishing boats use the technology. Photograph: Glenn Beanland/Getty Images/Lonely Planet ImagesFiona Harvey Environment correspondent
Groups representing small-scale fishing fleets across Europe have called on the European Union to reinstate a ban on fishing using electrical pulses, which they say is a destructive method.
However, others have called for the technique to continue, saying it causes less disturbance than methods such as trawling the bottom of the seabed.
Electric pulses are sometimes used by fishing boats, through devices attached to their nets, to send electricity into the seabed where it disturbs marine life, with the aim of causing fish to move into the nets.
The method has been allowed in Europe since 2006, after a decision by the European commission, despite a bloc-wide ban instituted in 1998 on environmental grounds.
Later this month, the European parliament will vote again on whether to allow the practice to continue. Campaign groups including The Black Fish, Low Impact Fishers of Europe and Bloom have written to parliamentarians requesting the ban be reinstated.
It is not known how many of Europe’s fishing vessels use the technology, or what its effects are.
The Green party MEP Molly Scott Cato said: “We are opposed to any expansion of pulse fishing, which seems pretty barbaric and causes unnecessary suffering to fish. While the use of electrical disturbance might reduce the damage caused to seabed habitats through heavy beam trawling, it cannot be justified to replace one damaging fishing technology with another. The impact on fish and other marine wildlife of pulse fishing is unclear, and it thus also appears to violate the precautionary principle.”
Barrie Deas, the chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), said: “Pulse fishing is a highly controversial and emotive issue at present. The extent to which pulse fishing is more or less impactful on the marine environment than conventional beam trawling is currently being studied. The outcome of this research will be significant in shaping future policy.”
He said the use of pulse fishing had led to an increase in the intensity of fishing in areas such as the Greater Thames fisheries, because the technology allowed vessels to fish in softer ground for valuable species such as sole, and the effects of this were not yet known. He said that until a definitive scientific view emerged, governments should protect “sensitive” fishing grounds from the use of the technique, particularly in areas off the English coast.
The NFFO has been holding talks with its Dutch counterparts on the subject, with a view to developing a shared approach.
The European commission told the Guardian that the most up-to-date scientific advice showed that electric pulse fishing was safe and could result in less damage to marine life than alternatives. The commission said recent scientific studies, from 2012 and 2016, showed that pulse fishing could reduce bycatch, result in less damage to the seafloor than trawling, and cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.
from the Guardian
==========================
Campaigners say it causes unnecessary suffering but those in favour of method say it is less damaging than trawling
It is not known how many fishing boats use the technology. Photograph: Glenn Beanland/Getty Images/Lonely Planet ImagesFiona Harvey Environment correspondent
Groups representing small-scale fishing fleets across Europe have called on the European Union to reinstate a ban on fishing using electrical pulses, which they say is a destructive method.
However, others have called for the technique to continue, saying it causes less disturbance than methods such as trawling the bottom of the seabed.
Electric pulses are sometimes used by fishing boats, through devices attached to their nets, to send electricity into the seabed where it disturbs marine life, with the aim of causing fish to move into the nets.
The method has been allowed in Europe since 2006, after a decision by the European commission, despite a bloc-wide ban instituted in 1998 on environmental grounds.
Later this month, the European parliament will vote again on whether to allow the practice to continue. Campaign groups including The Black Fish, Low Impact Fishers of Europe and Bloom have written to parliamentarians requesting the ban be reinstated.
It is not known how many of Europe’s fishing vessels use the technology, or what its effects are.
The Green party MEP Molly Scott Cato said: “We are opposed to any expansion of pulse fishing, which seems pretty barbaric and causes unnecessary suffering to fish. While the use of electrical disturbance might reduce the damage caused to seabed habitats through heavy beam trawling, it cannot be justified to replace one damaging fishing technology with another. The impact on fish and other marine wildlife of pulse fishing is unclear, and it thus also appears to violate the precautionary principle.”
Barrie Deas, the chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), said: “Pulse fishing is a highly controversial and emotive issue at present. The extent to which pulse fishing is more or less impactful on the marine environment than conventional beam trawling is currently being studied. The outcome of this research will be significant in shaping future policy.”
He said the use of pulse fishing had led to an increase in the intensity of fishing in areas such as the Greater Thames fisheries, because the technology allowed vessels to fish in softer ground for valuable species such as sole, and the effects of this were not yet known. He said that until a definitive scientific view emerged, governments should protect “sensitive” fishing grounds from the use of the technique, particularly in areas off the English coast.
The NFFO has been holding talks with its Dutch counterparts on the subject, with a view to developing a shared approach.
The European commission told the Guardian that the most up-to-date scientific advice showed that electric pulse fishing was safe and could result in less damage to marine life than alternatives. The commission said recent scientific studies, from 2012 and 2016, showed that pulse fishing could reduce bycatch, result in less damage to the seafloor than trawling, and cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.
from the Guardian
==========================
Is fishing with electricity less destructive than digging up the seabed with beam trawlers?
January 8, 2018 3.52pm GMTAuthor
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While many people may be interested in the sustainability and welfare of the fish they eat, or the health of the environment, fewer probably worry about the effect that trawl fishing – which accounts for 20% of landings – has on the ocean.
For a long time researchers and the industry have been trying to improve trawl fishing practices. Things have moved on from practices such as beam trawling – where a large net is dragged across the ocean floor – to potentially less invasive and newer methods like electric pulse trawling. This sees electrical pulses being sent into the seawater to flush out bottom-dwelling fish like plaice and sole, causing them to swim into the path of trawl nets.
Beam trawls have been the focus of environmental concern for decades, as it causes a substantial reduction in the abundance of animals living on the seabed. These effects can be long lasting if the fishing occurs in areas which are inhabited by long-lived seabed dwelling species such as oysters and sponges. Beam trawls are also associated with high amounts of bycatch – unwanted fish and other organisms – although the industry and researchers are working on ways to reduce this.
However, the relatively newer electric pulse fishing is not necessarily a perfect solution either. Though it does not dig into the seabed to the same extent as traditional beam trawling, research has found it can fatally injure other species which may not be the target catch.
An electric trawler beam and net. Michel Kaiser, Author providedSo why use this method if it still has its faults? High fuel costs and EU legislationwhich has reduced the discarding fish at sea, have renewed interest in the use of electricity in fishing. Across the world, millions are fed by the fish caught by trawlers so it is unrealistic for trawling to just be stopped altogether, but the variety of negative impacts on the marine ecosystem remain a cause for concern.
For and againstThe UK government recently announced an review into the use of electric pulses by foreign trawlers in British waters due to concerns about its potential effects on the environment and bycatch. Campaign groups have also called on the EU to reinstate a ban on the electrical pulse method, calling it “destructive”.
The current pulse trawls are fine-tuned to catch larger fish (the spine of the fish acts as a conductor), so that bigger fish respond more strongly to the electric stimulus and are more likely to be caught in the nets. This reduces catch of unwanted species that are less likely to respond to the electric pulse, and also reduces contact with the seabed.
Traditional beam trawls, on the other hand, are fitted with heavy “tickler chains” – horizontal chains strung across the mouth of the trawl – designed to “dig” fish like Dover sole out of the seabed. Soles curl into a “c” shape in response to the electric stimulation used by pulse trawls, so they can be caught without the use of these “tickler chains”.
A beam trawl with tickler chains. Michel Kaiser, Author providedDispensing with the chains means that the gear is lighter, creates less disruption of the seabed, and substantially reduces the amount of other seabed organisms caught – by 75-80% per unit area of the seabed fished. By not catching the unwanted species, this improves the quality of landed catch too, because skin abrasion is reduced in the net. Together, improved catch quality and the reduced fuel consumption means greater profitability for the fishermen.
Electric pulse seems like a good idea from this perspective, but studies of its effects on other species of fish – that are not the intended catch – show that larger cod in particular are prone to spinal fractures when in contact with the electric pulses. Small cod appear to be unaffected. Cod typically have a low survival rate if they are unintentionally caught in most trawls, so this issue of spinal fracture may be irrelevant if they are caught using either method.
Additionally, though fewer seabed organisms end up in the trawl net when using electricity compared to traditional beam trawling, it is too early to tell whether the creatures remaining on the seabed are affected negatively by contact with the electric stimuli. Aquarium experiments, have shown that worms and shrimps, for example, recover within seconds following the application of an electric shock. However, these controlled laboratory experiments take place without natural predators – that may take advantage of a shocked creature – present.
The issues here are not solely environmental. The pulse trawl fleet has encroached on grounds that historically were fished by fishermen using low impact netting methods, leading to some resentment and conflict with others in the fishing community.
Societal acceptance of any food production method is vital, and at present – for pulse trawling – this is a greater challenge than answering the ecological questions. This issue could be resolved by more formal zoning of the sea so that pulse trawling is restricted to areas that do not impinge upon traditional low impact fisheries – initiatives which are currently in negotiation.
Taking both society and environment into account, electric pulse trawling may not be an infallible solution, but it might a better way of trawling than the use of traditional forms of beam trawling.
from The Conversation.com
==========================
January 8, 2018 3.52pm GMTAuthor
- Michel KaiserChair of Marine Conservation Ecology, Bangor University
Partners
Bangor University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.
The Conversation UK receives funding from Hefce, Hefcw, SAGE, SFC, RCUK, The Nuffield Foundation, The Ogden Trust, The Royal Society, The Wellcome Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The Alliance for Useful Evidence, as well as sixty five university members.
While many people may be interested in the sustainability and welfare of the fish they eat, or the health of the environment, fewer probably worry about the effect that trawl fishing – which accounts for 20% of landings – has on the ocean.
For a long time researchers and the industry have been trying to improve trawl fishing practices. Things have moved on from practices such as beam trawling – where a large net is dragged across the ocean floor – to potentially less invasive and newer methods like electric pulse trawling. This sees electrical pulses being sent into the seawater to flush out bottom-dwelling fish like plaice and sole, causing them to swim into the path of trawl nets.
Beam trawls have been the focus of environmental concern for decades, as it causes a substantial reduction in the abundance of animals living on the seabed. These effects can be long lasting if the fishing occurs in areas which are inhabited by long-lived seabed dwelling species such as oysters and sponges. Beam trawls are also associated with high amounts of bycatch – unwanted fish and other organisms – although the industry and researchers are working on ways to reduce this.
However, the relatively newer electric pulse fishing is not necessarily a perfect solution either. Though it does not dig into the seabed to the same extent as traditional beam trawling, research has found it can fatally injure other species which may not be the target catch.
An electric trawler beam and net. Michel Kaiser, Author providedSo why use this method if it still has its faults? High fuel costs and EU legislationwhich has reduced the discarding fish at sea, have renewed interest in the use of electricity in fishing. Across the world, millions are fed by the fish caught by trawlers so it is unrealistic for trawling to just be stopped altogether, but the variety of negative impacts on the marine ecosystem remain a cause for concern.
For and againstThe UK government recently announced an review into the use of electric pulses by foreign trawlers in British waters due to concerns about its potential effects on the environment and bycatch. Campaign groups have also called on the EU to reinstate a ban on the electrical pulse method, calling it “destructive”.
The current pulse trawls are fine-tuned to catch larger fish (the spine of the fish acts as a conductor), so that bigger fish respond more strongly to the electric stimulus and are more likely to be caught in the nets. This reduces catch of unwanted species that are less likely to respond to the electric pulse, and also reduces contact with the seabed.
Traditional beam trawls, on the other hand, are fitted with heavy “tickler chains” – horizontal chains strung across the mouth of the trawl – designed to “dig” fish like Dover sole out of the seabed. Soles curl into a “c” shape in response to the electric stimulation used by pulse trawls, so they can be caught without the use of these “tickler chains”.
A beam trawl with tickler chains. Michel Kaiser, Author providedDispensing with the chains means that the gear is lighter, creates less disruption of the seabed, and substantially reduces the amount of other seabed organisms caught – by 75-80% per unit area of the seabed fished. By not catching the unwanted species, this improves the quality of landed catch too, because skin abrasion is reduced in the net. Together, improved catch quality and the reduced fuel consumption means greater profitability for the fishermen.
Electric pulse seems like a good idea from this perspective, but studies of its effects on other species of fish – that are not the intended catch – show that larger cod in particular are prone to spinal fractures when in contact with the electric pulses. Small cod appear to be unaffected. Cod typically have a low survival rate if they are unintentionally caught in most trawls, so this issue of spinal fracture may be irrelevant if they are caught using either method.
Additionally, though fewer seabed organisms end up in the trawl net when using electricity compared to traditional beam trawling, it is too early to tell whether the creatures remaining on the seabed are affected negatively by contact with the electric stimuli. Aquarium experiments, have shown that worms and shrimps, for example, recover within seconds following the application of an electric shock. However, these controlled laboratory experiments take place without natural predators – that may take advantage of a shocked creature – present.
The issues here are not solely environmental. The pulse trawl fleet has encroached on grounds that historically were fished by fishermen using low impact netting methods, leading to some resentment and conflict with others in the fishing community.
Societal acceptance of any food production method is vital, and at present – for pulse trawling – this is a greater challenge than answering the ecological questions. This issue could be resolved by more formal zoning of the sea so that pulse trawling is restricted to areas that do not impinge upon traditional low impact fisheries – initiatives which are currently in negotiation.
Taking both society and environment into account, electric pulse trawling may not be an infallible solution, but it might a better way of trawling than the use of traditional forms of beam trawling.
from The Conversation.com
==========================
Parapsilorhynchus swaini • A New Species of Parapsilorhynchus Hora, 1921 (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) from Mahanadi River Basin of Odisha, India
Parapsilorhynchus swaini
Baliarsingh & Kosygin, 2017
DOI: 10.21077/ijf.2017.64.4.35503-06
ABSTRACT
A new cyprinid fish, Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov., is described based on specimens collected from a stream near Harisankar, Mahanadi River basin of Odisha, India. It differs from other species of the genus in having following combination of characters: elongated and slender body (depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9-18.7% SL); narrow and slender head (width 60.0-68.7% HL, height at occiput 40.0-50.0% HL); narrow inter orbital space (46.6-50.0% HL); 33-34 lateral line scales; 3 simple pectoral fin rays, poorly developed callous pad behind lower lip which is not delimited posteriorly, pectoral fin longer than head length, presence of tubercles on snout and a black bar on the anal fin. With the description of this new species, distributional range of the genus Parapsilorhynchus is extended further north in the Eastern Ghats to the Mahanadi River drainage of Odisha.
Keywords: Cyprinidae, Mahanadi River basin, New species, Odisha, Parapsilorhynchus swaini
Fig. . Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov., ZSI FF5057, holotype, 42.0 mm SL; (a) Dorsal, (b) lateral and (c) ventral views
Taxonomy
Parapsilorhynchus swaini Baliarsingh & Kosygin sp. nov.
Common name: Mahanadhi minnow
Diagnosis: Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: elongated and slender body (depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9-18.7% SL); narrow and slender head (width 60.0-68.7% HL, height at occiput 40.0-50.0% HL); narrow inter orbital space (46.6-50.0% HL); 33-34 lateral line scales; 3 simple pectoral fin rays, poorly developed callous pad behind lower lip which is not delimited posteriorly, pectoral fin longer than head length, presence of tubercles on snout and a black bar on the anal fin.
Distribution: Presently known from a stream near Harisankar, Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India (Fig. 4).
Etymology: Named after Dr. S. K. Swain of ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneshwar for his encouragement and support in the present study.
B. K. Baliarsingh and Laishram Kosygin. 2017. A New Species of Parapsilorhynchus Hora, 1921(Teleostei, Cyprinidae) from Mahanadi River Basin of Odisha, India. Indian J. Fish. 64(4); 44-49. DOI: 10.21077/ijf.2017.64.4.35503-06
==========================
Parapsilorhynchus swaini
Baliarsingh & Kosygin, 2017
DOI: 10.21077/ijf.2017.64.4.35503-06
ABSTRACT
A new cyprinid fish, Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov., is described based on specimens collected from a stream near Harisankar, Mahanadi River basin of Odisha, India. It differs from other species of the genus in having following combination of characters: elongated and slender body (depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9-18.7% SL); narrow and slender head (width 60.0-68.7% HL, height at occiput 40.0-50.0% HL); narrow inter orbital space (46.6-50.0% HL); 33-34 lateral line scales; 3 simple pectoral fin rays, poorly developed callous pad behind lower lip which is not delimited posteriorly, pectoral fin longer than head length, presence of tubercles on snout and a black bar on the anal fin. With the description of this new species, distributional range of the genus Parapsilorhynchus is extended further north in the Eastern Ghats to the Mahanadi River drainage of Odisha.
Keywords: Cyprinidae, Mahanadi River basin, New species, Odisha, Parapsilorhynchus swaini
Fig. . Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov., ZSI FF5057, holotype, 42.0 mm SL; (a) Dorsal, (b) lateral and (c) ventral views
Taxonomy
Parapsilorhynchus swaini Baliarsingh & Kosygin sp. nov.
Common name: Mahanadhi minnow
Diagnosis: Parapsilorhynchus swaini sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: elongated and slender body (depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9-18.7% SL); narrow and slender head (width 60.0-68.7% HL, height at occiput 40.0-50.0% HL); narrow inter orbital space (46.6-50.0% HL); 33-34 lateral line scales; 3 simple pectoral fin rays, poorly developed callous pad behind lower lip which is not delimited posteriorly, pectoral fin longer than head length, presence of tubercles on snout and a black bar on the anal fin.
Distribution: Presently known from a stream near Harisankar, Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India (Fig. 4).
Etymology: Named after Dr. S. K. Swain of ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneshwar for his encouragement and support in the present study.
B. K. Baliarsingh and Laishram Kosygin. 2017. A New Species of Parapsilorhynchus Hora, 1921(Teleostei, Cyprinidae) from Mahanadi River Basin of Odisha, India. Indian J. Fish. 64(4); 44-49. DOI: 10.21077/ijf.2017.64.4.35503-06
==========================
Gymnogeophagus taroba • A New Species (Teleostei: Cichlidae)from the río Iguazú Basin, Misiones, Argentina
Gymnogeophagus taroba
Casciotta, Almirón, Piálek & Říčan, 2017
HISTORIA NATURAL. Tercera Serie. 7(2)
Abstract
The Gymnogeophagus setequedas group is based on our results composed of three endemic species of which one, Gymnogeophagus taroba sp. n., is described as a new species. The three species are diagnosable from each other and from other species of Gymnogeophagus by stable differences in several morphological characters among which the best are found in coloration patterns. Body and head shapes and meristic characters show lesser differentiation but several are also clearly diagnostic in the G. setequedas group. The G. setequedas group is strongly structured allopatrically. The prime candidates for this fragmentation and speciation are the origins of the waterfalls on the individual tributaries. The largest of the waterfalls, the famous Cataratas del Iguazú, with a height of 72 m, separate G. taroba sp. n. from its closest relatives G. che and G. setequedas. The original 28 m high Urugua-í falls separate G. che from G. setequedas. Gymnogeophagus setequedas is separated from G. che and G. taroba by large rapids (about 65m in total elevation above the río Paraná) and a former fall on the Acaray river and by the 45 m high Monday falls located a few km from the mouth of the Monday into the río Paraná just opposite the mouth of the Iguazú.
Key words. Cichlid fishes, endemism, morphology, La Plata River basin, Paraná river basin
Figure - Gymnogeophagus taroba, coloration of live specimens immediatelly after capture.
(A-B) IBIGEO-I 449, paratype specimens, 87.8 mm, 79.8 mm. (C-D) MLP uncat., Říčan et al., February 2014, data as holotype.
Taxonomy
Family Cichlidae Bonaparte, 1835
Genus Gymnogeophagus Miranda Ribeiro, 1918
Gymnogeophagus taroba, new species (Figures 1-7; Table 1)
Gymnogeophagus aff. setequedas Casciotta et al., 2016
(photo of live holotype, first mention of the species)
Diagnosis. Gymnogeophagus taroba is distinguished from all species of Gymnogeophagus in the G. gymnogenys group by the possession of 23 to 25 E1 scales and the absence of a well developed adipose hump in adult males. Gymnogeophagus taroba is most easily distinguished from all species in the G. rhabdotus group (G. terrapurpura, G. rhabdotus, G. meridionalis, G. setequedas and G. che) by the pigmentation of the dorsal fin. ....
......
Etymology. The specific epithet taroba refers to Tarobá, a warrior, and refers to a legend of the Kaingang people; a noun in apposition. The Kaingang were the original first inhabitants of the present province of Misiones in Argentina and the southern Brazilian states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul and also the southeastern state of São Paulo. Their language and culture is quite distinct from the neighboring Guaraní. The Kaingang language is classified as a member of the Gê language family. The legend tells that at the beginning of time, the río Iguazú was inhabited by a huge and monstrous serpent called Mboi, a guardian god. The Kaingang sacrificed a beautiful young maiden every year to Mboi. When Tarobá meets Naipí, chosen for the sacrifice, he rebells against the elders of the tribe who refuse to release her. Tarobá and Naipí try to escape in a canoe by the river. Mboi becomes furious and brakes the course of the river forming the Iguazú falls, catching the lovers. Naipí is transformed into one of the rocks of the falls, perpetually punished by the turbulent waters, and Tarobá is turned into a palm tree on the bank of the waterfall. Mboi lives submerged in the Garganta del Diablo, from where he watches over the lovers, preventing them from joining again. However, on sunny days and as a bridge of love, the rainbow overcomes the power of Mboi by rejoining Naipí and Tarobá.
Jorge Casciotta, Adriana Almirón, Lubomir Piálek and Oldřich Říčan. 2017. Gymnogeophagus taroba (Teleostei: Cichlidae), A New Species from the río Iguazú Basin, Misiones, Argentina. HISTORIA NATURAL. Tercera Serie. 7(2); 5-22.
fundacionazara.org.ar/img/revista-historia-natural/tomo-14/historia-natural-2017-2-5-22.pdf
ResearchGate.net/publication/322273180_Gymnogeophagus_taroba_Teleostei_Cichlidae_a_new_species_from_the_rio_Iguazu_basin_Misiones_Argentina
facebook.com/926581357394010/photos/1643299149055557
==========================
Gymnogeophagus taroba
Casciotta, Almirón, Piálek & Říčan, 2017
HISTORIA NATURAL. Tercera Serie. 7(2)
Abstract
The Gymnogeophagus setequedas group is based on our results composed of three endemic species of which one, Gymnogeophagus taroba sp. n., is described as a new species. The three species are diagnosable from each other and from other species of Gymnogeophagus by stable differences in several morphological characters among which the best are found in coloration patterns. Body and head shapes and meristic characters show lesser differentiation but several are also clearly diagnostic in the G. setequedas group. The G. setequedas group is strongly structured allopatrically. The prime candidates for this fragmentation and speciation are the origins of the waterfalls on the individual tributaries. The largest of the waterfalls, the famous Cataratas del Iguazú, with a height of 72 m, separate G. taroba sp. n. from its closest relatives G. che and G. setequedas. The original 28 m high Urugua-í falls separate G. che from G. setequedas. Gymnogeophagus setequedas is separated from G. che and G. taroba by large rapids (about 65m in total elevation above the río Paraná) and a former fall on the Acaray river and by the 45 m high Monday falls located a few km from the mouth of the Monday into the río Paraná just opposite the mouth of the Iguazú.
Key words. Cichlid fishes, endemism, morphology, La Plata River basin, Paraná river basin
Figure - Gymnogeophagus taroba, coloration of live specimens immediatelly after capture.
(A-B) IBIGEO-I 449, paratype specimens, 87.8 mm, 79.8 mm. (C-D) MLP uncat., Říčan et al., February 2014, data as holotype.
Taxonomy
Family Cichlidae Bonaparte, 1835
Genus Gymnogeophagus Miranda Ribeiro, 1918
Gymnogeophagus taroba, new species (Figures 1-7; Table 1)
Gymnogeophagus aff. setequedas Casciotta et al., 2016
(photo of live holotype, first mention of the species)
Diagnosis. Gymnogeophagus taroba is distinguished from all species of Gymnogeophagus in the G. gymnogenys group by the possession of 23 to 25 E1 scales and the absence of a well developed adipose hump in adult males. Gymnogeophagus taroba is most easily distinguished from all species in the G. rhabdotus group (G. terrapurpura, G. rhabdotus, G. meridionalis, G. setequedas and G. che) by the pigmentation of the dorsal fin. ....
......
Etymology. The specific epithet taroba refers to Tarobá, a warrior, and refers to a legend of the Kaingang people; a noun in apposition. The Kaingang were the original first inhabitants of the present province of Misiones in Argentina and the southern Brazilian states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul and also the southeastern state of São Paulo. Their language and culture is quite distinct from the neighboring Guaraní. The Kaingang language is classified as a member of the Gê language family. The legend tells that at the beginning of time, the río Iguazú was inhabited by a huge and monstrous serpent called Mboi, a guardian god. The Kaingang sacrificed a beautiful young maiden every year to Mboi. When Tarobá meets Naipí, chosen for the sacrifice, he rebells against the elders of the tribe who refuse to release her. Tarobá and Naipí try to escape in a canoe by the river. Mboi becomes furious and brakes the course of the river forming the Iguazú falls, catching the lovers. Naipí is transformed into one of the rocks of the falls, perpetually punished by the turbulent waters, and Tarobá is turned into a palm tree on the bank of the waterfall. Mboi lives submerged in the Garganta del Diablo, from where he watches over the lovers, preventing them from joining again. However, on sunny days and as a bridge of love, the rainbow overcomes the power of Mboi by rejoining Naipí and Tarobá.
Jorge Casciotta, Adriana Almirón, Lubomir Piálek and Oldřich Říčan. 2017. Gymnogeophagus taroba (Teleostei: Cichlidae), A New Species from the río Iguazú Basin, Misiones, Argentina. HISTORIA NATURAL. Tercera Serie. 7(2); 5-22.
fundacionazara.org.ar/img/revista-historia-natural/tomo-14/historia-natural-2017-2-5-22.pdf
ResearchGate.net/publication/322273180_Gymnogeophagus_taroba_Teleostei_Cichlidae_a_new_species_from_the_rio_Iguazu_basin_Misiones_Argentina
facebook.com/926581357394010/photos/1643299149055557
==========================
Rhinichthys osculus
Agency proposes rare fish (Rhinichthys osculus )be taken off endangered list
A tiny fish found only in remote waters in southern Oregon has been recommended to be removed from the federal endangered species list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday proposed that the Foskett speckled dace to be delisted after more than a decade of work to restore the species' habitat, the Capital Press reported .
The rare fish is a member of the minnow family and grows to about 2-4 inches (5-10 centimeters) long. The fish spawn in the spring and only live a few years.
The fish are found in Foskett Spring on the west side of Coleman Lake, and another population was established at nearby Dace Spring, said Chris Allen, a biologist for the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The species was listed as threatened in 1985, and the Bureau of Land Management purchased the land surrounding the species' habitat a couple years later. The population has since reached more sustainable levels, Allen said.
"In this habitat at least, they thrive in open water," Allen said. "That's been one of the keys to recovery, is to create as much suitable habitat for this fish as possible."
The population of the fish tends to fluctuate from year to year, Allen said. Between 2011 and 2014, the population ranged from nearly 2,000 to nearly 25,000. At Foskett Spring last year, Allen said there were 4,279 Foskett speckled dace recorded.
The Foskett speckled dace would be the 37th species to be recovered under the Endangered Species Act, said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
"This is exactly how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to work," Greenwald said. "The fish's habitat was protected and threats removed, and now the dace has a future."
==========================
Poaching Lake Victoria’s fish for traditional Chinese medicine
Andrew Brierley
Nile perch (Lates niloticus) are being illegally fished in Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest lake, driven by demand for their swim bladders from traditional Chinese medicine (see also Nature 551, 541; 2017).
Fishers can be paid ten times more for the bladder than the price they can achieve for fish flesh, so the flesh has become a by-catch of the bladder harvest. Large fish have large bladders, and so poachers target fish that are bigger than the 85-centimetre upper legal length limit; these are not accepted by regulated processing factories. Large fish are protected because they are substantial spawners, and removing them could affect stock recruitment.
Traditional Chinese medicine needs proper scrutiny.Furthermore, fish-processing factories will not accept legally sized Nile perch carcasses that have already been opened to remove the swim bladder, so several factories have closed because the bladder trade has cut the supply of fish. This has reduced local employment and the volume of fish sold to export, affecting earnings from abroad.
Fishery resources from Lake Victoria underpin the livelihoods of more than 35 million people, and fish products contribute about 2% to the combined gross domestic product of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda (see go.nature.com/2bmpevq).
Although the Nile perch is an introduced species in Lake Victoria and has severely affected natural fish abundance and biodiversity, it has brought some food security and economic prosperity to the region. Traditional medicine threatens both.
doi: 10.1038/d41586-017-09011-9
from Nature
==========================
Andrew Brierley
Nile perch (Lates niloticus) are being illegally fished in Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest lake, driven by demand for their swim bladders from traditional Chinese medicine (see also Nature 551, 541; 2017).
Fishers can be paid ten times more for the bladder than the price they can achieve for fish flesh, so the flesh has become a by-catch of the bladder harvest. Large fish have large bladders, and so poachers target fish that are bigger than the 85-centimetre upper legal length limit; these are not accepted by regulated processing factories. Large fish are protected because they are substantial spawners, and removing them could affect stock recruitment.
Traditional Chinese medicine needs proper scrutiny.Furthermore, fish-processing factories will not accept legally sized Nile perch carcasses that have already been opened to remove the swim bladder, so several factories have closed because the bladder trade has cut the supply of fish. This has reduced local employment and the volume of fish sold to export, affecting earnings from abroad.
Fishery resources from Lake Victoria underpin the livelihoods of more than 35 million people, and fish products contribute about 2% to the combined gross domestic product of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda (see go.nature.com/2bmpevq).
Although the Nile perch is an introduced species in Lake Victoria and has severely affected natural fish abundance and biodiversity, it has brought some food security and economic prosperity to the region. Traditional medicine threatens both.
doi: 10.1038/d41586-017-09011-9
from Nature
==========================
Tennessee Fish, Fundulus julisia, Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection
NASHVILLE, Tenn.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Endangered Species Act protection today for the Barrens topminnow, a small fish found only in central Tennessee in clear, spring-fed streams on the Barrens Plateau.
Just five populations of the highly endangered fish survive in the wild southeast of Nashville, where the species is threatened by drought, pollution and predation by non-native mosquitofish. At last count there were fewer than 400 total inviduals.
“The Barrens topminnow was first proposed for Endangered Species Act protection more than 40 years ago, and this small fish now finds itself on the very brink of extinction,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “I’m hoping this proposal will be the turning point that keeps it from being lost forever.”
The topminnow is found in Cannon, Coffee and Warren counties. It lives in the headwaters of the Duck and Elk river watersheds, which are part of the Tennessee River drainage, as well as in the Caney Fork River system in the Cumberland River drainage. The fish grows to 4 inches long, has flashy colors and swims near the water’s surface, where it preys on mosquito larvae and other insects.
The Barrens topminnow was proposed for Endangered Species Act protection with critical habitat in 1977, but the proposal was never finalized. In 1982 it was instead placed on a waiting list for federal protection. The Center petitioned the Service to add the species to the endangered list in 2010 and won a lawsuit in 2015 requiring the Service to issue a decision on the petition.
The fish declined from 14 known sites in the early 1980s to seven sites in the mid-1990s. It is currently found in only five sites. In an effort to prevent its extinction, captive-breeding populations are being held at Conservation Fisheries Inc. in Knoxville and at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute in Chattanooga. For recovery, mosquitofish need to be removed; then barriers need to be installed, and populations need to be closely monitored.
“It’s not too late to save the Barrens topminnow, but the scientists working to save them desperately need more money to fund their recovery,” Curry said. “Instead of trying to undermine the Endangered Species Act, Congress should grant all the money that’s needed to fully fund the recovery of our nation’s endangered species.”
The southeastern United States is home to more kinds of fishes, crayfishes, mussels and salamanders than anywhere else in the world, but it is also a hotspot for extinction. Last week a freshwater snail from Georgia, the beaverpond marstonia, was determined to be extinct, joining more than 50 other southeastern species that have already been lost to history.
The Center for Biological Diversity is working to gain Endangered Species Act protection for nearly 400 southeastern species. Nationally, Center legal victories have led to Endangered Species Act protection for 193 species since 2011; five additional species have been proposed for protection, including the topminnow.
Photo by J.R. Shute/Conservation Fisheries, Inc. Image and video footage are available for media use.The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places
==========================
NASHVILLE, Tenn.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Endangered Species Act protection today for the Barrens topminnow, a small fish found only in central Tennessee in clear, spring-fed streams on the Barrens Plateau.
Just five populations of the highly endangered fish survive in the wild southeast of Nashville, where the species is threatened by drought, pollution and predation by non-native mosquitofish. At last count there were fewer than 400 total inviduals.
“The Barrens topminnow was first proposed for Endangered Species Act protection more than 40 years ago, and this small fish now finds itself on the very brink of extinction,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “I’m hoping this proposal will be the turning point that keeps it from being lost forever.”
The topminnow is found in Cannon, Coffee and Warren counties. It lives in the headwaters of the Duck and Elk river watersheds, which are part of the Tennessee River drainage, as well as in the Caney Fork River system in the Cumberland River drainage. The fish grows to 4 inches long, has flashy colors and swims near the water’s surface, where it preys on mosquito larvae and other insects.
The Barrens topminnow was proposed for Endangered Species Act protection with critical habitat in 1977, but the proposal was never finalized. In 1982 it was instead placed on a waiting list for federal protection. The Center petitioned the Service to add the species to the endangered list in 2010 and won a lawsuit in 2015 requiring the Service to issue a decision on the petition.
The fish declined from 14 known sites in the early 1980s to seven sites in the mid-1990s. It is currently found in only five sites. In an effort to prevent its extinction, captive-breeding populations are being held at Conservation Fisheries Inc. in Knoxville and at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute in Chattanooga. For recovery, mosquitofish need to be removed; then barriers need to be installed, and populations need to be closely monitored.
“It’s not too late to save the Barrens topminnow, but the scientists working to save them desperately need more money to fund their recovery,” Curry said. “Instead of trying to undermine the Endangered Species Act, Congress should grant all the money that’s needed to fully fund the recovery of our nation’s endangered species.”
The southeastern United States is home to more kinds of fishes, crayfishes, mussels and salamanders than anywhere else in the world, but it is also a hotspot for extinction. Last week a freshwater snail from Georgia, the beaverpond marstonia, was determined to be extinct, joining more than 50 other southeastern species that have already been lost to history.
The Center for Biological Diversity is working to gain Endangered Species Act protection for nearly 400 southeastern species. Nationally, Center legal victories have led to Endangered Species Act protection for 193 species since 2011; five additional species have been proposed for protection, including the topminnow.
Photo by J.R. Shute/Conservation Fisheries, Inc. Image and video footage are available for media use.The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places
==========================
Dog killed after 'eating dead fish' on Norfolk beach
Dog-walkers are being urged to take care when walking their petsPeople have been warned to be careful while walking their dogs on the beach on the north-Norfolk coast, after a dog was killed after reportedly eating a "dead fish that had washed up".
The Hunstanton RNLI confirmed a dog died just an hour after ingesting one on Cley beach.
They're urging people to keep a close eye on their animals while on a beach stroll.
Norfolk WT
@SupportNWTDog owners: we have had a report of a dog dying after eating a dead fish washed up on Cley beach yesterday. While i… https://t.co/5B4H2YnoIE
==========================
Dog-walkers are being urged to take care when walking their petsPeople have been warned to be careful while walking their dogs on the beach on the north-Norfolk coast, after a dog was killed after reportedly eating a "dead fish that had washed up".
The Hunstanton RNLI confirmed a dog died just an hour after ingesting one on Cley beach.
They're urging people to keep a close eye on their animals while on a beach stroll.
Norfolk WT
@SupportNWTDog owners: we have had a report of a dog dying after eating a dead fish washed up on Cley beach yesterday. While i… https://t.co/5B4H2YnoIE
==========================
New fish in Maltese waters
A small tropical fish, which until recently was familiar in local aquariums, has now been spotted in Maltese waters by a diver at Marsamxett port.
Alan Deidun said, “the Azure Damoiselle, a species arriving from thousands of kilometres far, is a native species originating from the west of Australia and Indonesia. We have no name for it in Maltese as they are a new specie, but if we had to name it, I think an adaptable name is that of Ċawla Kaħlanija as its cousins are other damsel fish”.
Professor Deidum said that alien species are not only present in the Mediterranean by entering from the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific, but through sea water aquarium enthusiasts who then release them at sea.
He added that while the Ċawla Kaħlanija is not an invasive specie, the Devil Fire Fish – known as the Lion Fish – found near Maltese seas suppresses species in its own environment.
“It eats a lot of fish in one day; produces immensely – around 50,000 eggs every three days in the reproduction season – does not have many enemies as it protects itself with fish bones that inject poison from its back. It cannot be controlled as it impacts on other fish as it competes for the same food”.
There are around 15,000 creatures in the Mediterranean sea that include fish, sea vegetation and crabs; more than a thousand of them enter from other seas.
Prof. Deidun stated that the Grand Harbour, Marsamxett and Marsaxlokk bay are among the most places in Malta where alien species were noticed as they enter with ships.
He said that the public is encouraged to participate in the Spot the Alien Fish campaign, when noticing strange fish, an initiative through which fishermen and members of the public send photos and information on the location of the fish on aliensmalta.eu.
==========================
A small tropical fish, which until recently was familiar in local aquariums, has now been spotted in Maltese waters by a diver at Marsamxett port.
Alan Deidun said, “the Azure Damoiselle, a species arriving from thousands of kilometres far, is a native species originating from the west of Australia and Indonesia. We have no name for it in Maltese as they are a new specie, but if we had to name it, I think an adaptable name is that of Ċawla Kaħlanija as its cousins are other damsel fish”.
Professor Deidum said that alien species are not only present in the Mediterranean by entering from the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific, but through sea water aquarium enthusiasts who then release them at sea.
He added that while the Ċawla Kaħlanija is not an invasive specie, the Devil Fire Fish – known as the Lion Fish – found near Maltese seas suppresses species in its own environment.
“It eats a lot of fish in one day; produces immensely – around 50,000 eggs every three days in the reproduction season – does not have many enemies as it protects itself with fish bones that inject poison from its back. It cannot be controlled as it impacts on other fish as it competes for the same food”.
There are around 15,000 creatures in the Mediterranean sea that include fish, sea vegetation and crabs; more than a thousand of them enter from other seas.
Prof. Deidun stated that the Grand Harbour, Marsamxett and Marsaxlokk bay are among the most places in Malta where alien species were noticed as they enter with ships.
He said that the public is encouraged to participate in the Spot the Alien Fish campaign, when noticing strange fish, an initiative through which fishermen and members of the public send photos and information on the location of the fish on aliensmalta.eu.
==========================
Chrysiptera burtjonesi • A New Species of Damselfish (Chrysiptera: Pomacentridae) from Coral Reefs of the Solomon Islands
Chrysiptera burtjonesi
Allen, Erdmann & Cahyani, 2017
Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 28
Abstract
A sixth member of the Chrysiptera oxycephala group of Pomacentridae, Chrysiptera burtjonesi n. sp., is described on the basis of 24 specimens, 20.5–48.2 mm SL, collected at the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It differs from other members of the group, including C. ellenae (Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua Province in Indonesia), C. maurinae (Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua Province), C. oxycephala (central Indonesia, Philippines, and Palau), C. papuensis (northeastern Papua New Guinea), and C. sinclairi(Bismarck Archipelago and islands off northeastern Papua New Guinea), on the basis of its distinctive color pattern and a 6.9% divergence in the sequence of the mitochondrial control region from its closest relative (C. maurineae). Adults are primarily grayish brown to greenish except bright yellow on the ventralmost head and body, including the adjacent pelvic and anal fins. Juveniles are mostly neon blue to dark blue with bright yellow pelvic and anal fins. In addition, it is the only species besides C. sinclairi that usually lacks embedded scales on the preorbital and suborbital bones.
Figure Chrysiptera burtjonesi, Solomon Islands, underwater photographs:
A) juvenile, approx. 12 mm SL, B) juvenile, approx. 20 mm SL, C) subadult, approx. 35 mm SL, D) adult, approx. 45 mm SL (G.R. Allen).
Chrysiptera burtjonesi, n. sp.
Burt’s Damselfish
Diagnosis. A species of the pomacentrid genus Chrysiptera with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XIII,11 (rarely 10 or 12); anal-fin rays II,12 (rarely 13); pectoral-fin rays 15 (14–16); gill rakers on first branchial arch 9–11+20–22, total gill rakers 29–32; tubed lateral-line scales 13–16 (usually 14–15); preorbital+suborbital scales usually absent, occasionally 1–3 embedded scales present; color of adult overall grayish brown to greenish (sometimes with neon blue/green transverse streak on each scale) with translucent to pale greenish fins, except bright yellow ventrally on head, body, and adjacent anal and pelvic fins, a broad yellow band from base of first few dorsal-fin spines to outer edge of last dorsal-fin spine; juvenile neon blue on head, most of body (above diagonal line from pelvic-fin base to base of uppermost caudal-fin ray), and dorsal fin, remainder of body and adjacent fins bright yellow.
Etymology. This species is named in honor of photographer and underwater guide par excellence Burt Jones of Sequim, Washington, USA. Burt and his partner Maurine Shimlock were pioneers for the promotion of dive tourism at the Solomon Islands and, more recently, have been instrumental in the tremendous popularity of the West Papuan region by means of their excellent underwater guidebook to the area and creation of the highly informative Bird’s Head Seascape website (birdsheadseascape.com).
Distribution. The new species is known only from the Solomon Islands. It was collected or observed by the authors at the following islands and reefs: Isabel, Choiseul, Makira, Malaita and nearby Alite Reef, Shortland Islands, New Georgia Group, Russell Group, and the Florida Group.
Gerald R. Allen, Mark V. Erdmann and N.K. Dita Cahyani. 2017. A New Species of Damselfish (Chrysiptera: Pomacentridae) from Coral Reefs of the Solomon Islands. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 28; 10–21.
http://www.oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf28b.pdf
==========================
Chrysiptera burtjonesi
Allen, Erdmann & Cahyani, 2017
Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 28
Abstract
A sixth member of the Chrysiptera oxycephala group of Pomacentridae, Chrysiptera burtjonesi n. sp., is described on the basis of 24 specimens, 20.5–48.2 mm SL, collected at the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It differs from other members of the group, including C. ellenae (Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua Province in Indonesia), C. maurinae (Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua Province), C. oxycephala (central Indonesia, Philippines, and Palau), C. papuensis (northeastern Papua New Guinea), and C. sinclairi(Bismarck Archipelago and islands off northeastern Papua New Guinea), on the basis of its distinctive color pattern and a 6.9% divergence in the sequence of the mitochondrial control region from its closest relative (C. maurineae). Adults are primarily grayish brown to greenish except bright yellow on the ventralmost head and body, including the adjacent pelvic and anal fins. Juveniles are mostly neon blue to dark blue with bright yellow pelvic and anal fins. In addition, it is the only species besides C. sinclairi that usually lacks embedded scales on the preorbital and suborbital bones.
Figure Chrysiptera burtjonesi, Solomon Islands, underwater photographs:
A) juvenile, approx. 12 mm SL, B) juvenile, approx. 20 mm SL, C) subadult, approx. 35 mm SL, D) adult, approx. 45 mm SL (G.R. Allen).
Chrysiptera burtjonesi, n. sp.
Burt’s Damselfish
Diagnosis. A species of the pomacentrid genus Chrysiptera with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XIII,11 (rarely 10 or 12); anal-fin rays II,12 (rarely 13); pectoral-fin rays 15 (14–16); gill rakers on first branchial arch 9–11+20–22, total gill rakers 29–32; tubed lateral-line scales 13–16 (usually 14–15); preorbital+suborbital scales usually absent, occasionally 1–3 embedded scales present; color of adult overall grayish brown to greenish (sometimes with neon blue/green transverse streak on each scale) with translucent to pale greenish fins, except bright yellow ventrally on head, body, and adjacent anal and pelvic fins, a broad yellow band from base of first few dorsal-fin spines to outer edge of last dorsal-fin spine; juvenile neon blue on head, most of body (above diagonal line from pelvic-fin base to base of uppermost caudal-fin ray), and dorsal fin, remainder of body and adjacent fins bright yellow.
Etymology. This species is named in honor of photographer and underwater guide par excellence Burt Jones of Sequim, Washington, USA. Burt and his partner Maurine Shimlock were pioneers for the promotion of dive tourism at the Solomon Islands and, more recently, have been instrumental in the tremendous popularity of the West Papuan region by means of their excellent underwater guidebook to the area and creation of the highly informative Bird’s Head Seascape website (birdsheadseascape.com).
Distribution. The new species is known only from the Solomon Islands. It was collected or observed by the authors at the following islands and reefs: Isabel, Choiseul, Makira, Malaita and nearby Alite Reef, Shortland Islands, New Georgia Group, Russell Group, and the Florida Group.
Gerald R. Allen, Mark V. Erdmann and N.K. Dita Cahyani. 2017. A New Species of Damselfish (Chrysiptera: Pomacentridae) from Coral Reefs of the Solomon Islands. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 28; 10–21.
http://www.oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf28b.pdf
==========================
Fish restocked in River Blackwater and River Colne
Catherine Johnson @CatherineNQEReporterPhoto by the Environment Agency
Thousands of fish were restocked in two rivers in the run up to Christmas.
The restocking activity by the Environment Agency is part of an annual programme, funded by income from rod licence sales.
A specialist breeding farm in Nottingham produces between 400,000 and 500,000 fish each year and a mix of 6,400 was split between the River Wid, Blackwater and Colne.
Alan Henshaw, fisheries team leader at the Environment Agency said: "Many of our industrialised rivers have improved dramatically in water quality in the last 30 years and concerted restocking has accelerated the restoration of natural fish stocks and viable fisheries.
"New techniques in pond rearing have delivered significant improvements in the average size of the 18 month-old fish and many rivers and lakes throughout England have benefited from these stockings.
"All of this work is funded by money from rod licence sales to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.”
Restocking of England’s rivers and lakes by the Environment Agency happens for a number of reasons.
This may be following a pollution incident where the original population has been lost, where recruitment is poor or in the creation of new fisheries and angling opportunities.
More stockings will continue into the New Year.
==========================
Catherine Johnson @CatherineNQEReporterPhoto by the Environment Agency
Thousands of fish were restocked in two rivers in the run up to Christmas.
The restocking activity by the Environment Agency is part of an annual programme, funded by income from rod licence sales.
A specialist breeding farm in Nottingham produces between 400,000 and 500,000 fish each year and a mix of 6,400 was split between the River Wid, Blackwater and Colne.
Alan Henshaw, fisheries team leader at the Environment Agency said: "Many of our industrialised rivers have improved dramatically in water quality in the last 30 years and concerted restocking has accelerated the restoration of natural fish stocks and viable fisheries.
"New techniques in pond rearing have delivered significant improvements in the average size of the 18 month-old fish and many rivers and lakes throughout England have benefited from these stockings.
"All of this work is funded by money from rod licence sales to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.”
Restocking of England’s rivers and lakes by the Environment Agency happens for a number of reasons.
This may be following a pollution incident where the original population has been lost, where recruitment is poor or in the creation of new fisheries and angling opportunities.
More stockings will continue into the New Year.
==========================
extract from New York Times Magazine
Born. 1927 Died May 2017
HERBERT R.AXELRODA hustler who built a fortune on a fish tale.
BY DANIEL FROMSON
Axelrod created a market for cardinal tetras. “The most profound change in my life,” Herbert R. Axelrod once recalled, began in 1955, when Axelrod, a New Jersey-based aquarium-fish dealer and the publisher of Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine, took a steamboat up the Rio Negro, deep in the Brazilian Amazon. He was searching for a supply of wild discus fishes that would allow him to break a rival dealer’s monopoly. Fishless and out of food, he got off at a small town, where he met a German priest, who happened to be a fish hobbyist.
“Yes, there are discus fishes near here,” the priest said. “But we also have neon tetras!” The priest guided Axelrod to a nearby creek and, lifting his cassock, led him into the water, where red-and-blue tetras schooled around their legs. Axelrod returned to New Jersey with “the largest neons I had ever seen” — and sent some to the curator of fishes at the Smithsonian. The curator, the story goes, excitedly called him a few days later: The neons weren’t neons at all. They were an exotic and beautiful new species.
The rise of the cardinal tetra — Paracheirodon axelrodi, now one of the world’s most popular aquarium fish — helped make Axelrod, in the words of the trade publication Practical Fishkeeping, perhaps “the single most influential fishkeeper the hobby and industry has seen.” But Axelrod’s tale of discovery is a myth: As he himself admitted early on, he had actually acquired the tetras not in the Amazon but from a dealer in Irvington, N.J. (The dealer got them from the discus monopolist. Nonetheless, after a technical yet dramatic dispute, an international commission named the fish for Axelrod.) Inventing a new origin story, Axelrod didn’t just change the facts; he spun a personal legend, which he clung to as he self-promoted his way to pet-industry fortune. After all, it not only legitimized his “discovery” but also, accompanied by digressions about befriending Indians and swimming with piranhas, presented him as “the Indiana Jones of ichthyology,” as one hobbyist put it, which he must have preferred to the P.T. Barnum of pet fish.
INVENTING A NEW ORIGIN STORY, AXELROD DIDN’T JUST CHANGE THE FACTS; HE SPUN A PERSONAL LEGEND.
Raised in North Jersey during the Depression, Axelrod supposedly spoke five languages by age 5 and swam across Lake Ontario at 10. He was also crazy about pet pigeons (which he collected, alongside fossils and rare violins, in adulthood too). The pivot to fish came in his 20s, when he studied at New York University, served in the Army and found time to publish tropical-fish handbooks and start Tropical Fish Hobbyist. In 1965, Sports Illustrated called him “an intrepid ichthyologist and explorer,” trumpeting dozens of claims: He could recognize more than 7,000 kinds of fish by sight. He once landed at the Trinidad airport, approached a pool near the runway and, as onlookers gasped, netted a new species. “He was once censured by a professor,” the magazine reported, “for performing a Caesarean on a guppy.”
Guppy surgeon or not, his importance was undeniable. In an era before web forums and Google, collectors turned to Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Axelrod’s dozens of books: “Koi of the World,” “The Allure of Discus,” “Tropical Fish for Those Who Care.” His company, TFH Publications, became a dominant pet-book publishing conglomerate, which catered to gecko and gerbil fanciers alike and invested in tetra farms and chew toys. He smoked Cuban cigars and boasted of collecting sea slugs with Emperor Hirohito, spearfishing with King Leopold III and corresponding with Winston Churchill about goldfish. He also, reportedly, became pen pals with prisoners in Indiana, who, he claimed, had for decades hidden pet fish in vials strapped to their bodies.
In his later years, Axelrod restyled himself as a philanthropist: After he sold TFH Publications in 1997 for $70 million and a $10 million loan, he became best known for collecting Stradivarius violins and other prestigious stringed instruments, many of which he gave to the Smithsonian or sold to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. (A 2003 Times Magazine profile of Axelrod was headlined “Medici of the Meadowlands.”) But this narrative didn’t last. In 2004, he was indicted on federal tax-fraud charges and accused of hiding money in Switzerland; separately, in one of many lawsuits he attracted, TFH’s new owners sued him for misrepresenting its finances, and a Senate committee investigated whether he inflated the value of some of his instruments. He fled to Cuba — “Herbert Axelrod sits in an oceanfront bungalow at the Hemingway Marina, a fugitive from justice, poring over photographs of hamsters,” The Star-Ledger reported from Havana — and was later extradited from Germany. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax fraud. Paradoxically, as a hobbyist observed on MonsterFishKeepers.com, Axelrod, confined like a tetra in a tank, ended up “living the life of a fish.”
“I will be remembered as someone who disrespected the law,” Axelrod lamented in 2005. But after his death in May in Switzerland, tributes rang out from admirers as disparate as the violinist Joshua Bell and the Australian Society for Fish Biology. And his name still adheres to more than a dozen species, including, of course, Paracheirodon axelrodi. For Axelrod, the tetra wasn’t just a discovery or a pet. It wasn’t just the profound beginning of fortune and notoriety. It was a symbol of our all-too-human foibles and obsessions, real and imagined, the stuff of emperors and prisoners and priests.
Daniel Fromson is a copy editor for the magazine. He is the author of “Finding Shakespeare,” published by The Atavist Magazine.
==========================
Born. 1927 Died May 2017
HERBERT R.AXELRODA hustler who built a fortune on a fish tale.
BY DANIEL FROMSON
Axelrod created a market for cardinal tetras. “The most profound change in my life,” Herbert R. Axelrod once recalled, began in 1955, when Axelrod, a New Jersey-based aquarium-fish dealer and the publisher of Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine, took a steamboat up the Rio Negro, deep in the Brazilian Amazon. He was searching for a supply of wild discus fishes that would allow him to break a rival dealer’s monopoly. Fishless and out of food, he got off at a small town, where he met a German priest, who happened to be a fish hobbyist.
“Yes, there are discus fishes near here,” the priest said. “But we also have neon tetras!” The priest guided Axelrod to a nearby creek and, lifting his cassock, led him into the water, where red-and-blue tetras schooled around their legs. Axelrod returned to New Jersey with “the largest neons I had ever seen” — and sent some to the curator of fishes at the Smithsonian. The curator, the story goes, excitedly called him a few days later: The neons weren’t neons at all. They were an exotic and beautiful new species.
The rise of the cardinal tetra — Paracheirodon axelrodi, now one of the world’s most popular aquarium fish — helped make Axelrod, in the words of the trade publication Practical Fishkeeping, perhaps “the single most influential fishkeeper the hobby and industry has seen.” But Axelrod’s tale of discovery is a myth: As he himself admitted early on, he had actually acquired the tetras not in the Amazon but from a dealer in Irvington, N.J. (The dealer got them from the discus monopolist. Nonetheless, after a technical yet dramatic dispute, an international commission named the fish for Axelrod.) Inventing a new origin story, Axelrod didn’t just change the facts; he spun a personal legend, which he clung to as he self-promoted his way to pet-industry fortune. After all, it not only legitimized his “discovery” but also, accompanied by digressions about befriending Indians and swimming with piranhas, presented him as “the Indiana Jones of ichthyology,” as one hobbyist put it, which he must have preferred to the P.T. Barnum of pet fish.
INVENTING A NEW ORIGIN STORY, AXELROD DIDN’T JUST CHANGE THE FACTS; HE SPUN A PERSONAL LEGEND.
Raised in North Jersey during the Depression, Axelrod supposedly spoke five languages by age 5 and swam across Lake Ontario at 10. He was also crazy about pet pigeons (which he collected, alongside fossils and rare violins, in adulthood too). The pivot to fish came in his 20s, when he studied at New York University, served in the Army and found time to publish tropical-fish handbooks and start Tropical Fish Hobbyist. In 1965, Sports Illustrated called him “an intrepid ichthyologist and explorer,” trumpeting dozens of claims: He could recognize more than 7,000 kinds of fish by sight. He once landed at the Trinidad airport, approached a pool near the runway and, as onlookers gasped, netted a new species. “He was once censured by a professor,” the magazine reported, “for performing a Caesarean on a guppy.”
Guppy surgeon or not, his importance was undeniable. In an era before web forums and Google, collectors turned to Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Axelrod’s dozens of books: “Koi of the World,” “The Allure of Discus,” “Tropical Fish for Those Who Care.” His company, TFH Publications, became a dominant pet-book publishing conglomerate, which catered to gecko and gerbil fanciers alike and invested in tetra farms and chew toys. He smoked Cuban cigars and boasted of collecting sea slugs with Emperor Hirohito, spearfishing with King Leopold III and corresponding with Winston Churchill about goldfish. He also, reportedly, became pen pals with prisoners in Indiana, who, he claimed, had for decades hidden pet fish in vials strapped to their bodies.
In his later years, Axelrod restyled himself as a philanthropist: After he sold TFH Publications in 1997 for $70 million and a $10 million loan, he became best known for collecting Stradivarius violins and other prestigious stringed instruments, many of which he gave to the Smithsonian or sold to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. (A 2003 Times Magazine profile of Axelrod was headlined “Medici of the Meadowlands.”) But this narrative didn’t last. In 2004, he was indicted on federal tax-fraud charges and accused of hiding money in Switzerland; separately, in one of many lawsuits he attracted, TFH’s new owners sued him for misrepresenting its finances, and a Senate committee investigated whether he inflated the value of some of his instruments. He fled to Cuba — “Herbert Axelrod sits in an oceanfront bungalow at the Hemingway Marina, a fugitive from justice, poring over photographs of hamsters,” The Star-Ledger reported from Havana — and was later extradited from Germany. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax fraud. Paradoxically, as a hobbyist observed on MonsterFishKeepers.com, Axelrod, confined like a tetra in a tank, ended up “living the life of a fish.”
“I will be remembered as someone who disrespected the law,” Axelrod lamented in 2005. But after his death in May in Switzerland, tributes rang out from admirers as disparate as the violinist Joshua Bell and the Australian Society for Fish Biology. And his name still adheres to more than a dozen species, including, of course, Paracheirodon axelrodi. For Axelrod, the tetra wasn’t just a discovery or a pet. It wasn’t just the profound beginning of fortune and notoriety. It was a symbol of our all-too-human foibles and obsessions, real and imagined, the stuff of emperors and prisoners and priests.
Daniel Fromson is a copy editor for the magazine. He is the author of “Finding Shakespeare,” published by The Atavist Magazine.
==========================
New species of blind fish discovered inside Meghalaya cave
A new species of blind fish has been discovered inside a cave in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, a New Zealand-based science journal has revealed.
The fish -- Schistura larketensis -- gets its name from Larket village, where the cave has been found, the journal, Zootaxa, said.
The species has apparently lost its sight living in the perpetual darkness inside the cave, a joint team of scientists from the Gauhati University and the North Eastern Hill University said.
It has also lost its pigments too while adapting to its habitat in the dark waters, they said.
Khlur Mukhim, a leading researcher from Gauhati University, came across the blind fish in the cave several years ago during an expedition. The cave is about 880 meters above sea level and over 7 km in length.
Mr. Mukhim said that the study came out recently though it was found several years ago as he had to corroborate the available facts and figures to establish that the fish was actually blind and belonged to a new species.
The fish sample was collected from small stagnant pools, a few square meters in area and about 1-2 m in depth, about 1,600 feet from the main entrance of the cave.
The pool bed is mostly sandy with pebbles. Other species found inside the cave include weakly pigmented crabs and crayfish, spiders, crickets, cockroaches and millipedes, small frogs and snakes.
Scientists had, in the past, chanced upon porcupine paws and quills on the muddy floor of a passage in the same cave.
The fish was named after ‘Larket’ village to encourage local people to take up biodiversity conservation, Mr. Khlur said.
Although there are about 200 known species of similar kind inhabiting streams and rivers throughout Indochina and Southeast Asia, this is the first such discovery, according to the researcher.
The new fish species can also be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura, barring Schistura papulifera -- another cave fish from Synrang Pamiang cave system in the same district -- for its vestigial subcutaneous eyes appearing as black spots.
Mr. Khlur said the orbital diameter gradually decreases as the species matures, with the eyes completely absent in older individuals.
Eventually, only small, faintly blackish spot-like depressions appeared in place of eyes, indicating evolutionary and as morphological adaptations.
The researchers have also expressed regret to see the high level of siltation, pollution and acidification of the water drainage systems in Jaintia Hills due to accumulation of acid mine drainage (AMD) from open-cast coal mining.
Several cement plants located on top of the wide and long cave systems are threatening the cave biodiversity as a whole, the researcher said.
from the Hindu
==========================
A new species of blind fish has been discovered inside a cave in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, a New Zealand-based science journal has revealed.
The fish -- Schistura larketensis -- gets its name from Larket village, where the cave has been found, the journal, Zootaxa, said.
The species has apparently lost its sight living in the perpetual darkness inside the cave, a joint team of scientists from the Gauhati University and the North Eastern Hill University said.
It has also lost its pigments too while adapting to its habitat in the dark waters, they said.
Khlur Mukhim, a leading researcher from Gauhati University, came across the blind fish in the cave several years ago during an expedition. The cave is about 880 meters above sea level and over 7 km in length.
Mr. Mukhim said that the study came out recently though it was found several years ago as he had to corroborate the available facts and figures to establish that the fish was actually blind and belonged to a new species.
The fish sample was collected from small stagnant pools, a few square meters in area and about 1-2 m in depth, about 1,600 feet from the main entrance of the cave.
The pool bed is mostly sandy with pebbles. Other species found inside the cave include weakly pigmented crabs and crayfish, spiders, crickets, cockroaches and millipedes, small frogs and snakes.
Scientists had, in the past, chanced upon porcupine paws and quills on the muddy floor of a passage in the same cave.
The fish was named after ‘Larket’ village to encourage local people to take up biodiversity conservation, Mr. Khlur said.
Although there are about 200 known species of similar kind inhabiting streams and rivers throughout Indochina and Southeast Asia, this is the first such discovery, according to the researcher.
The new fish species can also be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura, barring Schistura papulifera -- another cave fish from Synrang Pamiang cave system in the same district -- for its vestigial subcutaneous eyes appearing as black spots.
Mr. Khlur said the orbital diameter gradually decreases as the species matures, with the eyes completely absent in older individuals.
Eventually, only small, faintly blackish spot-like depressions appeared in place of eyes, indicating evolutionary and as morphological adaptations.
The researchers have also expressed regret to see the high level of siltation, pollution and acidification of the water drainage systems in Jaintia Hills due to accumulation of acid mine drainage (AMD) from open-cast coal mining.
Several cement plants located on top of the wide and long cave systems are threatening the cave biodiversity as a whole, the researcher said.
from the Hindu
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HOW DO FISH HANDLE COLD WATER?
The Fisheries Blog.
·Summertime’s come and gone, and winter has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. Inland waters across North America are cooling down, and many will soon be covered with ice.
Winter can be hard on fishes, being poikilotherms that can’t regulate their own body temperature (with some exceptions). So just how do they make it through this challenging season?
Firstly, freshwater fishes are rarely threatened by freezing to death because of one of water’s most unique properties. Like most substances, water’s density increases as temperatures drop. However, it’s most dense just above its freezing point; density increases between 4° and 0°, causing ice to float. Were it not for this property, lakes and rivers would freeze from the bottom-up and fish at more northern latitudes would be seasonally extirpated.
Most fishes are rarely threatened with being frozen alive. Source
But not all fishes are not equally thermally adapted, and many cannot tolerate very cold or very warm temperatures. Thermal tolerance is an important controller of fish distributions, but within their range, fishes have adapted several ways to deal with cold temperatures:
Movement. When temperatures drop, many fish make seasonal movements to thermal refugia. Thermal refugia can be particularly important in northern climes, where warmer groundwater helps keep aquatic habitats ice-free.
Alternative enzymes. Enzymes are proteins that catalyze metabolic reactions, but their efficiency is temperature-dependent; enzymes perform best at an optimal temperature. To maximize their efficiency across a range of temperatures, some fishes have evolved alternative enzyme systems called isozymes to perform the same function at different optimal temperatures. Other fishes utilize allozymes—different forms of the same enzyme that are controlled by different alleles that allow reactions to function at different temperatures.
Antifreeze. In polar marine systems, high salt concentrations reduce water’s freezing point to around -2°–colder than the freezing point of most species’ bodily fluids. In these habitats, several species (most noteably the Notothenoidei but also cods, sea ravens, and some herrings) have antifreeze proteins that prevent blood from crystalizing. This allows them to survive in the harsh, ice-covered polar regions.
Antifreeze proteins in blood inhibit ice crystal formation. Source.
Salt Concentration. Other species beat the super-cold salty water at its own game. Marine fishes must constantly export ions to maintain osmotic balance. However, retaining more ions can help to reduce a fish’s freezing point and survive in below-zero temperatures.
These fish most likely died from lack of oxygen before becoming lodged in ice. Source.
But in the end, some fish simply can’t handle the cold. Threadfin Shad, in particular, are subject to large winter die-offs, which can be an important source of winter forage for many predators. Large-scale winter fish die-offs often occur in instances of extreme temperature fluctuation. For example, ~100,000 drum died in the Arkansas River in 2011 after a particularly chilly cold front front blew through following several warm weeks. Lastly, many ponds and small lakes are experience winterkill–massive fish die-offs that occur not because of cold, but because ice limits oxygen exchange. The fish in the photo above probably suffocated and floated to the surface where they became lodged in ice.
==========================
The Fisheries Blog.
·Summertime’s come and gone, and winter has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. Inland waters across North America are cooling down, and many will soon be covered with ice.
Winter can be hard on fishes, being poikilotherms that can’t regulate their own body temperature (with some exceptions). So just how do they make it through this challenging season?
Firstly, freshwater fishes are rarely threatened by freezing to death because of one of water’s most unique properties. Like most substances, water’s density increases as temperatures drop. However, it’s most dense just above its freezing point; density increases between 4° and 0°, causing ice to float. Were it not for this property, lakes and rivers would freeze from the bottom-up and fish at more northern latitudes would be seasonally extirpated.
Most fishes are rarely threatened with being frozen alive. Source
But not all fishes are not equally thermally adapted, and many cannot tolerate very cold or very warm temperatures. Thermal tolerance is an important controller of fish distributions, but within their range, fishes have adapted several ways to deal with cold temperatures:
Movement. When temperatures drop, many fish make seasonal movements to thermal refugia. Thermal refugia can be particularly important in northern climes, where warmer groundwater helps keep aquatic habitats ice-free.
Alternative enzymes. Enzymes are proteins that catalyze metabolic reactions, but their efficiency is temperature-dependent; enzymes perform best at an optimal temperature. To maximize their efficiency across a range of temperatures, some fishes have evolved alternative enzyme systems called isozymes to perform the same function at different optimal temperatures. Other fishes utilize allozymes—different forms of the same enzyme that are controlled by different alleles that allow reactions to function at different temperatures.
Antifreeze. In polar marine systems, high salt concentrations reduce water’s freezing point to around -2°–colder than the freezing point of most species’ bodily fluids. In these habitats, several species (most noteably the Notothenoidei but also cods, sea ravens, and some herrings) have antifreeze proteins that prevent blood from crystalizing. This allows them to survive in the harsh, ice-covered polar regions.
Antifreeze proteins in blood inhibit ice crystal formation. Source.
Salt Concentration. Other species beat the super-cold salty water at its own game. Marine fishes must constantly export ions to maintain osmotic balance. However, retaining more ions can help to reduce a fish’s freezing point and survive in below-zero temperatures.
These fish most likely died from lack of oxygen before becoming lodged in ice. Source.
But in the end, some fish simply can’t handle the cold. Threadfin Shad, in particular, are subject to large winter die-offs, which can be an important source of winter forage for many predators. Large-scale winter fish die-offs often occur in instances of extreme temperature fluctuation. For example, ~100,000 drum died in the Arkansas River in 2011 after a particularly chilly cold front front blew through following several warm weeks. Lastly, many ponds and small lakes are experience winterkill–massive fish die-offs that occur not because of cold, but because ice limits oxygen exchange. The fish in the photo above probably suffocated and floated to the surface where they became lodged in ice.
==========================
Description of a new species of Pareiorhaphis(Loricariidae: Neoplecostominae) from the rio Jequitinhonha basin, Minas Gerais, eastern Brazil
Edson H. L. Pereira1
Tiago C. Pessali2
Francisco de Andrade3
Roberto E. Reis1
1Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Laboratório de Sistemática de Vertebrados, Av. Ipiranga 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. (EHLP) ehlpereira@gmail.com, (RER) reis@pucrs.br
2Museu de Ciências Naturais, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar 290, 30535-610 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. tcpessali@hotmail.com
3Pós Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Departamento de Biologia, Setor de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Caixa Postal 3037, 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil. surubim@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A new species of the loricariid genus Pareiorhaphis is described based on specimens from several tributaries of the upper and middle rio Jequitinhonha basin, Minas Gerais State, eastern Brazil. The new species increases the number of known species of Pareiorhaphis to 25 and, at the same time, represents the second member of the subfamily Neoplecostominae reported from the rio Jequitinhonha basin. The new species is diagnosed from all remaining congeners by a putative autapomorphic feature related to the color pattern: a well-defined, dark brown stripe on the median series of lateral plates that extends along the flank from the posterior margin of compound pterotic to the caudal-fin base. The shallow caudal peduncle and the comparatively larger number of dentary teeth also distinguish the new species from most congeners. The new species is also compared to Pareiorhaphis stephanus, a syntopic congener with similar traits.
Keywords: Cascudos; Coastal drainages; Endemism; Itacambiruçu River; Taxonomy
INTRODUCTION
Pareiorhaphis Miranda Ribeiro comprises a distinctive assemblage of loricariid catfishes with 25 known species, including the new taxon described in this report. Species of this genus exhibit a significant variation in body size, color pattern, nature of the pectoral girdle covering, shape of the head, and other morphometric and meristic traits. However, a common pattern related to the sexually dimorphic attributes associated with adult males is shared by all species of the genus and diagnoses Pareiorhaphis among all other neoplecostomines, namely the hypertrophied odontodes that cover most of the cheek, opercle, and exposed lateral process of the cleithrum (Pereira et al., 2007, 2010). The type locality of the new species is located in the rio Itacambiruçu, one of the main tributaries of the rio Jequitinhonha, a
Edson H. L. Pereira1
Tiago C. Pessali2
Francisco de Andrade3
Roberto E. Reis1
1Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Laboratório de Sistemática de Vertebrados, Av. Ipiranga 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. (EHLP) ehlpereira@gmail.com, (RER) reis@pucrs.br
2Museu de Ciências Naturais, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar 290, 30535-610 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. tcpessali@hotmail.com
3Pós Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Departamento de Biologia, Setor de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Caixa Postal 3037, 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil. surubim@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A new species of the loricariid genus Pareiorhaphis is described based on specimens from several tributaries of the upper and middle rio Jequitinhonha basin, Minas Gerais State, eastern Brazil. The new species increases the number of known species of Pareiorhaphis to 25 and, at the same time, represents the second member of the subfamily Neoplecostominae reported from the rio Jequitinhonha basin. The new species is diagnosed from all remaining congeners by a putative autapomorphic feature related to the color pattern: a well-defined, dark brown stripe on the median series of lateral plates that extends along the flank from the posterior margin of compound pterotic to the caudal-fin base. The shallow caudal peduncle and the comparatively larger number of dentary teeth also distinguish the new species from most congeners. The new species is also compared to Pareiorhaphis stephanus, a syntopic congener with similar traits.
Keywords: Cascudos; Coastal drainages; Endemism; Itacambiruçu River; Taxonomy
INTRODUCTION
Pareiorhaphis Miranda Ribeiro comprises a distinctive assemblage of loricariid catfishes with 25 known species, including the new taxon described in this report. Species of this genus exhibit a significant variation in body size, color pattern, nature of the pectoral girdle covering, shape of the head, and other morphometric and meristic traits. However, a common pattern related to the sexually dimorphic attributes associated with adult males is shared by all species of the genus and diagnoses Pareiorhaphis among all other neoplecostomines, namely the hypertrophied odontodes that cover most of the cheek, opercle, and exposed lateral process of the cleithrum (Pereira et al., 2007, 2010). The type locality of the new species is located in the rio Itacambiruçu, one of the main tributaries of the rio Jequitinhonha, a