Life Sciences Commons^™

A Checklist Of The Ahermatypic Scleractinia Of The Gulf Of Mexico, With The Description Of A New Species, Stephen D. Cairns

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A brief chronology of discovery of the 54 ahermatypic Scleractinia known from the Gulf of Mexico is presented. Of this total, 6 are new records for the Gulf. A checklist is provided for all species indicating their Gulf distribution and their overall bathymetric range. One new species of Pourtalosmilia is described, which represents a new record for this genus in the western Atlantic.

Notes On Stenopus Scutellatus And S. Hispidus (Decapoda, Stenopodidae) From Mississippi, Ron Lukens

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Two species of Stenopus were collected in 1976 from a Liberty ship artificial reef near Horn Island, Mississippi. Six specimens of S. scutellatus were collected. This represents an occurrence record for Mississippi. Five specimens of S. hispidus were also collected; thus, extending the range in the Gulf of Mexico by about 400 krn to the northwest.

Location Of The Mississippi Sound Oyster Reefs As Related To Salinity Of Bottom Waters During 1973-1975, Charles K. Eleuterius

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The relationship of producing natural oyster reefs of Mississippi Sound to the salinity regime of bottom waters is investigated. Extreme and average conditions were extracted from data taken at 87 stations over a 21-month period from June 1973 through February 1975. With one exception, the producing reefs were subjected to salinity minimums of 2.0 to 4.0 parts per thousand (ppt), maximums of 18.0 to 22.0 ppt, with average conditions being between 10.0 and 16.0 ppt. Salinity-suitable areas in the Sound not now inhabited by oysters are described.

Ultrastructure Of Lymphocystis In The Heart Of The Silver Perch, Bairdiella Chrysura (Lacépède), Including Observations On Normal Heart Structure, Harold D. Howse, Adrian R. Lawler, William E. Hawkins, Carolyn A. Foster

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The fine structure of normal heart muscle from the silver perch, Bairdiella chrysura (Lacépède), is similar to that previously reported for marine and freshwater teleosts.

Cardiac lymphocystis is a viral disease manifested by single, giant-cell lesions variously located in the epicardium, trabecular spaces, and subendocardium – in direct apposition to myocardial cells. Occasionally, the hyaline capsule of lymphocystis cells partially surround myocardial cells but cause no pathological changes or inflammatory reaction.

The lymphocystis cells contain typical cellular organelles, including the viroplasmic net unique to these cells. Annulate lamellae, often continuous with the rough endoplasmic reticulum, are present, usually along the …

Notes On Sarcophagids From The New Host Romalea Microptera, And From Terrapene Carolina Carolina, Adrian R. Lawler

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Sarcophagid fly larvae are reported from the new host Romalea microptera (Palisot de Beauvois), a lubber grasshopper. A new locality record is given for Cistudinomyia cistudinis (Aldrich).

Occurrence Of The Brackish Water Asellote Isopod Munna (Uromunna) Reynoldsi In Texas, Betty J. Callahan, Scott T. Clark, Philip B. Robertson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The asellote isopod Munna (Uromunna) reynoldsi Frankenberg and Menzies, previously known from coastal swamps a t Sapelo Island, Georgia, is reported from Texas. Several specimens were collected in grab samples from Fence Lake, a small brackish marsh lake (salinity 0 to 2.7 ppt) in Sca Rim State Park, and in a nearby coastal marsh (salinity 4.4 ppt). The present records indicate that the species is a brackish water form.

Notes On The Status Of The Gannet (Morus Bassanus) In The Gulf Of Mexico, With A Record From Mississippi, Gordon Gunter, W. David Burke

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Northern Gannet nests on rock cliffs in the north Atlantic and winters as far south as Yucatan on the west, and N.W. Africa on the east. The birds are not known to cross land and seem to fly around Florida to enter the Gulf of Mexico. Most numbers have been reported off Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. Numbers in the western Gulf seem to be few. There are 12 skeletal parts or skins of Texas gannets in museums in Texas and Louisiana. Two specimens have been collected in Louisiana, only one of which is known to remain. …

Larval Cestode Parasites Of Edible Mollusks Of The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico, Edwin W. Cake Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Ten distinct species of larval cestodes were obtained from 43 edible, or potentially edible, benthic mollusks of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Three of the infected mollusks, American oysters, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin), Atlantic bay scallops, Argopecten irradians concentricus (Say), and sunray venus clams, Macrocallista nimbosa (Lightfoot), are important commercial species in the eastern Gulf and the remainder are occasionally eaten by epicurean shellfishermen or were consumed by prehistoric, aboriginal Indians of the Gulf coast. The cestodes represent four orders, seven families and nine recogized genera and include the trypanorhynchs, Euteirarhynchus sp. (of Cake 1975) and Parachristianella sp. (of Cake 1975), …

The Effect Of Depth On Survival And Growth Of Oysters In Suspension Culture From A Petroleum Platform Off The Texas Coast, John Ogle, Sammy M. Ray, W.J. Wardle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The effect of depth on oysters in suspension culture from a petroleum platform off the Texas coast was monitored for 20 months. Growth and condition was similar for adult oysters cultured at five levels down to 8 m. Oysters had a growth rate of 1.2 mm (level 3) to 1.4 mm (level 1) per month,representing an increase in length of 94% to 150% for the 20 months. The condition was best in June 1973 after five months placement offshore (condition index of 14.8, 15.5, 14.7, 13.5 and 13.2 for levels 1 through 5, respectively). The condition was lowest in June …

A Selected Bibliography On The Mass Propagation Of Rotifers With Emphasis On The Biology And Culture Of Brachionus Plicatilis, Mobashir A. Solangi, John T. Ogle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The rotifer Brachionus plicatilis has shown great promise as food for artificially reared fish and crustacean larvae. A list of references on mass propagation of rotifers is presented alphabetically by author. Citations cover and are indexed as culture, diet, ecology, physiology, population dynamics, reproduction, systematics, geographical distribution, food, and biology of rotifers with emphasis on Brachionus plicatilis.

The Eye Lens Weight Technique In Aging Of The Atlantic Croaker, Micropogon Undulatus, Constantine E. Mericas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The eye lens weight to age relationship was examined in croaker, Micropogon undulatus. Lenses were removed, fixed, and weighed using standard techniques. Age estimates were assigned based on total length measurements. Lens weight showed good correlation with total length. Age could be estimated by eye lens weight, but no more accurately or precisely than with length frequency analysis. Cumulative percent frequency analysis of lens weights showed distinct inflections in the curve, which correspond to hypothesized length at age points. The data seem to verify age structure based on length frequency analysis.

Observations On Territoriality In Alligator Mississippiensis, The American Alligator, And Other Points Concerning Its Habits And Conservation, Gordon Gunter

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Reasons are given for believing that charging alligators are serious, especially at their nests and in group defense of the young, rather than going through a “ritualized bluff.” Observations are presented describing the actions of competing alligators and the establishment of territories between them in Mississippi brackish waters. Recent history has shown that alligators can live in natural streams and habitats close to human habitation, if they are not molested. The writer suggests that they should be removed from such environments when they attain a length of nine t o ten feet because at that size they become dangerous. If …