Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Hurricane Katrina On An Incipient Population Of Giant Salvinia Salvinia Molesta In The Lower Pascagoula River, Mississippi, Pam L. Fuller, Mike G. Pursley, Dale Diaz, Wesley Devers

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The objectives of this study were to: 1) survey the lower Pascagoula River Basin and determine the post–storm distribution and abundance of giant salvinia; 2) control any remaining giant salvinia through physical and/or chemical means; 3) determine the fate of the bio–control agents; and 4) determine if re–introduction of salvinia weevils is needed and if so, to decide where best to release them.

First Record Of Bonefish, Albula Vulpes, From Mississippi Coastal Waters, K.J. Cuevas, James S. Franks, M.V. Buchanan

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bonefish (Albula spp.), Family Albulidae, occur worldwide in coastal waters of tropical and warm temperate seas (Crabtree et al. 1997), and 2 species, A. vulpes and A. nemoptera, are recognized from the western Atlantic Ocean (Rivas and Warlen 1967). The normal range of A. vulpes in the western Atlantic extends from Bermuda to Brazil, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, Central America and the Antilles (Hildebrand 1963), but in US waters, A. vulpes typically occurs off south Florida (Crabtree et al. 1997). In contrast, A. nemoptera has been reported from Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica and Hispaniola (Uyeno et al. …

Diet Of Tripletail, Lobotes Surinamensis, From Mississippi Coastal Waters, James S. Franks, Katherine E. Vanderkooy, Nikola M. Garber

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The diet of tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis, collected from the Mississippi Sound and Mississippi's offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico between April and September 1995-1997, was investigated through analysis of stomach contents. Of 178 tripletail stomachs examined, 136 (76%) contained prey items, and 42 (24%) were empty. Tripletail with prey in their stomachs ranged from 183 to 787 mm total length (mean 522.6 mm) and 0.14 to 10.5 kg total weight (mean 3.64 kg). The diet consisted of 32 different prey types and was comprised of shrimp, crabs, and teleost fishes which were represented by about equal number and …

Spatial And Temporal Changes In Subtidal Benthic Crustaceans Along A Coastal River-Estuarine Gradient In Mississippi, Mark S. Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic crustaceans were collected monthly between 24 August 1985 and 20 September 1986 from tidal freshwater (TFW), oligohaline (OH) and mesohaline (MH) sites in Old Fort Bayou, a black-water tidal river of the Biloxi Bay estuary, Mississippi. Salinity varied seasonally and spatially and was primarily related to variations in rainfall during this study. Reduced rainfall after October 1985 resulted in the upstream movement of saline water and a concommitant shift in benthic crustaceans upstream with this change in the physical-chemical environment. This shift is supported by a significant positive concordance of ranks between salinity and relative abundance of Gammarus sp. …

First Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) Record In Mississippi, Jon C. Peterson, Wayne Hoggard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded on the south shore of Horn Island, Mississippi, represents the first record of this species in the state. The specimen, a neonate female, was euthanized at the stranding site. Tissue samples, blood samples, and stomach contents were analyzed following gross necropsy.

Long-Term Adult Population Fluctuations And Distribution Of The Spot, Leiostomus Xanthurus, In Mississippi, Brian D. Leblanc, Deborah L. Murphy, Robin M. Overstreet, Michael J. Maceina

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Adult specimens of the spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, were collected from bayou, Mississippi Sound, and barrier island locations along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi from November 1982 to July 1989. The mean total length of all spot sampled in comparable gill net sets was 219 mm (± 14 standard deviation, n=4,338). Ninety-five percent of the spot were collected in the island and sound areas, where the salinity was higher than in the bayous. Catch per unit effort was high at island and sound stations in spring and autumn, with relatively few fish caught during the winter spawning season and summer. …

Success Of Juvenile Striped Bass In Two Bay Systems In Mississippi: 1980-1984, Ronald R. Lukens, Larry C. Nicholson, J.Y. Christmas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Success of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis, Walbaum) stocking program in the Biloxi Bay and St. Louis Bay systems in Mississippi was investigated by monitoring the occurrence of juveniles in bag seine collections in the Biloxi, Tchouticabouffa, Jourdan, and Wolf Rivers. A total of 554 juvenile striped bass were collected during the study. Hydrographic data and stomach analyses indicate that neither water conditions nor food was a limiting factor to juvenile striped bass survival. Appearance of juveniles subsequent to the stocking of Atlantic coast fry and fingerlings coupled with lateral line scale count data indicate that all juveniles …

The Growth Of Cultchless Crassostrea Virginica Spat At Biloxi Bay, Mississippi Using Different Methods Of Culture, John T. Ogle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Oyster spat produced from the experimental hatchery of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Point Cadet, Biloxi, Mississippi, were grown under a variety of conditions. Recovery of spat planted on adjacent bay bottom was negligible, despite the use of either whole oyster valves, crushed oyster shell or clam shell as a substrate. Negligible growth occurred for spat held in vertical and horizontal water tanks. Growth of spat in horizontal tanks was affected by the density of stocking, with lower densities producing faster growth. Growth in all studies was slower than anticipated and a comparison on growth for spat from a …

Invertebrates Associated With The Thinstripe Hermit Clibanarius Vittatus (Bosc) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Diogenidae) From The Barrier Islands Of Mississippi, Leslie Bruce

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Hermit crabs, the gastropod shells that they inhabit, and associated epifauna constitute a motile microhabitat. Twenty-three macroscopic. epifaunal invertebrates were associated with the diogenid crab Clibanarius vittatus in Mississippi coastal waters. Epibiotic growth may discourage predation of the crab, reduce competition for the shells, or provide an advantage in agonistic shell interaction. In addition, the shell provides a hard substrate for settling and attachment of epifauna in an area that is largely devoid of hard substrate. Reduced sedimentation and prevention of shell burial, improved food availability, transport, and protection from predation may also be advantageous to the epizoans.

Soil Characteristics Of Four Juncus Roemerianus Populations In Mississippi, Lionel N. Eleuterius, John D. Caldwell

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The physical and chemical characteristics of soil from four widely separated Juncus roemerianus populations in Mississippi tidal marshes are determined. The J. roemerianus populations studied are located in Grand Bayou, Salt Flats, Weeks Bayou,and Belle Fantaine marshes. Organic matter, pH, CEC, N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, and Zn analyses are based on composite soil samples. The percentage of sand, silt, and clay of the marsh soils is determined along with soil water content from the four locations. Statistical analysis indicates which marshes are different for each soil characteristic tested. No appreciable amounts of organic matter are present in the …

Soil Characteristics Of Spartina Alterniflora, Spartina Patens, Juncus Roemerianus, Scirpus Olneyi, And Distichlis Spicata Populations At One Locality In Mississippi, Lionel N. Eleuterius, John D. Caldwell

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Soil characteristics from five adjacent monotypic zones or different populations of tidal marsh plants are determined. Populations of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Juncus roemerianus, Scirpus olneyi, and Distichlis spicata located in Graveline Bay marsh, Mississippi, are studied. Slight elevational differences between the plant populations exist. The aerial biomass for each plant population is different based on seasonal determinations. Soil pH, organic matter, N, P, K, S, Zn, Ca, and Mg concentrations are based on analyses of seasonal composite soil samples. Analyses of soil water samples are used to determine water content, salinity, PO₄, and …

Aspects Of The Biology Of The Red Drum, Sciaenops Ocellatus, In Mississippi, Robin M. Overstreet

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Several hundred specimens of the red drum from Mississippi were critically assessed. Regression equations for standard-length (SL) versus total-length differed between males and females and between small and large members of the same sex. A single regression line represented the weight-SL relationship for males with females. For condition coefficients to be helpful, fish had to be grouped at least by sex, season, and length or stage of maturity. By 12 months of age, most fish were about 30 to 32 cm SL and their distribution ranged throughout Mississippi Sound rather than being restricted to inshore bayou and marsh habitats like …

Aspects Of The Biology Of The Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion Nebulosus, In Mississippi, Robin M. Overstreet

Gulf and Caribbean Research

About 3,000 specimens of the spotted seatrout from Mississippi Sound and adjacent water grouped by males and females had a nearly identical standard length (SL) versus total length (TL) relationship, although the equation for males in winter differed from that for those in other seasons. When investigating the SL-weight relationship, some differences occurred both among seasons and between sexes. Therefore, condition coefficients (K) were calculated to compare male and female groups according to their length and state of maturation on a seasonal basis. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) tended to increase with fish length, with relatively high values occurring in winter …

A Note On The Reproductive Season Of The Carolina Marsh Clam Polymesoda Caroliniana (Bosc) In An Irregularly Flooded Mississippi Marsh, Courtney T. Hackney

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The gonadal development of Polymesoda caroliniana in an irregularly flooded, brackish marsh was followed for 13 months. Ripe individuals (condition prior to spawning) were found in May, July, August, and October, suggesting either an extended period of spawning or three discrete spawning periods. This pattern is different from another study of P. caroliniana in a more flooded habitat.

The observed gonadal condition correlates with the presence of newly recruited clams in the marsh during most of the year, but failed to explain a pulse of juveniles found in February. The different reproductive pattern observed in this brackish marsh may be …

Multilinear Models For The Prediction Of Brown Shrimp Harvest In Mississippi Waters, Frederick C. Sutter Iii, J.Y. Christmas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A multilinear regression analysis of water temperature, salinity, and number of postlarval brown shrimp in nursery areas was used to predict the June and July commercial harvest of brown shrimp in Mississippi waters. A total of 80.2% of the variation in harvest was accounted for by this model. When an effort variable was added to the equation, the amount of variation explained by these parameters increased to 85.4%. The coefficients of the two multilinear equations were recalculated exclusive of the data set for the last year to test the predictive capabilities of the models. For that year, the first model …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In The Macrobenthos Of St. Louis Bay, Mississippi, James T. Mcbee, Walter T. Brehm

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic community structure in St. Louis Bay was studied for 23 months. Cluster analyses distinguished two habitats: open water areas and areas near the marshy shores of rivers and bayous. Two groups of “euryhaline opportunistic” species were dominant at the open water stations. Temporal patterns of the “euryhaline opportunists,” which appeared to be controlled by a combination of reproductive pulses and seasonally intense predation, showed that the greatest abundance of macroinfauna occurred during the cooler months with reduced recruitment during the second year. The river-bayou stations were characterized by two groups of “estuarine endemic” species. One of these groups was …

Heat Death Of Least Tern Chicks On The Gulfport, Mississippi, Beach In 1980, Gordon Gunter

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Least Tern is among the smallest of the long-winged flyers and an indescribably ethereal impression emanates from it in flight. Thus great interest was generated when this tern began to nest on the mainland beach of Mississippi Sound about 12 years ago. In 1980, Least Tern chicks died in numbers on the beach and this generated considerable comment and some bombast. An upstate ornithologist announced that poison in the food chain was the cause, but no poison has ever been found in the carcasses of the dead chicks or in the water. The mortality of Least Tern chicks was …

Mississippi Manatees, Gordon Gunter, Gerald Corcoran

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The taxonomy and the distribution of the American manatee Trichechus manatusare reviewed briefly. Its distribution extends from 50°N on the eastern coast of North America to 19°S in South America. Records from the northern Gulf coast are given including sightings from Mississippi in January 1979, and one from the open ocean off Louisiana in July 1979. A live manatee was captured in the Gulfport, Mississippi, Harbor in January 1979, and was transported to Sea World in Orlando, Florida. It still lives there in good condition. A carcass of a female was found near the eastem end of Ship Island …

A Preliminary Checklist Of Marine Benthic Diatoms Of Mississippi, Michael J. Sullivan

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A checklist of diatoms collected from various benthic habitats in coastal salt marshes and offshore seagrass beds of Mississippi has been compiled for the first time. The checklist includes 213 taxa (species and their varieties) in 43 genera with 19 of these taxa found only on the leaves of offshore seagrasses. Synedra fasciculata var. intermedia (Grun.) Sulliv. comb. nov. is proposed to be consistent with the nomenclature of the nominate variety. Future work with this ecologically important group of marine algae should result in many new additions to this preliminary checklist.

Pseudomma Heardi, A New Peracarid (Crustacea: Mysidacea) From Continental Shelf Waters Off Mississippi, Kenneth C. Stuck

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Pseudomma heardi n. sp. is described and illustrated. Specimens were obtained from plankton samples taken in 18 to 60 meters depth in offshore waters of Mississippi. This new species can be distinguished from other species of Pseudomma by the presence of 16 to 21 serrations on the anterior and lateral margins of the ocular plate, strong lateral spine of antennal scale which extends well beyond apex of scale and 4 to 6 spines on lateral margins of telson.

Trends In Ex-Vessel Value And Size Composition Of Reported May - August Catches Of Brown Shrimp And White Shrimp From The Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, And Alabama Coasts, 1960-1978, Charles Wax Caillouet, Dennis Brian Koi

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Exponential models were used to characterize (1) ex-vessel value (in dollars) per shrimp by size category (count; i.e., number of shrimp per pound, heads off); (2) size composition (expressed as cumulative weight of the catch in pounds, heads off, by size category); and (3) ex-vessel value composition (expressed as cumulative ex-vessel value, in dollars, of the catch by size category) for reported May-August catches (inshore and offshore combined) of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) and white shrimp (P. setiferus) from the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama coasts (statistical areas 10-21) from 1960 to 1978. Exponents of the …

Observations On The Distribution And Seasonality Of Portunid Megalopae In Mississippi Coastal Waters, Kenneth C. Stuck, Harriet M. Perry

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Observations on the distribution and seasonality of common coastal portunid megalopae are presented. Callinectes sapidus megalopae were abundant from May through November. The megalopae of C. similis, though present throughout the year, peaked in numbers from February through April. With the exception of January, Portunus spp. megalopae occurred in all months, with maximum numbers collected in April. Callinectes sapidus megalopae commonly occurred at all stations, whereas, the megalopae of C. similis and Portunus spp. appeared to be limited by salinity.

Occurrence And Seasonality Of Perkinsus Marinus (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) In Mississippi Oysters, John Ogle, Katherine Flurry

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Oysters from four reefs in Mississippi Sound, sampled over a period of 25 months, were found to have a low prevalence of the protozoan parasite Perkinsus marinus. The greatest values were 80% prevalence, and 0.88 weighted incidence recorded for oysters from Biloxi Bay, Mississippi.

Enterovirus And Bacterial Evaluation Of Mississippi Oysters, R.D. Ellender, D.W. Cook, V.L. Sheladia, R.A. Johnson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The numbers of enteric viruses and fecal coliform bacteria in oysters and water samples collected along the Mississippi Gulf coast during 1979 were determined. Ten viral isolates, representing members of the poliovirus group, were identified from an approved oyster harvesting site. The number of virus isolations increased to 51 when oysters were collected from a prohibited harvesting location. The majority of isolates were identified as poliovirus type 1 or 2, coxsackievirus B3 and B4, and echovirus type 24. Fecal coliforms in water samples collected at approved and prohibited locations confirmed the classification assigned to each area by the Mississippi State …

Prevalence Of Fimeria Funduli (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) In The Longnose Killifish Fundulus Similis From Horn Island, Mississippi, John W. Fournie, Mobashir A. Solangi

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Eimeria funduli occurred in Fundulus similis from Horn Island, Mississippi, during 1980, in contrast with its apparent absence during 1978 and 1979. Prevalence of the parasite appears to be related to the unusually low salinity in Mississippi Sound, and in ponds and off the beaches of Horn Island. The low salinity may have promoted the migration of infective intermediate hosts from inshore waters to the island.

First Record Of A Bloom Of Gonyaulax Monilata In Coastal Waters Of Mississippi, Harriet M. Perry, Kenneth C. Stuck, Harold D. Howse

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data are presented on a bloom of the toxic dinoflagellate Gonyaulax monilata in coastal waters of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. This paper documents the first record of a bloom of this species in Mississippi Sound and adjacent Gulf of Mexico.

Patterns Of Suspended Particle Transport In A Mississippi Tidal Marsh System, Courtney T. Hackney, Armando A. De La Cruz

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The flux of suspended particulate organic detritus (POD) and suspended inorganic detritus (PID) was studied during ten diurnal tidal periods (24-hour) and three semidiurnal tidal periods (12-hour) between May 1975 and April 1976. The concentration of POD ranged from 1.50 to 19.79 mg/l, while the PID ranged from 3.20 to 99.61 mg/l. There was a net export of POD during four of 13 tidal periods and a net export of PID during five tidal periods. There was a total net movement of 39.32 and 292.51 kg of POD and PID, respectively, into the marsh. On an annual basis, this is …

A Study Of Four Oyster Reefs In Mississippi, John Ogle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A study of four oyster populations in Mississippi over 13 months (May 1978-May 1979) indicates that although oysters are sexually developed during most of the year (10 months), setting was variable in intensity, dependent upon location, and limited in all cases to one or two months. Mortality was variable, dependent upon location and was attributed to high predation at one station and to harvesting and fresh water at the other stations studied. Suggestions for management are discussed.

Effects Of 1973 Floodwaters On Plankton Populations In Louisiana And Mississippi, Suzanne R. Hawes, Harriet M. Perry

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Studies to assess the impact of floodwater diversion on plankton populations in coastal waters of Mississippi and Louisiana were conducted from 23 April 1973 through 13 July 1973. Fixed stations in Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne and western Mississippi Sound were sampled once in April, twice in May and June, and once in July. Stations in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana were visited once in May, June and July.

Data are presented on changes in the species composition of zooplankton subsequent to the opening of the Bonnet Card and Morganza floodways. The hydrographic conditions at the time of sampling are discussed.

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.