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Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology
The Ecological Ramifications Of Disease And Density In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Argus, Donald C. Behringer Jr.
The Ecological Ramifications Of Disease And Density In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Argus, Donald C. Behringer Jr.
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
In 1999, I discovered the first virus known to be pathogenic to any species of lobster. HLV-PA is a pathogenic herpes-like virus that infects juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in the waters off south Florida (USA), and it alters the behavior and ecology of this species in fundamental ways. Gross signs of HLV-PA infection are lethargy, morbidity, cessation of molting, and discolored, “milky” hemolymph that does not clot. HLV-PA infects the hemocytes of host lobsters, specifically the hyalinocytes and semi-granulocytes, but not the granulocytes. When hemolymph from infected donors was injected into healthy juvenile lobsters, 90% of the …
Male Reproductive Dynamics In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Jamie S. Heisig
Male Reproductive Dynamics In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Jamie S. Heisig
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The population size structure of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, in the Florida Keys, Florida (USA) has undergone a dramatic shift as a result of fishing pressure on the large individuals of the population. Male lobsters are affected most by fishing because of sexual dimorphism in size and other studies have shown that male size has direct impacts on reproductive output (i.e., number of fertilized eggs/clutch) that are independent of female size. To assess more precisely the impact of male size on fertilization success, I conducted laboratory experiments and field observations to examine various male reproductive attributes over …
Metabolic Rates And Bioenergetics Of Juvenile Sandbar Sharks (Carcharhinus Plumbeus), W. Wesley Dowd
Metabolic Rates And Bioenergetics Of Juvenile Sandbar Sharks (Carcharhinus Plumbeus), W. Wesley Dowd
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The lower Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coastal waters serve as the primary summer nursery areas for juvenile sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. The large population of juvenile sandbar sharks in this ecosystem benefits from increased food availability that fuels rapid growth and from limited exposure to large shark predators. Juvenile growth and survival is the most critical life history stage for sandbar sharks, and juvenile nursery grounds will continue to play an important role in the slow recovery of this stock from severe population declines due to overfishing. The goal of this study was to assess …
Diet Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus Plumbeus, In Chesapeake Bay And Adjacent Waters, Julia K. Ellis
Diet Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus Plumbeus, In Chesapeake Bay And Adjacent Waters, Julia K. Ellis
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus, is the most abundant large coastal shark in the temperate and tropical waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The Chesapeake Bay, Virginia and adjacent waters serve as a nursery ground for C. plumbeus as well as many other fauna. Characterizing the diet of a higher trophic level predator such as the sandbar shark sheds light on a small portion of the temporally and spatially complex food web in the Bay. This study describes the diet of the sandbar shark, highlighting differences in diet within various portions of the nursery area, as well as ontogenetic changes …