Marine Biology Commons^™

Effects Of Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) Expansion On Saltmarsh (Spartina Alterniflora) Benthic Communities Of The South Texas Coast, Jessica Lunt, Kimberly Mcglaun, Elizabeth M. Robinson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

This study examined the effects of mangrove expansion on benthic communities. This was accomplished by examining plant composition, benthic community composition, and belowground root biomass. Two sites were examined: Corpus Christi Pass, Corpus Christi, TX where mangroves have become more common in the last decade and the Lower Laguna Madre, South Padre Island, TX where mangroves are well established. This research seeks to provide preliminary results to provide direction for future studies examining the interplay of S. alterniflora and A. germinans habitat on benthic communities. We hypothesize that the more established site of South Padre Island will have greater numbers …

What Is Known About Species Richness And Distribution On The Outer-Shelf South Texas Banks?, Harriet L. Nash, Sharon J. Furiness, John W. Tunnell Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The outer-shelf South Texas Banks, also known as the snapper banks, are known by fishermen to be excellent fishing grounds. However, few scientific studies have been conducted to describe the ecology of these uncommon but distinctive habitats. This paper describes results of a literature review and an assessment to determine what is known about the biota of the South Texas Banks and to assist in developing renewed interest and focus on these topographic highs. The outer-shelf South Texas Banks include relict coralgal reefs and relict barrier islands, and we also include data for a nearshore site, which is geographically and …

Assessment Of Seagrass Floral Community Structure From Two Caribbean Marine Protected Areas, Paul A.X. Bologna, Anthony J. Suleski

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Seagrass communities represent spatially complex and biomass producing systems comprised of intermixed seagrass and algal species. We investigated shallow water communities from two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Caribbean: St. John, United States Virgin Islands and Cayos Cochinos, Honduras. St. John sites (4) lie within the Virgin Islands National Park and the Coral Reef National Monument and are designated within an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Honduran sites (4) lie within the designated Marine National Monument. Our results indicate that both MPAs were dominated by Thalassia testudinum with spatial coverage and shoot density significantly greater in Honduras. Many sites also showed …

Depuration Of Macondo (Mc-252) Oil Found In Heterotrophic Scleractinian Corals (Tubastrea Coccinea And Tubastrea Micranthus) On Offshore Oil/Gas Platforms In The Gulf, Steve R. Kolian, Scott Porter, Paul W. Sammarco, Edwin W. Cake Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The impetus for this study began on 8 May 2011, when we noted sporadic mortality of colonies of orange—cup corals, Tubastrea coccinea (Lesson, 1829), and green sun corals, Tubastrea micranthus (Ehrenberg, 1834; Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia) among colonies of coral that appeared to be in good health at the GI 90 block platforms. Colonies of T. coccinea which appeared to be healthy displayed markedly less tissue regression and were bright orange in color. The morbid polyps were dark brown or black. The corals were collected, transported to the laboratory, and segregated; healthy—appearing corals were placed in quarantine tanks. After 12 h …

Occurrence Of An Intersexual Blacktip Shark In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, With Notes On The Standardization Of Classifications For This Condition In Elasmobranchs, Jill M. Hendon, David M. Koester, Eric R. Hoffmayer, William B. Driggers Iii, Angela M. Cicia

Faculty Publications

An intersexual Blacktip Shark Carcharhinus limbatus with a testis, immature female reproductive tracts (embedded), and claspers was caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Histology of the single gonad revealed that all stages of spermatogenesis were occurring; however, the absence of ovaries and a male duct system suggests that neither sex would have been functional in this individual. Intersexuality has been reported in 17 families and 36 species of elasmobranchs. The degree to which the different sexes are present in a given individual is often difficult to categorize by normal hermaphroditic standards, as this is typically an anomalous presentation in elasmobranchs. …

Spatial And Size Distribution Of Red Drum Caught And Released In Tampa Bay, Florida, And Factors Associated With Post-Release Hooking Mortality, Kerry E. Flaherty, Brent L. Winner, Julie L. Vecchio, Theodore S. Switzer

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The recreational fishery for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) in Florida is unusual in that most red drum targeted are immature and caught within estuarine waters. Current state regulations rely exclusively on bag and size limits, resulting in the release of a large proportion of captured individuals. This study employed hook-and-line sampling conducted monthly in Tampa Bay, Florida and catch-and-release mortality experiments to determine the spatial and size distribution of red drum and the mortality rate of released fish, respectively. Of the 1,405 red drum collected, more than 70% were smaller than the minimum legal size (457 mm standard …

Effects Of Closure Of The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet On Saltwater Intrusion And Bottom Water Hypoxia In Lake Pontchartrain, Michael A. Poirrier

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The goal of this study was to determine if Mississippi River Gulf Outlet closure by hurricane flood protection projects stopped saltwater intrusion, salinity stratification, and associated low bottom water dissolved oxygen in Lake Pontchartrain.

First Record Of A Nurse Shark, Ginglymostoma Cirratum, Within The Mississippi Sound, Jill M. Hendon, Eric R. Hoffmayer, William B. Driggers Iii

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Of all the coastal shark species in the northern Gulf of Mexico, the nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, is one of the few species not documented in the Sound. Unlike most coastal sharks, nurse shark distribution is confined to a relatively specific suite of abiotic characteristics. Hannan et al. (2012) demonstrated that the distribution of nurse sharks in the northern GOM is primarily limited to hard bottom habitats with relatively high temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity. Herein, we provide support for the findings of Hannan et al. (2012) and report the first documented occurrence of a nurse shark …

Characterization Of Ichthyoplankton In The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico From Seamap Plankton Surveys, 1982-1999, Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz, David S. Hanisko, Kenneth J. Sulak, Malgorzata Konieczna, Pamela J. Bond

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data for 61 selected ichthyoplankton taxa from 1,166 bongo and neuston net samples at 72 stations comprising the USGS Northeastern Gulf of Mexico Ichthyoplankton Synopsis (UNIS) study area were analyzed. These data were taken during annual spring and fall Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Gulfwide plankton surveys over the period 1982-1999. The UNIS study area contributed disproportionately more fish eggs, total larvae and net-caught zooplankton biomass to survey totals than would be expected from the number of samples taken in the study area. This pattern was more evident during spring than fall surveys and is probably related to …

The Impact Of Coastal Phytoplankton Blooms On Ocean-Atmosphere Thermal Energy Exchange: Evidence From A Two-Way Coupled Numerical Modeling System, Jason K. Jolliff, Travis A. Smith, Charlie N. Barron, Sergio Derada, Stephanie C. Anderson, Richard W. Gould, Robert A. Arnone

Faculty Publications

A set of sensitivity experiments are performed with a two-way coupled and nested ocean-atmosphere forecasting system in order to deconvolve how dense phytoplankton stocks in a coastal embayment may impact thermal energy exchange processes. Monterey Bay simulations parameterizing solar shortwave transparency in the surface ocean as an invariant oligotrophic oceanic water type estimate consistently colder sea surface temperature (SST) than simulations utilizing more realistic, spatially varying shortwave attenuation terms based on satellite estimates of surface algal pigment concentration. These SST differences lead to an similar to 88% increase in the cumulative turbulent thermal energy transfer from the ocean to the …

Assimilating Altimetric Data Into A South China Sea Model, Chau-Ron Wu, Ping-Tung Shaw, Shenn-Yu Chao

Faculty Publications

Sea surface heights from the TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter are assimilated into a three-dimensional primitive equation model to derive the circulation in the South China Sea. With data assimilation the model resolves not only the basinwide circulation but also a dipole off Vietnam and a low/high feature near the Luzon Strait. Mesoscale features are missing in the simulation without data assimilation because of poor resolution in the wind field and inadequate knowledge of the transport through the Luzon Strait. Compared to the case without data assimilation, data assimilation reduces the root mean square error between the simulated and observed sea surface heights …

Marine Fungi Of U.S. Gulf Of Mexico Barrier Island Beaches: Biodiversity And Sampling Strategy, Allison Kathleen Walker

Dissertations

Marine fungi are an important but often overlooked component of marine ecosystems. Primarily saprotrophic, they are vital to coastal nutrient cycling processes and food webs. However, basic marine fungal distribution data are lacking in many parts of the world, as is knowledge of the sampling intensity required to characterize the biodiversity of these communities. The roles of substrate, season and latitude in shaping intertidal ascomycete community structure were examined for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and the role of sampling frequency on species richness estimates was also addressed. Best sampling practices were developed and 750 collections of beach detritus, sand …

Management Of Biological And Chemical Constituents For The Advancement Of Intensive, Minimal-Exchange, Biofloc-Based Shrimp (Litopenaeus Vannamei) Aquaculture, Andrew James Ray

Dissertations

Intensive, minimal-exchange, biofloc-based shrimp aquaculture systems may provide a sustainable alternative to traditional shrimp culture. Through a series of experiments, this document explores the effects of several key management strategies on water quality, isotopic distribution, and shrimp production.

An experiment evaluated the effects of managing suspended solids (biofloc) concentration at two levels. It was found that using a higher flow rate to larger settling chambers resulted in significantly lower biofloc and nitrate concentrations, and significantly improved shrimp growth rate. A second experiment compared systems with clear water and systems with biofloc. The filters in the clear water systems prevented biofloc …

Fluorescence And Size Characterization Of Dissolved Organic Matter In Riverine And Sea Waters In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Zhengzhen Zhou

Dissertations

Riverine export of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component in marine carbon budget but the composition and phase partitioning are poorly quantified. Monthly water samples were collected from the lower Mississippi and Pearl rivers between January 2009 to August 2011 for DOM characterization using the fluorescence excitation emission matrix (FluoEEM) technique, coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), and flow field-flow fractionation technique. DOM in the Pearl River showed higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, temporal fluctuation, and aromaticity, reflecting instantaneous inputs of DOM from local soil and plant litter. In contrast, DOM in the Mississippi River exhibited lower …

Nutrient Depletion As A Proxy For Microbial Growth In Deepwater Horizon Subsurface Oil/Gas Plumes, Alan M. Shiller, Dongjoo Joung

Faculty Publications

The Deepwater Horizon accident resulted in a substantial uncontrolled hydrocarbon release to the northern Gulf of Mexico, much of which was entrained in deep submerged plumes. While bio-degradation of the hydrocarbons has been inferred from microbial biomass and genetics, the amount of conversion of oil and gas carbon to biomass remains uncertain having only been estimated in modeling studies. Here we examine correlated depletions of nitrate, phosphate and oxygen in the submerged plumes and conclude that a substantial portion of hydrocarbons in these plumes was converted to biomass (0.8-2 x 10(10) mol C). This contrasts with nutrient-limited surface waters where …

Modeling Photosynthesis Of Spartina Alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass) Impacted By The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Using Bayesian Inference, Wei Wu, Patrick D. Biber, Mark S. Peterson, Chongfeng Gong

Faculty Publications

To study the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on photosynthesis of coastal salt marsh plants in Mississippi, we developed a hierarchical Bayesian (HB) model based on field measurements collected from July 2010 to November 2011. We sampled three locations in Davis Bayou, Mississippi (30.375 degrees N, 88.790 degrees W) representative of a range of oil spill impacts. Measured photosynthesis was negative (respiration only) at the heavily oiled location in July 2010 only, and rates started to increase by August 2010. Photosynthesis at the medium oiling location was lower than at the control location in July 2010 and it …

A New Us Polar Research Vessel For The Twenty-First Century, Robert B. Dunbar, Jon Alberts, Carin Ashjian, Vernon Asper, Dale Chayes, Eugene Domack, Hugh Ducklow, Bruce Huber, Lawrence Lawver, Daniel Oliver, Doug Russell, Craig R. Smith, Maria Vernet

Faculty Publications

Scientific and political interests at the poles are significant and rapidly increasing, driven in part by the effects of climate change and emerging geopolitical realities. The polar regions provide important services to global ecosystems and humankind, ranging from food and energy to freshwater and biodiversity. Yet the poles are experiencing changes at rates that far outpace the rest of the planet. Coastal Arctic communities are impacted by climate change through coastal erosion, sea level rise, ice loss, and altered marine food webs, threatening the future of their subsistence lifestyle. Climate change has dramatically increased the melt rate of ice sheets …

Evaluating Macrobenthic Indicators Of Organic Enrichment And Hypoxia Within The Coastal Mississippi Hypoxic Zone, Daneen P. Menke

Master's Theses

Macrobenthic communities offer effective indicators of biotic integrity, but their use for distinguishing anthropogenic from natural stress is tricky because coastal taxa are eurytolerant. Effective coastal management calls for benthic indicators that respond to specific stressors, apply across different habitats, and reflect ecosystem function. Macrobenthic process metrics based on body-size descriptors should reflect ecosystem function and be useful for assessing the effects of eutrophication. Functional trait analysis should reflect the functional diversity of the community. Coastal Mississippi experienced widespread and sustained hypoxia throughout summer 2008. Site 6 located on the 10-m isobath in the center of the 2008 hypoxic zone …

Phase Speciation Of Carbohydrates And Dioxins In Rivers And Coastal Waters In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Kusumica Mitra

Master's Theses

Dissolved carbohydrates (d-CHO), including monosaccharide (MCHO) and polysaccharides (PCHO), and particulate carbohydrates (p-CHO) are major components of natural organic matter and play an important role in biogeochemical cycles of carbon and other trace elements in marine environments. This study aimed to examine the abundance and partitioning of CHO between dissolved and particulate phases and their seasonal variations in the Mississippi Sound/Bight and Lake Pontchartrain. Laboratory mixing experiments were also carried out to examine the behaviour of CHO species along a salinity gradient. The phase partitioning of dioxin among three different phases, i.e., colloidal organic matter, particulate organic matter and sediments, …

Determining The Trophic Role Of Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) Using Carbon And Nitrogen Stable Isotopes, Zachary Olsen

Master's Theses

Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) play multiple roles in the Gulf of Mexico coastal ecosystem as filter feeders and as an important food source for many recreationally and economically important finfish. Gulf menhaden also support a large commercial fishery, and little is known about the impact of fishing on the role of this species as a filter feeder in the food web. This study examines the spatial, temporal and ontogenetic dynamics of food selectivity and trophic role observed in Gulf menhaden. The most important dietary item for juvenile fish was found to be phytoplankton (75.7% dietary composition) while that of subadults …

Anode Material Testing For Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells, Andrew John Quaid

Master's Theses

Research on the power production of the microbial fuel cell has increased in the past decade. The sediment microbial fuel cell is a type of fuel cell that uses the environment of submerged sediments to provide a natural voltage difference. The fuel cell is comprised of an anode buried in the sediment and a cathode that is held in the overlying water column. The process of electron transfer to the anode is catalyzed by anaerobic bacteria in the sediment. The anaerobic bacteria have that are able to catalyze the electron transfer have been termed exoelectrogenic. The increase in scientific research …

Evolution Of A Sexually Dimorphic Trait In A Broadly Distributed Topminnow (Fundulus Olivaceus), Jacob F. Schaefer, David D. Duvernell, Brian R. Kreiser, Charles Champagne, Scott R. Clark, Melissa Gutierrez, Laura K. Stewart, Chazz Coleman

Faculty Publications

Understanding the interaction between sexual and natural selection within variable environments is crucial to our understanding of evolutionary processes. The handicap principle predicts females will prefer males with exaggerated traits provided those traits are indicators of male quality to ensure direct or indirect female benefits. Spatial variability in ecological factors is expected to alter the balance between sexual and natural selection that defines the evolution of such traits. Male and female blackspotted topminnows (Fundulidae: Fundulus olivaceus) display prominent black dorsolateral spots that are variable in number across its broad range. We investigated variability in spot phenotypes at 117 sites …

Impacts Of Upstream Drought And Water Withdrawals On The Health And Survival Of Downstream Estuarine Oyster Populations, Laura E. Petes, Alicia J. Brown, Carley R. Knight

Faculty Publications

Increases in the frequency, duration, and severity of regional drought pose major threats to the health and integrity of downstream ecosystems. During 2007-2008, the U.S. southeast experienced one of the most severe droughts on record. Drought and water withdrawals in the upstream watershed led to decreased freshwater input to Apalachicola Bay, Florida, an estuary that is home to a diversity of commercially and ecologically important organisms. This study applied a combination of laboratory experiments and field observations to investigate the effects of reduced freshwater input on Apalachicola oysters. Oysters suffered significant disease-related mortality under high-salinity, drought conditions, particularly during the …

Were Multiple Stressors A "Perfect Storm" For Northern Gulf Of Mexico Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In 2011?, Ruth H. Carmichael, William M. Graham, Allen Aven, Graham Worthy, Stephan D. Howden

Faculty Publications

An unusual number of near term and neonatal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mortalities occurred in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in 2011, during the first calving season after two well documented environmental perturbations; sustained cold weather in 2010 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWHOS). Preceding the stranding event, large volumes of cold freshwater entered the nGOM due to unusually large snowmelt on the adjacent watershed, providing a third potential stressor. We consider the possibility that this extreme cold and freshwater event contributed to the pattern of perinatal dolphin strandings along the nGOM coast. During the 4-month period starting …

Genetic Variation In Potentially Virulent Vibrio Parahaemolyticus From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Nicholas Felix Noriea Iii

Dissertations

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V_p) is a gram-negative bacterium found naturally in marine and estuarine environments. V_p is found in oysters including those which are later consumed by the public. Sub-populations of potentially virulent Vp contain specific virulence factors and are relevant human pathogens capable of causing gastroenteritis, wound infection, and death. The tdh and trh genes, both encoding hemolysins, have been correlated with the majority of clinical V_p isolates but have not been shown to be the definitive virulence factors.

A total of 146 V_p isolates from the northern Gulf of Mexico were collected and probed …

Effects Of Hypoxia And 4-Tert-Octylphenol On Gene Expression Profiles Of The Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon Variegatus), Arthur Alan Karels

Dissertations

Hypoxia occurs in estuaries of northern Gulf of Mexico and world-wide, with increasing frequency/severity via eutrophication and anthropogenic influences. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) form transcriptional complex and bind DNA at hypoxia responsive elements (HREs) in promoter regions of genes needed for systemic and cellular adaptation of fish to low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia, DO <2.0 mg/ml). Hypoxia-induced activation of HIF-αs can lead to a cascade of downstream activation, such as erythropoietin (EPO). Return to normal DO levels (normoxia), prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) are activated to degrade HIF-αs back to baseline. Fish are affected by environmental estrogen mimics, like 4-tert-octylphenol (4tOP), binding estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) at estrogen responsive elements (EREs) and activating genes vitellogenin (VTG). Previous research showed overlap or crosstalk between these two mechanistic pathways. Hypoxia triggers unknown factors regulating ERE-mediated ERα signaling pathway, and stressor combinations could increase/decrease hypoxic or endocrine pathway. Research examined molecular/physiological effects of hypoxia (acute and chronic, moderate and severe) and 4tOP (~60μg/L)on adult male and/or female sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus). Three genes identified, cloned, and sequenced (HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and PHD3), plus previously identified genes EPO and VTG, were examined in liver/testes exposed to hypoxia and/or 4tOP for cellular/physiological changes. Endpoints examined included mRNA expression from real-time PCR of HIF-1α, HIF-2α, PHD3, EPO, and VTG using cDNA from total RNA extracts, and microarray analyses of genes expressed during the transition from hypoxia back to normoxia. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed isolation of two HIF-α isofoms (HIF-1α and HIF-2α) and the PHD3 isoform. Significant up-regulation of PHD3 occurred within 10 hrs of chronic hypoxia, and persisted when severe (1.5 mg/L) and declined when moderate (~2.5mg/L). Significant up-regulation of HIF-1α and EPO occurred within 30 minutes to 2 hours of onset of acute severe and very severe (~1.08mg/L) hypoxia. Hypoxia acted similar to an estrogen mimic, with huge up-regulation of VTG gene expression in males, and increased VTG levels (additive effect) when hypoxia was combined with 4tOP. Microarray analyses showed 125 genes with significant transcriptional change, with up- or down-regulation from transitions of: (1) hypoxia (72 hrs) to normoxia (74 hrs) and (2) hypoxia+4tOP (72 hrs) to normoxia+4tOP (74 hrs).

Application Of A Hybrid 3d-Var Data Assimilation System In The Monterey Bay To Study Regional Dynamics Of The California Current System, Chudong Pan

Dissertations

A data assimilation system combining 3-dimensional variational scheme and Navy Coastal Ocean Model was applied to the Monterey Bay area to assimilate temperature and salinity glider data collected in August 2003. The hybrid background error covariance model in the present 3-dimensional variational system incorporates both the static and the flow-dependent background error covariance. To explore the impact of high temporal resolution on the overall skill of the assimilation system, the intended data assimilation interval was set to 1 hour in the present study. A Floating Temporal Window approach is designed to keep the computational efficiency of the scheme and to …

Diversity Of Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) In The World's Oceans - How Far Have We Come?, Gary Anderson, Magdalena Blazewicz-Paszkowycz, Roger Bamber

Faculty Publications

Tanaidaceans are small peracarid crustaceans which occur in all marine habitats, over the full range of depths, and rarely into fresh waters. Yet they have no obligate dispersive phase in their life-cycle. Populations are thus inevitably isolated, and allopatric speciation and high regional diversity are inevitable; cosmopolitan distributions are considered to be unlikely or non-existent. Options for passive dispersion are discussed. Tanaidaceans appear to have first evolved in shallow waters, the region of greatest diversification of the Apseudomorpha and some tanaidomorph families, while in deeper waters the apseudomorphs have subsequently evolved two or three distinct phyletic lines. The Neotanaidomorpha has …

An Evaluation Of Mississippi Barrier Islands As A Spawning And Nesting Habitat For The American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus, With Implications For Island Restoration, Richard Fulford, Rebecca A. Haehn

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The American horseshoe crab (HSC), Limulus polyphemus, is an economically and ecologically important species in the coastal ecosystem. Horseshoe crabs inhabit the continental shelf and estuaries from Maine to the central Gulf Coast and the Yucatán Peninsula. Although the presence of horseshoe crabs in southern Mississippi is known locally, there are limited data specific to the area and population, particularly regarding spawning and nesting habitat. Surveys of HSC presence, habitat use, and behavior on Mississippi barrier islands were conducted between March and November 2007 to 2009. These data, combined with habitat surveys of the barrier islands, were used to …

Determination Of The Spawning Season Of Bigmouth Sleeper In Puerto Rico By Examination Of Gonad Maturation And Reproductive Hormone Cycles, Nathan J. Harris, J. Wesley Neal, Todd D. Sink, Peter W. Perschbacher

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bigmouth sleepers, Gobiomorus dormitor, are diadromous fish that have potential for hatchery production as both food and sport fish and for conservation purposes. Understanding of bigmouth sleeper maturation and seasonal hormone cycling are necessary in order to realize hatchery production. Therefore, seasonal trends in gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma vitellogenin, estradiol, progesterone and total testosterone concentrations were examined in wild and captive populations in Puerto Rico during the presumed spawning season. The spawning season for wild river populations of bigmouth sleepers was protracted over several months, but peaks in male testosterone (6.5 ng/mL) and female vitellogenin (11.3 ng/mL), estradiol …