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Gulf and Caribbean Research

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Articles 241 - 270 of 554

Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

Community-Based Development Of Multiple-Use Marine Protected Areas: Promoting Stewardship And Sharing Responsibility For Conservation In The San Andres Archipelago, Colombia, Marion Howard, Ernesto Connolly, Elizabeth Taylor, June Marie Mow Jan 2003

Community-Based Development Of Multiple-Use Marine Protected Areas: Promoting Stewardship And Sharing Responsibility For Conservation In The San Andres Archipelago, Colombia, Marion Howard, Ernesto Connolly, Elizabeth Taylor, June Marie Mow

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The San Andres Archipelago in the western Caribbean includes some of the largest and most productive coral reef ecosystems in the hemisphere. Declared the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2000, this Colombian archipelago has 3 inhabited islands, 5 atolls, and an oceanic area of 300,000 km2. CORALINA, the local representative of the National Environment System, is responsible for environmental planning, management, and education. While setting up the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, this agency had hundreds of meetings with the islands’ communities, listening to their concerns. Issues, conflicts, and threats to marine and coastal areas were identified during these …

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Population Biology Of The Ghost Shrimp Sergio Trilobata (Biffar 1970) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidea), J.L. Corsetti, K.M. Strasser Jan 2003

Population Biology Of The Ghost Shrimp Sergio Trilobata (Biffar 1970) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidea), J.L. Corsetti, K.M. Strasser

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Sergio trilobata is a common burrowing crustacean found in Tampa Bay, Lemon Bay, and Miami, Florida, where it inhabits mainly intertidal soft sediments (Biffar 1971, Manning and Lemaitre 1993 ). Although S. trilobata is a dominant member of the benthic community, very little is known about population dynamics and reproduction of these thalassinideans. The population biology of this ghost shrimp was examined over a period of a year and a half to gain understanding of its life history. Seasonal variation in the proportion of individuals in each size class was observed during the study, suggesting that there may be environmental …

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Feeding Selectivity Of Anchovia Clupeoides (Pisces: Engraulidae) In The Ciénaga Grande De Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean, Guillermo Duque, Arturo Acero P Jan 2003

Feeding Selectivity Of Anchovia Clupeoides (Pisces: Engraulidae) In The Ciénaga Grande De Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean, Guillermo Duque, Arturo Acero P

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Food selection by fishes is an important piece of information for modeling food webs in aquatic ecosystem. Monthly collections were made over a twenty-four hour period between October 1995 and June 1996 to examine the feeding selectivity of the zabaleta anchovy (Anchovia clupeoides) in the coastal lagoon Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, NE Colombia. A total of 4,389 specimens were collected, and the abundances and weights of the stomach food items were compared with similar measures calculated from samples obtained in nearby habitats. Our results indicate that the zabaleta anchovy is planktophagous, actively selecting copepods and detritus throughout …

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Diet Of Tripletail, Lobotes Surinamensis, From Mississippi Coastal Waters, James S. Franks, Katherine E. Vanderkooy, Nikola M. Garber Jan 2003

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 …

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The Biology Of Wahoo (Acanthocybium Solandri) In The Western Central Atlantic, Hazel A. Oxenford, Peter A. Murray, Brian E. Luckhurst Jan 2003

The Biology Of Wahoo (Acanthocybium Solandri) In The Western Central Atlantic, Hazel A. Oxenford, Peter A. Murray, Brian E. Luckhurst

Gulf and Caribbean Research

This contribution summarizes aspects of the biology of the wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri (Scombridae), that are pertinent to assessment and management of this species in the western central Atlantic (WCA). In this region wahoo is a target species for both commercial and recreational fisheries, and annual landings appear to have increased steadily over the last 30 years to in excess of 2000 mt. Wahoo is believed to be migratory, but little is known of the migration patterns. Significant seasonal variation in catches within the region indicates that it is seasonally abundant in most locations. Periods of peak abundance occur from the …

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Using A Modified Purse Seine To Collect And Monitor Estuarine Fishes, Michael R. Wessel, Brent L. Winner Jan 2003

Using A Modified Purse Seine To Collect And Monitor Estuarine Fishes, Michael R. Wessel, Brent L. Winner

Gulf and Caribbean Research

We developed a modified purse seine to sample shallow water estuarine habitats and evaluated the efficacy of using this gear as a tool for monitoring estuarine fish populations in Tampa Bay, Florida. The purse seine (183-m long, 5.2 m deep and 50-mm stretch mesh nylon throughout) was easily deployed and retrieved by a 7 m flat-bottomed, bow-driven boat with a hydraulic wench and aluminum pursing davit. Retention rates of pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) marked and released into 35 net sets averaged 49% (range 9-100%). Retention rates were not significantly influenced by sets over vegetated and unvegetated bottom types, various …

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The Extent And Spatial Scale Of Connectivity Among Reef Fish Populations: Implications For Marine Protected Areas Designated For Fisheries Enhancement, Peter F. Sale, Stuart A. Ludsin Jan 2003

The Extent And Spatial Scale Of Connectivity Among Reef Fish Populations: Implications For Marine Protected Areas Designated For Fisheries Enhancement, Peter F. Sale, Stuart A. Ludsin

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Enthusiasm for the use of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) as management tools for the protection and enhancement of coral reef fishes is widespread. However, evidence that such marine reserves actually enhance fishery yields is limited, primarily because of difficulties in quantifying the exchange of individuals—especially larvae—between local populations within and outside the protected area. Knowledge of the extent and spatial scale of this connectivity is of vital importance for the effective design and implementation of marine reserves intended as fishery management tools. We review our current understanding of connectivity among coral reef populations, including the role of important determining …

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Spatial And Temporal Variability In Zooplankton Community Dynamics In Three Urbanized Bayous Of The Pensacola Bay System, Florida, Usa, Emile M. Lores, Michael A. Lewis, Ziad A. Malaeb Jan 2002

Spatial And Temporal Variability In Zooplankton Community Dynamics In Three Urbanized Bayous Of The Pensacola Bay System, Florida, Usa, Emile M. Lores, Michael A. Lewis, Ziad A. Malaeb

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Spatial and temporal patterns in zooplankton community composition and abundance in coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico are not well understood. Spatial and temporal differences in zooplankton community composition and abundance from 10 stations located in four sites are presented (Pensacola Bay and Bayou Texar, Bayou Chico, and Bayou Grande, three adjacent mesohaline-tidal bayous affected by urban and industrial development). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in log-biovolume among sites. The mean biovolume of zooplankton was highest in Pensacola Bay (0.38 ml m-3) followed by Bayou Grande (0.21 ml m-3), Bayou Chico (0.14 ml m-3), and Bayou Texar (0.06 ml m-3). Mean zooplankton abundances (organisms m-3) in Pensacola …

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Crustacea Of The Cayman Islands, British West Indies. I. Records Of Mysids From Shallow Water Non-Reef Habitats, W. Wayne Price, Richard W. Heard, Jason T. Harris, Croy M.R. Mccoy Jan 2002

Crustacea Of The Cayman Islands, British West Indies. I. Records Of Mysids From Shallow Water Non-Reef Habitats, W. Wayne Price, Richard W. Heard, Jason T. Harris, Croy M.R. Mccoy

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A single species of mysid Siriella chierchiae has been previously reported from the Cayman Islands. However, between May 1995 and August 1999, 20 species of mysids were collected from shallow water non-reef habitats surrounding Grand Cayman and Little Cayman Islands. Of the species collected, one species Anchialina typica has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical and subtropical seas. Thirteen species (Amathimysis cherados, A. gibba, Bowmaniella johnsoni, Dioptromysis paucispinosa, Heteromysis bermudensis, H. mayana, Mysidium columbiae, M. gracile, M. integrum, Mysidopsis bispinulata, M. brattstromi, Parvimysis bahamensis, Siriella chierchiae) are …

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Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracardia) Of The Gulf Of Mexico. X. The Question Of Being Male, Kim Larsen Jan 2002

Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracardia) Of The Gulf Of Mexico. X. The Question Of Being Male, Kim Larsen

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Three new species Parafilitanais mexicana, Collettea elongata, and Paragathotanais medius are described from deep-sea localities in the Gulf of Mexico. The male of Parafilitanais does not vary conspicuously from the female, except for possessing pleopods. Male Paragathotanais reveal that the mouthparts display some degree of sexual dimorphism. Males of all 3 species possess functional mouthparts. The problems identifying male Tanaidacea are discussed. The number of terminal spiniform setae on the maxillule is considered invalid as a diagnostic character. Keys to the species of Parafilitanais and Paragathotanais are given.

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Tanapseudes Gutui, A New Species Of Apseudomorphan Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) From The Caribbean Sea And The Taxonomic Status Of The Family Tanapseudidae Băcescu, Thomas Hansknecht, Richard W. Heard, Roger Bamber Jan 2002

Tanapseudes Gutui, A New Species Of Apseudomorphan Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) From The Caribbean Sea And The Taxonomic Status Of The Family Tanapseudidae Băcescu, Thomas Hansknecht, Richard W. Heard, Roger Bamber

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Tanapseudes gutui, n. sp., is described from depths of 3–34 m off San Juan, Puerto Rico, and 4– 5 m off Goat Island, Tobago. Tanapseudes sinensis Bamber from Hong Kong waters is re-examined and determined to represent a junior synonym of the type species T. ormuzana Băcescu which was originally collected in the Straights of Hormuz off Iran. Tanapseudes gutui can be distinguished from T. ormuzana by several characters including details of the mouth parts, the presence of a reduced spiniform seta on the distotergal margin of the propodus of pereopod 1, pereonites 3–6 with rounded anterior margins, and …

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Hydrobiid Snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Rissooidea) From St. Andrew Bay, Florida, Richard W. Heard, Robin M. Overstreet, John M. Foster Jan 2002

Hydrobiid Snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Rissooidea) From St. Andrew Bay, Florida, Richard W. Heard, Robin M. Overstreet, John M. Foster

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Heleobops sp. of Hershler and Thompson appears to be the only previously published record for the gastropod family Hydrobiidae Troschel in tidal waters of the St. Andrew Bay System, Florida. Six species occurred in bayous, marshes, and brackish ponds associated with the System during studies conducted between 1984 and 1999: Texadina barretti (Morrison), Texadina sphinctostoma Abbott and Ladd, Littoridinops monroensis (Frauenfeld), Littoridinops palustris Thompson, Onobops jacksoni (Bartsch), and Heleobops sp. A. The last is an apparently undescribed species closely related to Heleobops carrikeri Davis and McKee. Based in part on this study, Heleobops sp. A, which occurs in brackish habitats …

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First Record And Habitat Notes For The Genus Lightiella (Crustacea, Cephalocarida, Hutchinsoniellidae) From The British Virgin Islands, Joel W. Martin, Donald B. Cadien, Todd L. Zimmerman Jan 2002

First Record And Habitat Notes For The Genus Lightiella (Crustacea, Cephalocarida, Hutchinsoniellidae) From The British Virgin Islands, Joel W. Martin, Donald B. Cadien, Todd L. Zimmerman

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The crustacean class Cephalocarida, as currently understood, is comprised of five genera and ten species (Hessler and Elofsson 1996, Hessler and Wakabara 2000). Although in some instances numerous specimens have been collected in a single locale (e.g., the nearly 120 specimens of Lightiella incisa Gooding, 1963 from Puerto Rico studied by Sanders and Hessler (1964), and the numerous specimens of Hutchinsoniella macracantha Sanders, 1955 now known from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, see Hessler and Sanders 1973:193), most reports are based on very few specimens. For example, the original description of the genus Hutchinsoniella Sanders, 1955 was based on only eight specimens …

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Morphology Of The First Zoeal Stage Of Platypodiella Spectabilis (Herbst, 1794) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Xanthidae) Obtained In The Laboratory, Adilson Fransozo, Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo, Joel W. Martin, Sandra E. Trautwein Jan 2001

Morphology Of The First Zoeal Stage Of Platypodiella Spectabilis (Herbst, 1794) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Xanthidae) Obtained In The Laboratory, Adilson Fransozo, Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo, Joel W. Martin, Sandra E. Trautwein

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Ovigerous females of the xanthid crab Platypodiella spectabilis (Herbst, 1794) were obtained from 2 widely separated localities: the Ubatuba coast (Félix Beach, São Paulo) of Brazil and Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). First stage zoea larvae were obtained from females at both locations. Those from Brazil are described and illustrated. The first zoea bears dorsal, rostral, and lateral carapace spines, plus a well-developed and spinose antennal protopod that bears a greatly reduced exopod with 2 minute setae. This antennal morphology, along with other characters, places the species among the “Group I” xanthid zoeas of Rice (1980) and …

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Gulf Estuarine Research Society Fall 2000 Meeting Abstracts Jan 2001

Gulf Estuarine Research Society Fall 2000 Meeting Abstracts

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Fall 2000 meeting of the Gulf Estuarine Research Society (GERS) was held at the Holiday Inn in Hammond, Louisiana on Monday and Tuesday, November 13 and 14, 2000. Local arrangements were organized by Denise J. Reed (University of New Orleans) and Robert W. Hastings (Southeastern Louisiana University) with significant support from Carolyn Woosley and Dr. Gary P. Shaffer. The Scientific Program was organized by Mark S. Peterson (The University of Southern Mississippi).

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Utilization Of Saltmarsh Shorelines By Newly Settled Sciaenids In A Texas Estuary, Bert W. Geary, Jay R. Rooker, James W. Webb Jan 2001

Utilization Of Saltmarsh Shorelines By Newly Settled Sciaenids In A Texas Estuary, Bert W. Geary, Jay R. Rooker, James W. Webb

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Post-settlement patterns of habitat use along saltmarsh shorelines of Galveston Bay, Texas were examined for three sciaenids; spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), and Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus). Collections were made summer through fall of 1997 and 1998 using a 1.5-m beam trawl hand-towed along the outside edge of salt marshes. Sciaenids were collected from tidal pass, bay, and remote tidal creek areas to assess large-scale (bay-wide) patterns of distribution and abundance. Cynoscion nebulosus were smaller and most numerous at bay stations, with densities peaking in June. Conversely, S. ocellatus were collected …

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Gastropod Larvae And Zooplankton In Reef-Related Areas Of The Western Caribbean Sea, Alberto De Jesus-Navarrete, Jose Juan Oliva-Rivera Jan 2001

Gastropod Larvae And Zooplankton In Reef-Related Areas Of The Western Caribbean Sea, Alberto De Jesus-Navarrete, Jose Juan Oliva-Rivera

Gulf and Caribbean Research

In order to estimate the composition, distribution and abundance of zooplankton in 3 areas off the western Caribbean, samples were collected in 15 stations at South Coast and Chinchorro Bank, Mexico, and Hol-Chan Belize, from April to December 1996. Duplicate samples (2.5 m3) were collected bimonthly using a submersible pump. The pumped water was filtered through a 202 μm mesh net yielding a total of 20 zooplankton groups. Chinchorro Bank had 19 groups, South Coast had 15 groups, and Hol-Chan had 14 groups. The most abundant groups were copepods (43.1%), fish eggs (29.0%), foraminifera (12.0%), decapod larvae (5.7%) …

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Growth Of Captive Juvenile Tripletail Lobotes Surinamensis, James S. Franks, John T. Ogle, J. Read Hendon, Donald N. Barnes, L. Casey Nicholson Jan 2001

Growth Of Captive Juvenile Tripletail Lobotes Surinamensis, James S. Franks, John T. Ogle, J. Read Hendon, Donald N. Barnes, L. Casey Nicholson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Early-juvenile tripletail Lobotes surinamensis (n = 27; range 45–115 mm TL, 0 = 73.0 mm; range 3.2–34.7 g TW, 0 = 12.9 g) captured in pelagic Sargassum algae off coastal Mississippi in mid-July 1999 were reared in a recirculating seawater system for 210 days. Fish were maintained on a natural light-dark cycle and fed to satiation 3 times per day. Water temperature ranged from 25.2° to 29.0° C and salinity was 28.0‰. All fish were measured for length and weight on days 1, 60, 135 and 210 of the study. Between these dates, mean daily TL growth rates were 2.2 …

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The Stomatopod Alachosquilla Floridensis (Manning, 1962) (Crustacea, Stomatopoda, Nannosquillidae) Reported From Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, With Observations On Color, Joel W. Martin, Todd L. Zimmerman Jan 2001

The Stomatopod Alachosquilla Floridensis (Manning, 1962) (Crustacea, Stomatopoda, Nannosquillidae) Reported From Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, With Observations On Color, Joel W. Martin, Todd L. Zimmerman

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Although color pattern can vary among and within species of the Crustacea, it can also be a conservative feature that can be very helpful in field identifications. This is often the case in the Crustacea Decapoda, where sibling species can be detected by subtle differences in color (e.g., Williams and Felder 1989, Zimmerman and Felder 1991, Knowlton and Mills 1992). Stomatopods are among the most colorful crustaceans when living. Many species show a great deal of variability (Manning 1969, Camp 1973), and knowledge of this coloration is often key to their identification in the field and in the lab (Schotte …

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Effects Of Salinity On Development In The Ghost Shrimp Callichirus Islagrande And Two Populations Of C. Major (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidea), K.M. Strasser, D.L. Felder Jan 2001

Effects Of Salinity On Development In The Ghost Shrimp Callichirus Islagrande And Two Populations Of C. Major (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidea), K.M. Strasser, D.L. Felder

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Salinity (S) was abruptly decreased from 35‰ to 25‰ at either the 4th zoeal (ZIV) or decapodid stage (D) in Callichirus islagrande (Schmitt) and 2 populations of C. major (Say). Other larvae were maintained at stable 35‰ or 25‰ S throughout development. In C. islagrande, duration of ZIV did not vary among the stable salinities. However, a decrease of salinity at ZIV reduced the duration of this stage, suggesting that the S decrease could be a possible cue for acceleration of larval development. In the Gulf population of C. major duration of ZIV was significantly longer at stable 35‰ …

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Accurate 3-D Morphological Measurement Using A Structured-Light Range Sensor, Robert L. Cromwell, Stuart G. Poss Jan 2001

Accurate 3-D Morphological Measurement Using A Structured-Light Range Sensor, Robert L. Cromwell, Stuart G. Poss

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A single-plane structured light range-sensor was tested to establish its usefulness in acquiring 3-D measurements of fish skulls. Twenty-one distances among 22 landmark points for each of 12 neurocrania of the scorpaenid fish Neomerinthe hemingway were taken with digital calipers, with a video-based 2-D imaging system widely used in systematic studies, and with a single-plane structured-light range sensor of inexpensive and simple design. Measures taken by 3-D sensor are highly correlated with those obtained from caliper measurement (r = 0.9995, P << 0.001 ), with a precision ranging from 0.08–0.43 mm. Like caliper-based measurements, they are less strongly correlated with measurements derived from projected video-imaging. Most skulls were scanned in just over 3 minutes each. Range maps, typically establishing the (x,y,z) coordinates of more than 75,000 points per scan, can be obtained in about 40–50 CPU seconds using software running on multiple platforms. Sensor data taken from different views can be merged to build a more complete 3-D reconstruction. System design, calibration, and use are discussed. By eliminating error due to perspective effects inherent in measuring from projected video images, such sensors hold considerable promise in quantifying biological shape in 3-D for comparative and functional studies.

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The Chaetognatha Of The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico During April-May, 1986, Silvia Mille-Pagaza, Jorge Carrillo-Laguna Jan 2001

The Chaetognatha Of The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico During April-May, 1986, Silvia Mille-Pagaza, Jorge Carrillo-Laguna

Gulf and Caribbean Research

An analysis of the distribution and abundance of Chaetognatha species from the Gulf of Mexico during April–May 1986 is presented. Zooplankton samples were collected at 43 stations from the southwestern and eastern regions of Mexico’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Species richness and abundance were higher in the southwestern stations located at the platform slope. The rank of Importance Value (IV) shows 3 groups of species; the first group included Flaccisagitta enflata, Mesosagitta minima, Serratosagitta serratodentata, Krohnitta subtilis, Pterosagitta draco, Sagitta bipunctata, and Krohnitta pacifica which were the most widely distributed …

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Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracardia) Of The Gulf Of Mexico. Ix. Geographical Occurrence Of Apseudes Olimpiae Gutu, 1986 With A Review Of Previous Records For The Genus Apseudes In The Gulf, Tom Hansknecht, Richard W. Heard Jan 2001

Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracardia) Of The Gulf Of Mexico. Ix. Geographical Occurrence Of Apseudes Olimpiae Gutu, 1986 With A Review Of Previous Records For The Genus Apseudes In The Gulf, Tom Hansknecht, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Examination of tanaidacean specimens collected from shelf waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) revealed the presence of the apseudomorph Apseudes olimpiaeGutu, 1986, whose type locality was unknown, but suspected to be Bermuda. It is now determined that the type material actually came from the northeastern Gulf. Although the specific station locality information for the type material has been lost; records indicate that specimens from the Gulf were sent to Romania for study by M. Băcescu and apparently became mixed with material from Bermuda. Based on additional material from the present study, new locality records are established for …

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Oceanic And Neritic Ichthyoplankton At The Edge Of The Continental Shelf In The Southern Gulf Of Mexico, Cesar Flores-Coto, Fernando Flores-Hernandez, Faustino Zavala-Garcia, Virgilio Arenas-Fuentes, Maria Adela Monreal-Gomez, David Alberto Salas-De-Leon Jan 2000

Oceanic And Neritic Ichthyoplankton At The Edge Of The Continental Shelf In The Southern Gulf Of Mexico, Cesar Flores-Coto, Fernando Flores-Hernandez, Faustino Zavala-Garcia, Virgilio Arenas-Fuentes, Maria Adela Monreal-Gomez, David Alberto Salas-De-Leon

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Oceanic and neritic ichthyoplankton were examined at a single sampling site at the edge of the continental shelf in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Double oblique tows were made with a 60 cm Bongo net fitted with 505 µm mesh netting. Collections were taken every 2 hours over a 24 h period during spring, summer and fall of 1992. Fish larvae were described as either oceanic or neritic depending upon adult lifestage habitat. The larvae of 59 taxa were collected in spring (50 oceanic, 9 neritic), 53 in summer (26 oceanic, 27 neritic) and 55 in fall (22 oceanic, 33 …

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Lunar Periodicity And Bioluminescence Of Swarming Odontosyllis Luminosa (Polychaeta: Syllidae) In Belize, Gary R. Gaston, Jennifer Hall Jan 2000

Lunar Periodicity And Bioluminescence Of Swarming Odontosyllis Luminosa (Polychaeta: Syllidae) In Belize, Gary R. Gaston, Jennifer Hall

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Few benthic polychaetes have the notoriety of the bioluminescent “glowworm”, Odontosyllis luminosa San Martin, 1990, that inhabits soft-sediment habitats of the Caribbean. A few nights after a full moon, apparently during most months of the year, a most unusual phenomenon occurs. Female glowworms leave the sediments, swim toward the water surface, and release a bioluminescent egg mass, causing a bright green glow near the water’s surface. The female’s luminescence attracts the males, which also glow briefly. The tiny worm has a bright glow, and viewing it is a favorite pasttime in the Caribbean. Over 50 years ago investigators linked the …

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Fecundity Of Litopenaeus Setiferus, Farfantepenaeus Aztecus And F. Duorarum, In The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Martin Perez Velazquez, Adolfo Gracia Jan 2000

Fecundity Of Litopenaeus Setiferus, Farfantepenaeus Aztecus And F. Duorarum, In The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Martin Perez Velazquez, Adolfo Gracia

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Fecundity of white shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus aztecus, and pink shrimp F. duorarum and relationships to gonad weights and total and carapace length were estimated. Ovigerous females were collected in the southern Gulf of Mexico in February, May, August and November 1993. Fecundity was estimated by means of a gravimetric method. The equations relating fecundity to total weight and fecundity to gonad weight were linear in the 3 species. However, an exponential relationship was found between fecundity and carapace length in L. setiferus and F. aztecus. Of the relationships examined, gonad weight was considered a …

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Feeding Habits Of Juvenile Lane Snapper Lutjanus Synagris From Mississippi Coastal Waters, With Comments On The Diet Of Gray Snapper Lutjanus Griseus, James S. Franks, Katherine E. Vanderkooy Jan 2000

Feeding Habits Of Juvenile Lane Snapper Lutjanus Synagris From Mississippi Coastal Waters, With Comments On The Diet Of Gray Snapper Lutjanus Griseus, James S. Franks, Katherine E. Vanderkooy

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Stomach contents analysis was used to quantitatively describe the diets of juvenile lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris, and juvenile gray snapper, Lutjanus griseus, from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Juvenile snapper were collected by trawling at two estuarine, deep channel sites in Mississippi coastal waters from September 1996 to January 1997. Lane snapper (n = 53) and gray snapper (n = 12) both consumed a variety of prey organisms, but primary prey were amphipods, decapods (shrimp and crabs), and fishes. The most important prey items for lane snapper based on percent Index of Relative Importance (%IRI) were shrimp remains …

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Possible Sustained Effects Of Hurricanes Opal And Erin On The Macrobenthos Of Nearshore Habitats Within The Gulf Islands National Seashore, Chet F. Rakocinski, Sara E. Lecroy, Jerry A. Mclelland, Richard W. Heard Jan 2000

Possible Sustained Effects Of Hurricanes Opal And Erin On The Macrobenthos Of Nearshore Habitats Within The Gulf Islands National Seashore, Chet F. Rakocinski, Sara E. Lecroy, Jerry A. Mclelland, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Possible sustained effects of hurricanes Opal and Erin on the macrobenthos of nearshore habitats of the Florida district of Gulf Islands National Seashore were assessed. Pre-hurricane macrobenthic data originating mainly from a large-scale faunal inventory conducted during 1993 were compared with posthurricane data collected one year after the 1995 disturbances. Nearshore habitats examined included both exposed and protected sand beaches, as well as grassbed and lagoon sites. Within one year after the hurricanes, few faunal effects could be discerned at exposed beach sites, whereas possible faunal effects were apparent in protected nearshore habitats. Abundances of 4 major epifaunal crustacean taxa …

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The South American Neritic Copepod Ctenocalanus Heronae Vega-Pérez And Bowman (Calanoida) In The Gulf Of Mexico, With Comments On The Taxonomy Of The Genus, E. Suarez-Morales, A. Leon-Oropeza Jan 2000

The South American Neritic Copepod Ctenocalanus Heronae Vega-Pérez And Bowman (Calanoida) In The Gulf Of Mexico, With Comments On The Taxonomy Of The Genus, E. Suarez-Morales, A. Leon-Oropeza

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A single adult female specimen of the calanoid copepod Ctenocalanus heronaeVega-Pérez and Bowman was collected during a zooplankton survey carried out in February 1997 in Campeche Sound, the central-southeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. The taxonomy of the genus Ctenocalanus Giesbrecht is still unclear. Characters used to separate the species have been considered rather subtle. In this paper the taxonomic illustrations of the specimen collected are accompanied by a revision of the taxonomic features commonly used to identify the species. New, previously overlooked characters such as the cephalosome/urosome ratio, the shape of the 5th legs and particularly the …

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Relationship Between Pea Crab (Pinnotheres Maculatus) Parasitism And Gonad Mass Of The Bay Scallop (Argopecten Irradians), Paul A.X. Bologna, Kenneth L. Heck Jr. Jan 2000

Relationship Between Pea Crab (Pinnotheres Maculatus) Parasitism And Gonad Mass Of The Bay Scallop (Argopecten Irradians), Paul A.X. Bologna, Kenneth L. Heck Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

We investigated the prevalence of pea crabs (Pinnotheres maculatus) in bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) from 1994 through 1996 in a scallop population from St. Joseph Bay, Florida. We also assessed their impacts on scallop reproductive potential. Our results showed that prevalence in bay scallops varied between 0 and 20% and were extremely low during 1996 (<2%). Comparing Gonadal-Somatic Indices (GSI) between infested and non-infested bay scallops in samples assessed the impact of pinnotherid parasitism. Results showed that GSI was significantly reduced in infested individuals compared to non-infested individuals of the same size range (t12 = 2.3, P <0.04). These results suggest that P. maculatus infestation may lower the reproductive potential of individual scallops, but the low rates of parasitism may only minimally impact the host population.

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