Marine Biology Commons^™

Effects Of Salinity On Growth And Molting Of Sympatric Callinectes Spp. From Camaronera Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico, Sergio Cházaro-Olvera, Mark S. Peterson

Faculty Publications

Megalopae of Callinectes rathbunae Contrareras, 1930 and C. sapidus Rathbun, 1896 were exposed to salinities of 5, 15, and 25 at 25.0degreesC (through crab stage 16) to determine if there were species-specific differences in survival, growth, and intermolt duration. Survival of C. rathbunae decreased significantly at higher salinities, but there was no salinity effect for C. sapidus. Callinectes rathbunae had significantly higher survival than C. sapidus in salinities of 5 and 15, but survival was not different in a salinity of 25. There was no difference in survival of C. rathbunae by gender; survival of both genders was generally lowest …

Seasonal Occurrence Of Reef-Related Medusae (Cnidaria) In The Western Caribbean Sea, Gloria Ramos, Lourdes Segura-Puertas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Seasonal fluctuations in composition and abundance of medusae collected in a reef lagoon of the Mexican Caribbean were analyzed. Plankton samples and hydrological data were taken monthly from January to September 1994 at 2 stations: coastal and near-reef. The highest densities of medusae were recorded in March (17,687 ind/100 m³) and August (2,433 ind/100 m³) at the coastal station. Medusae were less abundant at the nearreef station, but diversity indices were higher in comparison to the coastal station. Twenty-five species (24 hydroidomedusae and 1 scyphomedusa) were identified, with Linuche unguiculata (Swartz, 1788) and Eirene lactea (Mayer, …

A New Species Of Protanaissus Sieg, 1982 (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Peracarida), From South Florida, Kim Larsen, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A new nototanaid species, Protanaissus floridensis, is described from Biscayne Bay in southeastern Florida. Specimens were collected at a depth of 7 m in muddy sand substrata with associated aquatic vegetation (Thalassia testudinum). Protanaissus floridensis, which represents only the 4th species referable to the genus, is the first species of Protanaissus Sieg, 1982, known from the northern hemisphere. The new species is distinguished from the other 3 species of Protanaissus by 1) the dactylus of pereopod 1 shorter than combined length of propodus and carpus, 2) the dactylus of the cheliped with proximal spine on inner …

Introduction To Special Section On Research Activities At The Iztacala Campus Of The Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, México, Mark S. Peterson, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

In October 2002, we had the opportunity to initiate a long-term collaboration with colleagues from the Iztacala campus of the Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM), whose research interests focus on coastal and nearshore fishes and decapod crustaceans of Veracruz state, Mexico. This is an undergraduate campus with a strong Biology department whose faculty also maintain research programs despite limited sources of funding and a heavy teaching load. During the course of our initial visit, we realized that there is a wealth of unpublished undergraduate student research on understudied fish species.

Overview Of Study Areas And Unam-Iztacala Student Research, Jonathan Franco-Lopez, Jose Antonio Martinez-Perez

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The State of Veracruz is located on the east coast of Mexico and consists of many shallow marine systems such as estuaries and coastal lagoons. These estuarine systems are ecological sites of great importance due to the interactions that occur between the intertidal zones and adjacent areas. This importance is reflected in the variety of natural components present in these sites as well as the large number of species that depend on this aquatic zone, such as birds, mammals, molluscs, crustaceans and fishes. Many of the crustaceans and fishes are consumed by the local inhabitants and distributed in commercial areas …

Trophic Comparison Of Two Species Of Needlefish (Belonidae) In The Alvarado Lagoonal System, Veracruz, Mexico, Daniel Arceo-Carranza, Jonathan Franco-Lopez, Gretchen L. Waggy, Rafael Chavez-Lopez

Gulf and Caribbean Research

We compared the diets of Atlantic needlefish, Strongylura marina, and redfin needlefish, Strongylura notata, in the Alvarado lagoonal system, Veracruz, Mexico, and analyzed diet breadth and trophic overlap between the species. All fishes were collected monthly from June 2000 to July 2001 at twelve sampling stations. A total of 74 intestinal tracts from S. marina were analyzed. The diet of S. marina consisted of 25 prey types with fish being the dominate prey. In eighty-nine digestive tracts examined from S. notata, the diet consisted of 29 prey types with the dominant prey including fishes, penaeid shrimp, polychaetes, …

Reproductive Structures And Early Life History Of The Gulf Toadfish, Opsanus Beta, In The Tecolutla Estuary, Veracruz, Mexico, Alfredo Gallardo-Torres, Jose Antonio Martinez-Perez, Brian J. Lezina

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Although the Gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta, is an abundant member of the nearshore Gulf of Mexico ichthyofaunal assemblage, little information exists regarding the ecology of the species, especially for southern Gulf of Mexico populations. We added to the existing knowledge of this species by describing the reproductive structures and examining the early life history of this species in the Tecolutla estuary, Mexico. Macro- and microscopic examination of 7 males showed spermatogenesis to be similar to other teleost species except for the occurrence of biflagellate spermatozoa. Histological examination of the male accessory gland showed 3 tissue layers, but their functions …

Range Extensions And Review Of The Caprellid Amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) From The Shallow, Coastal Waters From The Suwanee River, Florida, To Port Aransas, Texas, With An Illustrated Key, John M. Foster, Brent P. Thoma, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Eight species of the amphipod family Caprellidae sensu Myers and Lowry, 2003 are currently known to occur in the shallow, near shore waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), from the Suwannee River, Florida, to Port Aransas, Texas, and to depths of 10 m. They include: Phtisica marina, Hemiaegina minuta, Paracaprella pusilla, Paracaprella tenuis, Deutella incerta, Caprella equilibra, Caprella penantis, and Caprella scaura. Another species, Caprella andreae, is also suspected to occur in this region due to its close association with sea turtles, which nest on the sand beaches of …

Factors Controlling Seagrass Revegetation Onto Dredged Material Deposits: A Case Study In Lower Laguna Madre, Texas, James E. Kaldy, Kenneth H. Dunton, Joseph L. Kowalski, Kun-Seop Lee

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Our objective was to evaluate the influence of water quality and sediment chemistry on the survival and growth of Halodule wrightii transplanted onto unconsolidated dredged materials in Lower Laguna Madre, TX. Subsequent to transplanting activities, we measured environmental conditions and seagrass parameters at transplant and natural beds over a 1-yr period. Although water quality characteristics at the transplant and comparison sites were compatible with seagrass growth, transplants failed to survive for more than a few months. Seagrasses at natural sites received high light (>6000 mols m−2 y−1) and exhibited typical patterns of annual growth, biomass and density as well …

Feeding Habits And Sexual Dimorphism Of The Violet Goby, Gobioides Broussoneti Lacepede (Pisces: Gobiidae), In The Estuarine System Of Tecolutla, Veracruz, Mexico, Sergio Mata-Cortes, Jose Antonio Martinez-Perez, Mark S. Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Gobioides broussoneti were sampled in Silveña estuary, a branch of the Tecolutla estuary, Veracruz, Mexico, during 2 trips made between February 1998 and June 1999 to evaluate diet and sexual dimorphism. A total of 65 G. broussoneti ranging from 49–401 mm SL (0.7–124.2 g WW) were collected. There was a 1:1.2 sex ratio in favor of females. Seven food types were noted, with filamentous algae (25.4%) and detritus (21.3%) representing the principal food types. A 24 h feeding study revealed that this species feeds continuously throughout the day. The ovaries of all female G. broussoneti contained previtellogenic oocytes, characteristic of …

Reproductive Biology Of The Opossum Pipefish, Microphis Brachyurus Lineatus, In Tecolutla Estuary, Veracruz, Mexico, Martha Edith Miranda-Marure, Jose Antonio Martinez-Perez, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The reproductive biology of the opossum pipefish, Microphis brachyurus lineatus, was investigated in Tecolutla estuary, Veracruz, Mexico, to determine sex ratio, size at maturity, gonadal and brood pouch histology, reproductive seasonality, and fecundity of this little-known syngnathid. A total of 345 fish were collected between 1995–1998, with an overall sex ratio of 1:1.35 favoring females. Brooding males made up 45% of the population, resulting in an operational sex ratio of 1:2.45 heavily favoring females. All males > 90 mm SL were considered sexually mature, as this was the size at which the brood pouch was clearly developed. Females > 110 mm …

Studies On The Crustacea Of The Turks And Caicos Islands, British West Indies. V. Records Of Mysids From Pine Cay, Fort George Cay, Water Cay, And Adjacent Waters, W. Wayne Price, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Only 2 species of mysids, Heteromysis spottei and Stygiomysis clarkei, have been previously reported from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Between 1988 and 1990, 21 species of mysids were collected from reef (to 38 m) and shallow non-reef habitats surrounding Pine Cay, Fort George Cay, and Water Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands. One species collected, Anchialina typica, is distributed throughout tropical and subtropical seas. Twelve species (Bowmaniella johnsoni, Dioptromysis paucispinosa, Heteromysis bermudensis, H. guitarti, H. mayana, Mysidium columbiae, M. gracile, M. integrum, Mysidopsis bispinulata, M. brattstromei, Parvimysis …

A New Pathogenic Virus In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus From The Florida Keys, Jeffrey D. Shields, Donald C. Behringer Jr.

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A pathogenic virus was diagnosed from juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus from the Florida Keys. Moribund lobsters had characteristically milky hemolymph that did not clot. Altered hyalinocytes and semigranulocytes, but not granulocytes, were observed with light microscopy. Infected hemocytes had emarginated, condensed chromatin, hypertrophied nuclei and faint eosinophilic Cowdry-type-A inclusions. In some cases, infected cells were observed in soft connective tissues. With electron microscopy, unenveloped, nonoccluded, icosahedral virions (182 +/- 9 nm SD) were diffusely spread around the inner periphery of the nuclear envelope. Virions also occurred in loose aggregates in the cytoplasm or were free in the hemolymph. …

Light Dependence Of Selenium Uptake By Phytoplankton And Implications For Predicting Selenium Incorporation Into Food Webs, Stephen B. Baines, Nicholas S. Fisher, Martina A. Doblin, Gregory A. Cutter, Lynda S. Cutter, Brian Cole

OES Faculty Publications

The potentially toxic element selenium is first concentrated from solution to a large but highly variable degree by algae and bacteria before being passed on to consumers. The large loads of abiotic and detrital suspended particles often present in rivers and estuaries may obscure spatial and temporal patterns in Se concentrations at the base of the food web. We used radiotracers to estimate uptake of both selenite (Se(IV)) and C by intact plankton communities at two sites in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. Our goals were to determine (1) whether C and Se(IV) uptake were coupled, (2) the role of …

Analytical Intercomparison Between Flow Injection-Chemiluminescence And Flow Injection-Spectrophotometry For The Determination Of Picomolar Concentrations Of Iron In Seawater, Andrew R. Bowie, Peter N. Sedwick, Paul J. Worsfold

OES Faculty Publications

A lab- and ship-based analytical intercomparison of two flow injection methods for the determination of iron in seawater was conducted, using three different sets of seawater samples collected from the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic. In one exercise, iron was determined in three different size-fractions (< 0.03 &μm, < 0.4 μm, and unfiltered) in an effort to better characterize the operational nature of each analytical technique with respect to filter size. Measured Fe concentrations were in the range 0.19 to 1.19 nM using flow injection with luminol chemiluminescence detection (FI-CL), and 0.07 to 1.54 nM using flow injection with catalytic spectrophotometric detection with N, N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (FI-DPD). The arithmetic mean for the FI-CL method was higher (by 0.09 nM) than the FI-DPD method for dissolved (< 0.4 μm) Fe, a difference that is comparable to the analytical blanks, which were as high as 0.13 nM ( CL) and 0.09 nM (DPD). There was generally good agreement between the FI-CL determinations for the < 0.03 μm size fraction and the FI-DPD determinations for the < 0.4 μm size fraction in freshly collected samples. Differences in total-dissolvable ( unfiltered) Fe concentrations determined by the two FI methods were more variable, reflecting the added complexity associated with the analysis of partially digested particulate material in these samples. Overall, however, the FI-CL determinations were significantly (P = 0.05) lower than the FI-DPD determinations for the unfiltered samples. Our results suggest that the observed, systematic inter-method differences reflect measurement of different physicochemical fractions of Fe present in seawater, such that colloidal and/or organic iron species are better determined by the FI-CL method than the FI-DPD method. This idea is supported by our observation that inter-method differences were largest for freshly collected acidified seawater, which suggests extended storage (>6 months) of acidified samples as a possible protocol for the determination of dissolved iron in seawater.

Age And Growth Of Scotia Sea Icefish, Chaenocephalus Aceratus, From The South Shetland Islands, M. La Mesa, J. Ashford, E. Larson, M. Vacchi

OES Faculty Publications

Samples of Chaenocephalus aceratus (Lönnberg) were collected during a trawl survey carried out around the South Shetland Islands in January–February 2002. Fish were caught by commercial bottom trawl fishing down to 500 m depth, using a stratified randomized sampling design. As observed in other recent surveys within the same area, C. aceratus represented one of the predominant species. Overall, 357 specimens ranging from 13 and 67 cm (TL) were selected for the present study. Ages were estimated by counting annuli present in the sagittal otoliths, exposed by grinding and polishing along their sagittal plane. To estimate the precision of age …

Dinitrogen Fixation And Release Of Ammonium And Dissolved Organic Nitrogen By Trichodesmium Ims101, Margaret R. Mulholland, Deborah A. Bronk, Douglas G. Capone

OES Faculty Publications

Two methods used to measure dinitrogen (N₂) fixation (acetylene reduction and ¹⁵N₂ uptake) often result in different N₂ fixation rates. Part of the discrepancy may arise from the observation that Trichodesmium can release a fraction of their recently fixed N₂ as dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and/or ammonium (NH4 ⁺). To resolve outstanding issues regarding N₂ fixation and the production of dissolved combined nitrogen (N) by Trichodesmium, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of N₂ fixation and the production of DON and NH₄⁺ in cultures of Trichodesmium IMS101. We performed …

Influence Of Short-Term Variations In Food On Survival Of Crassotrea Gigas Larvae: A Modeling Study, Eric N. Powell, Eleanor A, Bochenek, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann

OES Faculty Publications

A biochemically-based model was developed to simulate the growth, development, and metamorphosis of larvae of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. The model defines larvae in terms of their protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and ash content and includes variation in growth efficiency and egg quality to better simulate cohort population dynamics. Changes in tissue composition occur as the larva grows and in response to the biochemical composition of the food. The premise behind this modeling study was that certain periods of larval life are more critical than others with respect to the availability of food and that food quality is as …

Physical Forcing Of Phytoplankton Community Structure And Primary Production In Continental Shelf Waters Of The Western Antarctic Peninsula, Barbara B. Prézelin, Eileen E. Hofmann, Mark Moline, John M. Klinck

OES Faculty Publications

Analyses of a multidisciplinary data set, collected in continental shelf waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) during austral summer of January 1993, identified a previously unrecognized forcing mechanism that sets up a physical and chemical structure that supports and assures site-specific diatom-dominated communities and enhanced biological production (Prézelin et al., 2000). This forcing is active when the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) flows along the shelf edge, thereby facilitating onshelf bottom intrusions of nutrient-rich Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW), which then is upwelled or mixed into the upper water column. At times or locations where UCDW …

Does Antarctic Krill Employ Body Shrinkage As An Overwintering Strategy?, Se-Jong Ju, H. Rodger Harvey, H. C. Shinn, Y. Kim, S. H. Kang

OES Faculty Publications

To determine if Antarctic krill employ body shrinkage as one of its overwintering mechanisms in the field, Euphausia superba and Euphausia crystallorophias were collected during fall and winter in and around Marguerite Bay through US Southern Ocean GLOBEC field programs during fall and winter 2001 and 2002. The relationships between the body length and weight of both krill species were exponentially correlated with no significant differences between the two species (p>0.05). The ratio between eye diameter and body length of individual krill was examined in an expectation that it could be used as an indicator of the body shrinkage …

Black Carbon In Estuarine And Coastal Ocean Dissolved Organic Matter, Antonio Mannino, H. Rodger Harvey

OES Faculty Publications

We measured black carbon (BC) in ultrafiltered, high-molecular weight dissolved organic matter (UDOM) in surface waters of Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean (U.S.A.) to investigate the importance of riverine and estuarine dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a source of BC to the ocean. BC was 5-72% of UDOM-C (27 ± 17%), which corresponds to 8.9 ± 6.5% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), with higher values in the heavily urbanized midbay region of the Delaware Estuary and lower yields in the river and coastal ocean. The spatial and seasonal distributions of BC along the salinity gradient of …

Relevant Scales In Zooplankton Ecology: Distribution, Feeding, And Reproduction Of The Copepod Acartia Hudsonica In Response To Thin Layers Of The Diatom Skeletonema Costatum, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Stephen M. Bollens

OES Faculty Publications

We investigated the interaction of the copepod Acartia hudsonica in relation to thin layers of the diatom Skeletonema costatum. Thin layers have recently received much attention, since they are common and persistent features in the water column, often overlooked by traditional sampling methods. Their frequent abundance in coastal oceans and the high biomass associated with them has led to the assumption that they are important grazing sites of calanoid copepods. We employed 2-m tall tower tanks that allowed us to simulate thin layers. Three variables representative of three time scales were considered: the distribution of copepods in the tanks …

Natural Resources Outreach Coalition: Coordination And Program Delivery, Frank Mitchell

PREP Reports & Publications

The Natural Resources Outreach Coalition (NROC) is a multi-organizational initiative providing technical and educational assistance to communities in New Hampshire’s coastal watersheds dealing with the effects of growth. The NROC program offered to communities includes an initial educational public presentation, Dealing with Growth, followed by a series of follow-up meetings to help the community develop an action-oriented work plan, and provide the technical and educational assistance needed to help the community meet its goals.

Support For The 3rd Annual Exeter River Alewife Festival, Exeter River Local Advisory Committee

PREP Reports & Publications

With support from the NH Estuaries Project (NHEP), the Exeter River Local Advisory Committee (ERLAC) held the 3rd Annual Exeter River Alewife Festival on May 31, 2003 in downtown Exeter. NHEP funding enabled ERLAC and the Festival Planning Committee to print and distribute posters and cards advertising the Festival, purchase newspaper advertisements and arrange opportunities for the press to learn more about the event. In addition, ERLAC members worked with area newspapers to write and print eleven articles highlighting aspects of the river and the watershed.

Gbcw Support For Shellfish Activities 2003, B Sharon Meeker, Ann S. Reid

PREP Reports & Publications

The Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW) is a volunteer estuarine monitoring program established in 1989 that includes teachers, students, and local citizens with a diversity of backgrounds. Volunteers participate in a variety of training programs that enable them to monitor water quality parameters in Great Bay and coastal areas, sample for marine phytoplankton blooms and conduct shoreline surveys and habitat evaluations. Since 1997 the New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) has relied on the ability of GBCW to recruit and train volunteers to assist with the implementation of its plan to protect, restore and manage the states estuarine systems. This year …

Case 3270: Isometrinae Clark, 1917 (Ecinodermata, Crinoidea): Proposed Emendation Of Spelling To Isometrainae To Remove Homonymy With Isometrinae Kraepelin, 1891 (Arachnida, Scorpiones), Victor Fet, Charles G. Messing

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The purpose of this application, under Articles 55 and 29 of the Code, is to remove the homonymy between the crinoid subfamily name ISOMETRINAE Clark, 1917 (type genus Isometra Clark, 1908; family ANTEDONIDAE) and the scorpion subfamily name ISOMETRINAE Kraepelin, 1891 (type genus Isometrus Ehrenberg in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828; family BUTHIDAE). It is proposed that the entire generic name of Isometra should be adopted as the stem, so that the correct spelling of the crinoid subfamily will become ISOMETRAINAE Clark, 1917.

Laboratory Analyses Of Water And Shellfish From Coastal Waters And Watershed Of New Hampshire, Jayne S. Finnigan

PREP Reports & Publications

The Department of Health and Human Services-New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories (DHHS-NHPHL) has participated in providing laboratory analyses as part of the National Estuary Program since it’s inception in New Hampshire in 1995. The NHPHL has continued to carry out various actions dealing with the monitoring program as listed in the NH Estuaries Project Management Plan. Introduction: The NHPHL implemented selected actions from the NH Estuaries Project Management Plan and Year Six workplan to help address the environmental problems affecting the state’s estuarine systems.

Natural Resource Mapping And Land Protection Prioritization For Greenland, Nh, Danna B. Truslow, David Mcgraw

PREP Reports & Publications

This report describes the development of the project team, mapping criteria, and results of natural resource and co-occurrence mapping of the town of Greenland, New Hampshire. Using Geographic Information Systems mapping and analysis, natural resource characteristics were mapped and land parcels were evaluated to determine conservation priorities within the town. Outreach activities were also carried out and planned to distribute information to town decision makers, landowners and citizens and to share the results of the mapping process.

The purpose of the work was to help the Seacoast Land Trust and the Town of Greenland better identify land protection priorities in …

Reviewed Work(S): Electronic Tagging And Tracking In Marine Fisheries., David W. Kerstetter

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Age, Growth And The Annual Cycles Of Lipogenesis And Reproduction Of Acanthurus Bahianus In Southeastern Florida, Stacy M. Wolfe

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The ocean surgeon, Acanthurus bahianus, is a coral reef fish inhabiting the tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic, including southeastern Florida. This study was a 23-month analysis of the reproductive cycle correlated with the annual build up and depletion of fat reserves in the fish. In addition, an age and growth analysis of this species was conducted. A total of 507 fish were analyzed for length, weight, gonad weight and fat body weight. 478 were aged by microscopic examination of the transverse section of the sagittae otolith. The von Bertalannfy growth equation was used to determine length at …