Mortality patterns of marine turtles entangled in fishing gear, found dead at sea or stranded dead on and around the coast of Britain in the period 1992–1996 are described. Of a total of 38 dead turtles identified, 35 were leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and three were loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). All D. coriacea were considered adults or subadults nearing sexual maturity. Six individuals were assessed as females, ten were classified as males and 19 were not sexed. Dermochelys coriacea (N=20 measured) ranged from 120 to 210 cm in curved carapace length (mean, 152 cm). The three C. caretta were juveniles, and ranged from 15 to 30 cm curved carapace length. Possible origins, causes of mortality and interactions with fisheries are discussed. In addition, contaminant levels were determined in the tissues of three D. coriacea. Concentrations of organic contaminants determined were found to be low.

Geographical morphological variations in Fucus vesiculosus populations were studied along the coast of Iceland. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on 11 morphological characters clustered the 26 sampling sites into four different morphological types as follows: (1) a morphological type found along the S-SW-W coast; (2) an intermediate form comprising only two populations in the NW; (3) a type found along the N-NE-E-SE coast; and (4) a type found independent of geographical area, in estuaries and at sites influenced by large freshwater outflows. Populations influenced by low salinity had significantly (P ≤ 0·001) shorter thalli, a shorter distance from the holdfast to the oldest dichotomy, smaller fronds, narrower stipes and midrib width compared to the morphology of all other more saline populations. No significant difference in frond width was found between the S-SW-W and the N-NE-E-SE populations. However, significant (P ≤ 0·001) morphological differences between them were observed, the former having shorter thalli, a greater distance from the holdfast to the oldest dichotomy, narrower stipes and smaller midrib width compared to the latter.

Discriminant function analysis was used to identify two morphotypes of Fucus spiralis (Phaeophyta: Fucales), F. spiralis forma spiralis and F. spiralis forma nanus, within a single population. Evidence was found that they are true formae, not extremes of a range of types produced in response to environmental gradients. Forma spiralis tends to be larger than forma nanus, and to dominate the lower part of the species distribution on the shore. However, size alone appears insufficient to reliably separate the two formae given their high degree of morphological variability.

Thioploca are sulphur oxidizing-nitrate reducing gliding filamentous benthic bacteria belonging to the Beggiatoaceae. In this paper we report on the discovery of Thioploca resulting from a commercial fishery survey of Trachurus capensis (horse mackerel) and Merluccius capensis (hake) carried out off Namibia between 18°00·1′S and 25°00·8′S from 4–10 December 1996, on board the RV ‘Welwitschia’. The first positive finding of sheathed, presumably vacuolated, Thioploca in the Benguela Current ecosystem is now reported.

Mysids (Paramesopodopsis rufa) were tethered in both swarm and school formations in a flow tank to test whether food capture was influenced by orientation or position in the aggregation. Neither orientation nor position exerted a significant influence on food capture success. However, the two formations differed in that certain positions in the polarized configuration were significantly correlated. In addition individuals at the front of the aggregation captured more food (though non-significantly) with a significantly higher degree of variation. This experiment has demonstrated the feasibility of measuring food capture success in different locations within an aggregation of crustaceans.

Long-term fluctuations in the abundance of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus in the north-east Atlantic are compared to the North Atlantic Oscillation index over the period 1958–1995. The strong climate-plankton link previously observed is confirmed and a simple linear regression model is constructed with the aim of predicting the abundance of the species several months in advance. For the years 1993–1995 the model predictions are in accordance with observations, but not in 1996 when the abundance of C. finmarchicus fell, although the climatic scenario indicated that a sharp increase should have occurred. The potential causes of this discrepancy are discussed.

Interindividual trail following by the patellid limpet Cellana toreuma was studied by field observations for more than ten successive days in the non-reproductive period. This behaviour was more frequent during spring tides than neap tides, when the limpets were moving longer distances in response to greater tidal amplitudes. Small individuals performed this behaviour with longer distances and higher frequencies than did larger individuals. Path analysis revealed that total distance moved during foraging excursions and mean resting site height had direct and indirect positive effects on the frequency of the interindividual trail following, respectively, and shell length and frequency of intraindividual trail following exerted a direct, negative effect.

Deep-water trawling for fish species on the shelf slope off Scotland results in a by-catch of rare cephalopod species. The cirrate octopus Opisthoteuthis grimaldii is normally present below 800 m; at least one other species of cirrate and five species of incirrate octopus are found; significant extensions of range and depth are recorded. An incidental catch of the ommastrephid squid, Todarodes sagittatus, included a fully mature specimen and is indicative of its probable breeding locations. The results highlight the many taxonomic and systematic uncertainties surrounding the rarer cephalopod forms, and emphasize the utility of the fishing by-catch.

A specimen of Chaunoteuthis mollis (Cephalopoda: Onychoteuthidae), a mature mated female, from the Straits of Messina was examined. Measurements and indices were compared with those of Onychoteuthis banksii reported by previous authors. The differences found were attributed to the degeneration of the C. mollis specimen, due to sexual maturation. Two subocular (one under each eye) and two visceral photophores, similar to those of O. banksii, were present in the C. mollis specimen. The size of the posterior visceral photophore of C. mollis fit the regression line correlating posterior photophore diameter to mantle length in O. banksii. These results corroborate the hypothesis, put forward by other authors, that C. mollis represents the mature female of O. banksii.

Presumptive viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) was recorded from 1/4 of the benthopelagic fish Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus (Teleostei: Macrouridae) trawled from the abyss west of Portugal. In a blood smear made from the caudal vein of this fish, 8·6% of erythrocytes contained 1–2 intracytoplasmic inclusions which were invariably round and 1·13 ±0·43 μm in diameter. An eosinophilic granular area accompanied many inclusions. In comparison with erythrocytes from uninfected specimens of C. (N.) armatus, most of those from the infected fish were larger. Erythrocytes with suspected VEN exhibited either normal staining, or were pale, with swollen or crenated nuclei which were often displaced to the cell periphery. Erythrocyte ghosts, with and without inclusions and granules, were present in the same infected fish, suggesting osmotic damage to red cells resulting from the infection. None of 13 other C. (N.) armatus and 27 fish examined from collections made south of Maderia, representing another 20 species of benthic, benthopelagic and mid-water fish, had detectable infections.

The capture of the cornich blackfish, Schedophilus medusophagus, larvae from the Adriatic Sea represents an easterly extension in range of this species, and the first larval record in Adriatic waters.

Schedophilus medusophagus Cocco, 1839, is a mesopelagic species from temperate waters of the north-eastern and north-western Atlantic and the western Mediterranean (Bini, 1968; Tortonese, 1975; Haedrich, 1986). The first record of this fish from the Adriatic Sea was reported in 1880 according to Ninni (1912). The second record was during the invasion of medusae Pelagia noctiluca (Malej, 1982; Rottini-Sandrini & Stravisi, 1982; Vučetić, 1982,1983) in Pelješac channel near the town of Korčula-island Koršula (central Adriatic) in 1982 (Onofri, 1986). Ten juvenile specimens, from 10·0 to 20·0cm total length (TL), were collected with medusae at 2m depth. This record Onofri (1986) connected with the ingression of inter-median waters (50–100 m) in the central Adriatic influenced the increase of salinity and temperature in 1982. Jardas (1996) noted that S. medusophagus is a very rare species in the Adriatic Sea.

Since official records were first initiated in 1973, there have been reports of 154 small cetacean strandings in Hong Kong territorial waters. The species Neophocaena phocaenoides (finless porpoise) and Sousa chinensis (Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin) accounted for 77% of these strandings. There are seasonal peaks in the number of reported strandings: Sousa chinensis is more frequently reported during the summer monsoon season and Neophocaena phocaenoides is more frequent in the winter. Almost a third of all finless porpoises stranded were calves. The number of reported small cetacean strandings in Hong Kong has increased dramatically in recent years; partially due to an increasing awareness of local cetaceans and possibly due to escalating levels of human disturbance and anthropogenic pollution.