Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis (bairdi), were monitored acoustically across a survey area of 2747 km2 during a three month period before, during and after an oil industry two dimensional (2D) seismic reflection survey. Over 900 h of audio survey data were collected and analysed, along with GPS positional data, to reveal trends in presence and distribution of animals. The presence of dolphins was determined from vocalization events on the survey recordings. Dolphin presence was assessed by a system of percentage acoustic contact. This was highest before and after the seismic survey, with common dolphins showing a clear south-westerly skew within the survey area and a probable south-westerly migration of animals between September and December. Acoustic contact with dolphins during the seismic survey also showed a south-westerly skew within the survey area, although percentages were lower. Monitoring during the period of seismic activity was restricted to the immediate vicinity (1–2 km) of the seismic vessel, so percentage contact most likely reflects the response of dolphins to such immediate activity. The overall result suggests an avoidance reaction by common dolphins to air gun emissions, although certain observations suggest tolerance to these sounds outside a 1 km radius of the guns.

Bopyrids are highly modified epicaridean isopod ectoparasites with the adult females showing extreme specialization of body form when compared with free-living isopods (Shiino, 1965). The smaller males are similar to free-living isopods, retaining the basic cryptoniscus larval form (Naylor, 1972), and are typically found in the brood chamber of the female or attached to the ventral surface of the female's pleon (Salazar-Vallejo & Leija-Tristán, 1989).

Whilst examining the branchial morphology of the upogebiids, Upogebia stellata (Montagu), Upogebia deltaura (Leach) and Upogebia pusilla (Petagna) as part of a wider study of the physiological ecology of thalassinidean mud-shrimps, some shrimps were observed to have a branchial gall (distended branchiostegite) containing a bopyrid parasite. In this short note we add to the previous records of two bopyrid species and briefly discuss the host/parasite relationship.

Parasitized material examined: U. stellata (three males, two females) collected subtidally using an anchor dredge from White Bay, Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland (55°48'N 4°55'W) at depths of 25–30 m. A single male specimen of U. deltaura was caught using a box corer from the Irish Sea (54°7'N 3°27'W). Upogebia pusilla (one male, one female) were collected intertidally from the Arcachon Basin, France (44°40'N l°10'W) by Professor J.P. Truchot. Prior to examination, the mud-shrimps were preserved in 10% buffered formalin, the parasites removed, rinsed with distilled water and transferred to 70% ethanol. Some preserved material was also available from the Robertson Collection housed at the University Marine Biological Station Millport.

Parasitized mud-shrimps had an enlarged branchial chamber, or branchial gall, a result of branchiostegite deformation caused by the presence of the parasite. When the parasite was removed from the branchial chamber, the gills appeared splayed and flattened but showed no other signs of disturbance or damage.

Thirty ‘rock-populations’ of the intertidal isopod, Jaera albifrons (Isopoda: Asellota), from South Wales area were found to display a significant and persistent sex ratio bias, with females outnumbering males by up to 12 to 1. This thelygeny was not mirrored in broods that were isolated in aquaria after insemination, nor in broods that developed under various temperature and light regimes. Such a discrepancy suggests that the mechanism generating sex ratio biases in natural populations is not innate, nor is influenced by cytoplasmic or environmental factors. The possible causes of thelygeny in natural populations are discussed.

Static toxicity tests (20.5 ±1°C, 24 ±2% salinity) were run to assess the toxicity of copper to the embryonic development of Scrobicularia plana (Mollusca: Bivalvia); the end point of interest was the production of D-larvae after 48 h culture. While a nominal concentration of 10 μg Cu I1 was not found to be toxic, an EC90 (concentration preventing 90% of the experimental population from achieving the end point defined) can be set at ~20 μg Cu I1. For this end point, copper is indicated to be 16 times less toxic than the antifoulant tributyltin (TBT). Moreover, copper has probably little relation with the reported recent decline of S. plana throughout northern Europe.

There are no species of salps (Order: Salpida) indigenous to British waters. Those species that can be found, the most abundant being Salpa fusiformis Cuvier (Fraser, 1981) are carried to British and Irish waters from the open ocean of the western Atlantic. Because of this salps can be good indicators of oceanic water movements near to Britain (Fraser, 1981). The largest species of the Salpidae is Thetys vagina (Tilesius, 1802) which generally reaches ≥230 mm in total length (TL) in the solitary asexual form and ~250 mm TL in the aggregate sexual form (Metcalf, 1918; Fraser, 1981). However, a solitary form measuring 333 mm TL was caught in a trawl from the Hawaiian islands (Nakamura & Yount, 1958). The distribution of T. vagina is usually limited to warm water throughout the Atlantic, including the Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Oceans (Berrill, 1950). Up to 1981 there have been only two records of T. vagina in British waters (Fraser, 1981). This short paper describes, to the best of my knowledge a third recording of this salp from British waters.