This study assesses the effects of bottom trawling on the feeding ecology of the scaldfish Arnoglossus laterna, by contrasting diets in an untrawled area and in two trawled areas off northern Sicily (western Mediterranean): the Gulf of Castellammare (which hosts a 200 km2 no-trawl area) and the gulfs of Termini Imerese and Sant'Agata. Scaldfish were collected in May–June 2005 using a commercial otter trawler between 40 and 80 m on muddy bottoms. Our data show that scaldfish is a selective feeder and consumes similar prey items in the three gulfs, although between-site differences in the relative prey abundance in the stomachs were detected. In the three gulfs scaldfish fed mainly on the crab Goneplax rhomboides and on the fish Lesueurigobius suerii, but there was an increase in the consumption of L. suerii and the shrimp Alpheus glaber in the trawled areas. Ontogenetic changes were evident in the diet of scaldfish, with juveniles preying mainly upon suprabenthic species, e.g. mysids and small decapods. While significant differences occurred in the diet of juveniles among all areas due to natural spatial variability, variations in the diet of adults, which feed on benthic prey, occurred between untrawled and trawled areas. These variations were clearly due to trawling disturbance, and no significant difference was detected in the diet of adults between the two trawled areas. On the contrary, the trophic level (δ15N values) of scaldfish did not vary between trawled and untrawled areas and between juveniles and adults. Changes in the source of carbon, as detected by δ13C values, were evident between juveniles and adults, evidencing a shift from a suprabenthic (juveniles) to a benthic (adults) diet.

Fish landing site surveys in eastern Indonesia, conducted between April 2001 and March 2006, recorded seven species of lamnoid sharks (order Lamniformes) belonging to four families. Of these, Alopiidae were most abundant in the landings, with Alopias pelagicus contributing ~13% to the total biomass of all sharks recorded. Single specimens of both Carcharias taurus and Odontaspis ferox represent the first confirmed records of these two odontaspid species from Indonesian waters. The length at first maturity (L50) of females and males of Alopias pelagicus were 2853 and 2468 mm total length (TL), respectively, and size at birth was 1300–1440 mm TL. Pregnant females of both A. pelagicus and A. superciliosus had litters of only two embryos (one per uterus) that were confirmed to be oophagous, but not adelphophagous. Females and males of Pseudocarcharias kamoharai matured at 870–1030 and ~725 mm TL, respectively, and size at birth was 360–450 mm TL. Pregnant females contained four embryos (two per uterus) which were oophagous, but unlikely to be adelphophagous. Males of Isurus oxyrinchus and I. paucus matured at ~1860 and 2050– 2281 mm TL, respectively. These are the first biological data reported on lamnoid sharks in Indonesian waters.

In October 1994, 39 macrobenthic samples, divided between two areas, were taken on the western Belgian Coastal Banks. The two areas could not be clearly divided, concerning their macrobenthic communities. Multivariate techniques revealed five coherent communities, linked with typical sedimentological factors: (1) the Barnea candida community in a very compact muddy sediment (median 14 μm); (2) a second community characterized by the presence of spat of Mytilus edulis, with a medium sandy sediment (median 456 μm); (3) the Lanice conchilega community inhabiting a fine sandy sediment (median 211 μm); (4) the Nephtys cirrosa–Echinocardium cordatum community in a coarser fine sandy sediment (median 242 μm); and (5), closely related to the latter, the N. cirrosa community also occurring in a fine sandy sediment (median 224 μm). Only the L. conchilega community belongs to the diverse transition zone. The other four communities seem to be part of the heterogeneous, species-poor coastal zone associations. No open sea communities have been detected in the area.

On the western Coastal Banks only the L. conchilega community, because of the high numbers of Abra alba, Tellina fabula, and Spisula subtruncata, can be interesting as feeding grounds for the common scoter (Melanitta nigra (Aves: Mergini)). Comparison of the spatial distribution of the wintering common scoters and the L. conchilega community revealed no direct similarity. The factors possibly causing this dissimilarity have been discussed.

The widespread occurrence of sulphatases in the Mollusca was first demonstrated by Soda & Hattori (1933 a, b) who showed that these enzymes are mainly concentrated in the digestive glands. That extracts from marine molluscs also possess β-glucuronidase activity was first noted by Dodgson, Lewis & Spencer (1952) who studied the optimum conditions for the activity of this enzyme and arylsulphatase in Patella vulgata (L.) and Littorina littorea (L.) and applied their findings in an investigation of the distribution of both enzymes among various other marine molluscs (Dodgson, Lewis & Spencer, 1953).

Experiments have been made to elucidate the problem of hyperosmotic regulation in the mud-dwelling euryhaline amphipod, Corophium volutator. The animal produced urine hypo-osmotic to the blood when acclimatized to low salinities, and isosmotic urine at salinities above 20%. The restricted permeable areas of the cuticle have been localized by silver staining. Over a range of salinities from 1 to 35 % C. volutator was found to maintain Na+, K-−, Ca2+, Cl-−, more concentrated than the medium, and Mg2~ less concentrated. The importance of these mechanisms in assisting hyperosmotic regulation is discussed.

Whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) maturity stages distribution and its relation to environmental factors was evaluated from 166 stations sampled within the Río de la Plata estuary (36°S–56°W) during spring 1994–1999 and 2003. A canonical correspondence analysis was used to explain whitemouth croaker distribution and estimate its relation to environmental factors (depth, surface and bottom waters temperature and salinity, bottom salinity and temperature horizontal gradients and vertical stratification). Results indicate that bottom salinity horizontal gradient (BSHG) and depth have a major influence on M. furnieri maturity stages spatial distribution; bottom salinity and temperature play a significant although secondary role. Spent and resting adult stages were associated to low BSHG, high salinity and low temperature while immature, gravid (with hydrated oocytes) and running stages to low salinity and high temperature. Although immature, gravid and running stages were clearly linked to similar bottom salinity they were segregated, with gravid and running stages associated to a strong BSHG. The distinct preferences of the different spawning stages result in a segregated distribution pattern along the main axis of the Río de la Plata estuary. The area with low salinity and high horizontal bottom salinity gradient (habitat for gravid and running stages) was located at the river head. The horizontal retention mechanism associated to BSHG within the spawning habitat favours growth and survival of fish larvae and the subsequent transport to nursery habitats.

In previous publications the author (Black, 1948a-c, 1949, 1950a) has reported the seasonal variations in chemical composition that occur in certain of the common Phaeophyceae. In the sublittoral and littoral zones it has been found that a correlation exists between the chemical composition and the depth of immersion of the plant (Black, 1950&, and unpublished work). Differences in composition, particularly during the summer months, also occur in the same species taken at the same time and depth but from different habitats (Black, loc. cit.), and there is also evidence that in the laminarians the stage of development of the plant has a profound influence on the composition. In all the above-mentioned analyses the entire plants have been separated into stipe and frond, dried under controlled conditions, milled, and a well-mixed representative sample of each taken for analysis.

Monthly samples of the common British Laminariaceae and Fucaceae taken during 1946 have been analysed for cellulose.

The cellulose content has been found to increase with the depth of immersion of the weed.

In the Laminariaceae, both in the stipe and frond it undergoes marked seasonal variation, exhibiting two maxima, March/April and September/October with a distinct minimum in June/July.

In Laminaria cloustoni, in March, maxima of 5·7 (dry basis) occur in the fronds and 10·3% in the stipes with minima, in June, of 4·1 and 8·4% respectively. In Laminaria saccharina the cellulose content (dry basis) varies between 4–5% in the frond and 7–8% in the stipe and in Laminaria digitata between 3–5% in the frond and 6–8% in the stipe.

This study reviews and updates information on cetacean strandings in the state of Ceará, Brazil (02°30′S 41°15′W– 04°30′S 36°45′W), comprising 573 km of coastline. In the years 1992–2005, there were 252 cetacean stranding events, representing 19 species: three species of Balaenopteridae, three Physeteridae, two Kogiidae, two Ziphiidae and 11 Delphinidae. Three species comprised the majority (78.9%) of stranding events: estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis (61.9%); sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus (10.3%); and rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis (6.7%). There was an increasing trend in the number of cases reported in the first five years with a highest frequency achieved in 1996. Stranding events occurred throughout the year, with the lowest frequency occurring in the autumn (March–May). Approximately 4% of the events were attributed to natural causes while 24.6% were human-related, mainly incidental captures. Meat removal for human consumption or bait was recorded in 6.7% of events. In the study area, Sotalia guianensis, P. macrocephalus and Steno bredanensis were the most abundant cetacean species, whereas Lagenodelphis hosei, Pseudorca crassidens, Orcinus orca, Kogia sima, Mesoplodon europaeus, Balaenoptera acutorostrata and Balaenoptera bonaerensis are probably rare in the area.

The type specimens of the common tropical intertidal barnacles Chthamalus malayensis and C. moro, were re-investigated and compared with other specimens of Chthamalus from the Indian Ocean, Indo-Malaya, northern Australia, Vietnam, China and the western Pacific, using ‘arthropodal’ as well as shell characters.  Chthamalus malayensis occurs widely in Indo-Malayan and tropical Australian waters. It ranges westwards in the Indian Ocean to East Africa and northwards in the Pacific to Vietnam, China and the Ryukyu Islands. Chthamalus malayensis has the arthropodal characters attributed to it by Pope (1965); conical spines on cirrus 1 and serrate setae with basal guards on cirrus 2.  Chthamalus moro is currently fully validated only for the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Xisha (Paracel) Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, Fiji and Samoa. It is a small species of the ‘challengeri’ subgroup, lacking conical spines on cirrus 1 and bearing pectinate setae without basal guards on cirrus 2. It may be a ‘relict’ insular species.  Chthamalus challengeri also lacks conical spines on cirrus 1 and has pectinate setae without basal guards on cirrus 2. Records of C. challengeri south of Japan are probably erroneous. However, there is an undescribed species of the ‘challengeri’ subgroup in the Indian Ocean, Indo-Malaya, Vietnam and southern China and yet more may occur in the western Pacific. The subgroups ‘malayensis’ and ‘challengeri’ require genetic investigation.  Some comments are included on the arthropodal characters and geographical distributions of Chthamalus antennatus, C. dalli and C. stellatus.

Stomach contents of Todarodes sagittatus caught by trawlers working from 100 to 800 m depth in the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean) were studied. From the 348 stomachs examined (153 males and 195 females) 33.62% were empty (39.21% in males and 29.74% in females). The diet of the squid was composed of 58 different prey items belonging to four major groups: Osteichthya, Crustacea, Cephalopoda and Chondrichthya. Osteichthyes, crustaceans and cephalopods were the most common prey, with a frequency of occurrence value of 84.85, 48.92 and 29.87% respectively. A change in the diet as the squid grows was observed, since juveniles feed basically on fishes while adults prey more actively on crustaceans. Analysis of the diet by size-classes reflected an ontogenetic migration to deeper waters since, parallel to the increase of size, a raise in the percentage of prey species inhabiting deeper waters was detected. Cannibalism was quite frequent, since T. sagittatus was the second most common cephalopod prey. Females had higher fullness-weight index and lower emptiness index than males, which reflects their major energetic demand for egg production.

The shell selection and utilization patterns of three sympatric hermit crab populations (Clibanarius antillensis, C. sclopetarius, and C. vittatus) and shell availability were studied in a tropical intertidal low energy area. Shell availability (except for C. antillensis) was low and the hermit crabs showed overlap in size (mainly C. sclopetarius and C. vittatus). The influence of shell availability and selection on shell use was dependent on crab species. Clibanarius antillensis used mainly shells of Cerithium atratum, the most available shell species, while Clibanarius sclopetarius and C. vittatus occupied shells with lower availability in the studied area such as Chicoreus senegalensis, Stramonita haemastoma, Leucozonia nassa and Cymatium parthenopeum. The three species selected different gastropod shells with only Clibanarius antillensis using almost exclusively its preferred shell species in nature. The relationship between shield length and the weight of the used shell was not dependent on crab species or shell species, indicating that the size (not species) of the shells defines what size (not species) of crabs will occupy them.

The organismic assemblage associated with Caretta caretta was studied in 37 loggerhead turtles, washed ashore dead at various localities in the northern Aegean Sea. A total number of 63 macrobenthic species and 17 species of macroalgae were identified. From these species, 41 and 13 respectively are reported for the first time as epibionts of this turtle. Analysis of the epibiont species distribution on six loggerhead turtles gave some evidence regarding the settlement preferences of certain epibiont species. From a biogeographical point of view, 61·3% of the epibiont species were cosmopolitan, 30·7% had an Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution, while 8% were Mediterranean endemics.

This paper aims at describing the external morphology of seven British species of Idotea from the functional and developmental aspects, thus revising earlier descriptions, such as those of Collinge (1917), which were based largely on adult specimens. Limitations of earlier descriptions are apparent, but some characters can be sifted from the older literature and combined with characters emphasized in this paper to give a schematic description of the seven species.

At an early stage of an autecological study of Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfuss it seemed possible that the best growth of the plants occurred in places, such as the Achill Sound and the Church Island Channel in the Menai Straits, where, in the absence of heavy wave action, strong currents flowed over the plants. Experiments were carried out, in the sea, to investigate the effect of currents on the growth rate; the apparatus used and described here would probably be suitable for the investigation of current effects on other sedentary marine organisms.

These experiments also led to some observations on the effects of illumination on the pigmentation and growth rate of the plants which were supplemented by laboratory experiments. High intensity illumination in the laboratory also demonstrated positive phototropism in the plant.

Several workers have observed, in Europe and elsewhere, that Gracilaria verrucosa is a more conspicuous component of the flora in the summer months (Cotton, 1912, p. 134; Rosenvinge, 1931, pp. 602–6; Gibb, 1939, p. 378; Causey, Prytherch, McCaskill, Humm & Wolf, 1946; May, 1948), with the natural inference that its growth rate is greater in that season. However, the quantity present on the shore at any time depends also on the rate of defoliation by the waves. This will be higher in winter. Observation under more controlled conditions was therefore considered desirable.

The whiting(Gadus merlangus L.) is an abundant food fish in waters to the west and south-west of the Isle of Man. As the stock is at times subject to intensive fishing it seemed desirable to study this species and possibly ascertain the effect of commercial exploitation on the biology of the fish.

During 1950, the Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris Lamarck) was to be found along the south coast of England in greater numbers than at any time since Garstang (1900) reported on the ‘plague’ on the coasts of Devon and Cornwall in 1899–1900.

In earlier papers (Rees, 1950, 1952) the distribution of the octopus in our northern waters was reviewed, and it was demonstrated that this species is an immigrant which breeds on our south coast only rarely. It reaches these coasts by being brought there as a planktonic larva by the water circulation in the English Channel and by migrations of the adult. The most important factor in controlling the movements of the adult, however, might be expected to be the water temperature in the English Channel—where the species is at the northern limit of its breeding range and might therefore be extremely sensitive to slight changes in temperature.

Studies on the lateral lines of the sprat {Sprattus sprattus (L.); Clupeidae; Clupeiformes) have shown that the patterns of excitation of the neuromasts in the canals on the head changed dramatically with relatively small changes of position of the fish with respect to a source (Denton & Gray, 1983; Gray, 1984). It was concluded that, in the case of the sprat, this sensory system was capable of providing the information needed to maintain position in relation to other fish in a school; cf. the work of Partridge & Pitcher (1980) on saithe (Pollachius virens; Gadidae; Gadiformes). The structure of lateral lines varies greatly between fish of different species and even between different parts of the same fish. It seems likely that these differences have evolved to meet different behavioural needs. An attempt has been made to understand the mechanisms of lateral line excitation in general. This has led to the development of methods to calculate first approximations of likely excitation patterns from a knowledge of the morphology of particular systems (Denton & Gray, 1988).

The ‘Sea Empress’ oil tanker grounded outside Milford Haven (Wales, UK) in February 1996, spilling ~70,000 tonnes of crude oil and contaminating over 100 km of coastline, causing mass mortalities and standings of at least 11 mollusc species. Intensive field monitoring commenced after the spill, examining immunity and hydrocarbon levels in the mussel, Mytilus edulis (Mollusca: Bivalvia), a commercially-harvested species which can accumulate contaminants. Comparisons of mussels from oiled and reference sites revealed significant modulations in cell-mediated immunity. Elevations in blood cell (haemocyte) numbers and decreases in superoxide generation and phagocytosis were identified in contaminated animals. The immune response of contaminated mussels gradually improved and generally showed no significant differences compared with clean mussels after 11 weeks. By then, total hydrocarbon content in contaminated mussels had declined by 70–90%, while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content had decreased by over 90%.