Food and feeding activity of juvenile pompano Trachinotus ovatus (25–97 mm) collected in the summer–autumn in 2003 in coastal shallow-water bays in the south-eastern Adriatic were examined. Juvenile pompano were exclusively daytime feeders and fed in the entire water column, from surface to bottom taking not only plankton, but benthic and terrestrial species as well. Of 18 prey taxa identified, crustaceans—particularly copepods—were the major group, followed by benthic foraminiferans and insects. Feeding on benthic species is reported for the first time in this study.

Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) larvae have been investigated in northern European waters, particularly in the Irish Sea where biomass estimation studies are used for the annual larval production method. However, nothing is known of their distribution in southern European waters, off the Portuguese coast or in the Mediterranean Sea. From zooplankton sampling off the Portuguese coast between October 1986 and March 2001, planktonic larvae of this species were known to occur from January to April off the north-west and south coasts. In the north, larvae were only observed over the shelf, shoreward of the upper limit of the adults' distribution. Larvae were never collected off the south-west coast of Portugal, even though this is one of the largest fishing grounds for this species off the Iberian Peninsula. The absence of larvae from all surveys in this region may relate to the local oceanographic conditions and shelf width.

Reproduction of newly established populations of the warm-water Atlantic Mediterranean wrasse Thalassoma pavo is here reported for the first time in the Ligurian Sea, and mating behaviour is described in detail. The reproductive season (May to October) may be divided in three stages: (1) pre-mating (mid-May to the end of June), during which terminal-phase (TP) males establish territories and start courting females; (2) mating (end of June to the end of August), with a mean frequency of up to one spawning event ind−1 h−1; and (3) post-mating (September to mid-October), when TP males remained inside territories but no spawning events were recorded. Mating followed two distinct modalities: pair spawning and group spawning, the latter replacing the former when population density exceeded 10 ind 100 m−2. Four phases have been distinguished in both modalities: (1) approach (pair) or gathering (group), to establish the contact between potential partners; (2) acceptance (pair) or priming (group), in which partners establish a common behavioural pattern; (3) ascent to near the sea surface; and (4) spawning. The saddled sea-bream Oblada melanura has been seen to predate intensively on the large cloud of sexual products released by groups.

The morphology of burrows constructed by the upogebiid mud shrimps Austinogebia narutensis and Upogebia issaeffi was studied using resin castings of burrows in situ on Mukaishima Island, Seto Inland Sea, Japan, where the two species occurred sympatrically. The burrow structure of both shrimps is a relatively simple Y-shaped pattern, which is typical of the family Upogebiidae. Total burrow length, and length and overall width of the U-shaped section of A. narutensis were greater than those of U. issaeffi, possibly because A. narutensis is the larger species. When the ratios of the burrow measurements to the mean burrow diameter were compared to exclude possible size effects, the burrows of A. narutensis had a wider and shallower U-shaped section than those of U. issaeffi. Because the casts were made where the two species occurred sympatrically, the differences in the burrow morphology were not due to the differences in environmental factors but to the difference in the shrimp species, whether they are adaptive or not.

New tools and techniques invigorate taxonomy through discovery and description of new organisms. New editions of the International Code on Zoological Nomenclature explicitly attempt to accommodate scientific advances, the problems they bring, and individual expertise in documenting the diversity of animal life. Yet, in practice, one of the most important biological and technical advances of the last quarter century—the democratization of large scale sequencing of DNA—remains at the fringe of metazoan taxonomy, where it keeps remarkable company with evolution. I discuss a more inclusive approach to taxonomy, primarily in the context of differentiating and describing species and subspecies of Scyphozoa. Global concern regarding biodiversity has rejuvenated efforts to discover and describe species; it may yet stimulate a renaissance if biological classification adopts a total evidence approach.

This note reports the main morphometric and meristic parameters of a male Bermuda sea chub (Khyphosus sectator) caught off the Algarve coast (southern Portugal). This is the first occurrence of this tropical fish species in Portuguese continental waters, and the second and northernmost capture ever reported for the north-eastern Atlantic.

the diet and feeding of the cutlassfish trichiurus lepturus were studied based on analyses of the stomach contents of larvae, juveniles, and adults collected along the continental shelf and shelf break off southern brazil, from the cape of santa marta grande (28°36′s) to chuí (34°45′s). the larvae and pre-juveniles with a total length of <5 cm were found to have fed almost exclusively on calanoid copepods, whereas juveniles (5 to 30 cm) fed on small zooplanktonic crustaceans such as lucifer faxoni and promysys atlantica. on the other hand, sub-adults (30 to 70 cm), fed on euphausiids, mainly euphausia similis, and small fish, mostly anchovy engraulis anchoita. adults (70 to 160 cm) fed on a wide range of larger prey, such as anchovy, sciaenid fish, cephalopods and coastal shrimps, as well as euphausiids. the juveniles and sub-adults fed more intensively than adults during the warm-water season whereas adults fed more intensively during the cold-water season. feeding activity was more intense at night, while cannibalism was more frequent during the warm season, when biological productivity was lower. finally, diet diversity was higher in coastal waters, during the warm season. the abundance of cutlassfish off southern brazil may be explained by the fact that it is adapted to feed on a wide size-range of both pelagic and demersal prey.

Two species of the genus of large gastropods Cymbium were observed on the tidal flats of the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania: C. pepo and C. tritonis. Average densities on a flat studied in detail were 0·0009 and 0·0014 individuals per m2, respectively. Both species leave the tidal flats in April and are absent until at least September. Their density on the tidal flats was maximal on sandy sediments. Probably the distribution of their prey species determines the distribution of Cymbium. Prey species observed were the bivalves Anadara senilis (97%), and an occasional Solen vagina and Venerupis sp. The annual predation pressure of Cymbium on intertidal Anadara was estimated to be <1%.

the olfactory organ in small and large juveniles of the tropical yellowstriped reef cardinalfish apogon cyanosoma, collected from the wild (total length [tl] range=17–32 mm, mean=25 mm) was examined by scanning electron microscopy. the olfactory organ consisted of two bilaterally radial rosettes in each fish. they were oval-shaped, located medioventrally, one in each of the olfactory chambers. in small juvenile a. cyanosoma the rosette comprised six lamellae, three on each side of a midline raphe while large juveniles had eight lamellae, four on each side. the lamellae had a continuous cover of cilia, except for the margins. in small juvenile a. cyanosoma (tl mean=24.3 mm) only microvilli were observed, whereas both microvilli and a few cilia, presumably from olfactory receptor neurons, were observed in large juvenile a. cyanosoma (tl mean=32 mm).

During 1998–2003 stomach contents of 47 marine mammals stranded on the coast of Normandy were analysed. The animals were first examined by a veterinary network and stomach contents were analysed at the University of Caen. The sample comprised: 26 common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), seven harbour porpoises (Phocoena phoecoena), five grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), two long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas), one white beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), one minke whale (Balaenoptera acurostrata) and one striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). The identification of food items was done using hard parts (i.e. fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks). Diet indices were computed including prey frequency and percentage by number. Common dolphins ate mainly gadoid fish (Trisopterus sp.), gobies and mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Cephalopods occurred in small numbers in the diet and commercially important species (cuttlefish and common squid) were scarce.

Using a 24-year time series of monthly samples, the factors correlated with long-term variation in the abundance and growth of sole, Solea solea, in Bridgwater Bay in the Bristol Channel, England are identified. This bay offers shallow estuarine habitat used by sole as a nursery area. Sole first enter the bay in July when 2–3 months old and after a residence of 4–5 months, the majority migrate offshore at the beginning of winter to return the following April. By three years of age most have left the bay never to return although occasional large fish up to 480 mm in length are caught. Sole were found to be highly seasonal in their growth and only increased in length during the months of May to August inclusive. In recent years, there has been an approximately exponential increase in sole abundance that is highly positively correlated with seawater temperature during the early part of the season. The average length of fish in September, at the end of their first growing season, showed significant between year variation, ranging from 65·3 mm in 1989 to 79·8 mm in 2003. This variation was positively correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) winter index for the winter prior to their birth. Between year recruitment variation is correlated with both water temperature and the rate of growth. High temperatures allow faster development and a positive NAO index increases productivity and offers more food. Both of these positive influences act to reduce mortality resulting in stronger year-classes. No relationships between sole and other fish and macro-crustaceans living in the nursery were identified.

The sex ratio of 100 immature Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) captured in Gullivan Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, south-west Florida was determined through radioimmunoassay analysis (RIA) of plasma testosterone levels. We determined the sex ratio to be 1·9F:1·0M, corroborating the female dominance reported from other studies. The mean sizes of female (N=57) and male turtles (N=30) were 40·9 cm (±6·9 SD) and 41·9 cm (±6·2 SD), respectively. There were an additional 13 turtles (41·3 cm±6·5 SD) for which sex could not be determined by this technique. Female-biased sex ratios are not uncommon in reptiles with temperature dependent sex determination. If fecundity is not male-limited, the occurrence of a female-biased sex ratio could enhance the recovery of the endangered Kemp's ridley turtle.

the evolutionary radiation of the family syngnathidae was accompanied by a diversification of structures involved in male parental care whose anatomical variations may signal differences in reproductive strategies, with increasing egg protection possibly affecting female investment in offspring or larvae quality at the end of the embryonic development phase. an analysis of egg numbers showed significant differences between syngnathids with and without marsupium, suggesting that the brood pouch, besides increasing protection to the male and its eggs, also introduced the ability to carry an additional number of offspring per pregnancy, from one or more females. curiously, even though larvae sizes do not significantly differ between the considered brooding structures (controlling for male length), seahorse larvae were smaller than expected, given the large volume of the pear-shaped eggs. these observations suggest that the sealed seahorse pouch, although allowing the transport of a great number of offspring and capable of multiple consecutive pregnancies, may impose serious functional constraints, namely those related with oxygenation of the developing larvae, thus explaining the increased egg surface together with the presence of specific salinity control mechanisms inside the marsupium.

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the patterns of occurrence and habitat utilization of bottlenose dolphins around Aberdeen harbour, on the north-east coast of Scotland (UK), and their responses to boat traffic. Land-based surveys were conducted over a period of nine weeks, between early May and late July, 2002. During this time 83 sightings of bottlenose dolphins were recorded. Dolphins occurred more frequently around midday and early afternoon, while their abundance was greater around high tide and late afternoon. Foraging was the most commonly observed activity.

Dolphins were usually concentrated around the entrance of Aberdeen harbour. Their responses to boats varied considerably according to boat size, activity and speed, but there is evidence of habituation to boat traffic.

Samples of Ostrea edulis were collected during 1999 and 2000 from five sites in Scotland, and from one site each in Northern Ireland, Ireland, France, The Netherlands and Norway. Samples were scored at four microsatellite loci. Mean numbers of alleles per locus varied from 12·6 to 16·6 and observed heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0·801 to 0·845. Samples derived originally from hatchery seed showed significantly fewer alleles per locus and significantly reduced expected heterozygosity compared with wild populations. However, observed heterozygosity did not differ significantly between the two groups. Significant deficiencies of heterozygotes were present at one or more loci in four of the ten populations sampled and a significant excess of heterozygotes was present at one locus in a hatchery-sourced Scottish population. Genetic distance indices revealed that the Norway population was the most distinct from all others and that hatchery-sourced populations were also relatively distinct from other wild populations. However, genetic subdivision was generally low implying high historical ‘migration’ rates for these populations.

Thirty-six boat surveys were conducted in Guanabara Bay, south-eastern Brazil, from October 2002 to June 2004 in order to investigate marine tucuxi group characteristics. The average and the range of tucuxis group size in the Guanabara Bay are similar with areas where small group sizes have been recorded. Group size ranged between one and 40 individuals (13·0±9·5; median=10·0). Groups of two to ten dolphins were the most common (53·9% of observations). Group size and the maximum number of dolphins sighted in each survey day did not vary between seasons (Kruskal–Wallis test, H3,36=3·249; P=0·355). Spatial geometry varied with group size and mixed groups were the largest (Kruskal–Wallis test, H3,218=57·149; P<0·001). The presence of calves had a great effect on group size, and nursery groups (mean =14·3±9·1; median=13·0) were twice as large than non-calf groups (mean=7·1±5·2; median=6·0). It is suggested that larger groups may aid in the calves development and learning. Group size changed frequently, resulting in 82·2% of observations with no constant size. Group size of marine tucuxi was not affected by the dolphins' behaviour (Kruskal–Wallis test, H2,215=5·626, P=0·06) neither by water depth (R2=0·012; F1,219=2·82; P=0·094).

continuous plankton recorder (cpr) samples from the english channel and adjacent celtic shelf, taken over the period 1958–1980, were analysed for sardine (sardina pilchardus) eggs. results showed the progression of sardine spawning along the english channel from west to east from march to august and a return from east to west from september to november. this corresponds with the two seasonal peaks of sardine egg abundance in the western channel: the main summer peak being in may/june, with a smaller autumn peak in october/november. long-term changes in sardine egg abundance in cpr samples showed a decline in summer spawning from the late 1960s, but no clear trend in autumn-spawned egg abundance. similar patterns were observed in the numbers of sardine eggs sampled by conventional plankton net tows at the time-series station l5 off plymouth. this supports the use of the longer time-series of sardine egg data at l5 as being representative of a wider area and emphasizes the importance in continuation of the l5 time-series.

The general composition and abundance of microalgae in sediment, water column and stomach contents of scallops were studied at two Euvola ziczac beds on the south-eastern inner Brazilian continental shelf. These areas, which support an extensive demersal fishery, are hydrologically dominated by Tropical and Subantarctic Waters and exhibit a summer water intrusion of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW). The same genera of benthic diatoms, mainly <30 μmm, were found on sediment and scallop stomach samples. Despite the seasonal variation of hydrographic conditions, the composition and abundance of main benthic diatoms from sediment and stomachs did not change throughout the year. On the other hand, phytoplankton from the water samples collected above the seabed (mainly pelagic diatoms >30 μm and dinoflagellates) was composed of distinct taxa and presented a high seasonal variation in abundance. The prevalence of microphytobenthos in the scallop diet suggests the importance of this community to the sustainability of this valuable demersal fishery resource.

the embryonic and larval development of epinephelus malabaricus are described and illustrated for the first time. fertilized eggs, with a mean diameter of 0.90±0.02 mm and a range from 0.87 to 0.93 mm, were spherical, transparent, buoyant and unpigmented. embryonic development lasted 26 h 30 min at 25.5°c. newly hatched larvae were 1.93±0.04 mm in total length (tl) with 26 (11+15) myomeres and had an oil globule in the ventroposterior area of the yolk sac. three days after hatching (2.76 mm tl), the mouth opened. early larvae had two clusters of well-developed melanophores appearing on the alimentary canal and at the caudal region of the body, and the appearance of xanthophores on the dorsal finfold. nine days after hatching (4.04 mm tl), the buds of the second dorsal and pelvic fin spines had appeared. at 5.41 mm tl, the notochord was slightly flexed, and the hypural bones and caudal fin rays had begun to develop. at 7.39 mm tl, the ratios of the second dorsal and pelvic-fin spine lengths to tl attained their maximums, 52.68% and 48.62%, respectively. at 20.19 mm tl, all fins had the adult complement of rays and spines. by 30.18 mm tl, the body had become red, with five irregular, oblique, dark brown bars visible on the body. the larval habitat shifted from the surface and middle layers to the tank bottom.