A Roman Sword from Hurbanovo

PUGIO – GLADIUS BREVIS EST: History and technology of the Roman battle dagger

A preliminary study on longlining of swordfish (Xiphias gladius L., 1758) in Fethiye Region (Mediterranean).

The fishery of tuna and tuna-like species with longline has shown an outstanding growth over recent years in Brazil. This research work was carried out in an area corresponding with Amapa, Para and Maranhao States by means of experimental fishing with a drifting longline gear having the same features and dimensions as the one used in fisheries off Northeast Brazil. From the analysis of specific catches totalling 4,830 fi sh, the main representative was sword fi sh, Xiphias gladius , which accounted for 39.32% of the catch, followed by tunas, with 24.35%. The relative abundance of tunas and sword fish was found to be near the same when measured as CPUE in weight, but it was favorable to sword fish as CPUE in numbers. The species group named “others” represents 2% of the captured biomass, but when analyzed as catch in numbers it contributes with 14.62% of the total, outmatching the groups of sharks (14,43%) and bill fishes (7.29%). Off Northern Brazil, the target species account for 80% of the total catch in weight by drifting longline, follo- wing a similar fishing pattern to that in the adjoining northeastern region.

Treatise Online no. 77: Part M, Chapter 9A: The Gladius and its Vestiges in Extant Coleoidea

Model-derived relative probability of swordfish presence, hind-cast on Regional Ocean Model outputs for the period 1st-31st November 2014.

Albacore is the traditional target species for Taiwanese longline fleet in Atlantic Ocean. Three main geographical sub-areas in North Atlantic Ocean where Taiwanese longline fleet operated frequently were produced from three distinguished clusters, which were grouped from a total of 79 and 5×5 degree statistical blocks using cluster analysis. The overall mean CPUE (no. of fish per thousand hooks) from 4 main catch species, i.e., albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the 5×5 degree statistical blocks during 1968-2002 were used in the cluster analysis. The changes of temporal nominal CPUE series from 4 dominant catch species in three sub-areas were examined. Sub-areas 2 and 3, located in subtropical and temperate waters respectively, were closely related for the higher albacore CPUE. Sub-area 1, in tropical waters, had the higher CPUEs of bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna but the lower and fluctuated albacore's CPUE. The delineation of the sub-area in this study could be used in constructing the General Linear Models for standardizing the catch rate of this stock.

We analized the relationship between the variability in the rate of seabird bycatch in pelagic longline fishery for swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and several temporary, environmental, spatial and fisheries factors for the fishing period from 2007 to 2009. The results show that the fishing operations of this fleet mainly affect the albatross, group that accounts for 83.7% of the incidental catch of seabirds recorded in the period. This bycatch is due primarily to the presence of the South Pacific Subtropical Front, a system that causes the overlap between the activities of this fleet with the spatial distribution of these seabird species during the resident phase of the nonbreeding period. By the other hand, the variability in bycatch would be strongly linked to visual stimuli (measured by the percentage of chemical lights and percentage of squid) and the existing ambient lighting conditions during the set (measured by the lag time of sunset with respect to time start set and lunar phase).

A study on the swordfish Xiphias gladius stock in the Pacific Ocean

El presente trabajo analiza el mecanismo de captura de presas del pez espada ( Xiphias gladius ), suponiendo un mecanismo de alimentacion RAM y una dieta de amplio espectro trofico. Se estudia la region cefalica y se describe la osteologia y miologia asociada con el mecanismo de captura de presas. Se aplica el modelo de cuatro barras para evaluar la eficiencia de la apertura bucal y un modelo biocinematico para evaluar la eficacia del cierre bucal. La mayor cantidad de estructuras del neurocraneo se encuentran desplazadas hacia la region posterior, con alto grado de calcificacion y prevalencia de articulaciones sinartricas biseladas y suturas. Se destaca la barra vertical del suspensorio que sostiene a la serie opercular y la mandibula inferior. Premaxilar y maxilar intimamente unidos sin posibilidad de movimiento relativo aunque persiste el ligamento primordial. La configuracion del sistema de palancas del musculo adductor mandibular determina el sistema biocinematico cuya eficiencia en la transmision de fuerza es del orden del 30% para el fasciculo externo (A2 +A3α), mientras que para el fasciculo interno (A3β) la eficiencia es del orden del 15%. El Coeficiente de Transmision Cinematica (K = q · r -1 ) es de 9,75; mientras que el Coeficiente de la Fuerza Transmitida (f = r · q -1 ) tiene un valor de 0,102. Se analiza y discute el diseno morfofuncional que posibilita la captura de presas que desarrollan altas velocidades, ya que el coeficiente de transmision cinematica es alto, valor coincidente con peces de habitos piscivoros.

Resumen es: A partir del analisis del indice gonadal de 18.279 hembras de pez espada, se caracterizaron regiones con intensos procesos de maduracion-reproduccion fre...

Drought is the most severe production constraint for wheat worldwide. Evaluating performance of bread wheat lines and predicting drought tolerance is an essential part of the breeding process. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficiency of several indices in identifying wheat genotypes combining drought tolerance and high yield potential. Twenty-four indices, which were most frequently used in plant breeding, were compared based on grain yield of 40 bread wheat genotypes grown under two contrasting environments (stressed and non-stressed) during 2 cropping seasons 2014 and 2015. The trials were laid out as completely randomized block design of 3 replicates. Experienced stress was moderate because it caused less than 50% reduction in yield in both seasons. Analysis of variance of grain yield showed significant differences among genotypes, years, sites and genotype × site interaction. All drought indices revealed significant differences among genotypes in both seasons, except GM, SNPI and ATI. Based on correlations and principal component analysis, repeatable strong positive correlations were found between the indices (MP, MRP, REI, GMP, STI, MSTIk1, MSTIk2, HM and RDY) and grain yield under both moisture conditions during the two seasons. These indices can be considered as suitable criteria for selection of drought tolerant and high yielding genotypes under moderate stress Mediterranean environment. Moreover, these indices were able to select the highest mean yields under 20% of selection pressure with low variation across environments; especially STI, GMP and MP. The genotypes “Gladius” (9) and “AUS30355” (11) were consistently selected in both environments during two cropping seasons. Key words: Triticum aestivum, drought stress, tolerance indices, grain yield.

Size composition for swordfish Xiphias gladius in the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery for 1995-2016

Species hitherto identified as Pomphodiscus morenoensis (Long, Fuge & Smith) Barker & Meakin (Craspedodiscus morenoensis Long, Fuge & Smith) and Coscinodiscus morenoensis var. sensu Long, Fuge & Smith are transferred to the genus Benetorus Hanna; Coscinodiscus morenoensis Hanna is assigned to a new genus Azpeitiopsis. It has recently been suggested that the above species may be related to Gladius antarcticus Harwood. This investigation proves that they are not so related but belong to two different families, Benetoraceae, fam. nov. and Thalassiosiropsidaceae Nikolaev.

Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant of global importance that adversely impacts ecological and human health. A total of 140 Thunnus albacores (yellowfin tuna) and 176 of Xiphias gladius (swordfish) samples collected from the Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka in the period of July 2009 to March 2010 were examined for total mercury content and used to evaluate the mercury intake of Sri Lankan population. Total mercury concentrations of muscular tissues of fish were determined using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated that the highest mercury concentration were noted in swordfish 0.90±0.52 mg/kg, wet weight and followed by yellowfin tuna (0.30±0.18 mg/kg, wet weight). The projected intake values of mercury through human consumption were calculated (µg kg-1 body wt. weekly-1) and were compared with those of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) per kg body weight as stipulated by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) and Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).The estimated PTWI were lower than for yellowfin tuna and swordfish stipulated guidelines and therefore, was not considered to pose adverse effects to the humans with the present fish consumption volume.

An exploratory analysis of trends in swordfish (Xiphias gladius) length composition data from the Hawaiian longline fishery