Girella Punctata Research Articles

Captive spawning, early development, and larviculture of largescale blackfish, Girella punctata (Gray, 1835), and effects of macroalgae and alternative protein sources on its juvenile growth performance

The largescale blackfish, Girella punctata (Gray, 1835), inhabits rocky substrates in the coastal waters of Japan and northeastern Taiwan. Despite its commercial significance, there is limited knowledge regarding its reproductive biology due to the sparse occurrence of broodstocks in its natural environment. This study investigated the reproductive performance and embryonic development of G. punctata, assesses its feeding preferences through controlled feeding trials, and evaluates the impact of various feed types on its growth performance. In total, 124 wild-caught G. punctata were reared for 3–4 years, and their reproductive performance was assessed in 2015 and 2016. Their egg production increased with a sudden water temperature change from 17 ℃ in 2015–22 ℃ and 2016. The total and daily average egg production weights were 3589.22 and 40.79 g, respectively, whereas the total and daily average fertilized egg production weights were 1630.72 and 18.59 g, respectively; moreover, the hatching rate was 42.61 %. During embryonic development, the eggs hatched 45 h post fertilization at 19 ℃. Newly hatched larvae were 2.26 ± 0.04 mm in length with a yolk sac of 1.09 ± 0.02 mm in length. The yolk sac was almost completely absorbed 3 days post hatch (dph), when the larvae grew to a length of 3.42 ± 0.06 mm. We found that fish meal with 40 % protein was the optimal G. punctata fish diet. The weight gain in juveniles fed Cladophora fascicularis ranged from 47 % to 52 %, which was significantly higher than that in those fed Hypnea charoides (p < 0.05). The present study provided a practical guideline on the conditions required for successful fertilization and early development of G. punctata embryos and other larval stages. This information should help ensure greater survival and a higher proportion of healthy G. punctata larvae for mariculture applications.

Temperature sensitivity of the interspecific interaction strength of coastal marine fish communities

The effects of temperature on interaction strengths are important for understanding and forecasting how global climate change impacts marine ecosystems; however, tracking and quantifying interactions of marine fish species are practically difficult especially under field conditions, and thus, how temperature influences their interaction strengths under field conditions remains poorly understood. We herein performed quantitative fish environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding on 550 seawater samples that were collected twice a month from 11 coastal sites for 2 years in the Boso Peninsula, Japan, and analyzed eDNA monitoring data using nonlinear time series analytical tools. We detected fish–fish interactions as information flow between eDNA time series, reconstructed interaction networks for the top 50 frequently detected species, and quantified pairwise, fluctuating interaction strengths. Although there was a large variation, water temperature influenced fish–fish interaction strengths. The impact of water temperature on interspecific interaction strengths varied among fish species, suggesting that fish species identity influences the temperature effects on interactions. For example, interaction strengths that Halichoeres tenuispinis and Microcanthus strigatus received strongly increased with water temperature, while those of Engraulis japonicus and Girella punctata decreased with water temperature. An increase in water temperature induced by global climate change may change fish interactions in a complex way, which consequently influences marine community dynamics and stability. Our research demonstrates a practical research framework to study the effects of environmental variables on interaction strengths of marine communities in nature, which would contribute to understanding and predicting natural marine ecosystem dynamics.

Temperature sensitivity of the interspecific interaction strength of coastal marine fish communities.

The effects of temperature on interaction strengths are important for understanding and forecasting how global climate change impacts marine ecosystems; however, tracking and quantifying interactions of marine fish species are practically difficult especially under field conditions, and thus, how temperature influences their interaction strengths under field conditions remains poorly understood. We herein performed quantitative fish environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding on 550 seawater samples that were collected twice a month from 11 coastal sites for 2 years in the Boso Peninsula, Japan, and analyzed eDNA monitoring data using nonlinear time series analytical tools. We detected fish-fish interactions as information flow between eDNA time series, reconstructed interaction networks for the top 50 frequently detected species, and quantified pairwise, fluctuating interaction strengths. Although there was a large variation, water temperature influenced fish-fish interaction strengths. The impact of water temperature on interspecific interaction strengths varied among fish species, suggesting that fish species identity influences the temperature effects on interactions. For example, interaction strengths that Halichoeres tenuispinis and Microcanthus strigatus received strongly increased with water temperature, while those of Engraulis japonicus and Girella punctata decreased with water temperature. An increase in water temperature induced by global climate change may change fish interactions in a complex way, which consequently influences marine community dynamics and stability. Our research demonstrates a practical research framework to study the effects of environmental variables on interaction strengths of marine communities in nature, which would contribute to understanding and predicting natural marine ecosystem dynamics.

Microbiome and Metabolome Analyses in Different Closed-Circulation Aquarium Systems and Their Network Visualization.

Understanding the causes of microbiome formation and its relationship to environmental conditions is important to properly maintain recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs). Although RAS has been applied to numerous fish types and environmental conditions (e.g., loading intensity), the effects of these environmental conditions (i.e., fish type and loading intensity) on microbiome composition are limitedly known. Therefore, we established three experimental aquarium tanks to explore the effects of fish type, loading intensity, filter pore size, and rearing day on microbiome compositions: (1) a tank for Acanthogobius flavimanus, (2) for Girella punctata, and (3) for G. punctata with higher loading intensity. Multivariate analysis showed that the microbial community composition differed among the tanks, indicating that the fish type and loading intensity significantly affected microbiome formation in rearing water. Some microbes, such as Sediminicola and Glaciecola, were detected at a higher loading intensity, indicating that these microbes might be an indicator of eutrophic conditions in the aquacultural systems. In addition, a partial correlation network revealed a connection between microbes and metabolites in the aquarium tanks. Such a microbe–metabolite network might be a clue to control the microbiome by adjusting the molecule abundance in the aquacultural environment.

Removal of fouling seaweed on artificial substrate for Sargassum fusiforme seedling culture by juvenile Girella punctata grazing

Removal of fouling seaweed on artificial substrate for <i>Sargassum fusiforme</i> seedling culture by juvenile <i>Girella punctata</i> grazing

Effects of a Styrene Trimer (2,4,6-triphenyl-1-hexene) on Plasma Mineral Concentrations of Nibbler Fish, Girella punctata

Effects of a Styrene Trimer (2,4,6-triphenyl-1-hexene) on Plasma Mineral Concentrations of Nibbler Fish, Girella punctata

Consumption of monogenean eggs by crustaceans and fish

The use of biological agents to control parasitic diseases in aquaculture is becoming increasingly popular as it is considered safe, effective and economically beneficial strategy for sustainable aquaculture practices. Monogeneans are among the most problematic parasites in fish farms. Their local outbreaks are largely attributed to the accumulation of eggs on farming structures, and the removal of these eggs by biological agents can be a novel solution to control monogenean diseases. We assessed the consumption of monogenean eggs by two amphipod species (a gammarid and a caprellid), the grass shrimp Palaemon pacificus and three fish (two monacanthids and Girella punctata). The ingestion of Neobenedenia girellae and/or Heteraxine heterocerca eggs was directly or indirectly confirmed in all of the tested organisms. The eggs ingested by the crustaceans lost viability, while those eaten by fish hatched after excretion. Monacanthid filefish consumed N. girellae eggs at the highest rate, up to more than 23,000 eggs individual-1 24 hr-1. A cohabitation of Seriola dumerili with a monacanthid, Rudarius ercodes, showed a lower acquisition of N. girellae than those kept without R. ercodes. The results indicated that these crustaceans and fish can be useful biological agents for removing monogenean eggs from culturing facilities.

Influence of Benz[a]anthracene on Bone Metabolism and on Liver Metabolism in Nibbler Fish, Girella punctata.

It has been reported that spinal deformity was induced in developing fish by the addition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To examine the mechanism of the disruption of fish bone metabolism, the effect of benz[a]anthracene (BaA), a kind of PAH, on plasma calcium, inorganic phosphorus, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts was investigated in this study. We also measured several plasma components to analyze the toxicity of BaA on other metabolisms. BaA (1 or 10 ng/g body weight) was intraperitoneally injected (four times) into nibbler fish during breeding, for 10 days, and it was indicated, for the first time, that injecting high doses of BaA to nibbler fish induced both hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia. Furthermore, in the scales of nibbler fish treated with high doses of BaA, both osteoclastic and osteoblastic marker messengerRNA (mRNA) expressions decreased. These results are a cause of disruption of bone metabolism and, perhaps, the induction of spinal deformities. In addition, we found that total protein, metabolic enzymes in the liver, total cholesterol, free cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly decreased in BaA-injected fish. These results indicate that BaA may affect liver diseases and emphasize the importance of prevention of aquatic PAH pollution.

Skeleton and Scale Characteristics of Smallscale Blackfish, Girella leonina and Largescale Blackfish, Girella punctata

Two Girellidae species, smallscale blackfish, Girella leonina and largescale blackfish, G. punctata were compared using meristic traits, scale characteristics, and X-ray approaches. Meristic counts revealed three significant differences out of seven meristic characteristics (P $45.1{\pm}2.34^{\circ...

Distribution of youngs of two reef fishes, Girella punctata GRAY and G. melanichthys (RICHARDSON), in Tanabe Bay and the relationship found between their schooling behaviors.

Distribution of youngs of two reef fishes, Girella punctata GRAY and G. melanichthys (RICHARDSON), in Tanabe Bay and the relationship found between their schooling behaviors.

Seasonal Variation of Flavor Compounds in Wild Greenfish Girella punctata Muscle

Seasonal Variation of Flavor Compounds in Wild Greenfish Girella punctata Muscle

Effects of inorganic mercury and methylmercury on osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the scales of the marine teleost as a model system of bone.

To evaluate the effects of inorganic mercury (InHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) on bone metabolism in a marine teleost, the activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as indicators of such activity in osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively, were examined in scales of nibbler fish (Girella punctata). We found several lines of scales with nearly the same TRAP and ALP activity levels. Using these scales, we evaluated the influence of InHg and MeHg. TRAP activity in the scales treated with InHg (10(-5) and 10(-4) M) and MeHg (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) during 6 hrs of incubation decreased significantly. In contrast, ALP activity decreased after exposure to InHg (10(-5) and 10(-4) M) and MeHg (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) for 18 and 36 hrs, although its activity did not change after 6 hrs of incubation. As in enzyme activity 6 hrs after incubation, mRNA expression of TRAP (osteoclastic marker) decreased significantly with InHg and MeHg treatment, while that of collagen (osteoblastic marker) did not change significantly. At 6 hrs after incubation, the mRNA expression of metallothionein, which is a metal-binding protein in osteoblasts, was significantly increased following treatment with InHg or MeHg, suggesting that it may be involved in the protection of osteoblasts against mercury exposure up to 6 hrs after incubation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the effects of mercury on osteoclasts and osteoblasts using marine teleost scale as a model system of bone.

SEM study of the oral cavity of members of the Kyphosidae and Girellidae (Pisces, Teleostei), with remarks on Crenidens (Sparidae), focusing on teeth and taste bud numbers and distribution

The present study compares dental morphology and taste bud distribution in the oral cavity of four species of the teleost family Kyphosidae, five species of Girellidae and one species of Sparidae. Some of these species are predominantly herbivorous, while others are omnivorous with a high portion of invertebrates in their diets. All the kyphosids feature one row of frontal cusped teeth on their jaws and areas of miniature teeth on the tongue and palate; the girellid species feature 2–5 rows of denticulate teeth, and no teeth inside the oral cavity. The total number of taste buds in the oral cavity is higher in Girella spp. than in the kyphosids, and their number is species-specific, not correlated with fish size. For example, Kyphosus bigibbus of 500mm standard length bears 1780 taste buds, while the kyphosid Neoscorpis lithophilus of 80mm bears 3460. The maximum number of taste buds, 7900, is found in Girella punctata of 60mm standard length, and the minimum number, 1320, in Kyphosus vaigiensis of 175mm. The higher number of taste buds appears to characterize species that possess a more diversified diet. The present study contributes to our understanding of the differences between the two families Kyphosidae and Girellidae. In particular, it relates the eco-morphological adaptations to the type of diet consumed by the various species.

Colour preference of five marine fishes: bias for natural and yellow-dyed krill in laboratory tanks, sea cages and an earthen pond

In this study, the colour preference during feeding was determined in three members of the family Sparidae: girella (Girella punctata Gray), the black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli Bleeker) and the Japanese silver bream (Acanthopagrus latus Houttuyn); and in two members of the family Scombridae: the Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus Temminck et Schlegel) and the spotted mackerel (Scomber australasicus Cuvier). The three sparids are omnivorous and are confined to neritic habitats and the two scombrids are schooling planktivores and open-ocean forms. The experiments were conducted under three different holding conditions: grey and white tanks in the laboratory, sea cages and an earthen pond. The prey used in the tests was the Antarctic krill, in its natural colour (control) and in artificial colours of yellow, red, green, blue (produced with food dyes) and black (Chinese ink). These prey were offered in different two-colour pairs to groups of fish, and the colour of the krill attacked first was recorded. The frequencies of first attacks against each colour of the different pairs were analysed by the paired-preference test and Thurstone's law of comparative judgment. The data were converted into mean z-scores and significant biases from zero were noted. The five species took without hesitation all the krill of all colours, but preferred blue krill the least, and did not clearly distinguish red from black. The three sparids showed a strong bias for yellow krill under all holding conditions. The two scombrids preferred natural krill and showed poor colour preference. The observed colour preference was probably due to colour per se and may be an innate ability, rather than due to relative brightness (sensitivity of the fish eye), prey conspicuousness (pigmented eyes of the krill), or the associated taste of the dyes.

Length-Weight Relationship of Juvenile Nibbler, Girella punctata, at the Coastal Waters of Izu Peninsula

Length-Weight Relationship of Juvenile Nibbler, Girella punctata, at the Coastal Waters of Izu Peninsula

Population Dynamics of Juvenile Nibbler, Girella punctata, at Coastal Waters of Izu Peninsula

Population Dynamics of Juvenile Nibbler, Girella punctata, at Coastal Waters of Izu Peninsula

High gene flow in Girella punctata (Perciformes, Kyphosidae) among the Japanese Islands inferred from partial sequence of the control region in mitochondrial DNA

Sequencing analysis of the partial control region (c. 450 bp) detected 88 haplotypes from 249 individuals of Girella punctata collected from coastal waters of nine locations in the Japanese Islands. A single haplotype was the most numerous at all sampling locations, and no significant genetic difference was found among G. punctata samples collected from various locations (FST=−0·0274 to 0·0247) with high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity, suggesting that G. punctata population had experienced a bottleneck followed by rapid population growth around the Japanese Islands and might be affected by larval dispersal in association with warm currents.

Speciation of two sympatric coastal fish species, Girella punctata and Girella leonina (Perciformes, Kyphosidae)

Girella punctata and Girella leonina are sympatric sister species showing extensive distributional overlap in shallow rocky reefs in the Pacific Ocean south of the Japanese Islands. Differences between the two species in external morphological characters, such as number of pored lateral line scales, colour of opercular flap and shape of caudal fin, are congruent with genetic divergence. Nucleotide identity between the two species in the 3.3 kbp region of partial mitochondrial DNA containing the D-loop region, in 12S and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA genes is 95%. To estimate divergence time, Bayesian analysis was conducted using a dataset comprising concatenated nucleotide sequences from the two rRNA genes of three girellid and nine other fish species. Using the Elopomorpha – Clupeocephala split (265 million years ago (mya)) as a calibration point, divergence between G. punctata and G. leonina is estimated as having occurred 6.0±1.4 mya. Speciation is suggested to have been caused by geographical isolation associated with formation of the Japanese Islands, which resulted in disjunction of Girella habitat.

口白症トラフグ脳磨砕濾液を用いた人為感染試験によるブリでの発症

The causative agent of kuchijirosho (snout ulcer disease), an infectious disease of tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes, is filterable, detailed characteristics of the agent have not been clear. Here, susceptibility of eight fish species against kuchijirosho was studied by injection with the kuchijirosho agent. A hundred percent mortality with typical signs of kuchijirosho was observed in tiger puffer, grass puffer T. niphobles, panther puffer T. pardalis and blue-spotted boxfish Ostracion immaculatus, while no mortality occurred in Japanese parrotfish Oplegnathus fasciatus, largescale blackfish Girella punctata and red seabream Pagrus major. Moreover, yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata was demonstrated to be susceptible to this disease, because cumulative mortalities of 100% and 60% were recorded in young (average 12 g in body weight) and adult (average 530 g in body weight) yellowtail, respectively. Affected young yellowtail exhibited convulsion with the curvature of the spine (scoliosis), although no typical disease sign was observed in the dead adult yellowtail. In experimental infection with the brain homogenate of the dead adult yellowtail, scoliosis was produced in young yellowtail.

Identification of Girella punctata and G. leonina by PCR-RFLP analysis

Abstract Itoi, S., Saito, T., Shimojo, M., Washio, S., and Sugita, H. 2007. Identification of Girella punctata and G. leonina by PCR-RFLP analysis. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 328–331. Two Girella species, Girella punctata and G. leonina, are sympatric sister species with an extensive overlap in their respective distributions on shallow rocky reefs from Hong Kong to the south of the Japanese Islands. Juveniles of the two species cannot be discriminated easily on the basis of external characters. In this study, after morphological identification of the species, sequencing analysis was carried out for the partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and for the D-loop region in mitochondrial DNA. A total of 109 specimens was examined. Restriction site mapping of the sequences suggested that the electrophoretic patterns of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the gene products would produce a species-specific banding pattern. Subsequently, the PCR-RFLP analysis showed that the method was as effective for separating the two morphologically similar species of the genus Girella as the sequencing analysis.