Scartella Cristata Research Articles

On the occurrence of three blennid species in the South-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey

In the present study, three blennid species of Aidablennius sphinx (Valenciennes, 1836) Parablennius tentacularis (Brünnich, 1768) and Scartella cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) were reported from the southeastern Mediterranean waters with visual records during an underwater survey conducted on October 19, 2015 in the Konacik and, on July 30, 2016 in the Çevlik coast at a depth ranges of 2-10 m. The present report is the occurrence and is the first confirmation of three blennid species from Iskenderun Bay, Turkey (South-eastern Mediterranean Sea). Besides, this study will be useful fisheries biology and ecology and also contribute to fisheries scientists.Keywords: Blenniidae, Combtooth blennies; Iskenderun Bay; Mediterranean Sea; observation

From The Editor

From The Editor Roger D. Woodard Earlier versions of the papers that constitute this special thematic issue of Arethusa were presented at a symposium on Greek tragedy—one meeting of a series of three symposia informally known as the "Peradotto Sessions." The series was made possible through the generous financial support of Milton Ezrati, distinguished economist, who, as an undergraduate at the University at Buffalo, had undertaken coursework with John J. Peradotto. It was in the fall term of 1968 that Mr. Ezrati began studying with Professor Peradotto, enrolling in Classics 103: Greek Literature in Translation (readings in Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics). The beginning of Milton Ezrati's studies with Jack Peradotto thus coincided with the beginning of Arethusa, the first issue of which is dated Fall 1968 and edited by Charles Garton. As I mentioned in my editorial preface to the preceding issue of Arethusa (55.2), the lead article of that inaugural issue of the journal is Charles Segal's "Ancient Texts and Modern Criticism: Some Recent Trends in Classical Literary Studies" (pp. 1–25). Segal is joined in the issue by Ernst Badian: "Sulla's Augurate" (pp. 26–46), Brooks Otis: "A Reading of the Cleopatra Ode" (pp. 47–61), Molly Miller: "Solon's Timetable" (pp. 62–81), Albert Cook: "The Patterning of Effect in Sophocles' Philoctetes" (pp. 82–93), John P. Anton: "The Ultimate Theme of the Phaedo" (pp. 94–102), and Robert K. Sherk: "The Date of Menander's Dyscolus" (pp. 103–108). To draw once more from Charlie Segal's prescient contribution—early in his article (p. 2), Segal references an essay from the Prologue (that portion entitled "Reading") of Auden's The Dyer's Hand and Other Essays (p. 4, first published 1948, London, Faber and Faber), writing that "one must at least consider the problem raised by W. H. Auden that in criticizing a classic one is dealing with a work that is already a part of one's spiritual biography." Taking a broader pass at Auden's lines we find (pp. 4–5): "To read is to translate, [End Page 209] for no two persons' experiences are the same … our judgment of an established author is never simply an aesthetic judgment … [for the author] is also a character in our biography." Segal then adds: "Be this as it may, a reasoned desanctification is salutary, in some cases even necessary." The very existence of the "Peradotto Sessions" testifies to the continued potentiality of classic works becoming a part of one's biography, something one may carry through decades, especially when acquired from or reinforced by a gifted and dedicated teacher. What follows in this issue of Arethusa is a set of four remarkable, salutary, reasoned desanctifications (and thus resanctifications) of Greek tragic drama, offered in celebration of Jack Peradotto's 90th birthday. RDW [End Page 210] Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press

Intertidal Biogeographic Subprovinces: Local and Regional Factors Shaping Fish Assemblages

Intertidal zones shelter a wealth of species and natural resources, provide important ecological services, and sustain several economic activities in coastal communities. However, the tidepool fish species that inhabit the intertidal zone are subject to a wide array of impacts due to the human presence and their accessibility, creating a challenge for the mitigation of habitat loss, in particular in tropical regions where the ecology and distribution of species are poorly known. In this study, we investigated tidepool fish species distribution patterns systematically across ca. 4,900 km of tropical Brazilian coastline (00–21° latitude) in order to verify the latitudinal trends and environmental variables influencing tidepool communities. A total of 5,113 fish specimens belonging to 67 taxa were collected at the 19 sites, revealing four distinct biogeographic subprovinces: Amazon Estuary (AE), Northern Mangrove (NM), Northeastern Semiarid (NS), and Tropical Warm (TW). Distance-based linear modeling evidenced in sequence water salinity, tidal range, shape of rocky shore formation, algae cover, distance to subtidal zone, latitude and rainfall as the most important environmental variables to shape biogeographic subprovinces. Fish species such as Bathygobius soporator, Bathygobius geminatus, Labrisomus nuchipinnis, and Scartella cristata presented wide distribution, occupying more than one subprovince. The trophic structure of the tidepool fishes also varied among subprovinces, with carnivores being associated with the AE subprovince, omnivores with the NM, and herbivores dominating the NS and TW. These findings reinforce the determining role of local and regional factors in the geographic distribution of fish and, in particular, highlight a new arrangement for the intertidal subprovinces of the tropical Brazilian shoreline, which may provide a valuable tool for the more effective management and conservation of this vulnerable ecosystem at the land-ocean interface.

The Diet and Gut Microbial Communities of Two Closely Related Combtooth Blennies,Chasmodes saburraeandScartella cristata

The digestive tracts of fishes contain a diverse set of gut associated microbiota known to contribute to many functions of the fishes' biology. Furthermore, it has been suggested that divergence in diets between two species is also associated with shifts in gut associated microbiota. Herein, we describe and compare the diet and gastrointestinal microbiota of two closely related combtooth blennies, Scartella cristata and Chasmodes saburrae (family Blenniidae) from Florida, USA. The diets of the two species were significantly different; C. saburrae consumed benthic or epiphytic crustaceans, while S. cristata consumed plants and detritus. Similarly, the gastrointestinal microbiota were significantly different between the two species. Gammaproteobacteria were the most abundant class identified in all samples, regardless of species, but S. cristata had higher relative abundances of Vibrionaceae, Methylococcaceae, and Fusobacteriaceae than did C. saburrae. These findings suggest that closely related species wit...

Thermal stress, thermal safety margins and acclimation capacity in tropical shallow waters—An experimental approach testing multiple end-points in two common fish

Tropical organisms are predicted to be among the most impacted by increasing sea surface temperatures, particularly those from intertidal habitats. In this study, a complete thermal biology assessment was conducted for two widespread tropical Atlantic shallow reef fish: Abudefduf saxatilis (damselfish) and Scartella cristata (blenny), which make extensive use of tide pools. The main objectives were to measure the time-course changes during one month in i) thermal and oxidative stress biomarkers (in gills, muscle and skin), ii) upper thermal limits, acclimation capacity and thermal safety margins and iii) body size, condition and energy reserves (total protein and lipid contents), under two temperature treatments (control – mean summer temperature, and elevated temperature −+3°C, as projected by climate warming scenarios for the end of this century).Results from biomarker analyses suggest that under increased temperature, both species displayed a typical response of physiological stress characterized by the activation of molecular chaperones and antioxidant protection. Both species presented a significant acclimation potential in the long term, as shown by increased critical thermal maxima values at higher temperature. However, these species may already be at risk during summer heat waves, as thermal safety margins for both species were low. Additionally, despite acclimation, some energetic tradeoffs may exist, since specimens from both species showed smaller body sizes at higher temperature (even though maintaining body condition). Finally, temperature treatments had a significant influence not only in the total amount of energy reserves (lipid contents) but also in their rate of deposition or depletion (total proteins and lipid contents). This is the first multi-end-point holistic approach to assess the impact of warming in shallow tropical water fish and it highlights the high risk that intertidal organisms are facing in both present and future sea surface temperature conditions.

Cryptobenthic fish as clients of french angelfish Pomacanthus paru (Pomacanthidae) during cleaning behaviour

The French angelfish Pomacanthus paru (Pomacanthidae) is recognised as an important cleaner in tropical reef environments, yet its clients remain relatively undescribed in the literature. Here, we report observations of their cleaning behaviour when interacting with different species of cryptobenthic fish clients. The study was conducted in Bahia state, northeast Brazil. In this region, French angelfish were seen cleaning four different species of cryptobenthic species, respectively, Coryphopterus glaucofraenum, Scorpaena plumieri, Labrisomus cricota, and Scartella cristata. These records show the broad spectra of clients that cleaners interact with in coral reef systems, as well as give important insights into the poorly known cryptobenthic fishes habits and ecology.

Habitat preference of combtooth blennies (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Blenniidae) in very shallow waters of the Ionian Sea, south-eastern Sicily, Italy

Background. In the Mediterranean Sea, habitat preferences of small benthic fishes of shallow waters have been poorly investigated. Although combtooth blennies are not of interest for fisheries, they are often the dominant fish community on rocky bottoms within the first meter of depth and in tidal pool environments, playing so an important role in the functioning of the coastal ecosystem. This study represents the first detailed investigation concerning habitat preference and depth distribution of combtooth blennies in the Ionian Sea. Materials and methods. Occurrence and abundance of species were investigated by a non-destructive visual census method using snorkelling or SCUBA diving. We investigated 5 habitat types (bathymetric intervals between 0 and 3 m of depth) to find difference in species richness and abundance in each one and between. Studies were conducted from June to October 2014 in the south-eastern coast of Sicily. Statistical method of the electivity index (EI) and principal component analysis (PCA) were utilized for the evaluation of the habitat preference of 11 species of combtooth blennies. Depth distribution for each species was box-plotted. For each habitat and depth, the Shannon–Wiener Index (H’) and the Simpson Index (D) were calculated. Diversity profiles were performed in order to give a better understanding of the correlation between diversity and both habitat types and depth. Results. During a total of 2485 observations of combtooth blennies a total of 11 species were recorded: Aidablennius sphynx (Valenciennes, 1836); Coryphoblennius galerita (Linnaeus, 1758); Lipophrys trigloides (Valenciennes, 1836); Microlipophrys canevae (Vinciguerra, 1880); Parablennius gattorugine (Linnaeus, 1758); Parablennius incognitus (Bath, 1968); Parablennius pilicornis (Cuvier, 1829); Parablennius sanguinolentus (Pallas, 1814); Parablennius zvonimiri (Kolombatović, 1892); Salaria pavo (Risso, 1810); Scartella cristata (Linnaeus, 1758). The maximum Shannon–Wiener Index (H’= 2.335) and Simpson Index (D = 0.898) values were recorded on “rocks with algal cover”; while, concerning the depth, the maximum values of both indices were recorded within the first meter. The diversity indices showed the highest values in the most heterogeneous habitat types. There was a negative correlation between depth and diversity indices. Results showed a clear habitat preference for the following species: A. sphynx, P. gattorugine, P. sanguinolentus, S. pavo and S. cristata. Conclusion. This study highlights the importance of depth and habitat heterogeneity in biological diversity, species richness and population abundances of combtooth blennies in the Mediterranean Sea.

Checklist of tidepool fishes from Jericoacoara National Park, southwestern Atlantic, with additional ecological information

Ichthyofauna from 29 tidepools in Jericoacoara National Park (Ceará State, Brazil) was sampled. A total of 733 fishes, comprising 16 species belonging to 12 families, was collected. The three most abundant species were the frillfin goby Bathygobius soporator, the sergeant-majorAbudefduf saxatilis and the molly miller Scartella cristata. An invasive species from the Indo-Pacific, the Muzzled blenny Omobranchus punctatus, was also recorded. The known geographic distribution of the blenny Hypleurochilus fissicornis was extended approximately 2,500 km northward. These findings highlight the lack of knowledge of the rocky intertidal ecosystems along the Brazilian coast, an area that needs more sampling effort and ecological data.

What Is the Relative Importance of Phytoplankton and Attached Macroalgae and Epiphytes to Food Webs on Offshore Oil Platforms?

AbstractOffshore oil platforms function as artificial reefs, but little is known about the food webs that fuel platform‐dwelling biota. Here, we use carbon and nitrogen isotopes in tissues of biota from two offshore oil platforms to estimate the importance of phytoplankton and platform‐associated macroalgae and epiphytic microalgae to the diets of platform‐dwelling consumers. Although the consumption of macroalgae was indicated for small, mobile consumers including crabs, amphipods, and harpacticoid copepods, both a Bayesian mixing model and temporal changes in isotope composition identified phytoplankton as the most important basal resource for these consumers. Sessile suspension‐feeding barnacles and oysters consumed phytoplankton and epiphytes, and probably redirected large amounts of pelagic production to other consumers. Secondary consumers including syllid polychaetes and the blennies, Molly Miller Scartella cristata and Tessellated Blenny Hypsoblennius invemar, exhibited a distinct contribution from epiphytes although large ranges in all potential basal resources were observed. Elemental and isotope analysis of the gut contents of individuals indicated that the nektonic Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus was omnivorous, directly consuming reef‐derived macroalgae and epiphytes as well as animal tissue. Although we found that reef‐derived resources entered benthic and nektonic food webs surrounding platforms, phytoplankton was the dominant basal resource fueling platform‐dwelling communities at the time of our study, and no consumer studied specialized on a diet of red macroalgae. If these findings are generally representative, platform‐derived benthic algae would not be integral to food‐web function on artificial reefs, and reef function should be similar in areas both favorable to and unfavorable to in situ algal growth.Received April 20, 2012; accepted January 31, 2013

Chromosomal complements of some Atlantic Blennioidei and Gobioidei species (Perciformes)

A remarkable degree of chromosomal conservatism (2n=48, FN=48) has been identified in several families of Perciformes. However, some families exhibit greater karyotypic diversity, although there is still scant information on the Atlantic species. In addition to a review of karyotypic data available for representatives of the suborders Blennioidei and Gobioidei, we have performed chromosomal analyses on Atlantic species of the families Blenniidae, Ophioblennius trinitatis Miranda-Ribeiro, 1919 (2n=46; FN=64) and Scartella cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) (2n=48; FN=50), Labrisomidae, Labrisomus nuchipinnis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (2n=48; FN=50) and Gobiidae, Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837) (2n=48; FN=56). Besides variations in chromosome number and karyotype formulas, Ag-NOR sites, albeit unique, were located in different positions and/or chromosome pairs for the species analyzed. On the other hand, the heterochromatic pattern was more conservative, distributed predominantly in the centromeric/pericentromeric regions of the four species. Data already available for Gobiidae, Blenniidae and Labrisomidae show greater intra- and interspecific karyotypic diversification when compared to other groups of Perciformes, where higher uniformity is found for various chromosome characteristics. Evolutionary dynamism displayed by these two families is likely associated with population fractionation resulting from unique biological characteristics, such as lower mobility and/or specific environmental requirements.

Chromosomal complements of some Atlantic Blennioidei and Gobioidei species (Perciformes).

A remarkable degree of chromosomal conservatism (2n=48, FN=48) has been identified in several families of Perciformes. However, some families exhibit greater karyotypic diversity, although there is still scant information on the Atlantic species. In addition to a review of karyotypic data available for representatives of the suborders Blennioidei and Gobioidei, we have performed chromosomal analyses on Atlantic species of the families Blenniidae, Ophioblennius trinitatis Miranda-Ribeiro, 1919 (2n=46; FN=64) and Scartella cristata (Linnaeus, 1758)(2n=48; FN=50), Labrisomidae, Labrisomus nuchipinnis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)(2n=48; FN=50) and Gobiidae, Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837)(2n=48; FN=56). Besides variations in chromosome number and karyotype formulas, Ag-NOR sites, albeit unique, were located in different positions and/or chromosome pairs for the species analyzed. On the other hand, the heterochromatic pattern was more conservative, distributed predominantly in the centromeric/pericentromeric regions of the four species. Data already available for Gobiidae, Blenniidae and Labrisomidae show greater intra- and interspecific karyotypic diversification when compared to other groups of Perciformes, where higher uniformity is found for various chromosome characteristics. Evolutionary dynamism displayed by these two families is likely associated with population fractionation resulting from unique biological characteristics, such as lower mobility and/or specific environmental requirements.

Diet and trophic plasticity of an herbivorous blenny Scartella cristata of subtropical rocky shores

The goals of the present study were to investigate the feeding rates of Scartella cristata, accounting for different water temperature regimes, and to analyse spatial and seasonal variations in its diet. The feeding rate of S. cristata was higher in warmer waters and was not correlated with season. A typical herbivorous diel feeding pattern was observed, with a steady increase in bite rate throughout the morning until a plateau in the early afternoon, followed by an abrupt decrease until the end of the daylight period. The gut contents of S. cristata included at least 41 different items. Detritus and algae (mainly filamentous) comprised most of the bulk of S. cristata's diet. Scartella cristata also exhibited significant seasonal and spatial variability in its diet. This study highlights the importance of detritus within the epilithic algal matrix in the diet of S. cristata and pinpoints that, as in coral reefs, the detrital pathway exerts an important role in the trophodynamics of subtropical rocky shores where these fish are abundant.

Erratum to: Cuckoldry rates in the Molly Miller (Scartella cristata; Blenniidae), a hole-nesting marine fish with alternative reproductive tactics

Erratum to: Cuckoldry rates in the Molly Miller (Scartella cristata; Blenniidae), a hole-nesting marine fish with alternative reproductive tactics

Cuckoldry rates in the Molly Miller (scartella cristata; blenniidae), a hole-nesting marine fish with alternative reproductive tactics

Microsatellite markers were developed and employed to assess genetic maternity and paternity of embryos in nest-tended clutches of the Molly Miller (Scartella cristata), a marine fish in which alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) by males were recently described from behavioral and morphological evidence. Genetic data gathered for 1,536 surveyed progeny, from 23 barnacle-nest holes in a single Floridian population, indicate that on average about 5.5 females (range 3–9) contributed to the pool of progeny within a nest. With regard to paternity, the microsatellite data demonstrate that most of the surveyed nests (82.6%) contained at least some embryos that had not been sired by the nest-tending (bourgeois) male, and overall that 12.4% of offspring in the population had been sired via stolen fertilizations by other males. These are among the highest values of cuckoldry documented to date in nest-tending fishes, and they support and quantify the notion that the nest-parasitic ART is reproductively quite successful in this species despite what would otherwise seem to be highly defensible nesting sites (the restricted interior space of a barnacle shell). Our estimated cuckoldry rates in this population of the Molly Miller are compared to those previously reported for local populations in other nest-tending fish species, with results discussed in the context of ecological and behavioral variables that may influence relative frequencies of nest parasitism.

Vertical Distribution, Size Structure, and Habitat Associations of Four Blenniidae Species on Gas Platforms in the Northcentral Gulf of Mexico

We counted individuals of the family Blenniidae and estimated their sizes on gas platforms southeast of Dauphin Island, Alabama. We observed species abundance decreasing as depth increased. Fish sizes also decreased with depth. The most abundant species was molly miller, Scartella cristata, followed by plumed blenny, Hypleurochilus multifilis, tessellated blenny, Hypsoblennius invemar, and seaweed blenny, Parablennius marmoreus. Total blenny abundance was positively related to the barnacle, Megabalanus antillensis, and dissolved oxygen concentrations, and inversely related to Anthozoa. Individually, S. cristata was correlated with M. antillensis, and inversely related to salinity, while the other blenny species showed more complex correlations to invertebrates. As a community, blennies showed a clear separation based on depth independent of offshore/inshore sites and sample date based on multidimensional scaling analyses. Our study suggests that attached invertebrates, particularly M. antillensis, provided a predation refuge, allowing these blenny species to exist in an otherwise unsuitable habitat, i.e. open shallow waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Reproductive morphology in relation to alternative male reproductive tactics in Scartella cristata

The relationship between reproductive morphology and reproductive tactics was examined in Scartella cristata, a combtooth blenny, which exhibits three behaviourally distinct mature male types: nesters, big males that care for eggs; hole‐dwellers, medium‐sized, non‐reproducing males that are site‐attached to a hole; sneakers, small, vagrant males that release sperm in the nests of the big males. The anal fin gland was a densely folded, mucous‐secreting structure probably involved in pheromone synthesis. It was relatively larger in nesters than hole‐dwellers, and altogether rudimentary in sneakers. Sneakers invested more in sperm production than nesters or hole‐dwellers, suggesting adaptation to sperm competition. Approximately half of the testes of nesters and hole‐dwellers was comprised of a highly developed efferent duct system or ‘testicular gland’, but this was extremely reduced in sneakers. In nesters the gland was characterized by many large vacuoles. A pair of secretory blind pouches was present in nesters and hole‐dwellers, but barely visible in sneakers. In nesters, the sperm duct walls were thickened and highly secretory containing sperm dispersed in a granular matrix. In sneakers they were thin‐walled and packed with concentrated sperm. Such differences probably represent different priorities for sperm production in relation to sperm competition and sperm economy. Thus it appears the accessory structures are traits developed specifically for a nesting tactic, whereas the gonad of sneakers is simply organized to produce as much sperm as possible.

Comparative morphology of male reproductive systems in Mediterranean blennies (Blenniidae)

The male reproductive organs of 16 species of Mediterranean Blenniidae (Aidablennius sphynx, Blennius ocellaris, Coryphoblennius galerita, Lipophrys adriaticus, L. canevae, L. dalmatinus, L. nigriceps, Parablennius gattorugine, P. incognitus, P. sanguinolentus, P. rouxi, P. tentacularis, P. zvonimiri, Paralipophrys trigloides, Salaria pavo and Scartella cristata) consist of pairs of testes, testicular glands, spermatic ducts, and blind pouches. Three main types of accessory sex organs were found by comparing the external morphology of the male gonads. Differences between species were observed in the volume of the testicular gland in relation to the volume of the testis and in the size and length of the spermatic ducts, and blind pouches. The anatomy of the testicular glands of all species investigated do not differ. Each gland consists of ducts that appear to be tubules which terminate at the testis periphery on one side and at the spermatic duct on the other side. Contrary to previous claims, A. sphynx has no fat body in place of the testicular gland; the gland of this species was not distinguishable from that of the other species investigated. In the Lipophrys species, in P. trigloides, and in B. ocellaris, a transition zone between testis and testicular gland is present. The testicular blind pouches empty into the spermatic ducts, into the ureter, or separately on the genital papilla. In most species, the epithelium has no or low folds, while in S. pavo it possesses high folds that nearly fill the lumen of the blind pouches. The morphological results are discussed in connection with taxonomy, ecology, and behaviour of the fishes.

Sun Hats and Ichnofabrics: Fourth International Ichnofabric Workshop, San Salvador Island, Bahamas, March 15-22, 1997

Sun Hats and Ichnofabrics: Fourth International Ichnofabric Workshop, San Salvador Island, Bahamas, March 15-22, 1997

Cytogenetic studies on the PerciformesOrthopristis ruber(Haemulidae) andScartella cristata(Blenniidae)

SUMMARYTwo Perciformes species (Orthopristis ruber and Scartella cristata) occurring along the southeastern coast of Brazil (Guanabara Bay, RJ) were analyzed cytogenetically by standard techniques, by silver nitrate staining and by C-banding. The results obtained in the present study confirm the karyotypic stability observed among Perciformes since both species present a diploid complement consisting of 48 chromosomes. The two species presented similar C-banding patterns revealing constitutive heterochromatin blocks in centromeric and telomeric positions in most chromosomes in the complement. S. cristata showed the presence of a NOR pair located subterminally in one of the largest subtelocentric pairs. The results obtained for O. ruber about this feature were not satisfactory.

The Gallic Chronicle of 452 and Its Authority for British Events

The chronology of the Saxon conquest of Britain is notoriously obscure. Among its most controversial aspects is the date of the adventus Saxonum , the appearance of the Saxons as an independent force in Britain. Only two sets of literary sources throw light on the question. A single contemporary, the anonymous Gallic Chronicler of 452, briefly noted under the year XVIII of Theodosius II (equated by Mommsen to A.D. 441–2) that ‘The British provinces, which up to this time had suffered various disasters and misfortunes, were reduced to Saxon rule’. Bede, writing in the eighth century, and basing his calculations on Gildas’ sketchy sixth-century account, supplied two somewhat later dates for the coming of the English to Britain: the first, A.D. 446–7, and the second ‘in the reign of Marcian and Valentinian’, that is, between 449 and 455. Bede's dates were generally accepted in the first part of this century, and the testimony of the Chronicler of 452, which records the end, and not the beginning, of a Saxon conquest, was dismissed as unreliable. In the last few years, there has been a tendency among scholars to consider Bede's dates mistaken, and to base the chronology of the adventus on the entry in the Chronicle of 452. Bede has not lacked defenders, however. Recently, Dr Molly Miller suggested not only that the date of 441-2 for the adventus was a figment of Mommsen's edition of the Gallic Chronicle, but also that the Chronicle itself could not be considered as a fifth-century source because it had been edited and interpolated at a later date. Miller's article raises serious questions about the value of the Chronicle of 452. Can it be used as a contemporary account of fifth-century events? Or must it be treated as a compilation contaminated by Carolingian editors?