South Australian Waters Research Articles

Modelling marine microplastics accumulation zones through freshwater discharge sources: Simulated release from the Onkaparinga River and Torrens River, South Australia

Plastic pollution is fast becoming one of the most prominent contamination issues facing the marine environment. Microplastics are a major subset of plastic waste now present in all global oceans, with their numbers standing only to increase. This study applies a coupled hydrodynamic model and Lagrangian particle-tracking model to predict and simulate microplastic transport in South Australian waters. Virtual particles representing microplastics were released daily for 365 days from two major freshwater input sources along the coastline of Adelaide, Australia. These particles entered the Gulf St Vincent and were tracked over two model years using LTRANS software. The model identified general gulf circulation as circular, clockwise, with net southward particle transport from particle release sites. A potential accumulation zone associated with a local eddy was identified. Concentrations of particles that passed through local marine parks were also calculated in response to the potential concerns they pose in vulnerable protected areas.

Corrigendum: Abundance and Potential Biological Removal of Common Dolphins Subject to Fishery-Impacts in South Australian Waters

Corrigendum: Abundance and Potential Biological Removal of Common Dolphins Subject to Fishery-Impacts in South Australian Waters

Microplastics in intertidal water of South Australia and the mussel Mytilus spp.; the contrasting effect of population on concentration

Microplastics, plastic particles <5 mm in size, are of global concern as human-caused pollutants in marine and fresh waters, and yet little is known of their distribution, behaviour and ecological impact in the intertidal environment of South Australia. This study confirms for the first time, the presence of microplastic in the South Australian intertidal ecosystem by quantifying the abundance of particles in intertidal water and in the keystone species, the blue mussel, Mytilus spp., an important fisheries species, at ten and six locations respectively, along the South Australian coastline. For a remote region known for its pristine environment, microplastic concentration in intertidal water was found to be low to moderate (mean = 8.21 particles l−1 ± 4.91) relative to global levels and microplastic abundance in mussels (mean = 3.58 ± 8.18 particles individual−1) was within the range also reported globally. Microplastic particles were ubiquitous across sites and bioavailable by size in water (mean = 906.36 μm) and in mussel (mean = 983.29 μm) raising concerns for the health of South Australia's unique coastal ecosystems and for the human food chain. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between human coastal population size and microplastic concentration in intertidal water, irrespective of influences from industry - tourism, fishing and shipping ports. FTIR analysis determined plastic type to include polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), acrylic resin, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and cellulose, suggesting synthetic and semi-synthetic particles from single-use, short-life cycle products, fabrics, ropes and cordage. Our findings shed light on the urgent need to establish the local sources of microplastic pollution in order to assist the community, industry and government to reduce the impact of microplastic on the fragile marine systems within South Australian intertidal waters and on the organisms associated with the human food chain.

Abundance and Potential Biological Removal of Common Dolphins Subject to Fishery Impacts in South Australian Waters

Conservation management of wildlife species should be underpinned by knowledge of their distribution and abundance, as well as impacts of human activities on their populations and habitats. Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are subject to incidental capture in a range of Australia’s commercial fisheries including gill netting, purse seining and mid-water trawling. The impact these fishery interactions have on common dolphin populations is uncertain, as estimates of abundance are lacking, particularly for the segments of the populations at risk of bycatch and in greater need of protection. Here we used double-observer platform aerial surveys and mark-recapture distance sampling methods to estimate the abundance of common dolphins in 2011 over an area of 42,438 km2in central South Australia, where incidental mortality of common dolphins due to fisheries bycatch is the highest. We also used the potential biological removal (PBR) method to estimate sustainable levels of human-caused mortality for this segment of the population. The estimated abundance of common dolphins was 21,733 (CV = 0.25; 95% CI = 13,809–34,203) in austral summer/autumn and 26,504 in winter/spring (CV = 0.19; 95% CI = 19,488–36,046). Annual PBR estimates, assuming a conservative maximum population growth rate ofRmax= 0.02 and a recovery factor ofFr= 0.5 for species of unknown conservation status, ranged from 95 (summer/autumn) to 120 dolphins (winter/spring), and from 189 (summer/autumn) to 239 dolphins (winter/spring) with anRmax= 0.04. Our results indicate that common dolphins are an abundant dolphin species in waters over the central South Australian continental shelf (up to 100 m deep). Based on the 2011 abundance estimates of this species, the highest estimated bycatch of common dolphins (423 mortalities in 2004/05) in the southern Australian region exceeded the precautionary PBR estimates for this population segment. Recent bycatch levels appear to be below PBR estimates, but low observer coverage and underreporting of dolphin mortalities by fishers means that estimates of dolphin bycatch rates are not robust. The effects of cumulative human impacts on common dolphins are not well understood, and thus we recommend a precautionary management approach to manage common dolphin bycatch based on local abundance estimates.

Suitability of the Southern Australia Integrated Marine Observing System’s (SA-IMOS) HF-Radar for operational forecasting

ABSTRACTThe IMOS HF-Radar array in South Australia provides observations of the ocean waters south of Spencer Gulf. In addition to ocean surface currents, the data from this array can be processed to provide near real-time observations of wave statistics and wind direction. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology requires access to these observations for forecast modelling but currently only have a single Waverider buoy operating in South Australian waters at Cape du Couedic, south of Kangaroo Island, which provides no directional information. The HF-Radar array could potentially be used to augment the current operational observation systems used by the Bureau. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of the HF-Radar system against observations from the Waverider buoy and an automatic weather station at Neptune Island and also compare the HF-Radar observations to a wave model based on the eSA-Marine forecast grid. The results suggest that upgrading the HF-Radar to provide near real-time wave and wind data would provide a new, independent source of environmental observations for the Bureau.

At‐sea trialling of the Hookpod: a ‘one‐stop’ mitigation solution for seabird bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries

AbstractBycatch of pelagic seabird species in longline fisheries is recognized as one of the most important and pervasive sources of mortality, contributing to an increased risk of their extinction. Uptake of mitigation measures to reduce seabird bycatch has not been widespread by the industry. Here, we present the results of 18 at‐sea trials conducted between 2011–2015 onboard pelagic longliners targeting tuna (Thunnus spp) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in South African, Brazilian and Australian waters, using a recently designed seabird bycatch mitigation device. The ‘Hookpod’ is a polycarbonate capsule that encases the point and barb of baited pelagic longline hooks to prevent seabirds from becoming hooked and drowning during line‐setting operations. The assessment was based on efficacy (i.e. reducing rates of seabird bycatch without impacting target catch rate) and practicality (i.e. how the Hookpod fitted into fishing operations). We observed 59 130 experimental branchlines over 129 sets and recorded a single seabird mortality on the Hookpod branchlines compared to 24 on the control branchlines, a bycatch rate of 0.04 birds/1000 hooks and 0.8 birds/1000 hooks, respectively. No difference in catch rate of target fish species between Hookpod and control treatments was detected. These findings demonstrate that Hookpods do not negatively affect catch rate of target species and could make an important contribution to halting the decline of many seabird populations if adopted as a mitigation measure by the pelagic longline fishing industry.

New Evidence for Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops spp.) Population Connectivity between Kangaroo Island and South Australian Mainland Waters

Limited information still exists on the movements of bottlenose dolphins in South Australian coastal waters. There is, however, a need to overcome this paucity of information for an effective development and implementation of conservation and management initiatives in these waters that are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities. This study infers potential movements of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) between Kangaroo Island that separate and shelter South Australian coastal waters from the Southern Ocean swell, and the South Australian mainland (The Fleurieu Peninsula and The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary). Bottlenose dolphins were identified from three separate photo-identification catalogues collated from around the South Australian coastline. Of the 3518, 654 and 181 dolphins sighted in Kangaroo Island, Fleurieu Peninsula and the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, 233, 74 and 40 individuals were recognizable, respectively. Resighting rates were similar in Kangaroo Island (70.4%) and Fleurieu Peninsula (75.7%), but much lower in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (35%). Ten individuals were resighted between Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula, whilst no matches were made between these two locations and the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary catalogue. This suggests a longitudinal connectivity between Kangaroo Island and South Australian mainland waters, but a lack of latitudinal connectivity that may result from the physical stratification processes that separate northern and southern South Australian waters. Our results also demonstrate the highly mobile nature of this species within South Australian waters as well as establish photo-identification as an effective non-invasive tool in which to monitor long-term movement patterns).

Changes in the behavioural complexity of bottlenose dolphins along a gradient of anthropogenically-impacted environments in South Australian coastal waters: Implications for conservation and management strategies

The susceptibility of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) to disturbance within South Australian coastal waters is of particular importance due to both the ever increasing impact of anthropogenic activities on these waters and their semi-enclosed nature. Currently, little is known about the ecology of dolphins in this region, in particular in relation to anthropogenically-driven disturbances. This study investigates the level of stress experienced by bottlenose dolphins from the complexity of their temporal patterns of dive durations recorded along a gradient of environment types defined as a function of the intensity of anthropogenically-driven pollution and disturbances, including urban development and recreational boating. Dive durations were opportunistically recorded from land-based stations scattered across South Australian coastal waters both in the absence of boat traffic, and the potential for boat-related disturbance was investigated when a motorized vessel was within 100m from a traveling individual to infer the effect of indirect exposure to boat disturbance. This approach fundamentally differs from more standard assessments of the behavioural effect of direct exposure to boat disturbance, for instance when dolphins chase fishing vessels, flee from motorboats or bow ride. Subsequent analyses were based on nearly 12,000 behavioural observations. No significant differences were found in dive durations measured in the absence of boats and when boats were present. In contrast, fractal analysis consistently identified significant differences in the complexity of dive duration patterns as a function of environment and exposure to disturbance. Specifically, bottlenose dolphins occurring in environments with less anthropogenic pressure exhibit a higher behavioural complexity. This complexity consistently and significantly decreases both within each environment and between environments with increasing anthropogenic pressure. These results further show that the relative changes in bottlenose dolphins' behavioural complexity increase in environments less impacted by anthropogenic activities. These results are discussed in the general context of the adaptive value of fractal behaviour, the susceptibility of bottlenose dolphins occurring in distinct environments to anthropogenic disturbance, and how behavioural properties identified with our fractal methods can be used to establish baseline information that can be used for the design and implementation of conservation and management strategies.

Spatial variation in shape of otoliths for southern garfish Hyporhamphus melanochir – Contribution to stock structure

Otolith morphometrics and shape analyses were used to delineate the sub-population structure and determine the level of mixing of southern garfish in South Australian waters. Adult garfish from the 2+ age class were collected from three sites within each of six regions along the South Australian coast: Northern Gulf St Vincent, Southwest Gulf St Vincent, Kangaroo Island, Northern Spencer Gulf, Southern Spencer Gulf and the West Coast of Eyre Peninsula. This study adopted a multi-stage statistical approach exploring the spatial variation in gross otolith morphology and through elliptical Fourier analysis separately, and in combination, over both broad (regional) and fine (site) spatial scales. Stepwise discriminant function analysis revealed significant separation across both spatial scales; however, overall classification success of garfish to their site of capture was poor (<45%). Despite this, the results indicated some level of structuring within South Australia's southern garfish population, as fish were correctly classified at rates that were 32% better than would be expected by chance. At least six putative regional components with various levels of intermixing were detected based on differences in otolith shape. This result refines the spatial resolution of the fishery and consequently highlights the vulnerability of these regional components to localized depletion, particularly as the resource is currently considered to be over-exploited.

Virally-Mediated Versus Grazer-Induced Mortality Rates in a Warm-Temperate Inverse Estuary (Spencer Gulf, South Australia)

We investigated the seasonal dynamics of flow cytometrically-defined populations of viruses, heterotrophic bacteria, and the picoeukaryotic and prokaryotic phytoplankton at three sites in the temperate oligotrophic inverse estuary of Spencer Gulf (South Australia). We consistently identified two sub-populations of viruses, three sub-populations of heterotrophic bacteria, one population of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton and two populations of prokaryotic phytoplankton (cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus). Both the cytometric community composition and the abundance of viruses, heterotrophic bacteria and both prokaryotic (Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus) and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were consistent with previous observations conducted in South Australian continental shelf waters. Noticeably LDNA bacteria (i.e. inactive or dormant cells) were consistently significantly the most abundant group of heterotrophic bacteria (totaling from 29% to 68% of total bacterial abundance) and were up to 10-fold more abundant than that previously reported in South Australian continental shelf waters, including the nearby Saint Vincent Gulf. These results suggest an overall low activity of the microbial community, and are consistent with previous evidence that LDNA cells may play a greater role in heterotrophic processes than HDNA cells in oligotrophic waters. In an attempt to further assess the qualitative and quantitative nature of the mortality of these organisms, we used a specific dilution assay to assess the relative contribution of viruses and microzooplankton grazers to the mortality rates of heterotrophic bacteria, and picoeukaryotic and prokaryotic phytoplankton. We consistently reported site-specific, population specific and sea-son-specific viral lysis and grazing rates of heterotrophic bacteria and the picoeukaryotic and prokaryotic (cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus) phytoplankton across sites and seasons. Specifically, both viral lysis and micro-zooplankton grazing rates of heterotrophic bacteria were consistently relatively low across sites and seasons, even though their seasonality suggested an overall dominance of grazing over viral lysis in both summer and winter. In contrast, no seasonality is found in either lysis or grazing rates of prokaryotic and eukaryotic picophytoplankton, which are comparable to previous observations conducted in oligotrophic waters, suggesting the mortality dynamics of these populations is similar to those encountered in other oligotrophic waters. The observed patterns of mortality rates of heterotrophic bacteria and both prokaryotic and eukaryotic picophytoplankton are consistent with the low chlorophyll concentration and production previously observed in the waters of the Spencer Gulf.

Population-specific shifts in viral and microbial abundance within a cryptic upwelling

Coastal upwelling systems play an essential role in bringing cold and nutrient-rich water into the euphotic zone, hence enhancing the biological productivity of the world's oceans. We describe a “cryptic” upwelling occurring in South Australian waters, in which cold upwelled waters do not reach surface waters and do not exhibit a sea surface temperature (SST) signature. Due to the wide continental shelf (ca. 100km), upwelled waters form a sub-surface cold water pool and are forced north-west after a secondary event. Using flow cytometry we investigated the abundance and composition of viruses, heterotrophic bacteria and pico-phytoplankton within upwelling affected and unaffected waters. Our results identified the presence of upwelled waters at and below the Deep-Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM), where water temperature was at least 4°C colder than surface waters. In contrast to previous studies, no significant differences were observed between upwelled and non-upwelled waters for most individual viral, bacterial and pico-phytoplankton sub-groups. However, one viral, one bacterial and two pico-phytoplankton sub-groups were significantly more abundant at the DCM. This indicates the presence of depth- and population-specific shifts in abundance and potential niche partitioning of these cytometrically-defined sub-groups that may be related to their host organisms and/or resource availability.

The endangered Australian sea lion extensively overlaps with and regularly becomes by-catch in demersal shark gill-nets in South Australian shelf waters

Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) have typically small breeding colonies, many of which are genetically distinct populations due to female philopatry (i.e. breeding site fidelity). This situation may increase the vulnerability of the species to decline when anthropogenic influences increase levels of mortality, even by small amounts. Anecdotal reports from South Australian shelf waters suggest Australian sea lions become by-caught and drown in demersal gill-nets used to catch sharks, or escape with life threatening entanglements. This study explored the potential impact of the operational interaction by estimating the (i) extent of geographic overlap and (ii) level of by-catch. Monitoring of Australian sea lion at-sea movements and of the demersal gill-net fishery confirmed spatial overlap between the two in 68.7% of 4km2 grid cells across South Australian shelf waters and by-catch of 283–333 Australian sea lions each breeding cycle (193–227 each year). Recent changes to the management arrangements of demersal gill-netting in South Australian shelf waters are likely to have improved the situation for Australian sea lions, although it may be necessary to further refine aspects relating to (i) the effectiveness of untested electronic fishery monitoring methods, (ii) the efficacy of relatively small permanent fishery closures around breeding colonies and (iii) the efficiency in receiving, processing and responding to by-catch reports to ensure by-catch limits are not exceeded. Long-term monitoring at representative breeding colonies would be useful for determining if and where research and management should be prioritised. A recent report suggests a similar problem may exist in Western Australia, where approximately 14% of the species resides.

Assessing the fate and biodegradation of cyanobacterial metabolites in Australian waters

With the exception of the saxitoxins, the cyanobacterial metabolites studied were shown to be biodegradable in two South Australian waters with the rate of biodegradation of the metabolites influenced by temperature and to a lesser extent, seasonal variations. The order of ease of biodegradability followed the trend: microcystin-LR &amp;gt; cylindrospermopsin &amp;gt; geosmin &amp;gt; 2-methylisoborneol &amp;gt; saxitoxins. Pseudo-first-order rate constants for the biodegradation of the metabolites ranged from 9.6 × 10−4 to 2.6 × 10−2 h−1.

A local upwelling controls viral and microbial community structure in South Australian continental shelf waters

Despite the increasing awareness of the role of viruses and heterotrophic bacteria in microbial dynamics and biogeochemical cycles, there is still a critical lack of information on their community composition and dynamics, especially in relation to upwellings. We investigated, within surface waters and the Deep Chlorophyll Max, the community composition and dynamics of flow cytometrically defined sub-populations of heterotrophic bacteria and virus-like particles in nearby water masses that were affected and unaffected by a localised wind-driven coastal upwelling. In contrast to previous studies we uniquely identified a 4-fold increase in total viral abundance and a decrease in bacterial abundance, from upwelled to offshore waters. Individual viral sub-populations were seen to correlate significantly to both bacterial populations and chlorophyll a, suggesting the possibility of individual viral populations infecting multiple host species rather than the often assumed single host species. The percentage of HDNA bacteria was high (84.3–93.4%) within upwelled waters, in accordance with the highest recorded values within an upwelling system, and decreased down to 35.5–42.6% away from the upwelling. Additionally, changes in the community composition of individual bacterial sub-populations suggest individual populations might be better adapted to distinct environments. We suggest that each flow cytometrically defined bacterial population may possess its own environmental niche where favourable conditions for that population result in an increase in abundance, cellular activity and productivity.

Influence of local physical events on picophytoplankton spatial and temporal dynamics in South Australian continental shelf waters

We investigated the space-time dynamics of picophytoplankton in South Australian continental shelf waters from February 2008 to January 2009, focusing on localized physical events. We discriminated six picophytoplankton populations by flow cytometry, including Synechococcus (SYN1, SYN2), Prochlorococcus (PROC1, PROC2) and small and large picoeukaryotes (EUKS, EUKL). Local physical events observed included downwelling and dense waters outflowing from a nearby gulf in winter-early spring 2008, upwelling in summer and early spring 2008 and eddy formation in January 2009. Each population responded differently to these events, which resulted in up to four orders of magnitude changes in their abundances. Population-specific hotspots reflected a succession of distinct dominant communities associated with the strength of upwelling events, changes in fluorescence maximum depths and local downwelling and mixing processes. The unexpected high abundances and local dominance of Prochlorococcus in summer reflected the possible influence of eastward and westward current transports and the presence of a High-Light (PROC1)- and Low-Light (PROC2)-adapted ecotypes. This study highlights the role of localized physical events in the dominance of all three picophytoplankton groups that may be critical for the high productivity of the study region, and suggests the importance of hydroclimatic forcing for inter-annual changes in picophytoplankton communities.

Coagulation assessment and optimisation with a photometric dispersion analyser and organic characterisation for natural organic matter removal performance

Three South Australian source waters of low, mid and high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels were evaluated for coagulation efficiency in terms of natural organic matter (NOM) interaction and floc behaviour. Experiments were conducted using aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH) and aluminium sulphate (alum) at different mixing conditions with continuous monitoring of formation and breakage of flocs using a flow-through optical measurement device known as photometric dispersion analyser (PDA). A positive correlation of floc growth against coagulant dosage was found for ACH based on a limiting growth function. Floc structure was assessed by analysis of PDA derived parameters showing promise for more rapid coagulation condition optimisation than subjective visual criteria. Removal of NOM and growth of flocs are influenced more by the hydrophobicity of the NOM than the choice of coagulant. A higher hydrophobic fraction resulted in slower aggregation of flocs with both coagulants and better removal when using alum at controlled pH.

Spatial variation in parasite abundance: evidence of geographical population structuring in southern garfish Hyporhamphus melanochir

Southern garfish Hyporhamphus melanochir were examined for metazoan parasites from nine sites in three regions (Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent and northern Kangaroo Island) in South Australia to document parasite assemblages, identify candidate species suitable for use as biological tags and investigate spatial variation in parasite abundance. Four ectoparasite and 10 endoparasite species were identified representing Cestoda, Trematoda, Monogenea, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Copepoda and Isopoda. Lernaeenicus hemirhamphi, Micracanthorhynchina hemirhamphi, Mothocya halei and Philometra sp. were suggested for 'permanent' biological markers. Multivariate discriminant function analysis showed that most sites could be distinguished based on differences in parasite abundance. Four endoparasites (Conohelmins sp., Hysterothylacium sp., M. hemirhamphi and Philometra sp.) were most important for site characterization. Limited spatial variation in permanent endoparasite abundance among localities in northern Spencer Gulf provided evidence for a distinct northern Spencer Gulf population with little interregional mixing. In contrast, considerable spatial variation in permanent endoparasite abundance between localities sampled off Kangaroo Island implied limited local movement and suggested H. melanochir may comprise a metapopulation structure. These results largely align with recent evidence from otolith chemistry that indicates fine-scale geographical population structuring in South Australian waters.

Effect of water temperature on gut transit time, digestive enzyme activity and nutrient digestibility in yellowtail kingfish ( Seriola lalandi)

Yellowtail kingfish ( Seriola lalandi) are farmed in sea cages in South Australian waters and exposed to seasonal variations in water temperature. The temperature variations, ranging from 10 to 24 °C, influence feed intake and on-farm feeding practices. Sub-adult yellowtail kingfish are fed twice daily in summer while feeding in winter may be reduced to once every second day. Lower winter water temperatures increase gut transit times which may lead to a condition known as winter syndrome. This syndrome causes an enteritis response in yellowtail kingfish and reduces farm productivity. The impact of water temperature on gut transit time, nutrient digestibility and protease and lipase enzyme activities in yellowtail kingfish (2.12 ±0.03 and 2.77 ± 0.03 kg live weight in summer and winter respectively) was investigated at summer and winter water temperatures; 20.8 ± 0.4 °C and 12.6 ± 0.1 °C respectively, using observations made on dissected fish and detection of the passage of dietary markers. Water temperature had a significant effect on gut transit time, with visual observations demonstrating that at summer water temperatures it takes 12–16 h for all digesta to be voided from the fish compared to 36–48 h at winter temperatures. Temperature did not have a significant effect on the dietary nutrient apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC, %) although there was a numerical tendency for nutrient ADC to be higher in the posterior intestine at summer water temperatures: 46% vs. 35% for dry matter; 70% vs. 67% for protein; 66% vs. 58% for fat; and 70% vs. 63% for energy. Nutrient digestibility did not differ significantly between the anterior and posterior intestinal sections; however, the ADC values were consistently higher in posterior intestine. Protease activity was significantly higher in the posterior intestine and there was also a numerical, but not significant, increase in protease and lipase activities in the anterior section of the intestine during winter. Lipase activity was significantly higher in the anterior intestine during summer, when compared to the posterior section, and numerically higher in this section during winter. In winter it was found that a greater proportion of nutrient digestion occurred in the stomach, pyloric caeca and anterior intestine when compared to summer. This was thought to be due to the slower gut motility and higher enzyme activities observed during winter. Even though gut transit time was slower in winter, the lower water temperature also resulted in nutrient digestibility that was numerically lower.

Stock discrimination of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) by stable isotope ratio analysis of otolith aragonite

Stable isotope analysis (δ18O and δ13C) of otolith aragonite was used to infer ontogenetic patterns of movement, delineate sub-population structure, and determine the mixing of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) in South Australian waters. Adult garfish from the 2+ age class were collected from three sites within each of six regions along the South Australian coast: Northern Gulf St. Vincent, South West Gulf St. Vincent, Kangaroo Island, Northern Spencer Gulf, South West Spencer Gulf and the West Coast of Eyre Peninsula. Significant spatial variation was detected in mean δ18O and δ13C values among sites within regions and as a function of fish age. Salinity, rather than sea surface temperature, appeared to account for regional variation in δ18O, whereas variation in diet and metabolic processes were suggested to account for observed differences in δ13C. Otolith oxygen and carbon stable isotope values indicated that the South Australian Southern Garfish fishery is comprised of multiple, regional, population components that persist through time. Both the West Coast and Northern Spencer Gulf regions constitute distinct population components that exhibit little inter-regional mixing and therefore may be considered as discrete management units. The South West Spencer Gulf region may also be considered a separate population component, however, its level of connectivity with Gulf St. Vincent is uncertain. With the exception of juvenile garfish from Kangaroo Island, there was no clear regional separation within Gulf St. Vincent.

Redescriptions of two species of microcotylid monogeneans from three arripid hosts in southern Australian waters

Microcotyle arripis Sandars, 1945 is redescribed from Arripis georgianus from four localities: Spencer Gulf, Gulf St. Vincent, off Kangaroo Island and Coffin Bay, South Australia, Australia. Kahawaia truttae (Dillon & Hargis, 1965) Lebedev, 1969 is reported from A. trutta off Bermagui, New South Wales and is redescribed from a new host, A. truttaceus, from four localities in South Australian waters: Spencer Gulf, Gulf St. Vincent, off Kangaroo Island and Coffin Bay. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 28S ribosomal RNA gene (28S rRNA) nucleotide sequences for both microcotylid species and comparison with other available sequence data for microcotylid species across four genera contributes to our understanding of relationships in this monogenean family.