Studies Of Fish Research Articles

Spatiotemporal patterns in marine fish and cephalopods communities across scales: Using an autoregressive spatiotemporal clustering model. A study of fish and cephalopods of the Eastern English Channel

Spatiotemporal patterns in marine fish and cephalopods communities across scales: Using an autoregressive spatiotemporal clustering model. A study of fish and cephalopods of the Eastern English Channel

Mycoflora and Public Health Risks of Smoked Fish Sold in Port Harcourt Markets, Nigeria

Fish is a preferred source of protein globally, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. It is a savoured protein source in the Niger Delta, including Port Harcourt. Smoking is used to preserve fish by reducing its moisture content with a view to improved shelf life. This study aimed at determining the Mycoflora and the Public Health risks of smoked fish sold in Port Harcourt Markets. A total of 54 fish samples were collected from three strategic markets; Mile one, Oil Mill and Creek Road markets. Fish collected consists of 6 different species; Gadus morhua, Pseudotolithus typhus, Lutijanus goreensis, Ethalmosa fimbriata, Pseudotolithus senegalensis and Dasyatis pastinaca. All samples were grouped accordingly. Mycological study of fish samples was done using standard methods on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. There was a significant difference in the mycoflora counts of smoked fish from different markets (p<0.05). Fungal load ranged from 1.23±0.08 x103 sfu/g in Lutjanus goreensis to 8.89±0.10 x 103 sfu/g in Gadus morhua, at Creek road market. From Mile 1 market, Lutjanus goreensis still hosted the highest population of 13.25±0.7 x 103 sfu/g and Dasyatis pastinaca had the least; 0.66±0.01 x 103 sfu/g. At Oil mill market, Ethalmosa fimbriata hosted 13.23±0.47 x 103 sfu/g while Gadus morhua had 0.77±0.02 x 103sfu/g. The fungal load in all fish from all three markets were significantly high for food and calls for attention. Nine fungal genera; Saccharomyces spp, Rhizopus spp, Penicillium spp, Mucor spp, Fusarium spp, Cladosporium spp, Candida spp, Absidia spp and Aspergillus spp, were isolated. All six fish species studied recorded more than 50 % occurrence of fungal species in all the markets. The mycoflora of smoked fish sold in Port Harcourt markets suggest significant public health risks. The need for improved storage and handling of this important protein source is high towards reduced public health risk. Proper preparation method, such as boiling, is strongly advocated.

What can goby otolith morphology tell us

The taxonomic information inscribed in otoliths has been widely ignored in ichthyological research, especially in descriptions of new fish species. One reason for this is that otolith descriptions are per se qualitative, and only a few studies have presented quantitative data that can support assignments of otoliths to individual species or permit differentiation between higher taxonomic levels. On the other hand, in palaeontology, otoliths have been employed for the identification and taxonomic placement of fossil fish species for over 100 years. However, palaeontological otolith data is generally regarded with suspicion by ichthyologists. This is unfortunate because, in the Cenozoic, the fossil otolith record is much richer than that based on skeletons. Thus fossil otoliths are a unique source of information to advance our understanding of the origin, biogeographical history and diversification of the Teleostei. This case study deals with otoliths of the Oxudercidae, which, together with the Gobiidae, encompasses the 5-branchiostegal-rayed gobiiforms. The objective was to determine whether the five lineages of the Oxudercidae, and individual species of the European Pomatoschistus lineage, could be distinguished based on the quantification of otolith variations. The data set comprises otoliths from a total of 84 specimens belonging to 20 recent species, which represent all five lineages of the Oxudercidae (Mugilogobius, Acanthogobius, Pomatoschistus, Stenogobius, Periophthalmus), and five fossil otoliths of dagger Pomatoschistus sp. (sensu Brzobohaty, 1994). Ten measurements were taken on each otolith and 23 otolith variables were computed and used for univariate and multivariate analyses. The results indicate that otolith morphometry (i) is capable of identifying the Pomatoschistus and Periophthalmus lineages among the Oxudercidae, but is of limited use in the separation of the other three lineages;(ii) can reliably distinguish the sand gobies (a distinct Glade within the Pomatoschistus lineage) from other members of the Pomatoschistus lineage;and (iii) supports a previous assignment of fossil otoliths to dagger Pomatoschistus sp. as an ancient genus of the sand gobies. With its middle Miocene age (15 m.y. ago), dagger Pomatoschistus sp. represents the oldest record of a sand goby species to date. We discuss possible relationships between distinct otolith morphologies, biogeographic distribution and lifestyles for Pomatoschistus and the Periophthalmus lineage, and also for the sand gobies. We conclude that otolith morphology, combined with morphometry, can be considered as an autapomorphy for an individual species from the studied groups. In addition, it also appears to contain a phylogenetic signal, but more work is needed to evaluate this fully.

Fish as a marvelous creature in myths and manuscripts: An overview

Myths, legends and marvelous creatures constitute an integral part of cultural, his-torical and literary heritage of all nations. Myths and legends are the subjects of studies in various fields such as literature, psychology, linguistics, folklore, etc. yet they have not been discussed in detail in the field of ichthyology. This paper is an attempt to review available information on what is considered as fish in myths and manuscripts including a historical text, Qazwini’s book (published in 1263 A.D.), those which are available in the museums around the world and those obtained during the fieldwork carried out in 2015 in some regions of Hor-muzgan Province, Iran. It seems that aquatic creatures, especially fishes, have been at the cen-ter of human thought for thousands of years, considering them as a blessed or hated creatures having a variety of forms with different faces resembling a human, snake, owl, cat or other animals, which are oriented with human beliefs, cultures and traditions.

Preliminary Study of Fish Abundance and Size in Intertidal Waters Around Unsrat Likupang Laboratory of North Minahasa Regency

Fish that migrate to tidal areas are usually dominated by the juvenile phase. This research was conducted in order to know the abundance and variation of species that present in the intertidal water areas around Likupang Field Laboratory. Sampling for data was conducted by using a coastal net during the new moon, quater and full moon phase in the months of October and November 2016. The species abundance was calculated based on the Importance Value Index (IVI) formula, length variation and length frequency distribution. During the field study, 723 individuals were recorded that belong to 93 species. The species abundance calculations, based on the important value index (IVI), were found ranging from 6.90% to 0.38%. It was recorded also that there are 3 species with relatively higher IVI score i.e Chelonodon patoca (6.90%), Paraplotosus albilabris (4.74%) and Caranx melampygus (3.75%). The variations in the size among migratory fish are generally abserved in the juvenile phase, except for some species such as Ambassador urotaenia, Plotosus lineatus, Taeniura lymma, and Terapon jarbua that reach adult size.Keywords: juvenile phase, abundance, size variation, important value index ABSTRAKIkan yang bermigrasi ke daerah pasang-surut biasanya didominasi pada fase juvenile. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui kelimpahan spesies dan variasi ukuran spesies yang ada di daerah intertidal sekitar Laboratorium Basah Likupang. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan menggunakan jaring pantai pada fase bulan baru, kwartir dan purnama pada bulan oktober dan November tahun 2016. Kelimpahan spesies di analisis dengan pendekatan Indeks Nilai Penting (INP), Variasi Ukuran Panjang dan Distribusi Frekuensi Panjang. Selama penelitian didapat 723 individu dari 93 spesies. Kelimpahan spesies berdasarkan indeks nilai penting (INP) berkisar antara 6,90% sampai 0,38%. Terdapat 3 spesies dengan nilai INP relatif besar yaitu Chelonodon patoca (6,90%), Paraplotosus albilabris (4,74%) dan Caranx melampygus (3,75%). Variasi ukuran ikan yang bermigrasi umumnya adalah ikan dalam fase juvenile, kecuali beberapa spesies yang mencapai ukuran dewasa seperti Ambassis urotaenia, Plotosus lineatus, Taeniura lymma, Terapon jarbua.Kata kunci : Fase juvenile, Kelimpahan, Variasi ukuran, Indeks Nilai Penting

Medical malacology and medical ichthyology survey: Can explain the situation of opisthorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma in the endemic area or not? A comment from Thailand

Medical malacology and medical ichthyology survey: Can explain the situation of opisthorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma in the endemic area or not? A comment from Thailand

Evolution and phylogenetic application of the MC1R gene in the Cobitoidea (Teleostei: Cypriniformes).

Fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea sensu stricto (namely loaches) exhibit extremely high diversity of color patterns, but so far little is known about their evolutionary mechanism. Melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) plays an important role during the synthesis of melanin and formation of animal body color patterns. In this study, we amplified and sequenced the partial MC1R gene for 44 loach individuals representing 31 species of four families. Phylogenetic analyses yielded a topology congruent with previous studies using multiple nuclear loci, showing that each of the four families was monophyletic with sister relationships of Botiidae+ (Cobitidae+(Balitoridae+Nemacheilidae)). Gene evolutionary analyses indicated that MC1R in loaches was under purifying selection pressure, with various sites having different dN/dS values. Both Botiidae and Cobitidae had lower dN/dS values than those of background lineages, suggesting their evolution might be strongly affected by purifying selection pressure. For Balitoridae and Nemacheilidae, both had larger dN/dS values than those of background lineages, suggesting they had a faster evolutionary rate under more relaxed selection pressure. Consequently, we inferred that the relatively stable color patterns in Botiidae and Cobitidae might result from the strong purifying selection pressure on the MC1R gene, whereas the complicated and diverse color patterns in Balitoridae and Nemacheilidae might be associated with the relaxed selection pressure. Given the easy experimental procedure for the partial MC1R gene and its excellent performance in reconstructing phylogeny, we suggest this gene could be used as a good molecular marker for the phylogenetic study of fish species.

José Luis Castro Aguirre, mainstay of contemporary ichthyology in Mexico

José Luis Castro Aguirre, mainstay of contemporary ichthyology in Mexico

The nutritional composition, sensory evaluation and microbiological studies of fish cake made from shrimp bycatch.

This study reports on the nutritional composition, sensory evaluation and microbiological studies of fish cake made from shrimp bycatch. The yield of mince from the bycatch was 80.26% mince; 10.21% residue and 9.53% loss. The mince proximate composition was 66.32% moisture; 20.08% protein; 3.45% lipid and 3.93% ash. The proximate composition of the raw fish cakes was 64.40% moisture; 19.13% protein; 4.14% lipid; 6.11% ash and 6.22% carbohydrate. The deep fried fish cake had 60.12% moisture; 21.01% protein; 8.50% lipid; 6.30% ash and 4.07% carbohydrate. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between the proximate composition of raw and deep fried fish cake. The peroxide values (PV) of raw and deep fried fish cake ranged from 7.20 - 22.00 mEqO2/Kg of lipid during six week storage period. There was significant correlation between storage time and peroxide values in both treatments. Microbiological analysis showed that the Total Viable Count (TVC) decreased with increase in frozen period. The results obtained were within the acceptable limit of International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Food. The organoleptic properties of the deep fried cake indicated that the product was acceptable until about the fourth week. The study showed that fish cake from shrimp bycatch is microbiologically safe and nutritionally high in protein, fat as well as calcium. Key words: Bycatch, fishcake, shrimp, sensory, proximate, mince, peroxide values, staphylococcus.

Etnoictiologia dos pescadores artesanais de Siribinha, município de Conde (Bahia): aspectos relacionados com a etologia dos peixes

This paper aimed to record the ethnoichthyological knowledge of fishermen from Siribinha, an artisan fishing community located in the municipality of Conde, northern coast state of Bahia. In this article, the native perception about fish behavior is observed including sound production, reproduction, and trophic ecology. Data were obtained through open and semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires conducted with 84 informants, men and women of varying ages. Fish specimens were collected, identified, and deposited at the Laboratory of Ichthyology of the Department of Biology at Feira de Santana State University (UEFS). Fishermen perceive the fish behavior by classifying it into 18 ethological ethnocategories, such as “jumping fish”, “travelling fish”, “schooling fish”, and “bed-maker fish”. This traditional ichthyological knowledge has shown itself consistent with the western ichthyological knowledge. Fishermen’s knowledge about fish’s ethological characters is a significant resource that they utilize during their fishing activities. This knowledge should be incorporated in studies of management, conservation, and rational utilization of fishing resources

Two crab species-Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis Edw.) and mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) ssp. tridentatus (Maitland) in the Lithuanian coastal waters, Baltic Sea

1 - The main objective of this research was to overview both historical and recent data on two alien crab species-Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis Milne-Edwards, 1854) and mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) ssp. tridentatus (Maitland) distribution in the Curonian Lagoon and coastal zone of the Baltic sea. 2 - Data collected since 1935 includes interviews with fishermen, popular science publications, museum collections and ichthyological monitoring. 3 - During the last two decades records of the mitten crabs became more frequent, probably representing changes in the commercial fishery regulations. 4 - Several gravid females of the mitten crab were caught in the coastal area of the Baltic Sea, however, larval development is not documented. 5 - Unlike the mitten crab, the mud crab distribution is restricted to the rapidly-changing salinity (0 to 5 - 7 psu) area.

Early women ichthyologists

Early women ichthyologists

Advances in Ichthyology: Contributions to the Forth (Sic) Congress of European Ichthyologists Held in Hamburg, Sept. 1982

Advances in Ichthyology: Contributions to the Forth (Sic) Congress of European Ichthyologists Held in Hamburg, Sept. 1982

Use of Acoustics in Studies of Fish Reaction to Imposed Stimuli

Use of Acoustics in Studies of Fish Reaction to Imposed Stimuli

A preliminary distributional study of fish larvae near a ribbon coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef

Fish larvae from horizontal plankton tows along a single transect near outer ribbon reefs of the Great Barrier Reef in spring 1979 and summer 1980 had persistent distributional patterns. Larvae were identified to family and divided into young (preflexion) and old (postflexion) larvae, thus giving 28 taxa abundant enough for analysis. Non-uniform larval distributions were found for 81% of the 16 reef fish taxa with non-pelagic eggs, but for only 17% of the six reef fish taxa with pelagic eggs. Most differences in larval concentration were between the lagoonal and seaward sides of the reef. Only tripterygiid larvae had highest concentration just seaward of the reef, while larvae of 12 reef and three oceanic fish taxa occurred in highest concentrations on the lagoonal side of the reef. In five taxa of reef fishes, higher larval concentrations were found in the lagoonal backreef compared with the mid-lagoon habitat; but the reverse was not found in any taxon. Eleven taxa had indeterminate distributions, (i.e. no difference in concentration between stations). Mechanisms responsible for the distribution remain unknown, but we suggest that the view which considers fish larvae to be passively-drifting particles is unjustified without more information on larval behaviour.

Genetic Studies of Fish.

not available

Viktor Borisovich Shklovsky, or Fish Turned Ichthyologist

Viktor Borisovich Shklovsky, or Fish Turned Ichthyologist

ICHTHYOLOGICAL LABORATORY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

ICHTHYOLOGICAL LABORATORY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Alvin Seale, Naturalist and Ichthyologist

Alvin Seale, Naturalist and Ichthyologist

A Further Contribution to the Ichthyology of Venezuela

A Further Contribution to the Ichthyology of Venezuela