Surf Smelt Research Articles

Characterization of Acid-Soluble Collagen from Skins of Surf Smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus japonicus Brevoort)

Acid-soluble collagen was extracted from the skins of surf smelt and characterized. The yield of collagen was high about 24.0% on a dry weight basis. By SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and CM-Toyopearl 650 M column chromatography, this collagen is a heterotrimer with a chain composition of α1α2α3. The denaturation temperature was 32.5℃, about 4.5℃ lower than that from porcine skin. Attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared analysis showed that the percentage of secondary structural components in this collagen were 11% α-helix, 34% β-sheet, 19% β-turn, and 21% others. It suggests that the triple helical structure is present in the acid-soluble collagen from the skins of the surf smelt in comparison to that from the skin of porcine.

Identification of the Larval Cestode Plerocercoid Found in the Body Cavities of the Japanese Smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus nipponensis, and Review of the Literature

Plerocercoid, generally known as one of the larval forms of the Pseudophyllidea cestode, was found in the body cavities of the Japanese smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus nipponensis. The larva was analyzed genetically to identify the species. Homology searching of the partial ribosomal RNA (rRNA, 1,238 bp) and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1, 428 bp) gene sequences, obtained using the FASTA program, showed that the sequences of the larva had 98.3% and 98.5% identity, respectively, with those of Diphyllobothrium ditremum. The larva was also grouped with D. ditremum according to molecular phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 sequence (393 bp), so that the larva from the Japanese smelt appeared genetically to be D. ditremum. However, Diphyllobothrium plerocercoids have already been detected in Japanese surf smelt and olive rainbow smelt and assigned the new species name D. hottai based on the morphological and biological differences between the isolates from the two species of smelt and D. ditremum. Since the sequence data of D. hottai remains unavailable, it was not possible to make a genetic comparison of the plerocercoid found in the Japanese smelt and D. hottai. The present report highlights problems in differentiating morphologically or biologically similar Diphyllobothrium species.

Evaluating quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) using harbour seals Phoca vitulina richardsi in captive feeding studies

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 360:245-263 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07378 Evaluating quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) using harbour seals Phoca vitulina richardsi in captive feeding studies Chad A. Nordstrom1,*, Lindsay J. Wilson1, Sara J. Iverson2, Dominic J. Tollit1 1Marine Mammal Research Unit, Fisheries Centre, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory, 2202 Main Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada 2Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J1, Canada *Email: Chad.Nordstrom@vanaqua.org ABSTRACT: Quantitative fatty acid (FA) signature analysis (QFASA) has recently been developed to estimate the species composition of predator diets by statistically comparing FA signatures of predator adipose tissue with that of their potential prey. Captive feeding trials were used to further test the technique with newly weaned harbour seals Phoca vitulina richardsi (N = 21). Two groups of seals were fed monotypic diets of either Pacific herring Clupea pallasii or surf smelt Hypomesus pretiosus for 42 d while a third group was fed smelt for 21 d followed by herring for 21 d. Blubber biopsies were taken dorsally at Days 0, 21 and 42. Specific calibration coefficients (CC) used by QFASA were developed from 4 juvenile harbour seals and in some cases differed by 2-fold with previously reported phocid CC values. The QFASA diet estimates were evaluated using 2 CC sets, 15 FA subsets and a library of 3 to 11 potential prey species. Diet switches were best tracked using the harbour seal CC and the new FA subset. Overall prey misclassifications were apparent (mean = 12%, range = 4 to 25%) when modeled with 8 additional prey not fed, a trend consistent with overlapping prey FA signatures. Blubber FA turnover rates were not strictly linear and in the order of 1.5 to 3 mo in newly weaned seals. Following parameter optimization of the model, QFASA estimates reflected major diet trends in the feeding study, but were sensitive to the CC and FA subsets used as well as to prey species with similar FA signatures. Our results have important implications in the application of QFASA to the study of pinniped diets with more complex feeding histories and wider prey fields. KEY WORDS: Fatty acid · Diet · Blubber · Harbour seal · Phoca vitulina · QFASA Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Nordstrom CA, Wilson LJ, Iverson SJ, Tollit DJ (2008) Evaluating quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) using harbour seals Phoca vitulina richardsi in captive feeding studies. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 360:245-263. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07378 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 360. Online publication date: May 22, 2008 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.

The Effects of Temperature and Desiccation on Surf Smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) Embryo Development and Hatching Success: Preliminary Field and Laboratory Observations

Between May and July 2002, we conducted a field study to investigate possible environmental factors influencing surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) egg mortality at eight beaches on the southern Strait of Georgia, British Columbia (B.C.), Canada. Egg mortality was variable, but was positively correlated to air temperature and increased in June and July when maximum temperature was approximately 30°C. In June 2003, we conducted a preliminary laboratory study to investigate the effects of desiccation on surf smelt egg mortality. Eggs were randomly placed into four relative humidity (RH) groups: dry (62% RH), moist (80% RH), wet (93% RH) and submerged (100% RH). All eggs in the dry and moist group died by the end of the experiment. Mortality of eggs in the wet and submerged groups was not significantly different (P<0.05). Eggs in the wet group reached the eyed stage and hatched significantly faster (P<0.05) than those in the submerged group. Results suggested a threshold RH requirement of 80 – 93% for successfu...

Effects of shoreline modification on a Northern Puget Sound beach: Microclimate and embryo mortality in surt smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus)

Human alteration of Puget Sound shorelines is extensive yet its ecological consequences are largely undocumented. This study evaluates differences between natural and heavily modified beaches in terms of microclimate and one aspect of biological condition. Electronic data laggers were placed at a tidal height of approximately 3.7 m (12 ft) above mean lower low water during July 16–20, 2001, to monitor light intensity, substrate and air temperatures, and humidity. Substrate samples were collected at the end of the monitoring period to evaluate condition and density of eggs from surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), a forage fish species that spawns on gravel-sand beaches in the upper intertidal zone. The modified beach had significantly higher daily mean light intensity, air temperature and substrate temperature, and significantly lower daily mean relative humidity. Particularly striking were the differences in substrate temperature which, on the natural beach, ranged from 12.1°C to 18.2°C (mean=14.1°C) and on the modified beach ranged from 14.4°C to 29.4°C (mean=18.8°C). In addition to these different means and more extreme values, microclimate conditions on the modified beach were more variable, indicative of a less buffered environment. The proportion of smelt eggs containing live embryos on the altered beach was approximately half that of the natural beach.

On the fishing, processing, sale and those interregional relation for Surf smelt ("Shisyamo"(Spirinchus lanceolatus)) from Hokkaido

On the fishing, processing, sale and those interregional relation for Surf smelt ("Shisyamo"(Spirinchus lanceolatus)) from Hokkaido

New Data on Proximate Composition and Energy Density of Steller Sea Lion (&lt;I&gt;Eumetopias jubatus&lt;/I&gt;) Prey Fills Seasonal and Geographic Gaps in Existing Information

Energy density data of prey items are necessary to estimate food requirements of predators. The goal of this study was to provide proximate composition and energy density information for Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) prey species where there are seasonal and/or geographic gaps in the existing data. Opportunistic collections were made on board National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries research surveys in the Aleutian Islands region, eastern Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska, targeting particular species of interest. Proximate analyses were conducted in the laboratory and energy density was calculated from lipid and protein content. Pacific herring, sand lance, and rockfish were found to contain the highest amount of lipid and provide the most energy. Atka mackerel, surf smelt, capelin, salmon, sandfish, pollock, yellow Irish lords, Pacific cod, squid, skates, and rock sole had intermediate energy densities. Smooth lumpsucker and snailfish were found to contain the least amount of energy. This study is the first to provide proximate composition data for adult pollock during the nonspawning seasons in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands region. This study also provides the first proximate composition data for juvenile pollock in the Aleutian Islands region and eastern Bering Sea, and for Pacific cod in the eastern Bering Sea. This study fills another critical gap by presenting the only information on proximate composition of adult Atka mackerel, one of the most important prey of Steller sea lions in the Aleutian Islands region. These improvements in the seasonal and geographic coverage of fish proximate and energy density data will allow for seasonally and geographically specific estimates of Steller sea lion prey requirements, a necessary improvement over annual estimates made previously. These data can also contribute to bioenergetic modeling of prey requirements of other predators in Alaska such as groundfish, fur seals, and marine birds.

Host and geographic range extensions of the North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) was isolated from populations of Pacific sardine Sardinops sagax from the coastal waters of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, and central and southern California, USA. The virus was also isolated from Pacific mackerel Scomber japonicus in southern California, from eulachon or smelt Thaleichthys pacificus, and surf smelt Hypomesus pretiosus pretiosus from Oregon, USA. Mortality and skin lesions typical of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in other marine fish species were observed among sardine in Canada and in a few surf smelt from Oregon, but the remaining isolates of VHSV were obtained from healthy appearing fish. The prevalence of VHSV among groups of apparently healthy sardine, mackerel and smelt ranged from 4 to 8%, in California and Oregon. A greater prevalence of infection (58%) occurred in groups of sardine sampled in Canada that sustained a naturally occurring epidemic during 1998-99. A captive group of surf smelt in Oregon exhibited an 81% prevalence of infection with clinical signs in only a few fish. The new isolates were confirmed as North American VHSV and were closely related based on comparisons of the partial nucleotide sequence of the glycoprotein (G) gene. The VHSV isolates from sardine in Canada and California were the most closely related, differing from isolates obtained from other marine fish species and salmonids in British Columbia, Canada, Alaska and Washington, USA. These new virus isolations extend both the known hosts (sardine, mackerel and 2 species of smelt) and geographic range (Oregon and California, USA) of VHSV.

Incidence ofIchthyophonus hoferiin Puget Sound Fishes and Its Increase with Age of Pacific Herring

A recent decrease in the mean age of adult Pacific herring Clupea pallasi in Puget Sound was associated with a high prevalence of Ichthyophonus hoferi, a protistan parasite that can be highly pathogenic to Pacific herring. In Puget Sound, high intensities of I. hoferi infection may be maintained in older cohorts of Pacific herring because the prevalence of I. hoferi increased with age from 12% among juveniles to 58% among the oldest, age-6 and older cohorts. Low intensities of I. hoferi infection in the region may be maintained in alternative fish hosts, such as surf smelt Hypomesus pretiosus, Puget Sound rockfish Sebastes emphaeus, Pacific tomcod Microgadus proximus, and speckled sanddab Cithanichthys stigmaeus.

On the Systematics of Species of the Genus Hypomesus(Osmeridae) of Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan

The present research confirms the viewpoint that in Peter the Great Bay there are two distinct species of the genus Hypomesus: H. nipponensis(Japanese smelt), which was previously identified as H. olidus(pond smelt), and H. japonicus(sea smelt), which was considered to be a synonym of H. pretiosus(surf smelt). Detailed morphological descriptions of smelts from Peter the Great Bay and an identification key for all three species of Hypomesusof the Far Eastern seas of Russia are given.

Differences in prey selection and behaviour during self-feeding and chick provisioning in rhinoceros auklets

We determined whether a marine diving bird, the rhinoceros auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata, used different foraging behaviour and collected different prey items for its young than when feeding itself. Foraging behaviour was determined by conducting visual scans, and prey items were sampled by collecting fish delivered to chicks and by collecting fish where auklets were self-feeding, which was verified by two other sources of information. Adult auklets ate small fish (59.1±0.5mm, N=547), including juvenile Pacific sand lance, Ammodytes hexapterus, and Pacific herring, Clupea harengus, but collected larger fish to feed their chicks (95.2±1.3mm,N =321), including primarily Pacific sand lance, Pacific herring, Pacific salmon species, Oncorhynchus spp., and surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus. In addition, auklets collected fish for themselves primarily by diving in mixed-species feeding flocks before 1600 hours, whereas they collected fish to feed their chicks by diving solitarily after 1600 hours. This suggests that auklets switched both foraging behaviour and prey selection when collecting fish for self-feeding, compared with when collecting fish for chick provisioning. Several avian studies have documented different diets of adults and chicks, but this is the first research to observe directly and document different foraging behaviour used in adult and chick provisioning. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing between self-feeding and chick provisioning in foraging and life history studies.

Proximate composition of some north‐eastern Pacific forage fish species

To understand the relative dietary value of forage fish as prey in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, whole organisms of 13 species were analysed for proximate composition (protein, oil, ash and moisture content). Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) were high in oil (total lipid) (16.8% to 21.4%) and low in moisture (64.6% to 70.8%). Oil in capelin (Mallotus villosus) ranged from 2.1% to 14.0%. Juveniles of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and prowfish (Zaprora silenus) had low oil contents (&lt; 1.8%) and high moisture contents (&gt; 80.3%). Rankings of median proximate values illustrate the similarities. Surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), pricklebacks (Lumpenus spp.), Atka mackerel, Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) and Pacific sandfish (Trichodon trichodon) ranked high in median protein content (&gt; 15.4%). Median ash content for all species ranged from 0.6% to 3.3%. Total wet mass caloric content (kcal g–1) was calculated for the four main species and a linear model was developed for caloric content as a function of moisture. The linear models (caloric content = b0 + b1 × moisture) were Pacific sand lance and Pacific sandfish (b0 = 7.82, b1 = – 0.09); eulachon (b0 = 7.97, b1 = – 0.08); and capelin (b0 = 9.70, b1 = – 0.11).

Phosphatidylcholine levels and their fatty acid compositions in teleost tissues and squid muscle

The lipid content and composition of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and fatty acids were determined in tissues (muscle, liver, heart and gonads) of 27 species of teleosts. We also measured PC and fatty acids in muscle of 6 species of squid. Contents of phospholipid and PC in the muscle tissue ranged between 0.54 and 0.94%, 0.30 and 0.72%, respectively. Muscular PC was dominant in surf smelt, filefish, lizard fish, white croaker, counting for 75–82% of muscular phospholipid, Pacific salmon, Pacific pomfret, pollack and plaice had 24–32% phosphatidylethanolamine which was considerably higher than the other sample fishes. Species specificity of n−6 and n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) distribution in the muscular PC was noted: coastal and reef dwelling fish species contained higher proportions of n−6 PUFA, while a higher content of n−3 PUFA was characteristic for the migratory teleosts.

Spawning ecology of Japanese surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus japonicus (Osmeridae), in Otsuchi Bay, northeastern Japan

Spawning ecology of Japanese surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus japonicus (Osmeridae), in Otsuchi Bay, northeastern Japan

Sediment Size Composition as an Important Factor in the Selection of Spawning Site by the Japanese Surf Smelt &lt;i&gt;Hypomesus japonicus&lt;/i&gt;

Sediment Size Composition as an Important Factor in the Selection of Spawning Site by the Japanese Surf Smelt &lt;i&gt;Hypomesus japonicus&lt;/i&gt;

Assessing the use of hard parts in faeces to identify harbour seal prey: results of captive-feeding trials

Faeces were collected from four captive harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) that consumed known amounts of herring (Clupea harengus), walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific hake (Merluccius productus), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), and juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The goal was to determine which structures (hard parts) passed through the digestive tract (e.g., eye lenses, scales, vertebrae, otoliths), and which of these could be used to determine the type and number of fish consumed. Nearly 5000 fish were consumed, from which over 50 000 hard parts were recovered from seal faeces. Scales were the most numerous of the 23 structures recovered (&gt;20 000), followed by vertebrae, eye lenses, and otoliths. Morphological distinctiveness and digestive erosion of the structures varied among fish taxa. Two to five structures accounted for over 90% of the taxon-specific elements recovered, depending upon the species of fish consumed. Otoliths, which are used routinely to characterize pinniped diets, accounted for only 17% of the identified taxon-specific hard parts. The variation in types of structures and rates of recovery across taxa underscores the importance of using several types of hard parts to identify prey. Identifying several different prey structures increases the likelihood of identifying a prey type.

Allozyme Analysis of Delta Smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus and Longfin Smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary, California

Two species of smelt (Osmeridae), Hypomesus transpacificus and Spirinchus thaleichthys, found in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary recently have declined in abundance, and H. transpacificus has been threatened by the introduction of nonnative Hypomesus nipponensis. We conducted an allozyme analysis of five species of smelt found in California to determine whether the threatened populations are distinct genetically and to evaluate the possibility of introgression of foreign alleles in H. transpacificus. Native H. transpacificus and introduced H. nipponensis differed genetically (Nei's D = 0.883) and were allelically distinct at 13 of 22 loci. Hypomesus transpacificus is more similar genetically to the native marine species, Hypomesus pretiosus (Nei's D = 0.400) than to H. nipponensis, strongly supporting the interpretation that H. transpacificus and H. nipponensis are distinct species. Populations of S. thaleichthys from Washington and the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta are similar genetically (Nei's D = 0.005). However, gene frequencies among these two populations of S. thaleichthys differed significantly, suggesting that current gene flow between them is restricted. This result, combined with geographic isolation suggests that the delta population of S. thaleichthys warrants management as an isolated and genetically distinct entity.

Distribution of Marbled Murrelets along the Oregon Coast in 1992

Strip transects from boat and light aircraft were used to quantify the distribution and abundance of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) along the length of the Oregon coast. Murrelets were abundant in central Oregon between Newport and Coos Bay, with observed densities averaging 78 birds/10-km by 100-m strip (N = 90, SE = 5.9). Murrelets were relatively scarce north of Lincoln City (x = 6.8 birds/10-km by 100-m strip, N = 32, SE = 1.2), with small concentrations near coastal State Parks that contained old-growth forest stands. Murrelet abundance was variable from Coos Bay to the California border (x = 28.4, N = 22, SE = 5.9). Highest densities occurred in a narrow band and decreased sharply at > 1 km from shore. There was evidence of a northward and offshore shift of the population late in July, which may have been related to a prey shift from surf smelt (Hypomesus sp.) to Pacific sandlance (Ammodytes hexapterus) or to post-breeding dispersal. The abundance of marbled murrelets seen during this study suggests that the population in Oregon is higher than previously estimated. Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) are small diving seabirds that have the unique adaptation of flying inland to nest in large trees along the west coast of North America (Marshall 1988, Hamer and Nelson 1995a). At sea, marbled murrelets occupy inland passages, bays, and near-shore waters of the open coast; they rarely are seen over 3 km from shore (Sealy 1975b, Carter 1984, Carter and Sealy 1990, Rodway et al. 1992, Ralph and Miller 1995). Because detection and quantification of marbled murrelets is very difficult in their forest nesting habitat, surveys of the birds at sea is presently the most effective and accurate means of assessing population size and distribution. The need for information on abundance and distribution of marbled murrelets was accentuated by the species' listing as federally threatened in October 1992 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1992). All of the 3 prior at-sea studies of marbled murrelets in Oregon (summarized in Nelson et al. 1992) were made along short sections of the coastline, and each study used different methods and observation vessels, making comparison difficult. Besides those at-sea counts, numerous observations from shore of marbled murrelets in Oregon have been made over the years (Nelson et al. 1992, Nelson and Hardin 1993). To this point, information on population size and distribution in Oregon has been derived from inland and shore-based observations and the work of Varoujean and Williams (1995). Based on vessel and aerial transects, preliminary results of the first state-wide surveys of marbled murrelets along the Oregon coast are presented here. This ongoing research is directed towards establishing a population estimate and monitoring protocol for the species in Oregon.

Effects of contaminated sediments on viability, length, DNA and protein content of larval surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus

Mortality, abnormal morphology, growth, DNA and protein content of larval surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) were evaluated after 96-h exposures to contaminated sediments from Puget Sound, Washington. Radiolabeled polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) added to sediment were accumulated by exposed larvae, providing evidence of an exposure route for hydrophobic compounds from the sediment to the larvae. Sediment mixtures with high concentrations of contaminants were often acutely toxic, while exposure to diluted sediments resulted in sublethal changes—decreases in growth and DNA content. The DNA content of larvae was found to be the most sensitive of the sublethal measures. Both DNA content and the proportion of normal larvae were inversely related to PAH and PCB concentrations of test sediments. The results suggest that measurement of DNA content in conjunction with determination of the proportion of normal larval surf smelt can provide better discrimination for assessing toxicity due to contaminants in this sediment bioassay system than measurement of mortality alone. Because some larval fish may be at risk to sediment-associated contaminants, this bioassay may be useful for assessing the effects on larval marine fishes exposed to contaminants.

Trans-2-cis-6-nonadienal: The Cause of Cucumber Odor in Osmerid and Retropinnid Smelts

Abstract The cucumber odor emitted by the European smelt Osmerus eperlanus and Canadian surf smelt Hypomesus pretiosus (both Osmeridae) and by the New Zealand common smelt Retropinna retropinna and Stokells smelt Stokellia anisodon (Retropinnidae) is shown to be caused by trans-2 -cis-6-nonadienal, as has previously been shown for the Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena (Prototroctidae). These fish are all members of the Osmeroidei. However some other groups (Argentinidae, Chlorophthalmidae, Pomatomidae) are also reported to emit the odor and it is not presently possible to determine whether the odor is a commonly derived homologous character within the Osmeroidei and is convergently present also in other families, or whether it is a primitive character in the Osmeroidei and other related groups. The function of the chemical, which occurs in the skin, is unknown, and clarification depends on understanding metabolic pathways involved.