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Indo-Pacific Ocean (indo-pacific + ocean)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Mediterranean commercial sponges: over 5000 years of natural history and cultural heritage

MARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Roberto Pronzato
Abstract This paper deals with the history of the exploitation of a natural resource made up of various types of Mediterranean horny sponges. It also provides an update on trends in the trade of these sponges. The distribution and taxonomic status of Mediterranean species of commercial interest belonging to the genera Spongia and Hippospongia are reported upon and partly emended by (i) the selection of neotypes for Spongia mollissima, Hippospongia communis, and Spongia agaricina from the Indo-Pacific Ocean versus the Mediterranean Spongia lamella, and (ii) the discussion regarding the problematic status of Spongia zimocca. Attention is also focused upon species that have been of recent commercial interest as sources of metabolites with biomedical potential, such as Dysidea avara, which is considered endangered due to a pressing demand for the industrial extraction of chemicals it produces (e.g. Avarol). The wild harvesting of new target sponges is also discussed, together with a proposal for a rational, sustainable, long-term strategy for Mediterranean sponge management. Sponge culture in situ is suggested as a useful approach that may allow eco-compatible management and conservation of this natural resource. [source]

GENETIC VARIATION OF KOGIA SPP.

MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005
WITH PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR TWO SPECIES OF KOGIA SIMA
Abstract Concordance between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers and morphologically based species identifications was examined for the two currently recognized Kogia species. We sequenced 406 base pairs of the control region and 398 base pairs of the cytochrome b gene from 108 Kogia breviceps and 47 K. sima samples. As expecred, the two sister species were reciprocally monophyletic to each other in phylogenetic reconstructions, but within K. sima, we unexpectedly observed another reciprocally monophyletic relationship. The two K. sima clades resolved were phylogeographically concordant with all of the haplotypes in one clade observed solely among specimens sampled from the Atlantic Ocean and with those in the other clade observed solely among specimens sampled from the Indo-Pacific Ocean. These apparently allopatric clades were observed in all phylogenetic reconstructions using the maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and neighborjoining algorithms, with the mtDNA gene sequences analyzed separately and combined. The nucleotide diversity for the combined gene sequence haplotypes of the two K. sima clades resolved in our analyses was 0.58% and 1.03% for the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, respectively, whereas for the two recognized sister species, nucleotide diversity was 1.65% and 4.02% for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. The combined gene sequence haplotypes have accumulated 44 fixed base pair differences between the two K. sima clades compared to 20 fixed base pair differences between the two recognized sister species. Although our results are consistent with species-level differences between the two K. sima clades, recognition of a third Kogia species awaits supporting evidence that these two apparently allopatric clades represent reproductively isolated groups of animals. [source]

Biogeography of common dolphins (genus Delphinus) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

MAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 1 2010
Maurício TAVARES
ABSTRACT 1The common dolphins (genus Delphinus) have one of most problematic taxonomies and complex distribution patterns of all cetaceans. Although the taxonomy and the distribution seem to have been clarified somewhat in the eastern North Pacific and Indo-Pacific Oceans, many questions remain in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SWA). We review the biogeography of Delphinus in the SWA. 2We reviewed data from strandings, incidental catches and sightings since 1922. Systematic surveys were conducted in five major areas. Twenty-one natural history collections were examined, and 135 skulls were measured. 3A total of 184 records of common dolphins were compiled. Delphinus apparently occurs in three stocks in the SWA: one located in northern Brazil and two from southeastern Brazil (,22°S) to central Argentina (,42°S). Two distinct patterns in habitat use were observed by depth: in southeastern Brazil, sightings were restricted to coastal waters with water depths ranging from 18m to 70m. On the other hand, in the area that extends from southern Brazil to Central Argentina (from 28°S to 42°S), sightings were recorded in deeper waters, ranging from 71m to 1435m, with the exception of occasional coastal sightings. The cranial analyses demonstrated that both short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis and long-beaked common dolphins Dephinus capensis occur in the SWA. 4In the SWA, Delphinus seems to occur near areas of high productivity. One stock is associated with the productive waters discharged by the Amazon River and possibily with the coastal upwelling system off the coast of Venezuela, while the other stocks are associated with the Cabo Frio upwelling system and the Subtropical Convergence. Our results indicate that the current taxonomy does not adequately reflect the amount of variation within the genus in the world. [source]

Isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite loci from Picnic seabream (Acanthopagrus berda)

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 4 2006
C. T. JEAN
Abstract Acanthopagrus berda (Sparidae) is abundant in estuaries and inshore waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific oceans. Because of the drastic decrease in the species' wild populations, there is an urgent need to understand its population structure. Eight microsatellite loci were isolated from A. berda. An analysis of 50 individuals from Tapeng Lagoon, southwestern Taiwan demonstrated a low degree of diversity. The allelic numbers ranged from nine to 20. The observed heterozygosity (HO) ranged from 0.28 to 0.64 (mean, 0.45). We also investigated the prospective value of the microsatellite primers to examine whether they were applicable to related taxa. [source]