Movement of Coconut Crabs, Birgus latro, in a Rainforest Habitat in Vanuatu

Patterns of movement in the coconut crab, Birgus latro (L.), were studied using mark-recapture and radio-tracking techniques at a number of sites in the rainforest regions of eastern Santo, Republic of Vanuatu (South Pacific). Movement was assessed both for crabs caught and released in one place (indigenous) and for crabs caught and then released at a new location (introduced). Recapture rates in eastern Santo were very small ( < I%), whereas on the small islet sites (area <2 ha) the rate approached 20%. There were no significant relationships between distance moved and either time at liberty or size of the individuals for introduced crabs. But for indigenous crabs, size of individual was negatively correlated with distance moved. Recapture rates of introduced and indigenous crabs were similar , but introduced crabs moved significantly further from their point of release. Almost all radio-tagged crabs moved from their point of release; smaller crabs tended to move further. On eastern Santo, only two of five radio-tagged crabs were located again ; both had moved over 250-m away from their release point. On the islet sites, all radiotagged crabs were found again at least once; some of these returned to a number of different sites, indicating that B. latro seems to be able to home to particular locations. Nonetheless, dispersal of animals from an area, at least after handling, is a common feature

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The Larval Development of Macrobrachium Australiense Holthuis, 1950 (Decapoda, Ρalaemonidae), Reared in the Laboratory

Les stades larvaires de Macrobrachium australiense Holthuis, 1950 sont décrits et comparés à ceux d'autres espèces de Palaemonidae. Λί. australiense a une vie larvaire abrégée de trois stades, s'étendant sur environ six jours avant que la métamorphose au premier stade post-larvaire n'ait lieu. En ce qui concerne le développement larvaire, M. australiense appartiendrait à la deuxième classe de Sollaud (1923) qui comprend les Palaemonidae d'eau douce à courte vie larvaire. Pourtant M. australiense produit un nombre relativement grand de petits oeufs, ce qui caractérise plutôt les espèces marines. Il est possible que ces observations indiquent que M. australiense n'est venu de l'estuaire à l'eau douce qu'à une époque relativement récente

Growth and fatty acid composition of juvenile leader prawns, Penaeus monodon, fed different lipids

The effects of feeding different lipids on the growth and fatty acid composition of juvenile leader prawns, Penaeus monodon, were evaluated using pelleted diets. Seven experimental diets were formulated using 4% canola oil, 4% cod liver oil, 4% lard, 4% linseed oil, 4% medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, 4% soy bean oil and 2% cod liver oil + 2% MCT oil. The diets were fed to triplicate groups of ten prawns (1.49 ± 0.01 g) for 40 days. Growth rates of prawns were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by lipid source. Mean growth rates of prawns fed linseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil and MCT/cod liver oil were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in prawns fed cod liver oil or lard. Prawns fed MCT oil exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) lower mean growth rate than prawns fed all other diets. Survival of prawns was between 77 and 100%. Analysis of fatty acid composition of neutral and polar lipids of whole prawns revealed similar fatty acid profiles to the diets. Partitioning of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 to polar lipids and shorter chain fatty acids to neutral lipids was observed in all treatments. Prawns may desaturate 16:0, elongation and desaturation products of 18 carbon fatty acids were not noted

Description of the later zoeal stages and megalopa of charybdis truncata (Fabricius, 1798) (Crustacea: Portunidae)

Charybdis truncata reared in the laboratory passed through 6 zoeal stages in 20 days (at 26°C and in water of 35% salinity) before metamorphosis to the megalopa. Kurata (1975) gave brief descriptions of the first three zoeae of this species, these are supplemented here with details of appendage structure and setation, and the remaining zoeae and megalopa are described. Comparison is made with other species by means of a key to the first zoeae of 10 Charybdis sp. Those features which allow differentiation of the megalopae of the three Charybdis sp. from Australia whose complete larval development is known, are discussed. C. truncata larval stages are closely similar to those of C. callianassa

Acute toxicity of zinc and cadmium to zoeae of three species of portunid crabs (crustacea: brachyura)

1. Forty-eight hr LC50 critical concentrations of zinc for Portunus pelagicus and P. sanguinolentus larvae were between 0.56 and 0.77 mgl-1, and for Charybdis feriatus 0.96 mgl-1. Those for cadmium were 0.38, 0.25, 0.25 mgl-1 respectively. 2. P. pelagicus zoeae may be most susceptible during the peak breeding season, and all three species are very sensitive in comparison with other crab zoeae documented. 3. Application of recommended conversion factors for acceptable marine environmental maxima of these metals shows they are exceeded in coastal urban waterways

The zoeal stages and megalopa of Portunus rubromarginatus (lanchester) (decapoda: Portnnidae), reared in the laboratory

The present state of knowledge concerning Portunus larvae is reviewed, and the three zoeal and the megalopa stages of P. rubromarginatus are described and figured. Details of appendage setation are tabulated. This species is unusual amongst known Portunus spp. in having only three zoeal stages and, like other Portunus spp. but in contrast with other Portuninae, it has 4 + 4, or 4 + 1 + 4, setae on the posterior telson border.When compared with larvae of the five other Indo-West Pacific Portunus species whose larvae are known P. rubromarginatus zoeae are readily distinguished from all, except P. hastatoides, using the key features given by Kurata (1975). Comparison was made between first zoeae of these two species, and also of P. pelagicus and P. sanguinolentus, using larvae reared by the authors. It was found telson characters alone allow distinction between larvae of these four species. These characters are tabulated.P. rubromarginatus megalopae differ from those known for congenitors in having a large spine on the uchium of the first pereiopod, but not on the carpus, and in having relatively very small sternal cornuae.Several of these features disagree with those previously thought to characterise larval Portuninae or Portunus species