Three new species of sand lances (Perciformes: Ammodytidae) from the southwest Indian Ocean

Protammodytes ventrolineatus is described as a new species of sand lance (Ammodytidae) from a single specimen from a trawl haul in 240 m (the deepest record for the family) on the Saya de Malha Bank in the southwest Indian Ocean. It has 36 dorsal-fin rays (the lowest count in the family), 16 anal-fin rays, ten scales dorsally on opercle, no teeth in the jaws; a large eye (6.4% SL), and long pelvic fins (3.75 in HL; the longest in the genus; absent in most species). We also describe Bleekeria profunda from a single specimen taken in the same trawl haul: it has 49 dorsal-fin rays (other species of the genus with fewer than 43), 16 pectoral-fin rays (other species with 15), teeth present in the jaws, short pelvic fins (4.2 in HL), and 151 lateral-line scales (other species with fewer than 118). The third new species, Bleekeria estuaria, named for its unusual habitat for an ammodytid, the Pomene Estuary in Mozambique, has 42 dorsal-fin rays, 15 anal-fin rays, 14 pectoral-fin rays (other species with 15), a short head (4.9 in SL vs. 4.75 in SL shortest for congeners), long pectoral fins (5.7 in SL vs. 7.35 in SL longest for congeners), no pelvic fins, 99 lateral-line scales, a single scale dorsally on the preopercle, two scales dorsally on the opercle, and teeth present in the jaws

Reflection-type delayed self-homodyne/heterodyne method for optical linewidth measurements

金沢大学工学部The reflection-type delayed self-homodyne (RDSH) method presently described is based on the same principle as the delayed self-homodyne/heterodyne (DSH) method but no beam splitter or fiber coupler is required. The delayed beam is produced by utilizing a round-trip propagation passing through a solitary long optical fiber delay line. Therefore, the optical configuration is very simple, and the beat signal has a resolution twice that of the DSH method. However, the RDSH method\u27s drawback is that a large intensity difference between the two beams reduces the level of the beat signal. This can be improved by increasing the reflectivities of the fiber ends by dielectric coating. In this case, multiple reflection at the fiber ends should be taken into account. An improvement of more than 12 dB is analytically predicted and is experimentally confirmed. A heterodyning scheme of the RDSH method is also presented

Linearizing optical frequency-sweep of a laser diode for FMCW reflectometry

金沢大学工学部We propose and demonstrate a novel linearizing method of optical frequency-sweep of a laser diode for frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) reflectometry. In order to linearly sweep the optical frequency, we adopt a reference interferometer and an electric phase comparator. The interference beat signal of the reference interferometer is phase-compared with an external reference rectangular signal having a fixed frequency near the interference beat signal frequency by a lockin amplifier. The error signal from the lock-in amplifier is fed back to the modulating signal of the injection current of the laser. Thus, a phase-locked loop composed of optical and electric circuits can be established, and the beat signal frequency is locked to the frequency of the reference signal. The optical frequency of the laser diode is, therefore, excellently linearly swept in time. In order to experimentally confirm the linearity of the proposed method, we apply this frequency-swept laser diode to the FMCW reflectometry. Resultingy, the improvement of the linearity is estimated to be about 10 dB. And the theoretically limited spatial resolution of the FMCW reflectometry is achieved. The backscattered light in optical waveguide devices is measured by the FMCW reflectometry using the proposed light source, and the propagation loss of a single-mode glass waveguide is successfully evaluated

Taxonomic revision of the fishes of the Genus Bleekeria (Perciformes, Ammodytidae)

Fishes of the family Ammodytidae popularly known as sand lances or sand eels, feed in aggregations on zooplankton over open sand bottom. The Ammodytidae consists of seven genera and two common genera Bleekeria and Ammodytes. There are 11 species recorded in the genus Bleekeria of which only six are valid. The valid ones are Bleekeria kallolepis, B. mitsukurii, B. viridianguilla, B. murtii, B. profunda and B. estuaria. A key for the identification of Bleekeria is prepared. We compared details of the types of all six species of Bleekeria and reviewed the genus Bleekeria. The details of holotype of B. viridianguilla at Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, USA, B. kallolepis at Natural History Museum, London, B. mitsukurii at Californian Academy of Sciences, California, USA, and B. murtii at CMFRI, Museum, Kochi, India, B. profunda and B. estuaria at South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity were collected and compared

Predictive Factors of the Fatality of Motor Vehicle Passengers Involved in Far-Side Lateral Collisions: A National Crash Database Study

Although the risks faced by passengers in near-side lateral collisions are understood, and despite the presence of side airbags for injury prevention, passengers involved in far-side lateral collisions also suffer serious and fatal injuries. The objective of this study was to determine the independent predictive factors of fatality of motor vehicle passengers involved in far-side lateral collisions. Using 2010 records from the National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS), we selected 86 fatal and 325 non-fatal passengers with an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 2 or more. The background and injury severity of the passengers and collision characteristics were compared between the two groups. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, variables independently associated with fatalities were female sex (Ref, male) (odds ratio [OR], 0.396), age (OR, 1.029), body mass index (OR, 1.057), total delta-V (OR, 1.031), head AIS score (OR, 1.679), chest AIS score (OR, 1.330), and abdomen AIS score (OR, 1.294). This is the first report to determine factors affecting fatality in passengers involved in far-side lateral collisions. Improving the safety of the vehicle interior, such as by including additional seatbelt systems or a side airbag that deploys between seats, might help to avoid fatalities, and reduce injury severity

Ammodytoides pylei, a New Species of Sand Lance (Ammodytidae) from the Hawaiian Islands

A new sand lance, Ammodytoides pylei, is described from 17 specimens collected on sand substratum in the depth range of 7 to 120 m from Molokai to the Ladd Seamount in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is characterized by 48-52 dorsal rays, 22-25 anal rays, 15-17 pectoral rays, 109-1 16 lateral-line scales, 29-33 gill rakers, 59-60 vertebrae, an elongate body (depth 8.5-10 in standard length [SL]), and a series of small blackish spots at the margin of the dorsal fin. The spawning behavior is described