O pojavi egipatskog morskog konjića, Hippocampus suezensis Duncker, 1940 u Muškatu, Sultanat Oman

The Egyptian seahorse Hippocampus suezensis is recorded for the second time in the Oman Sea. It differs from H. kelloggi and H. jayakari in a set of characters, e.g. in shape and direction of the anterior spines, shape and length of abdominal spines, ratio of head length to standard length, dorsal fin ray count and number of body rings opposite brood pouch.Egipatski morski konjić, Hippocampus suezensis je zabilježen po drugi put u Omanskom moru. Razlikuje se od H. kelloggi i H. jayakari nizom značajki, kao npr. u obliku i smjeru prednjih šipčica, obliku i duljini trbušne šipčice u omjeru duljine glave s obzirom na standardnu duljinu tijela, u leđnoj peraji te broju prstenova nasuprot reproduktivnoj trbušnoj vrećici

A reported case of abnormal pigmentation in the Epaulet grouper Epinephelus stoliczkae (Day, 1875) collected from the Sea of Oman

Se capturó un especimen de Epinephelus stoliczkae con pigmenta- ción anormal en la costa de Mascate, golfo de Omán. En ambos lados del cuerpo se observan diferencias, en cuanto al grado de aberración cromática, así como patrones y áreas anormales. Se discuten posibles causas

First record of the Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis (Temminck Schlegel, 1844) from the coast off Sur, Sultanate of Oman

A single specimen of the Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis was caught on 11 May 2017 in a long-line operated about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Sur atconfluent of Sea of Oman and Arabian Sea coast of Oman. This first record of its occurrence indicates the extension of distributional range of the species to the Arabian Sea coast of Oman

Diversificación e historia zoogeográfica del Pleistoceno superior al Holoceno en Aphanius dispar determinada a partir de la morfología del otolito

Aphanius dispar (Rüppell, 1829) is a common marine-euryhaline teleost fish in the Near East that has undergone considerable intraspecific differentiation. Otolith morphology is used to analyse the diversity within A. dispar in the Gulf of Oman (Sea of Oman) and the Persian Gulf. A total of 134 individuals from lagoons and inland habitats of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and southern Iran are analysed. The results revealed that otolith traits that are under genetic control are strikingly different from those that are under the influence of environmental factors. A clear spatial structure of the populations is detectable, suggesting that the environmental flexibility of A. dispar, vicariance events during the last glacial maximum (21000-18000 BP), dispersal in the course of the Early Holocene sea-level rise, and Holocene to present-day interruption of gene flow at the Strait of Hormuz have shaped the intraspecific differentiation of A. dispar. These factors may also be responsible for diversification within other marine-euryhaline fishes in the Near East and Mediterranean Sea, and thus the findings can contribute to successful conservation management.Aphanius dispar (Rüppell, 1829) es un teleósteo eurihalino común en aguas de Oriente Medio que presenta una considerable variación intraespecífica. El presente trabajo estudia la diversidad de A. dispar entre especímenes del Mar de Omán y del Golfo Pérsico a partir de la morfología de los otolitos. Se han analizado un total de 134 individuos procedentes de lagunas salobres y aguas interiores procedentes de Omán, Unión de Emiratos Árabes e Irán. Los caracteres morfológicos de los otolitos regulados genéticamente son distintos de los influenciados por factores ambientales. Se ha detectado una estructura espacial de las poblaciones, sugiriendo una plasticidad ambiental de A. dispar, un proceso de vicariancia durante la última glaciación (21000-18000 AP), una dispersión durante el aumento del nivel del mar a inicios del Holoceno y una interrupción del flujo genético en el estrecho de Ormuz desde el Holoceno a la actualidad. Los factores descritos podrían ser los causantes de la diversificación en otros peces eurihalinos de Oriente Medio y del Mar Mediterráneo y determinarlos podría contribuir a su conservación

Study of Diversity and Abundance of Fish Larvae in the South-western Part of the Sea of Oman in 2011-2012

The study presents results on the taxonomic composition and abundance of fish larvae collected in south-western part of the Oman Sea (near Muscat and Sohar) from October 2011 to October 2012. 40 families of larval fishes were identified, which included 47 genera and 28 species. The four most common families, arranged in order of decreasing abundance, were Sparidae, Scombridae, Clupeidae and Nemipteridae. Fish larvae from 13 families occurred both in Sohar and Muscat areas (Blenniidae, Carangidae, Gerreidae, Haemulidae, Mullidae, Pomacentridae, Sphyraenidae, Teraponidae, Sparidae, Scombridae, Clupeidae, Nemipteridae and Sciaenidae). Monthly changes in abundance and diversity of fish larvae were studied. Majority of fish larvae taxa occurred in samples in February and July 2012. The higher abundance was observed in February with a density of 1534 larvae/100m3 and in July (385 larvae/100m3). In overall, Sohar was the richest in diversity of fish larvae and also had the highest average density (207.3 larvae/100m3) compared to Muscat. Keywords: fish larvae, diversity, abundance, distribution, Sea of Oman

Record of the largest longtail tuna, Thunnus tonggol (Bleeker 1851) from off shore Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman

Capture of a great Longtail tuna, Thunnus tonggol from off Shore of the city of Salalah, Arabian Sea, Sultanate of Oman in January 2013 is described in this paper. Its morphometric and meristic characters are discussed

Monsoon-driven seasonal hypoxia along the northern coast of Oman

Dissolved oxygen and current observations from a cabled ocean observatory in the Sea of Oman show that the annual recurrence of coastal hypoxia, defined as dissolved oxygen concentrations ≤63 μM, is associated with the seasonal cycle of local monsoon winds. The observations represent the first long-term (5+ years) continuous moored observations off the northern Omani coast. During the summer/fall southwest (SW) monsoon season (Jun-Nov), winds in the Sea of Oman generate ocean currents that result in coastal upwelling of subsurface waters with low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The source of the poorly oxygenated water is the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) in the Arabian Sea, a layer approximately 1000-m thick within the 100 to 1200 m depth range, where dissolved oxygen values approach anoxia. During the winter monsoon season (Dec-Feb), the Sea of Oman winds are from the northwest, forcing strong and persistent southeast currents. These winds generate oceanic downwelling conditions along the coastal ocean that ventilate waters at depth. Possible impacts of the monsoon-driven seasonal hypoxia on local fisheries and implications due to climate change are also discussed in this study

Analysis of the space-time variation of emperor (Lethrinus) in Omani waters

The contribution of this study is a systematic analysis of the space-time patterns in distribution of emperor in Omani waters. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are used to provide a qualitative description of the relationships between monthly fish distribution and abundance (based upon commercial and traditional catch records) with monthly data on sea surface temperatures, salinity and water depth for the period 1996-2004. In addition a General Additive Model (GAM) is used to provide quantitative descriptions of the spatial relationships between the distribution of emperor abundance and the environmental variables. Further, both GIS and GAM methodologies are used to identify and explain space-time patterning in the spawning season of Lethrinus nebulosus in the Arabian Sea. GIS techniques are used to analyse the spatial performance of the models and to provide an independent verification of the GAM results. In regard to spawning data collected as part of a recent biological survey (2000-2001), the work evaluates typical space-time patterns in the spawning season for Lethrinus nebulosus in Omani waters and further explores both the relationship between spawning and maturation and controls on maturation. Analysis shows that the emperor is more abundant in the southwest of the Omani sector of the Arabian Sea than the northwest; temporally, the peak season for high abundance of emperor lies between September and December. Additionally, the GAM fitted data clearly indicates a seasonal effect on Gonado Somatic Index whereby the most strongly positive effect is during August to October and the starting point of the first sexual maturity is a length of around 35 cm

Caso de pigmentación anormal en el mero Epinephelus stoliczkae (Day, 1875) capturado en el golfo de Omán

A specimen of the Epaulet grouper Epinephelus stoliczkae with abnormal pigmentation was obtained from the coast of Muscat City on the Sea of Oman. Differences in the degree of colour aberration, pattern and abnormal patches were observed on both sides of the body of the specimen. Possible causes of this anomaly are discussed.Se capturó un especimen de Epinephelus stoliczkae con pigmentación anormal en la costa de Mascate, golfo de Omán. En ambos lados del cuerpo se observan diferencias, en cuanto al grado de aberración cromática, así como patrones y áreas anormales. Se discuten posibles causas

Timoides agassizii Bigelow, 1904, little-known hydromedusa (Cnidaria), appears briefly in large numbers off Oman, March 2011, with additional notes about species of the genus Timoides

Purushothaman, Jasmine, Kharusi, Lubna Al, Mills, Claudia E., Ghielani, Hamed, Marzouki, Mohammad Al (2013): Timoides agassizii Bigelow, 1904, little-known hydromedusa (Cnidaria), appears briefly in large numbers off Oman, March 2011, with additional notes about species of the genus Timoides. Zootaxa 3746 (2): 372-382, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3746.2.