Effects of photoperiod on growth of larvae and juveniles of the anemonefish Amphiprion melanopus

Rearing of anemonefishes is now relatively routine compared to the culture of cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) or angelfishes (Pomacanthidae). However, it is still a labor intensive, time intensive and expensive procedure. To reduce time and cost of rearing anemonefishes, experiments were undertaken to improve the methods for rearing Amphiprion melanopus. These experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the length of photoperiod on larval duration, growth to metamorphosis and early juvenile phase. Growth of larvae was significantly faster and the duration of the larval phase was significantly shorter, under a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours dark, compared to the photoperiods of 12 hours light/12 hours dark and 24 hours light/0 hours dark

Behaviourally Mediated Phenotypic Selection in a Disturbed Coral Reef Environment

Natural and anthropogenic disturbances are leading to changes in the nature of many habitats globally, and the magnitude and frequency of these perturbations are predicted to increase under climate change. Globally coral reefs are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change. Fishes often show relatively rapid declines in abundance when corals become stressed and die, but the processes responsible are largely unknown. This study explored the mechanism by which coral bleaching may influence the levels and selective nature of mortality on a juvenile damselfish, Pomacentrus amboinensis, which associates with hard coral. Recently settled fish had a low propensity to migrate small distances (40 cm) between habitat patches, even when densities were elevated to their natural maximum. Intraspecific interactions and space use differ among three habitats: live hard coral, bleached coral and dead algal-covered coral. Large fish pushed smaller fish further from the shelter of bleached and dead coral thereby exposing smaller fish to higher mortality than experienced on healthy coral. Small recruits suffered higher mortality than large recruits on bleached and dead coral. Mortality was not size selective on live coral. Survival was 3 times as high on live coral as on either bleached or dead coral. Subtle behavioural interactions between fish and their habitats influence the fundamental link between life history stages, the distribution of phenotypic traits in the local population and potentially the evolution of life history strategies

Near-future CO2 levels impair the olfactory system of a marine fish

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Nature via the DOI in this recordData availability: All raw sequence data are accessible at the NCBI Sequence Read Archive through accession number SRP097118. Water chemistry, behaviour and electrophysiology data are available through Pangaea (https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.884674).Survival of marine fishes that are exposed to elevated near-future CO2levels is threatened by their altered responses to sensory cues. Here we demonstrate a physiological and molecular mechanism in the olfactory system that helps to explain altered behaviour under elevated CO2. We combine electrophysiology measurements and transcriptomics with behavioural experiments to investigate how elevated CO2affects the olfactory system of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). When exposed to elevated CO2(approximately 1,000 µatm), fish must be up to 42% closer to an odour source for detection, compared with current CO2levels (around 400 µatm), decreasing their chances of detecting food or predators. Compromised olfaction correlated with the suppression of the transcription of genes involved in synaptic strength, cell excitability and wiring of the olfactory system in response to sustained exposure to elevated CO2levels. Our findings complement the previously proposed impairment of γ-aminobutyric acid receptors, and indicate that both the olfactory system and central brain function are compromised by elevated CO2levels.This study was supported by grants from Association of European Marine Biology Laboratories (227799), the Natural Environment Research Council (R.W.W.; NE/H017402/1), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (R.W.W.; BB/D005108/1), Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portuguese Science Ministry) (UID/Multi/04326/2013) and a Royal Society Newton International Fellowship to C.S.P. C.S.P. is also a beneficiary of a Starting Grant from AXA

China's quest for oil security: oil (wars) in the pipeline?

China's rapidly expanding demand for crude oil in the 1990s has brought about debates about the potential impact of the energy challenges facing China. Within the country, energy as a security issue has seized the attention of its leaders. Outside China, international strategic thinkers have been arguing among themselves over how China's thirst for oil would impact on regional peace and stability. This paper sets out to examine the following questions: How and why has the basic need for crude oil been perceived as a security question in China? How does China enhance its oil security? Is the option to engage Russia and Central Asia viable and why? What are the possible impacts of China's oil diplomacy on regional security and stability? It concludes that the oil diplomacy with Kazakhstan and Russia is far from promising. In the short run, China has to rely on the oil in the Middle East and to exploit the resource in its offshore areas in the medium to long term. This may lead to festering relations with Russia, the US, Japan, India and the Southeast Asian nations. The growing presence of China in the Persian Gulf and East and South China Sea gives cause for concern to the US, Japan, India and the Southeast Asian states

Effects of photoperiod on growth of larvae and juveniles of the anemonefish Amphiprion melanopus

Rearing of anemonefishes is now relatively routine compared to the culture of cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) or angelfishes (Pomacanthidae). However, it is still a labor intensive, time intensive and expensive procedure. To reduce time and cost of rearing anemonefishes, experiments were undertaken to improve the methods for rearing Amphiprion melanopus. These experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the length of photoperiod on larval duration, growth to metamorphosis and early juvenile phase. Growth of larvae was significantly faster and the duration of the larval phase was significantly shorter, under a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours dark, compared to the photoperiods of 12 hours light/12 hours dark and 24 hours light/0 hours dark

The morphology and ultrastructure of the peripheral olfactory\ud organ in newly metamorphosed coral-dwelling gobies,\ud Paragobiodon xanthosomus Bleeker (Gobiidae, Teleostei)

We examined the peripheral olfactory organ in newly metamorphosed coral-dwelling gobies, Paragobiodon xanthosomus (SL = 5.8 mm ± 0.8 mm, N = 15), by the aid of electron microscopy (scanning and transmission) and light microscopy. Two bilateral olfactory placodes were present in each fish. They were oval-shaped and located medio-ventrally, one in each of the olfactory chambers. Each placode had a continuous cover of cilia. The placode epithelium contained three different types of olfactory receptor neurons: ciliated, microvillous and crypt cells. The latter type was rare. Following a pelagic larval phase, P. xanthosomus settle to the reef and form an obligate association with one species of coral, Seriatopora hystrix. Their well-developed olfactory organs likely enable larvae of P. xanthosomus to detect chemical cues that assist in navigating towards and selecting appropriate coral habitat at settlement. Our findings support past studies showing that the peripheral olfactory organ develops early in coral reef fishes