PIXE analysis of trace elements in squid statoliths : comparison between Ommastrephidae and Loliginidae

Trace elements in the squid statoliths were analyzed by PIXE for following seven species distributing at offshore and inshore waters: Family Ommastrephidae, Ommastrephes bartrami, Todarodes pacificus; family Loliginidae, Loligo bleekeri, L. duvaucelii, L. chinensis, L. edulis and Sepioteuthis lessoniana. Statoliths of all seven species contained manganese, iron, capper, zinc and relatively high amount of strontium. Statoliths Sr concentration, an possible index for thermal history of the animal’s habitat, were the highest in O. bartrami that spends their entire life time at pelagic water, and secondly highest in T. pacificus living at the pelagic as well as the coastal waters. On the other hand, statoliths Sr concentration was relatively low in the five species of Loliginidae living at coastal waters, with following order: L. edulis >S. lessoniana >L. duvaucelii >L. bleekeri >L. chinensis. These observations may indicate that quantity of the statoliths trace elements are species specific in squids, thus would be a possible “key” to reconsidering about taxonomy and distribution in squid

Nephtyidae (Polychaeta, Phyllodocida) from the Red Sea, with record of a new species

Six nephtyid species were identified from samples collected off the west coast of Saudi Arabia. Two of these species had been previously reported for the Red Sea (Inermonephtys aff. inermis, Nephtys palatii), three are new records (Aglaophamus lobatus, A. cf. verrilli, Micronephthys stammeri) and one is new to science (Inermonephtys aramco). Inermonephtys aramco was collected in the southern region of the Red Sea at depths between 60 and 83 m. It is characterized by the presence of branchiae from chaetiger 15 or 16, well-developed parapodial prechaetal lamellae, broadly rounded notopodial postchaetal lamellae and rudimentary neuropodial postchaetal lamellae. The species Nephtys palatii is transferred to the genus Micronephthys. Based on the current finding, the previously known bathymetric range of Micronephthys stammeri is extended from 4–7 to 17 m, and occurrence depths for N. palatii are given for the first time (4–90 m). Full descriptions are included for all species except M. stammeri. An identification key for all the species known to occur in the Red Sea is provided.This study has resulted from collaboration between KAUST and Saudi Aramco within the framework of the Saudi Aramco-KAUST Center for Marine Environmental Observationspublishe

Interpopulation resource partitioning of Lesser Frigatebirds and the influence of environmental context

Conspecific individuals inhabiting nearby breeding colonies are expected to compete strongly for food resources owing to the constraints imposed by shared morphology, physiology, and behavior on foraging strategy. Consequently, colony‐specific foraging patterns that effectively partition the available resources may be displayed. This study aimed to determine whether intraspecific resource partitioning occurs in two nearby colonies of Lesser Frigatebirds (Fregata ariel). A combination of stable isotope analysis and GPS tracking was used to assess dietary and spatial partitioning of foraging resources during the 2013 and 2014 breeding seasons. These results were compared to vessel‐derived estimates of prey availability, local primary productivity, and estimates of reproductive output to suggest potential drivers and implications of any observed partitioning. Isotopic data indicated a more neritic source of provisioned resources for near‐fledged chicks at an inshore colony, whereas their offshore counterparts were provisioned with resources with a more pelagic signal. Deep pelagic waters (>200 m) had higher availability of a preferred prey type despite a trend for lower primary productivity. Differences in foraging ecology between the two populations may have contributed to markedly different reproductive outputs. These findings suggest environmental context influences dietary and spatial aspects of foraging ecology. Furthermore, the effect of colony‐specific foraging patterns on population demography warrants further research