A new genus and species of flounder (F. Pleuronectidae) with notes on other Tasmanian species

Six species of pleuronectids, Ammotretis liturata (Richardson), A. macrolepis McCulloch, A. rostratus Gunther, Azygopus pinnifasciatus Norman, Rhombosolea tapirina Gunther and Taratretis derwentensis gen. et. sp. nov., are found in Tasmanian waters and a key for their identification is given. The new genus is defined and the species described. In addition, Ammotretis tudori McCulloch is placed in synonymy with A. liturata and notes on R. tapirina are provided. A second known specimen of A. macrolepis described and the features which distinguish it from A. liturata are noted

Nearshore habitats

Nearshore macrohabitats are broadly classified into three distinct types: sedimentary (soft-bottom), reef (hard-bottom) and pelagic (open water) habitats. In addition to substrate type, their biotic compositions are controlled by environmental factors such as depth and wave exposure. These habitats are distributed in a distinctive pattern around Tasman Peninsula: the deep, exposed reef habitats along the eastern and southern coasts; the shallow, sheltered, soft-bottom habitats along the northern coast; and embayments of variable depths, exposures and substrate types. Eleven subtidal communities or groups of communities are identified from these habitats and their general features are describe

A new species of stingray (F. Dasyatidae) with a key to the Australian species

Eleven species of dasyatids, Amphotistius kuhlii (Muller and Henle), Dasyatis brevicaudatus (Hutton), D. fluviorum Ogilby, D. guileri sp. nov., D. sephen (Forskal), D. thetidis Waite, Himantura granulata (Macleay), H. uarnak (Forskal), Taeniura brocki Schultz, T. lymma (Forskal) and Urogymnus asperrimus (Bloch and Schneider) are recognised as occurring in Australian waters. The new species is described and figured. The Australian species are keyed but no attempt was made to unravel the complicated generic synonymy of the group

New locality records and preliminary information on demersal fish faunal assemblages in Tasmanian waters

A survey of demersal fish resources off the Tasmanian coast in early 1979 provided guideline information on abundance and diversity of resources and the bathymetric distribution of species

Morphological Characters of the Thickbody Skate Amblyraja frerichsi (Krefft 1968) (Rajiformes: Rajidae), with Notes on Its Biology

Detailed descriptions of morphological features, morphometrics, neurocranium anatomy, clasper structure and egg case descriptions are provided for the thickbody skate Amblyraja frerichsi; a rare, deep-water species from Chile, Argentina and Falkland Islands. The species diagnosis is complemented from new observations and aspects such as colour, size and distribution are described. Geographic and bathymetric distributional ranges are discussed as relevant features of this taxońs biology. Additionally, the conservation status is assessed including bycatch records from Chilean fisheries

Global Diversity Hotspots and Conservation Priorities for Sharks

Sharks are one of the most threatened groups of marine animals, as high exploitation rates coupled with low resilience to fishing pressure have resulted in population declines worldwide. Designing conservation strategies for this group depends on basic knowledge of the geographic distribution and diversity of known species. So far, this information has been fragmented and incomplete. Here, we have synthesized the first global shark diversity pattern from a new database of published sources, including all 507 species described at present, and have identified hotspots of shark species richness, functional diversity and endemicity from these data. We have evaluated the congruence of these diversity measures and demonstrate their potential use in setting priority areas for shark conservation. Our results show that shark diversity across all species peaks on the continental shelves and at mid-latitudes (30–40 degrees N and S). Global hotspots of species richness, functional diversity and endemicity were found off Japan, Taiwan, the East and West coasts of Australia, Southeast Africa, Southeast Brazil and Southeast USA. Moreover, some areas with low to moderate species richness such as Southern Australia, Angola, North Chile and Western Continental Europe stood out as places of high functional diversity. Finally, species affected by shark finning showed different patterns of diversity, with peaks closer to the Equator and a more oceanic distribution overall. Our results show that the global pattern of shark diversity is uniquely different from land, and other well-studied marine taxa, and may provide guidance for spatial approaches to shark conservation. However, similar to terrestrial ecosystems, protected areas based on hotspots of diversity and endemism alone would provide insufficient means for safeguarding the diverse functional roles that sharks play in marine ecosystems