Global phylogeography suggests extensive eucosmopolitanism in Mesopelagic Fishes (Maurolicus: Sternoptychidae)

Fishes in the mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m) have recently been highlighted for potential exploitation. Here we assess global phylogeography in Maurolicus, the Pearlsides, an ecologically important group. We obtained new sequences from mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS-2 from multiple locations worldwide, representing 10 described species plus an unknown central South Pacific taxon. Phylogenetic analyses identified five geographically distinct groupings, three of which comprise multiple described species. Species delimitation analyses suggest these may represent four species. Maurolicus muelleri and M. australis are potentially a single species, although as no shared haplotypes are found between the two disjunct groups, we suggest maintenance of these as two species. Maurolicus australis is a predominantly southern hemisphere species found in the Pacific, Indian and southern South Atlantic Oceans, comprising five previously allopatric species. M. muelleri (previously two species) is distributed in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Maurolicus weitzmani (previously two species) inhabits the eastern equatorial Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and western North and South Atlantic. Maurolicus mucronatus is restricted to the Red Sea. No Maurolicus have previously been reported in the central South Pacific but we have identified a distinct lineage from this region, which forms a sister group to Maurolicus from the Red Sea.publishedVersio

Pain in the lumbar, thoracic or cervical regions: do age and gender matter? A population-based study of 34,902 Danish twins 20–71 years of age

Background. It is unclear to what extent spinal pain varies between genders and in relation to age. It was the purpose of this study to describe the self-reported prevalence of 1) pain ever and pain in the past year in each of the three spinal regions, 2) the duration of such pain over the past year, 3) pain radiating from these areas, and 4) pain in one, two or three areas. In addition, 5) to investigate if spinal pain reporting is affected by gender and 6) to see if it increases gradually with increasing age. Method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2002 on 34,902 twin individuals, aged 20 to 71 years, representative of the general Danish population. Identical questions on pain were asked for the lumbar, thoracic and cervical regions. Results. Low back pain was most common, followed by neck pain with thoracic pain being least common. Pain for at least 30 days in the past year was reported by 12%, 10%, and 4%, respectively. The one-yr prevalence estimates of radiating pain were 22% (leg), 16% (arm), and 5% (chest). Pain in one area only last year was reported by 20%, followed by two (13%) and three areas (8%). Women were always more likely to report pain and they were also more likely to have had pain for longer periods. Lumbar and cervical pain peaked somewhat around the middle years but the curves were flatter for thoracic pain. Similar patterns were noted for radiating pain. Older people did not have pain in a larger number of areas but their pain lasted longer. Conclusion. Pain reported for and from the lumbar and cervical spines was found to be relatively common whereas pain in the thoracic spine and pain radiating into the chest was much less common. Women were, generally, more likely to report pain than men. The prevalence estimates changed surprisingly little over age and were certainly not more common in the oldest groups, although the pain was reported as more long-lasting in the older group

A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity.

BACKGROUND: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. MAIN BODY: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. CONCLUSION: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system

A new species of pencil smelt Nansenia boreacrassicauda (Microstomatidae, Argentiniformes) from the North Atlantic Ocean

Poulsen, Jan Yde (2015): A new species of pencil smelt Nansenia boreacrassicauda (Microstomatidae, Argentiniformes) from the North Atlantic Ocean. Zootaxa 4020 (3): 517-532, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4020.3.

Leptoderma macrophthalmum Byrkjedal, Poulsen & Galbraith, 2011, sp.n.

Leptoderma macrophthalmum sp.n. (Fig. 2–3) Holotype. NORTH ATLANTIC, 42 o 47 ’ N – 29 o 38 ’ W, 8 July 2004, 2107– 2063 m gear depth, soft bottom, R/V “G. O. Sars”, super station 42, local station 368, ser. 1150, bottom trawl (shrimp trawl). ZMUB 19686. Diagnosis. The species differs from three of the four other congeneric species (L. affinis, L. macrops and L. retropinna) by having a distinct gap between the posterior ends of the dorsal and anal fins and the beginning of procurrent caudal finrays. This gap is absent in the three species mentioned, but present in the fourth (L. lubricum), from which L. macrophthalmum differs by having a lack of dermal papillae along the lateral line, pectoral fins lower on body, a larger eye relative to head dimensions, and a shorter pre-dorsal length. Description. SL 151 mm, fresh weight 16 g. Dimensions as per cent of SL as follows: Pre-dorsal length 49.3, pre-anal length 45.7, pre-pelvic length 39.5, dorsal fin base 31.1, dorsal procurrent caudal fin section 15.5, anal procurrent caudal fin section 15.1, anal fin base 40.7, pectoral fin length (left) 7.3, pelvic fin length (left) 4.8, greatest body depth 12.8, caudal peduncle depth 2.1, maximal head width (behind eyes) 11.3, head length 23.2, snout length 7.0, horizontal orbital diameter 9.3, post-orbital head length 7.2, upper jaw length 7.9. Eye diameter as percent of head length 40.3. Fin-ray counts as follows: D 32, procurrent dorsal fin 21, A 47, procurrent anal fin 20, pectoral fins 8 (left and right), pelvic fins 8 (left and right), caudal fin 16. Number of gillrakers on first arch 19. Five branchiostegal rays on each side. Total number of vertebrae 67 (15 + 52). No scales present. Body slender and compressed, greatest body depth a distance from the snout of 13.9 % of SL. Eyes large, upper margin protruding above the dorsal profile of the head. The dorsal profile of the forehead in the fresh specimen convex, but straightening over the snout (shrinkage caused by preservation has decreased the convexity of the forehead profile). Pectoral fins are set fairly low, their upper fin-ray in level with dorsal corner of the gill opening. Pores along the lateral line about 48, difficult to observe. No dermal papillae found along the lateral line, on the head, or along the back. Three supraorbital pores, four suborbital pores, three preopercular pores, and four mandibular pores, all of these large. Nostrils with large longitudinal openings, partly covered by a dermal flap. Mouth subterminal. Small, well separated conical teeth present in one row on premaxilla and dentary, the latter teeth of minute size. Supramaxilla slender, pear-shaped and curved. Head and anterior part of body black, turning gradually lighter brownish towards posterior. Molecular characterization. The mitogenome sequence of the specimen is 16,607 bp long and shows a typical vertebrate gene order with L and H-strand coding of the 13 protein coding genes, 2 rRNA genes and 22 tRNA genes (Table 2). Compared to the other two species of Leptoderma available, the mitochondrial genome in this new species is 6 and 9 bp longer than L. retropinna and L. lubricum, respectively. Mitogenomic p-distances between the new species and congeners show a difference of 5.2 % compared to Leptoderma lubricum and 6.1 % compared to L. retropinna with polymorphisms distributed fairly equal throughout the genome. Most polymorphisms are found at third codon positions of protein coding genes and in the control region (Table 2). Etymology. The specific epithet macrophthalmum (from Greek makros, large, and Greek ophthalmos, eye) refers to the large eyes found in this species. Mitogenome of Leptoderma mac- Number and position of mt polymorphisms between L. macrophthalmum and a rophthalmum L. lubricum L. retropinna continued next page Mitogenome of Leptoderma mac- Number and position of mt polymorphisms between L. macrophthalmum and a rophthalmum L. lubricum L. retropinna a Gaps excluded from the data since only about 20 gaps are present in the alignments (most located in 16 S and CR) b Two additional transitions in intervening non-coding regions includedPublished as part of Byrkjedal, Ingvar, Poulsen, Jan Yde & Galbraith, John, 2011, Leptoderma macrophthalmum n. sp., a new species of smooth-head (Otocephala: Alepocephalidae) from the Mid Atlantic Ridge, pp. 49-56 in Zootaxa 2876 on pages 51-54, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27756

Mitogenomic sequences and evidence from unique gene rearrangements corroborate evolutionary relationships of myctophiformes (Neoteleostei)

Background: A skewed assemblage of two epi-, meso- and bathypelagic fish families makes up the order Myctophiformes – the blackchins Neoscopelidae and the lanternfishes Myctophidae. The six rare neoscopelids show few morphological specializations whereas the divergent myctophids have evolved into about 250 species, of which many show massive abundances and wide distributions. In fact, Myctophidae is by far the most abundant fish family in the world, with plausible estimates of more than half of the oceans combined fish biomass. Myctophids possess a unique communication system of species-specific photophore patterns and traditional intrafamilial classification has been established to reflect arrangements of photophores. Myctophids present the most diverse array of larval body forms found in fishes although this attribute has both corroborated and confounded phylogenetic hypotheses based on adult morphology. No molecular phylogeny is available for Myctophiformes, despite their importance within all ocean trophic cycles, open-ocean speciation and as an important part of neoteleost divergence. This study attempts to resolve major myctophiform phylogenies from both mitogenomic sequences and corroborating evidence in the form of unique mitochondrial gene order rearrangements. Results: Mitogenomic evidence from DNA sequences and unique gene orders are highly congruent concerning phylogenetic resolution on several myctophiform classification levels, corroborating evidence from osteology, larval ontogeny and photophore patterns, although the lack of larval morphological characters within the subfamily Lampanyctinae stands out. Neoscopelidae is resolved as the sister family to myctophids with Solivomer arenidens positioned as a sister taxon to the remaining neoscopelids. The enigmatic Notolychnus valdiviae is placed as a sister taxon to all other myctophids and exhibits an unusual second copy of the tRNA-Met gene – a gene order rearrangement reminiscent of that found in the tribe Diaphini although our analyses show it to be independently derived. Most tribes are resolved in accordance with adult morphology although Gonichthyini is found within a subclade of the tribe Myctophini consisting of ctenoid scaled species. Mitogenomic sequence data from this study recognize 10 reciprocally monophyletic lineages within Myctophidae, with five of these clades delimited from additional rearranged gene orders or intergenic non-coding sequences. Conclusions: Mitogenomic results from DNA sequences and unique gene orders corroborate morphology in phylogeny reconstruction and provide a likely scenario for the phylogenetic history of Myctophiformes. The extent of gene order rearrangements found within the mitochondrial genomes of myctophids is unique for phylogenetic purposes