Population structure of Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus L., in the northeast Atlantic using phenotypic and molecular approaches

Most genetic attempts to study the population structure of herring (Clupea harengus L.) have been limited by the low levels of genetic differentiation observed among discrete spawning aggregations over large geographic scales. Thus, the population genetic structure of Atlantic herring remains undefined. Three sets of phenotypic (meristics, morphometries, otolith shape) and molecular (allozymes, mitochondrial DNA RFLPs, micro satellites) markers were simultaneously used to investigate the morphological and genetic structure of herring populations in the Northeast Atlantic and also to assess the relative usefulness of phenotypic and genetic markers in population identification. Samples were collected from the Celtic Sea, North Sea and fjords, Baltic Sea, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea, and Pacific Ocean (pacific herring, Clupea pallasi L.).The Truss morphometric method was very sensitive in detecting morphological differences, revealing significant differences among all discrete spawning aggregations. Otolith analysis showed a lower discriminatory ability than the morphometries, differentiation of more widely separated populations, revealing a clear discreteness in the Icelandic, Baltic and Trondheimsfjord herring populations. Meristic analysis was more effective for the identification of different species rather than conspecific populations, exhibiting a clear divergence of the Trondheimsfjord and Icelandic herring samples.With allozyme electrophoresis, twenty-eight putative enzyme-coding loci were examined, and the result was in accordance with previous allozyme studies, showing genetic homogeneity among widely separated populations and localised heterogeneity in the Norwegian fjords (Trondheimsfjord). Also, an allozymically unique Norwegian spring-spawning (NWl) population was detected off the northern Norwegian coast. The number of low-frequency alleles apparently was a major problem with allozymes, limiting the overall ability to detect weak differences in allele frequencies between populations.PCR-based RFLP analysis of ND 3/4 and ND 5/6 regions of mtDNA with six restriction enzymes revealed significant genetic discreteness of the Baltic, Icelandic and Norwegian spring-spawner (NWl) herring. The results also showed a high level of haplotype diversity at the ND genes which contrasts with low levels of genetic divergence. This is apparently due mainly to the high number of unique haplotypes, and low number of common haplotypes detected, which reduced the power of the statistical test.Microsatellites were the most effective molecular marker, revealing genetically distinct Icelandic, Trondheimsfjord, Balsfjord and Norwegian spring-spawner (NWl) herring populations. The detected a high number of alleles and heterozygosity at microsatellite loci provide a new perspective on past estimates of detectable low levels of genetic differentiation among Atlantic herring populations.In identification of Atlantic and Pacific herring, meristic characters is most effective among phenotypic markers, allozymes and mtDNA are good choices among molecular markers.The significance of these findings m terms of stock separation and management are discussed

Relaciones filogenéticas de las especies de Mullidae (Perciformes) del Mediterráneo inferidas a partir de datos genéticos y morfológicos

Genetic and morphological divergence and phylogenetic relationships of four species Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus, Upeneus moluccensis, Upeneus pori and one subspecies M.b. ponticus of Mullus were investigated using 12 enzymatic systems, corresponding to 17 putative loci. Eight loci (AAT-1*, AAT-2*, ADH*, GAPDH*, G6PDH*, IDHP*, PGI-2*, SOD*) were found to be polymorphic in at least one species, while the remaining nine (mAAT*, CK-1*, CK-2*, G3PDH*, MDH*, ME-1*, ME-2*, PGI-1*, PGM*) were monomorphic in all species. Several loci showed different electrophoretic patterns among species and thus can be used in species taxonomy as diagnostic markers. The PGM* and SOD* loci proved to be especially species-specific. Fisher’s exact test revealed overall highly significant allele frequency differences between M. barbatus and M. b. ponticus (PSe investigaron las divergencias genéticas y morfológicas y las relaciones filogenéticas de cuatro especies Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus, Upeneus moluccensis, Upeneus pori y una subespecie M. b. ponticus, usando 12 sistemas enzymáticos, correspondientes a 17 loci putativos. Se encontró que 8 loci (AAT-1*, AAT-2*, ADH*, GAPDH*, G6PDH*, IDHP*, PGI-2*, SOD*) eran polimórficos, en al menos una especie, mientras que los 9 restantes (mAAT*, CK-1*, CK-2*, G3PDH*, MDH*, ME-1*, ME-2*, PGI-1*, PGM*) eran monomórficos en todas las especies. Varios loci mostraron diferentes patrones electroforéticos entre especies y por tanto pueden utilizarse como marcadores diagnóstico en taxonomía específica. Los loci PGM* y SOD* fueron especie-específicos. El “Fisher’s exact test” reveló diferencias altamente significativas totales de la frecuencia de alelos entre M. barbatus and M. b. ponticus (

Data-limited stock assessment of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) from the Iskenderun Bay, the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea

Stock size and status of red mullet Mullus barbatus were assessed via virtual population analysis and yield prediction analysis using on-board observed length-frequency catch data from the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters obtained were L∞ = 35.4 cm, k = 0.42, t0 = 0.64, tanc = 0.59 and Φ′ = 2.72. Trawl-type selectivity ogive was calculated as 1.57 years corresponding to 17.1 cm TL. The virtual population analysis of M. barbatus indicated that the minimum and maximum fishing mortalities were 0.01 yr–1 and 11.1 yr–1 for the mid-length groups for 8.5 cm and 21.5 cm respectively. The estimated lowest mean biomass and yield were 3.541 t and 31 t at length 8.5, and the highest mean biomass and yield were 13.880 t at length 22.5 cm and 46.086 t at length 21.5 cm respectively. Biological reference points were FMSY = 5.85, F0.5 = 2.3, EMSY = 0.89, E0.5 = 0.77. The values for the current fishing mortality coefficient (Fcur) and the current exploitation rate (Ecur) calculated were 5.3 and 0.89 respectively. The present biological reference points indicate that the stock of M. barbatus in the investigated area is overexploited status and needs urgent management considerations

Identificación poblacional de sepia (Sepia officinalis) en Mediterráneo NE inferido a partir de datos genéticos, morfométricos y químicos del sepión

The population structures of the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis from the north-eastern Mediterranean (Antalya and Iskenderun Bays), Aegean (Izmir Bay) and Marmara Seas were analyzed with mtDNA PCR-RFLP, body morphometry and cuttlebone chemistry. Analysis of a ND 5/6 (Nikotin Amid Adenin Dehidrojenaz-5/6) gene segment of mtDNA revealed seven haplotypes from 120 individuals. No haplotype sharing was observed among sampling sites. The average nucleotide divergence between samples was 0.009390, and the highest genetic divergence (0.015279) was observed between the Iskenderun Bay and Marmara Sea samples. The lowest genetic divergence (0.003786) was between the Aegean Sea and Antalya Bay samples. Highly significant differences (PLa estructura poblacional de la sepia común del Mediterráneo noreste (bahías de Antalya y de Iskenderun), Mar Egeo (Bahía de Izmir) y Mar de Mármara ha sido analizada mediante la técnica de PCR-RFLP del ADNmitocondrial (mtDNA), la morfometría del cuerpo y química del sepión. El análisis de variabilidad de secuencia de un fragmento del gen mitocondrial ND 5/6 (Nikotin Amid Adenin Dehidrojenaz-5/6) de 120 individuos reveló siete haplotipos distintos. Ninguno de ellos compartido entre localidades. La divergencia nucleotídica media entre muestras es de 0.009390, con el máximo valor de divergencia genética (0.015279) observado entre las localidades de la bahía Iskenderun y el Mar de Mármara, y el mínimo valor de divergencia genética (0.003786) entre las localidades del mar Egeo y la bahía de Antalya. Los análisis basados en las simulaciones de Monte Carlo y AMOVA mostraron diferencias altamente significativas (P<0.001) entre todas las localidades. En el árbol filogenético de UPGMA, las localidades colindantes de Antalya y de Mar Egeo se agrupan en la misma rama. Por otro lado, las localidades más aisladas, Mar de Mármara y bahía de Iskenderun, se distribuyen en los clados más divergentes. En el análisis de la función discriminante, la clasificación de las tasas de éxito en la asignación de especímenes a las regiones fue 66% para el análisis morfométrico y un 100% para la química del sepión. En el análisis morfométrico solamente se detectaron diferencias significativas entre las muestras del Mar de Mármara y la bahía de Iskenderun, mientras que el resto de localidades se agrupan entre ellas. En el análisis de la química del sepión, el análisis univariante ha revelado diferencias altamente significativas (P<0.001) entre todas las regiones en 12 elementos Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Zn. En el análisis multivariante se observan diferencias altamente significativas (P<0.001) entre las cuatro localidades. Este estudio muestra la presencia de cuatro poblaciones separadas de S. officinalis a lo largo de las aguas de la costa turca

PRELIMINARNA PROCJENA INVAZIVNOG PRUGASTOG KOKOTA Pterois miles METODOM PODVODNE VIZUALIZACIJE NA SJEVEROISTOČNOM MEDITERANU

Underwater visual census (UVC) is a commonly used approach for assessing fish density and biomass. Iskenderun Bay, comprising the Samandağ coast in Turkey, is the most important introduction pathway of alien species in the northeastern Mediterranean. In this study, the density, abundance, distribution and interaction of invasive lionfish or devil firefish Pterois miles were assessed using the UVC method on the Samandağ coast. The total transect area monitored on the Samandağ coast was 4.500 m2. Species richness, Shannon\u27s diversity index and rate of biomass were 25, 1.81 and 73.5 m2, respectively. Reduced diversity was observed with increasing depths. The sandy seafloor was a limiting factor for lionfish distribution. There was a significant positive correlation between lionfish total density and both the Shannon diversity index (r = 0.99, P<0.001) and Shannon evenness index (r = 0.99, P<0.05). A high number of significant positive correlations (P<0.05) were detected between the occurrence of lionfish and the occurrence of both the native species and other alien species. The first stock assessment study of lionfish by the UVC method in Turkish marine waters revealed that native species are under very high pressure from lionfish species, especially Chromis, Sparids and Wrasses, indicating negative effects of lionfish on regional native biodiversity.Podvodna vizualizacija (UVC) je uobičajeni pristup za procjenu gustoće ribe i biomase. Zaljev Iskenderun, kojeg okružuje obalno područje Samandağ u Turskoj, najvažniji je put unošenja stranih vrsta u sjeveroistočni Mediteran. U ovoj studiji, gustoća, brojnost, distribucija i interakcija invazivnog prugastog kokota Pterois miles procijenjene su UVC metodom na obali Samandağ. Ukupna promatrana površina transekta na obali Samandağ iznosila je 4.500 m2. Bogatstvo vrsta, Shanonov indeks raznolikosti i stopa biomase iznosili su 25, 1,81 i 73,5 m2. Uočena je smanjena aznolikost s povećanjem dubine. Pješčano morsko dno bilo je ograničavajući čimbenik za distribuciju ove vrste. Postojala je značajna pozitivna korelacija između ukupne gustoće vrste i Shannonovog indeksa raznolikosti (r = 0,99, P<0,001) i Shannonovog indeksa ravnomjernosti (r = 0,99, P<0,05). Utvrđen je veliki broj značajnih pozitivnih korelacija (P<0,05) između pojave prugastog kokota I pojave domaćih i drugih stranih vrsta. Prva studija procjene zaliha ove vrste metodom UVC u turskim morskim vodama otkrila je da su autohtone vrste pod vrlo visokim pritiskom od stranih vrsta, posebno rodova Chromis, Sparids I Wrasses, što ukazuje na negativne učinke prugastog kokota na regionalnu autohtonu biološku raznolikost

Personal Innovativeness and Perceived System Quality for Information System Success: the Role of Diffusability of Innovation

In the present study, the researchers aim to explain diffusion of innovation on the basis of technology acceptance as well as adaptation to information technology innovation, and put forward the relationships with perceived system quality and personal innovativeness as its antecedents and system usage as its consequence for information system success. Following previous studies, electronic document management systems\u27 diffusability and employing such systems are the subject of this research. Having gathered the data from 262 administrative personnel working at a state university, we first conducted explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses on each scale, then constructed the measurement model and structural model. Results indicated that diffusability of innovation partially mediated the relationship between personal innovativeness and information system success measured by system usage. In addition, diffusability of innovation fully mediated the relationship between perceived system quality and information system success. Present research has been designed to explain management information system success with individual and system related factors, personal innovativeness and system quality, respectively. In addition, as a reflective construct diffusability of innovation has been defined on the basis of formative construct of diffusion of innovation and all its dimensions have been examined as a single latent construct, unlike the previous researches

PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT SIZED REGIONS OF INTEREST ON FISH CLASSIFICATION

In this study, different sized regions of interest were obtained from fish images and these were used for fish species classification. A previously proposed region of interest obtaining method was upgraded in order to acquire wider regions of interest. Depending on general accuracies of classification performances, comparison between these regions of interest was made. According to comparison results the effects of the different sized regions of interest were discussed for classification purposes of fish species. This study was performed by using a database which consists of 1321 fish images. These fish images include fish samples from 16 fish families and 35 fish species. All images were colored in RGB color space. But two different feature sets were extracted for fishes by examining images both in RGB and HSV color spaces. Feature extraction was performed by using a color based method. For each color space, seven statistical features were extracted from each component of the color space. Two feature sets were acquired for each fish sample by combining the extracted statistical features according to color spaces. The obtained feature sets from RGB and HSV color spaces were used separately for classification purposes. Classification was performed according to families and species by using Nearest Neighbor algorithm as classifier. According to classification results, the best performances on general accuracies were achieved as 93.5% and 91% for fish families and species classification respectively

Antimicrobial properties of bioactive compounds isolated from epidermal mucus in two Ray species (Dasyatis marmorata and Gymnura altavela)

Purpose: To investigate the occurrence and antimicrobial effects of certain biochemical compounds in the epidermal mucus secretions of fish and to demonstrate their potential for biomedical applications.Methods: Crude, aqueous, and acidic epidermal mucus samples were collected from live ray specimens. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses were performed to identify the biochemical compounds present in the mucus. The spectrophotometric broth microdilution method was used to determine the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the mucus extracts. The bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella pneumonia, were used for the tests, as well as the fungal strains, Candida parapsilosis and Candida albicans.Results: GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of several hydrocarbon-derived compounds in the epidermal mucus of the two ray species. The acidic extract of G. altavela epidermal mucus produced a high MIC value, indicating the highest inhibitory effect of 8.64 μL against E. coli, while the crude extract of G. altavela epidermal mucus (41.13 μL against B. subtilis) was the least effective. Conclusion: Epidermal mucus extracts, especially when acid-based, displays strong antimicrobial properties against all the tested pathogens. These findings suggest the plants possess some potential for the development of novel antimicrobial components for applications in medicine. Keywords: Fish, Ray species, Epidermal mucus, Antimicrobial properties, Bioactive compound

Türkiye’nin Kuzeydoğu Akdeniz (İskenderun Körfezi) Sahillerindeki Nesli Tehlike Altında Olan Kemikli Balık Türleri

Bu çalışma 2005-2013 yılları arasında Akdeniz’in kuzeydoğusunda bulunan İskenderun Körfezi’nde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Trol ve Gırgır tekneleri ile yapılan avcılık sonucu avda çıkan türler belirlenmiş, aynı zamanda yapılan sualtı gözlemleri ve deniz balıkları ile ilgili İskenderun Körfezi’nde son yıllarda çeşitli araştırıcılar tarafından yürütülen projelerin (BAP, TÜBİTAK, TAGEM vb.) veri seti incelenmiştir. Bu değerlendirmeler ışığı altında İskenderun Körfezi’nde nesli tehlikede olan kemikli deniz balıklarının son durumu ortaya konulmuştur. Elde edilen verilere göre, İskenderun Körfezi’nde nesli tehlike altında olan kemikli balıkların, 2014 yılında Dünya Doğa ve Doğal Kaynakları Koruma Birliği (IUCN) tarafından yayınlanan raporda “Kırmızı Liste‘deki durumları yeniden gözden geçirilmiş ve Akdeniz’de bulunan 519 yerel kemikli balık türünden İskenderun Körfezi’nde bulunan 21 familyaya ait 41 kemikli balık türünün neslinin tehlike altında bulunduğu belirlenmiştir

Classification of Serranidae Species Using Color Based Statistical Features

In this study 6 species (Epinephelus aeneus, Epinephelus caninus, Epinephelus costae, Epinephelus marginatus, Hyporthodus haifensis, Mycteroperca rubra) of Serranidae family were classified by using a color based feature extraction method. A database which consists of 112 fish images was used in this study. In each image, a fish was located on a white background floor with the same position and the images were taken from different distances. A combination of manual processes and automatic algorithms were applied on images until obtaining colored fish sample images with a black background. Since the presented color based feature extraction method avoids including background, these images were processed by using an automatic algorithm in order to obtain a solid texture image from the fish and extract features. The obtained solid texture image was in HSV color space and used due to extract meaningful information about fish sample. Each of the hue, saturation and value components of the HSV color space was used separately in order to extract 7 statistical features. Hence, totally 21 features were extracted for each fish sample. The extracted features were used within Nearest Neighbor algorithm and 112 fish samples from 6 species were classified with an overall accuracy achievement of 86%