A new species of the genus Lucernariopsis, of the family Eleutherocarpidae, is described.It is the second species of the genus to be found in British seas and the fourth in this world-wide genus.

The red to orange-yellow colours of the ophiuroid, Ophiocomina nigra, are due to carotenoid pigments contained in specialized lipocytes. These cells are dendritic, with their cell bodies located in the dermis below a melanocyte layer and with dendrites approaching, but not penetrating, the epidermis. The lipocytes are either yellow or orange-red.

Five principal pigments were detected in addition to two minor constituents, at least one of which may be an artifact. These major pigments are: β-carotene, an acid carotenoid similar to mytiloxanthin, and four xanthophylls of uncertain identity.

Populations of the spirorbid Pileolaria berkeleyana ( = P. rosepigmentata) are recorded in harbours at Plymouth, Falmouth and Portsmouth and of three similarly abundant serpulids, Filogranula calyculata and Metavermilia multicristata at Abereiddy and Vermiliopsis striaticeps at Falmouth. Ship-borne introductions may well have occurred but the Abereiddy serpulids have more probably come from undiscovered populations nearby, in areas too rocky and deep for easy sampling.

INTRODUCTION

Three apparently exotic species of tubeworms, a spirorbid and two serpulids, have been established for at least five years in aquarium tanks at the Portsmouth Polytechnic Marine Laboratory. The tanks receive a continuous flow of unfiltered sea water, which is pumped from Langstone Harbour via a header tank, with little if any change in temperature. They contain many slate slabs from a flooded quarry (at Abereiddy, in South Wales), which had been opened to the sea in 1932 and is used as a harbour for small boats. The most recent transfer of slates to Portsmouth was in 1972. The slates were brought in because they bore populations of a native spirorbid (Thorp, 1975), but the associated fauna was not closely studied at that time because a general account of Abereiddy quarry and its fauna was being prepared by Hiscock & Hoare (1975).

The exotic serpulids occurred particularly on the undersides of the slates, but had not been noted by Hiscock & Hoare, nor in any other British fauna list. They also occurred on the underside of a disused heater/cooler plate supporting the slates in one of the tanks, which indicated that they had been breeding in that tank.

In May, 1933, during routine gonad examinations, a hermaphrodite specimen of Echinocardium cordatum was observed. It was collected in the sandy beach of Port Erin Bay at low water of ordinary spring tides, and was 4.7 cm. in length, which corresponds, in a normal specimen, to an age of about four years. The external colour was dark, although not more so than in other specimens in the batch, but the gonad was exceptionally pigmented—almost black. In this locality the colour of the test and gonad becomes progressively darker with increasing age, and affords some measure of the latter.

The specimen was examined within half an hour of being collected, and portions of the gonad were fixed within ten minutes of being opened, so that fertilization and segmentation could not have advanced in the laboratory to the stage found. Smears from the gonad showed ova, of which about 50% were ripe, together with ripe spermatozoa. The gonoduct contained ripe ova, together with segmenting ova and early embryos. Figure 1 is a photograph of the contents of the gonoduct, taken immediately after opening, and showing ova with a four-cell stage and a blastula. Cultures were set up in sterile sea-water, from the contents of the gonoduct, and also from the gonad itself, as well as a control fertilization from normal urchins, and from all of these normal early plutei were reared. Those cultures from the hermaphrodite specimen did not, however, develop much further, possibly owing to premature fertilization in the abnormal conditions in the gonad.

The influence of temperature on the duration of the embryonic and larval development in Necora puber (L., 1767) was studied. Nine different temperatures were used for the eggs and seven for the larvae, in both cases ranging from 2 to 35°C. The temperature range where visible development was obtained was between 4 and 31°C, with the lowest lethal temperature (temperature at which the eggs did not show any sign of development and development did not resume when the eggs were placed at 15°C) being between 2 and 4°C and the highest lethal temperature between 31 and 35°C for both eggs and larvae.

Temperature was found to be inversely related to developmental time. The incubation period (D) fluctuated between 76 days at 10°C and 17·6 days at 25°C, with an increase in the rate of development (100/D) from 1·13 to 5·55 between these two temperatures. The larval period varied between 48·5 days at 15°C and 28 days at 25°C with rates of development of 2·08 and 3·57 respectively. The adjustment equations used show that temperature has a greater accelerating effect on eggs than on larvae. A simple potential equation, D=aT, describes the relationship between temperature and developmental time better than the Belehrádek equation, D=a(T-t).

Acording to the fitted equations developmental time from spawning to the first postlarval stage is completed in 91–105 days at temperatures of 13–15°C which is very close to our experimental data. The model proposed also fits most of the data from the available literature even those for other species such as Liocarcinus holsatus (Fabricius, 1798) and Carcinus maenas (L., 1758), which suggests that a similar response of developmental time vs temperature could be expected from other related Portunidae.

The rate of circulation and age of the deep water of the oceans is of much interest. Worthington (1955) has suggested an age of 100–160 years for northern North Atlantic water which has reached the Carribean and Cayman Seas. I (in part. Cooper, 1955, 1956) have suspected that the rate of circulation of much of the North Atlantic deep water may be even faster than Worthington's results suggest. Provisional direct observations by G. Wüst & G. Dietrich (private communication) also suggest that the deep circulation is quite rapid.

In the year 1899 I commenced a series of tow-nettings round the coast of Shetland, and established four stations—one south of Sumburgh Head (III.), one west of Papa Stour (IV.), one of the northernmost points of Shetland (V.), and one due east of Bressay (VI.). During 1899 my yacht (the Walwin), a cutter of forty tons, made the round of these stations once a month during October, November, and December; and in 1900 during January, February, March, April, May, and June. During July, 1900, a passage was made across to Thorshaven (and back to Scalloway, Shetland), where stations were established, numbered respectively A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9. (See Chart.) During August, 1900, only a short trip to the first two stations in the Faröe Channel was possible. In October, 1900, January, 1901, April, 1901, the stations round Shetland were visited again, and during May, 1901, a further passage was made to Thorshaven and back to Scalloway, visiting the stations previously fixed in the Faröe Channel. This passage was repeated in June, 1901, and again in July, 1901.

The Gammarus here described is found in Chelson Meadow, a large tract of reclaimed land lying near the mouth of the Plym, and protected from the tidal water by an embankment. The land is drained by ditches, which empty into the Plym at low water by means of sluice-gates. The sea-water enters in volume only at the highest tides over the top of the sluice-gates, but there is a constant slight infiltration of salt water through the embankment.

All the currently known species of Guitarra with spiny isochelae have been reviewed by SEM: Guitarra fimbriata, Guitarra indica, Guitarra bipocillifea, Guitarra abbotti and Guitarra laplani. A new species from Namibia;Guitarra flamenca, is described, which is characterized by bipocilla-like spiny isochelae similar to those of Tetrapocillon atlanticus, placochelae in two different morphological categories and very robust megascleres. After a revision through SEM of the specimen of Guitarra fimbriata var. indica, it clearly belongs to Guitarra flamenca sp. nov. The morphological variability of the placochelae and the spiny isochelae across the Guitarra-species has been analysed and the main parameters useful to differentiate species are highlighted.

Trichosphaerium sieboldi is a marine amoeba with a cosmopolitan distribution. The ability of three strains, from different geographical regions, to digest a range of macroalgae was investigated. Prior to these experiments, methods were developed for the axenic cultivation of T. sieboldi. Algae included Fucus vesiculosus, F. spiralis, Laminaria digitata, L. saccharina, Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata, Porhyra sp., and Ulva sp. All were degraded with equivalent ease; typically 50% of the tissue biomass was removed within seven days. The wall of this amoeba was studied to obtain clues on how a protist could be digesting macroalgal tissue. The fibrous nature of the outer cell wall presumably allows the wall to part and remesh during consumption of large particles. It is suggested that during digestion of macroalgae, the wall is parted to enable digestive enzymes to be localized along the surface of the seaweed wall, effectively forming an ‘enzyme pocket’. Trichosphaerium has both polysaccharidases and glycosidases, notably glucosidase, cellobiosidase, mannosidase and fucosidase. These enzymes work in concert to facilitate the breakdown of the complex polysaccharides found across the range of seaweeds used. These studies suggest that T. sieboldi could be a primary invader of seaweeds in the field. They also suggest that some protistan groups may be important in the degradation and recycling of algal material in coastal waters.

The mating pattern of Littoraria flava, a typical grazer snail of the supralittoral zone and sometimes the midlittoral zone of boulder shores in tropical and sub-tropical regions, was examined to determine the occurrence of size-assortative mating and sexual selection on size. We also evaluated its reproductive behavioural mechanisms, as well as their implications for the evolution of the species. The population was investigated from May 2001 through April 2002, on an artificial rocky shore composed of a boulder wall at Flexeira Beach, Itacuruçá Island, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22°56′S 43°53′W). The current study showed that: (1) copulating pairs were observed only from November through March, indicating seasonal reproduction of the population; (2) linear correlation between sizes of copulating mates were weak but significant, characterizing assortative mating by size; (3) there was sexual selection for female size, i.e. large females were favoured as mating partners over small ones; however, sexual selection on size was not observed among males; (4) there were significant positive correlations between male and female shell sizes and the copulation time; (5) there were significant differences in copulation time among different types of copulating pairs; and (6) mating females were significantly larger than non-mating females, while there were no differences between the sizes of mating and non-mating males, indicating differential sexual selection between sexes. These findings may contribute to the evolution of sexual dimorphism in this species. Male choice behaviour plausibly explains the assortative mating and sexual selection on female size of Littoraria flava. As males chose larger mates because they benefit reproductively therefore large females have increased chances of mating and fertilization (sexual selection for size). Further evidence suggests that large females are more successful than small females in carrying out mating, because large females remain in copulation for a longer time than do small females.

Temperature is one of the most influential factors for the sexual maturation of fishes, but understanding of the extent to which temperature affects the maturational schedules is limited in multiple-spawning fishes over a protracted season. This study examined the effect of temperature on sexual maturation of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus siblings under high and low temperature regimes on different birthdates. The maturation probability differed between the two temperature regimes. Specimens in high temperature regimes matured at much smaller size and younger age than their counterparts. Also, a significant difference in the maturation probability between sexes was found at low temperatures, but not at high temperatures. Our findings show that temperature affects the maturational schedules of siblings of Japanese anchovy, suggesting that the size and age at sexual maturation could differ among cohorts, even in a given sampling location and/or year.

Two taxa of commercially exploited cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis and S. hierredda, are compared for the first time on the bases of quantitative morphology and allozyme polymorphisms. Morphometric measurements and meristic counts of selected soft and hard (cuttlebone) body characters, with allozyme electrophoretic analysis are used. Samples were obtained from north-west Iberian Peninsula and Senegalese waters (West Africa). Significant differences in mantle width, arm and hectocotylus length, numbers of rows of reduced suckers on the hectocotylus and in most cuttlebone measurements were found. Canonical discriminant functions of cuttlebone measurements for males and females were calculated. Allozyme electrophoresis for 33 presumptive loci showed low levels of genetic variability and 13 diagnostic loci between the two Sepia taxa. The genetic identities (I) in pairwise comparisons of populations of both taxa were I=0·582–0·596, which are typical values for congeneric species. These congruent morphological and genetic results strongly suggest that S. officinalis and S. hierredda are different species.

Several aspects of the biology of Opisthoteuthis calypso were studied based on 38 individuals (23 males, 14 females and 1 indeterminate) retrieved from bottom trawls fished at 871 to 1420 m depth in the Sardinian Channel (central western Mediterranean). Data on full maturity of females are presented for the first time for this species. Information on the distribution, size, structure and fecundity for both sexes is provided, and the biological characteristics of the Sardinian samples are compared to those of other Mediterranean and Atlantic samples. Morphological variability and the peculiar structure of the shell and beak are reported and discussed. Molecular DNA sequences were obtained and compared with sequences available for the genus Opisthoteuthis.

Long-term monitoring programmes of a comparatively small area complement larger scale, but temporally limited surveys and can provide extensive datasets on seasonal occurrence and fine-scale habitat use of multiple species. A marine mammal monitoring programme, involving year-round, land-based observations, has been conducted in Broadhaven Bay candidate Special Area of Conservation, north-west Ireland, during 2002, 2005 and 2008–2011. Nine cetacean and two seal species have been recorded, with grey seal, harbour porpoise, common and bottlenose dolphins, and minke whale present throughout the year. Generalized additive models, taking into account observer effort, sighting conditions (sea state) and interannual variation, did not reveal any significant seasonal patterns in the occurrence of grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and minke whales. On the other hand, common dolphin presence in Broadhaven Bay was highest during autumn and winter. Bottlenose dolphins could be separated spatially from both common dolphins and minke whales in a classification tree by their preferential use of the shallower inshore areas of the bay (<30 m depth). However, common dolphins and minke whales, which occurred mainly in the deeper outer section of Broadhaven Bay, could not be spatially distinguished from each other, and grey seals were distributed over the entire bay. Broadhaven Bay represents an important marine mammal habitat with respect to overall species diversity and the regular occurrence of bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise, grey and harbour seals (all listed under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive).

The metamorphic responses of mussel (Mytilus coruscus) larvae to pharmacological agents affecting G proteins and the adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP (AC/cAMP) pathway were examined in the laboratory. The G protein activators guanosine 5′-[β,γ-imido]triphosphate trisodium salt hydrate and guanosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate tetralithium salt only induced larval metamorphosis in continuous exposure assays, and the G protein inhibitor guanosine 5′-[β-thio]diphosphate trilithium salt did not exhibit inducing activity. The non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor theophylline and the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase IV inhibitor 4-(3-Butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)imidazolidin-2-one exhibited inducing activity, while the non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine only showed inducing activity at 10−4 M in continuous exposure assays. The cyclic nucleotide analogue N6,2′-O-Dibutyryladenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate sodium salt did not exhibit significant inducing activity. Both the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin and the adenylate cyclase inhibitor nitroimidazole exhibited inducing activity at 10−4 to 10−3 M concentrations in continuous exposure assays. Among these tested agents, the adenylate cyclase inhibitor (±)-miconazole nitrate salt showed the most promising inducing effect. The present results indicate that G protein-coupled receptors and signal transduction by AC/cAMP pathway could mediate metamorphosis of larvae in this species.

The sabellariid worms are important ecosystem engineers in coastal zones, due to their ability to construct sand reefs, modify environments and structure biological communities. This article describes the reproductive biology of Sabellaria wilsoni on a beach of the Amazon coast. Each month between May 2008 and April 2009, specimens were collected for morphometric and histological analyses for sexing and determination of gonadal maturity. In females, the number and diameter of the oocytes at different stages of vitellogenesis were also recorded. The results showed that the species is dioecious, with sexual reproduction, females larger than males, and a female-biased sex ratio (overall, 1.6♀: 1♂). Four distinct stages of gonadal maturation were identified in the males and females – (i) initial development, (ii) maturing, (iii) mature and (iv) spawning. Sexual maturity is attained rapidly, and reproduction is continuous, with two breeding peaks, one in the dry season, related to the increased intensity of hydrodynamic conditions and reef erosion; and the other in the rainy season, when the availability of space and nutrients increases. The reproductive strategy of the species reinforces the classification of the sabellariids as r-strategists, adapted to colonize habitats with unstable environmental conditions.

The beryciform fish Hoplostethus mediterraneus is a species discarded from the southern Portuguese coastal fisheries. It is taken as by-catch by deep water trawls, at depths of between 234 m and 618 m. This species is a benthopelagic feeder, preying mainly on crustaceans. The dominant prey species encountered were the euphausid Meganyctiphanes norvegica and the amphipod Anilocra physodes. It seems that H. mediterraneus is an opportunistic rather than a selective feeder.

Shellfish culture, based on ecological and market assessment, is considered a driving force for socio-economic change in ecologically complex coastal systems such as lagoons throughout the Mediterranean area. To diversify fish production, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas was cultured at commercial farms in the Varano Lagoon (SE Italy). The aims of this study were to evaluate through four condition indices (CI, CICG, CIE and AFNOR index), the Polydora index (PI), lipid content, quality and market aspects of oysters reared at two different sites (FO and LA) of the Varano Lagoon, which are characterized by different hydrodynamic conditions. The results of this study highlighted the potential economic benefits associated with sustainable aquaculture development in the Varano Lagoon, proving that the area surrounding the LA site was more suitable for oyster culture, reaching commercial size (60 mm) in a shorter time (6–8 months). Higher growth performance of oysters was observed in the spring, when the nutrient availability positively affected the feeding response of suspension feeders. The opposite was found in winter and in summer, when the decrease in growth could be due to the reduction of nutrient and to the increase of salinity, TSM and ISM. The presence of the mud blister worm (Polydora sp.) during rearing could be a real problem, as it damages oyster market value and threatens serious financial loss to the local farmers.

High definition video from a towed camera system was used to describe the deep-sea benthic habitats within an elongate depression located at the western margin of Rockall Bank in the Hatton–Rockall Basin. At depths greater than 1190 m, an extensive area (10 km long by 1.5 km wide) of what appeared to be reduced sediments, bacterial mats and flocculent matter indicated possible cold-seep habitat. Plumes of sediment-rich fluid were observed alongside raised elongate features that gave topographic relief to the otherwise flat seafloor. In the deepest section of the depression (1215 m) dense flocculent matter was observed suspended in the water column, in places obscuring the seabed. Away from the bacterial mats, the habitat changed rapidly to sediments dominated by tube-dwelling polychaete worms and then to deep-sea sedimentary habitats more typical for the water depth (sponges and burrowing megafauna in areas of gentle slopes, and coral gardens on steeper slopes).