In April 2006 and May 2007 abundance data of small coral colonies were collected in the central atolls of the Maldives (N3°35.9–4°26.6 E72°47.3–73°57.5) in order to evaluate variability in hard coral recruitment and post-settlement success. Visual quadrats were randomly placed in two reef typologies (oceanic reef and lagoonal reef) at three different depths. Colonies were conventionally defined as ‘recruits’ when smaller than 5 cm in diameter, whereas the term ‘juveniles’ was reserved for colonies ranging between 5 and 15 cm. Clear differences in the relative importance of the two size-classes across the three different depths and the two reef typologies were found. A size-structure index (SsI%), based on abundance data, was calculated in order to evaluate the percentage of ‘recruits’ out of the total juvenile hard corals. SsI% values differed between reef typologies and according to depth zones with a higher percentage of ‘recruits’ found in shallow oceanic reefs. Physical and ecological differences between the two reef typologies according to depth are presumed to cause different success in the settlement of new colonies and their survival during growth. Coupled with the usual estimates of hard coral cover, SsI% may represent a useful tool for monitoring, and be effective for the quick assessment of coral reef recovery after disturbances.

The sexual system of two caridean shrimps (Processa riveroi and P. bermudensis) was investigated, stimulated by reports of male to female sex change (protandry) in Processa edulis from European waters. Shrimps used in the study were obtained from monthly samples taken from March 1982 to February 1983 in a Thalassia–Syringodium seagrass meadow in Puerto Rico. Observations on size, sex, and reproductive condition were used to construct monthly size–frequency distributions and sex-ratios by size-class (SC). Males were smaller than reproductive females, but there was extensive overlap in size between males and immature females. A sex-ratio (SR) analysis by SC of the overall year-long population sample showed an equal or female-biased SR in the smallest SC, a male-biased SR in 1–3 intermediate SC, with larger SC dominated by females incubating embryos. Such a population structure might result from slower growth in males than females and higher mortality in larger males. Observations on and allometric analysis of sexual characters failed to identify transitional individuals (sex-changers) intermediate in reproductive morphology between males and females. Thus, a hypothesis of protandry is rejected, and that of gonochory (separate sexes) is accepted in these two Processa species, revealing possible variation in sexual systems among Processa species.

The coral reef inhabiting tubeworms from the Marshall Islands have been studied by few authors mainly by samplings in Enewetak Atoll. We report several new records of serpuline and spirorbine tubeworms from Enewetak Atoll as well as from Kwajalein, Utirik and Rongelap Atolls. Twenty-one species of Serpulinae and seven species of Spirorbinae are described and illustrated with line drawings, colour and/or scanning electron microscopy photographs. Neodexiospira turrita nom. nov. is proposed to replace Neodexiospira preacuta. Enewetak Atoll still represents the most species-rich atoll in the Marshall Islands but this is most likely the result of a greater sampling effort in this atoll for the last few decades.

Upogebia vasquezi inhabits the western Atlantic in the regions of southern Florida, the Bahamas, Central America and Brazil (from the States of Maranhão to São Paulo). Its occurrence has been extended to the coastal region of the State of Pará (northern Brazil). There are few descriptions of the larval development of the 116 known species of Upogebia. The present study offers the first description and illustrations of the first two larval stages (zoeas I and II) of U. vasquezi reared in laboratory. The larval features of U. vasquezi were compared with those of two other species of Upogebia, revealing very similar morphological characteristics among species in zoea I. The main variation in this larval stage was in the segmentation of the maxillulary endopod. In zoea II, the number of setae on the scaphognathite was different among some species of Upogebia. The present study contributes to the available literature on the identification of thalassinidean larvae.

Little is known about the cleaning behaviour of shrimps in comparison to that of cleaner fish, and only recently have cleaner shrimps been shown to remove parasites effectively from coral reef fish. Here we describe patterns of cleaning interactions between Pederson shrimp Ancylomenes pedersoni and fish clients in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Clients observed here were members of at least 16 fish families, including three previously unreported client families. Most cleans lasted <20 seconds; surgeonfish were cleaned most frequently, but lizardfish and groupers received the longest cleans. The shrimp formed social groups of varying sizes on individuals of the host sea anemone Bartholomea annulata, which served as the centres of their cleaning stations. The number and duration of cleans per station increased with the number of resident shrimp, however most anemones hosted small groups of fewer than four individuals, while larger groups of up to nine individuals were relatively rare. Some client fish chased away other fish and competitively excluded them from anemone stations. We conclude that these shrimp clean a wide diversity of clients, vary their clean duration with fish identity, and clean more when in large groups. In addition, clients in part control these patterns of interaction by interfering with access to these stations by other clients.

Four species of giant clams, Tridacna maxima, T. squamosa, T. derasa and T. crocea, were cultured in outdoor raceways for 364 days at the Waikīkī Aquarium and the Oceanic Institute on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, USA.  Growth of each species was compared among individuals grown with and without supplemental phytoplankton feeding, and directly on the substrate or mounted on concrete plugs in low pH, high nutrient seawater.  Among clams cultured with and without supplemental phytoplankton (Chaetoceros spp.), feeding resulted in significantly lower mortality in all species but T. deresa, whereas growth was significantly higher among fed clams for all species except T. squamosa. Tridacna derasa showed roughly a three-fold increase in growth when fed (88.5 g ± 4.4 SD) than when unfed (26.0 g ± 2.1 SD), whereas T. maxima growth was substantially lower, but nearly 10-fold greater in response to feeding (9.0 g ± 1.9 SD). The overall mortality rate of juvenile clams was significantly lower in the fed (44.4 ± 10.0%) than the unfed (71.8 ± 9.6%) trials, with the greatest effect observed in mortality of T. maxima (fed 15% versus unfed 80%) and T. squamosa (fed 65% versus unfed 95%). None of the T. squamosa remained on concrete plugs for the duration of the experiment. Among the remaining three species, there was no difference in either wet weight or shell length for T. maxima and for wet weight only in T. derasa on (186.5 g ± 16.1 SD) and off (147.0 g ± 6.0 SD) the concrete plugs.  In contrast, T. crocea had significantly greater shell growth off the plugs (14.3 mm ± 1.0 SD versus 8.5 mm ± 1.7 SD) but significantly greater gain in wet weight on the concrete plugs (26.3 g ± 1.5 SD versus 58.5 g ± 2.5 SD).  The seawater wells used for this study are well characterized with elevated levels of inorganic nutrients and higher pCO2 relative to tropical ocean waters, roughly approximating predictions for future oceanic conditions under IPCC IS92a emission scenarios. In comparison to previous studies in natural seawater, T. derasa had a significantly higher shell growth rate in the high-nutrient, low-pH well water.  In contrast, T. maxima and T. squamosa had significantly lower growth rates in low pH, whereas growth of T. crocea was not significantly different between low pH and ambient seawater.  These experiments demonstrate species-specific differences with each treatment, which cautions against making broad generalizations regarding the effects of substrate type, feeding effects, nutrient enrichment, and ocean acidification on tridacnid culture and survival.

The present paper is the first annotated account listing all species of Cirripedia: Thoracica recorded from the Canary Islands (eastern Atlantic Ocean) together with notes on their distribution and ecology. Voucher specimens have been deposited as reference material in the collection of the Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas. Seventeen species are listed and seven of them are recorded for the first time for the Canaries: Lepas hilli, Conchoderma virgatum, Xenobalanus globicipitis, Chthamalus sp. (cf. C. proteus), Acasta cyathus, Balanus trigonus and Perforatus perforatus.

The habitat preferences and niches of eight cetacean species inhabiting eastern tropical Atlantic waters between Angola and Gabon (1°N–11°S latitude) were examined. A total of 2873 cetacean sightings, recorded between January 2004 and June 2009, was assigned to 10 × 10 km grid cells and linked to four ecogeographical variables (EGVs): water depth, seabed slope, sea surface temperature (SST) and relative frontal strength. Classification trees revealed that the habitat preferences (in terms of the habitats sampled) of most species were primarily determined by SST (for Bryde's whale, sperm whale, short-finned pilot whale and common dolphin) and water depth (for Risso's dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and Atlantic spotted dolphin). Seabed slope was the most important EGV describing the presence of the striped dolphin. A principal component analysis was used to compare the niches of the species with respect to the four EGVs. Nineteen species pairs (68%) differed significantly in median principal component (PC) score for the first PC axis, suggesting differences in their niche centres for that axis. Sixteen species pairs (57%) differed significantly in PC score variance suggesting differences in the niche widths along the first PC axis. Water depth and SST were the most important variables for the first PC axis. Together, these results suggest that cetacean species inhabiting the eastern tropical Atlantic exhibit interspecific variation in their habitat preferences, and so differ in the niches that they occupy. These differences are most likely related to variation in prey species and foraging strategy.

The effect of increased levels of suspended sediment on fertilization success in the scleractinian coral Pectinia lactuca was investigated in a laboratory experiment following a mass coral spawning event on reefs off Singapore. Egg–sperm bundles were collected from tank-spawned coral colonies collected from the field several days prior to the anticipated mass spawning. Eggs and sperm from each colony were separated and distributed systematically across replicated treatments (N = 9) with three concentrations of fine suspended sediment. Spawning and embryo development in Pectinia lactuca followed a pattern similar to other scleractinian coral species. There was a significant effect of increased suspended sediment concentration on fertilization success (P < 0.05). Both high- (169 mg l−1) and medium- (43 mg l−1) suspended sediment treatments decreased fertilization success compared to controls. These results imply that increased turbidity levels (whether chronic, such as in the waters around Singapore, or short-term, caused by a dredging operation)—when coinciding with the coral spawning season—may affect the reproductive success of corals and compromise coral recruitment and recovery of degraded reefs.

We describe Dysponetus joeli sp. nov. from shallow maerl habitats in the north-east Atlantic (English Channel and Bay of Biscay). Dysponetus joeli differs from congeneric species by a unique combination of characters, including a large syllid-like pharynx, 2–4 simple serrated neurochaetae (closely similar to notochaetae, but much smaller and more delicate), D-shaped chaetal spines and ventral cirri on the third segment. A phylogenetic parsimony analysis based on morphological traits suggests that Dysponetus is not monophyletic unless it includes the closely related genera Vigtorniella and Pseudodysponetus, which are well delineated inside the dysponetid clade. Chaetal spines seem to be secondarily derived from paleae and to have originated in infaunal dysponetid forms. They should not be considered as plesiomorphic, but as evidence to support the clade made up by Dysponetus–Vigtorniella and Pseudodysponetus as delineated by a phylogenetic analysis.

The present study analysed the reproductive biology of Callinectes danae and Callinectes ornatus, which are captured as by-catch from pink-shrimp trawling in Guanabara Bay. The size at gonadal maturity was 79.9 mm and 67.4 mm respectively, for C. danae and C. ornatus. The pattern of reproduction was continuous for both species; however, the gonadosomatic index analyses showed seasonal and alternating reproductive peaks in the bay. While C. danae showed reproductive peaks in the autumn and in the winter, C. ornatus showed an apparent reproductive peak in the summer and probably another in the spring. The sex-ratio of C. danae was significantly skewed in favour of females (3.0:1). However, in C. ornatus, males predominated (1.2:1). This reproductive pattern indicated that possibly the females of C. danae return to the estuary after spawning where trawling takes place, while ovigerous females of C. ornatus migrate to adjacent coastal areas around the bay.

The genus Princaxelia, Pardaliscidae, is a rarely recorded, infrequently collected and hitherto observed benthic amphipod, typically found at hadal depths (>6000 m) in the Pacific Ocean trenches. Little is known about the behaviour or physiology of this genus. Using a baited camera lander, observations of Princaxelia jamiesoni were made in the Japan Trench (7703 m) and Izu–Ogasawara Trench (9316 m) and of Princaxelia aff. abyssalis in the Kermadec Trench (7966 m) and Tonga Trench (8798 m). These amphipods rapidly intercepted the bait and preyed upon smaller lysianassoid amphipods. Mean absolute swimming speeds for P. jamiesoni and P. aff. abyssalis were 4.16 cm.s−1 ± 1.8 SD and 4.02 cm.s−1 ± 0.87 SD respectively. These amphipods have the capacity for long range swimming, high manoeuvrability in close range, and efficient predatory behaviour. Burst swimming speeds for P. aff. abyssalis were 9 and 10 cm.s−1 with accelerations up to 22–25 cm.s−2.

In the current study, commercially valuable penaeid shrimp, Melicertus kerathurus, were attained approximately monthly in the Izmir Bay, southern Aegean Sea from May 2004 to April 2005. For each specimen, we measured body length, body weight and ovarian weight, and calculated gonadosomatic indices (GSI). GSI values results pointed out that the GSI in Melicertus kerathurus increased during vitellogenesis (2.03 ± 0.24%) but sharply decreased after spawning (0.53 ± 0.35%) to reach levels similar to those in immature females. We also examined oogenesis in Melicertus kerathurus by histological observation of the ovary to determine reproductive cycle for future domestication. The observation on the gonads leads us to conclude that there are five stages of development for the females: (I) previtellogenic; (II) early vitellogenic; (III) late vitellogenic; (IV) mature; and (V) spent. Histological characteristics showed that the best time to capture adult shrimps for breeding purposes was between the months of April and June. The numbers of each oocyte type that were present were also counted, measured, and used to evaluate the following traits: total oocyte number; mean oocytes diameter; and maximum oocyte diameter. Oocyte diameter was significantly different at all stages (P < 0.05) and the largest diameter was observed as 163.92 ± 4.51µm at stage IV.

This review examines the biology of the two main cockle species Cerastoderma edule and C. glaucum found in coastal areas around the north-east Atlantic from Norway to Morocco and through the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Sea. It considers those factors in particular that impact on the overall health and survival of individuals as well as populations. Methods for the discrimination of the species are reviewed as well as the approaches being taken to delineate different populations, which is crucial to appropriately manage individual fisheries. Cockle populations generally undergo sexual maturation during their second summer and sexes are separate. Eggs are pelagic, with larvae being both benthic and pelagic before settling on the sediment and becoming benthic adults. However, data are lacking on basic larval biology and dispersal mechanisms. Data are provided on predator–prey relationships including information on types of food of importance to cockles. Main predators of cockles include brown shrimp, shore crabs, gastropods, polychaetes, fish and a variety of birds and these can be important in structuring cockle populations. Predation of larval cockles by adult cockles through larviphagy can lead to reductions of up to 40% of the population. Cockles are sensitive to a wide range of chemical contaminants but few data are published on impacts on cockles, in particular larval stages. The review concludes with an assessment of future climate change scenarios on cockles and considers some areas of future research required to preserve this ecologically and economically important species.

Little is known about the movements of male sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, in the North Atlantic. Recoveries of traditional harpoons and tags during commercial whaling indicated movements from Nova Scotia to Spain and from the Azores to Iceland and Spain. We compared collections of photo-identification images from different areas using the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sperm Whale Catalogue and the Eurphlukes Phlex/Match programs. The largest collections of identified males (number of individuals, start and end date for data collection shown in parentheses) are for the Azores (297, 1987–2008), Andenes (375, 1988–1996 and 2008), Tromsø (84, 2005–2008). There were six matches between Andenes and Tromsø (~25 nm), with three of these re-sighted in multiple years and three photo-identification matches from the Azores to Norway (~2400 nm). In all cases individuals first photographed in the Azores (in 1993, 1999 and 2003) were matched to images collected later in Tromsø (in 2007 and 2008). In 1997 a photo-identification image from Andenes matched a male stranded on the west coast of Ireland. No matches were made to images in smaller collections from Iceland, Nova Scotia, Greenland, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean. These findings show the value of data collected from whale watching vessels and the importance of collaboration between groups to allow investigation on an ocean basin scale. It is hoped that with the coordinated collection of more images from around the Atlantic, further insight might be gained into the movements of these widely ranging animals.

Fatty acids (FAs) composition of eight zooxanthellate soft corals, Sinularia leptoclados, S. flexibilis, S. aff. deformis, S. lochmodes, S. cf. muralis, S. densa, S. notanda and S. cruciata collected in Van Phong Bay (Vietnam) were studied to identify possible origin of unsaturated FAs. The main FAs were 14:0, 16:0, 7-Me-16:1n-10, 16:1n-7, 16:2n-7, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:4n-3, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3, 24:5n-6 and 24:6n-3. On the average, saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) contributed 35.6, 6.2 and 54.0% of total coral FAs, respectively. PUFAs of n-6 series predominated in all animals (n-6/n-3 > 1.6). The content of 20:4n-6 varied from 10.2 to 23.8%. The main n-3 PUFA was 18:4n-3 (on the average, 5.4%); the contribution of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, typical PUFAs of marine organisms, was not more than 2.4 and 3.9%, respectively. In Sinularia, PUFAs were produced by endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) and the coral host tissue, or obtained with food. Zooxanthellae can be considered as the source of C16 PUFAs and 18:4n-3. The coral host synthesized 18:2n-7, 24:5n-6 and 24:6n-3 acids. The low content of 18:1n-7, saturated odd-chain FAs and saturated methyl-branched FAs indicated a negligible contribution of bacteria to total lipids of Sinularia. A comparison of the levels of diatom and dinoflagellate FA markers in coral and plankton lipids showed eukaryotic microalgae to play a secondary role in feeding of Sinularia. The high level of 20:4n-6 may be considered as an indicator of heterotrophic feeding of Sinularia.

The combined effects of temperature and salinity on the survival and development of larval and juvenile Palaemon serratus from the west coast of Ireland were investigated. Survival over time was measured at thirty combinations of temperature and salinity ranging from 10–19°C and 9–34‰ in a fully factorial design. Salinity had a stronger influence than temperature on survival at all larval stages except stage V. For juveniles the main effect changed from temperature between 100 and 200 degree days to salinity between 200 and 600 degree days and temperature between 600 and 800 degree days. Estimates of time taken to 50% mortality showed that juveniles tolerated lower salinities for longer periods and exhibited optimal salinity values which were 3‰ lower than larvae, at temperatures between 10 and 15°C. Larval stage durations were found to be influenced by temperature but not salinity. Comparison with published data suggests that populations of P. serratus have adapted to local conditions of temperature and salinity. The results presented here have practical implications for fisheries assessment and management, as the incorporation of environmental effects into stock–recruitment models can improve their predictive capacity.

The spatial distribution, density, growth rate, longevity, mortality and recruitment patterns of the long-lived clam Arctica islandica in Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland, UK are described. The A. islandica population at Belfast Lough appears to be restricted to a small area at the mouth of the Lough. Additional searches for specimens further into the Lough and into deeper waters found no evidence of a larger more widespread population and we report population densities of 4.5 individuals m−2. The ages of the clams were determined from the number of internal annual growth lines in acetate peel replicas of shell sections. The population growth curve was fitted using the Von Bertalanffy growth equation: Lt = 93.7 mm (1−e−0.03(t–1.25)). Based on catch curve analysis, the Belfast Lough population has an estimated longevity of 220 years and a natural mortality rate of 0.02. We compare growth characteristics and life history traits in this population with other analogous A. islandica populations. The overall growth performance and the phi-prime index were used to compare growth parameters with data from the literature and we observed no significant relationship between the growth performance indices and longevity or latitude. Analysis of the age-structure and reconstructed dates of settlement indicate that this population has experienced almost continual recruitment over the last century with a gap in successful recruitment into the population 90–100 years ago and another 140–150 years ago. The size-structure revealed a scarcity of small individuals which we believe may be an artefact of the dredge sampling process.

During the expedition ‘Me48/1 DIVA 1’, carried out in the abyssal Angola Basin between 5125 and 5415 m depth, several specimens of Solenogastres were collected. Their study has made it possible to describe three new species of the genus Kruppomenia (K. angolensis sp. nov., K. glandulata sp. nov. and K. macrodenticulata sp. nov.) with very significant differences in their radular apparatus, reproductive system and pallial cavity. The absence of radular sacs in K. glandulata sp. nov. modifies the genus definition.

Carpet shell clam populations on the Tunisian coastline are susceptible to several microbial pathogen challenges. In this study we report the results of five years' surveillance, conducted from January 2004 till June 2009, for detection of Perkinsosis and brown ring disease (BRD). The survey covered three sites of natural populations of Ruditapes decussatus in a Tunisian lagoon, the North Lake of Tunis. Perkinsosis was detected preferentially in winter periods from the external and marine site, BRD was detected more frequently in the summer periods in a more proximal collection site (in the lake) and was positively correlated with concentrations of heterotrophic Vibrio sp. Our results suggest that several factors other than temperature and salinity might explain spatial distribution variability and natural intensities for these infections in carpet shell clam populations.