Ancient divergences and recent connections in two tropical Atlantic reef fishes<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Epinephelus adscensionis</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Rypticus saponaceous</Emphasis> (Percoidei: Serranidae)

Reef habitats of the tropical Atlantic are separated by river outflows and oceanic expanses that may preclude larval dispersal or other population connections in shorefishes. To examine the impact of these habitat discontinuities on the intraspecific phylogeography of reef-associated species we conducted range-wide surveys of two amphi-Atlantic reef fishes that have dispersive pelagic larval stages. Based on 593 bp of mtDNA cytochrome b from the rock hind Epinephelus adscensionis and 682 bp from the greater soapfish Rypticus saponaceous (n=109 and 86, respectively), we found evidence of relatively ancient separations as well as recent surmounting of biogeographic barriers by dispersal or colonization. Rock hind showed slight but significant population genetic differentiation across much of the tropical Atlantic Ocean (_ST=0.056), but deep divergence between the southeastern United States and seven other localities from the Bahamas to the south, central and east Atlantic (mean pairwise d=0.040, overall _ST=0.867). The geographic distribution of the two rock hind lineages is highly unusual in genetic studies of Caribbean Sea reef fishes, because those lineages are separated by less than 250 km of open water within a major biogeographic region. In contrast, highly significant population genetic structure was observed among greater soapfish from the SW Caribbean, Brazil, and mid-Atlantic ridge (_ST=0.372), with a deep evolutionary separation distinguishing putative R. saponaceous from West Africa (mean pairwise d=0.044, overall _ST=0.929). Both species show evidence for a potential connection between the Caribbean and Brazilian provinces. While widespread haplotype sharing in rock hind indicates that larvae of this species cross oceanic expanses of as much as 2000 km, such a situation is difficult to reconcile with the isolation of populations in Florida and the Bahamas separated by only 250 km. These findings indicate that populations of some species in disjunct biogeographic zones may be isolated for long periods, perhaps sufficient for allopatric speciation, but rare gene flow between zones may preclude such evolutionary divergence in other species.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin     

Brevetoxins in sharks and rays (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) from Florida coastal waters

In October 2000, a mass mortality of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) and Atlantic sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) in northwest Florida occurred in conjunction with a Karenia brevis red tide bloom. Before this incident, no information existed on red tide-induced shark mortalities or baseline brevetoxin levels in sharks and rays from red tide-endemic areas. We report here that brevetoxin accumulation in live and red tide-killed elasmobranchs is common during K. brevis blooms and non-bloom periods. Strong relationships were found between the frequency of red tide blooms and the average brevetoxin concentrations in elasmobranch tissues. The presence of brevetoxins in Atlantic coast sharks in the absence of documented K. brevis blooms may suggest that blooms are occurring in areas that are not well monitored. Although red tide-related shark mortalities are rarely observed, the presence of brevetoxins in shark embryos raises questions about the effects these toxins may have on the reproductive success of sharks.     

Quantitative analysis of aggregation behavior in juvenile blacktip sharks

Aggregation patterns of a population of juvenile blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) within a summer nursery area were examined over a period of 3 years using an array of acoustic monitors. Individually coded acoustic tags were surgically implanted into 33–40 neonate sharks each year from 2000 to 2002 and their presence monitored continuously by the acoustic array. Data from the acoustic monitors was processed to estimate the center of activity location of each tagged shark every 30 min. Nearest neighbor analysis of shark locations revealed that sharks aggregated within the nursery in all years of the study. Sharks were aggregated most commonly during the early and late summer months (June, October and November) and became less common through the middle of the study period each year (July–September). Temporal periodicity within the data revealed a strong diel pattern with sharks aggregating during the day and dispersing at night, except in June when aggregations often persisted through the night. Aggregations were generally restricted to the mid and northern sections of the study site. Reasons for aggregations may include predator avoidance or improved feeding efficiency.     

Using fisher-contributed secondary fins to fill critical shark-fisheries data gaps

Developing-world shark fisheries are typically not assessed or actively managed for sustainability; one fundamental obstacle is the lack of species and size-composition catch data. We tested and implemented a new and potentially widely applicable approach for collecting these data: mandatory submission of low-value secondary fins (anal fins) from landed sharks by fishers and use of the fins to reconstruct catch species and size. Visual and low-cost genetic identification were used to determine species composition, and linear regression was applied to total length and anal fin base length for catch-size reconstruction. We tested the feasibility of this approach in Belize, first in a local proof-of-concept study and then scaling it up to the national level for the 2017–2018 shark-fishing season (1,786 fins analyzed). Sixteen species occurred in this fishery. The most common were the Caribbean reef (Carcharhinus perezi), blacktip (C. limbatus), sharpnose (Atlantic [Rhizoprionodon terraenovae] and Caribbean [R. porosus] considered as a group), and bonnethead (Sphyrna cf. tiburo). Sharpnose and bonnethead sharks were landed primarily above size at maturity, whereas Caribbean reef and blacktip sharks were primarily landed below size at maturity. Our approach proved effective in obtaining critical data for managing the shark fishery, and we suggest the tools developed as part of this program could be exported to other nations in this region and applied almost immediately if there were means to communicate with fishers and incentivize them to provide anal fins. Outside the tropical Western Atlantic, we recommend further investigation of the feasibility of sampling of secondary fins, including considerations of time, effort, and cost of species identification from these fins, what secondary fin type to use, and the means with which to communicate with fishers and incentivize participation. This program could be a model for collecting urgently needed data for developing-world shark fisheries globally. Article impact statement: Shark fins collected from fishers yield data critical to shark fisheries management in developing nations.     

Inter-oceanic genetic differentiation among albacore (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus alalunga</Emphasis>) populations

Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly migratory pelagic species distributed in all tropical and temperate oceans. Recent analyses using both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA markers have demonstrated genetic subdivision within and between Atlantic and Pacific populations. However, although numerous biological differences have been reported for Atlantic and Mediterranean albacore, the genetic differentiation for these basins has not been demonstrated. We characterized 373 base pairs of nucleotide sequence from the mitochondrial DNA control region of 134 individuals collected in the Pacific (n=30), the northeast (NE) Atlantic (n=54) and the Mediterranean (n=50). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a small, but highly significant, proportion of genetic variation separating these three regions (_st =0.041; P=0.009), a pattern also supported by pairwise comparisons. These results demonstrate for the first time the genetic distinctiveness of the Mediterranean albacore from the NE Atlantic population giving support to the current management practices based on separate units. This outcome is concordant with reported migratory movements related to reproductive behavior between the NE Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, the phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences revealed the presence of a shallow genetic discontinuity with no geographic association. These two phylogroups are more likely the result of the demographic history of this species (i.e. long demographic stable history) as opposed to historical vicariance as has been proposed for other highly migratory fishes.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin     

Population genetic and phylogeographic structure of wahoo,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Acanthocybium solandri</Emphasis>, from the western central Atlantic and central Pacific Oceans

The wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri (Cuvier, 1832), is a pelagic, highly migratory, scombroid fish, distributed worldwide throughout tropical and warm temperate seas. To evaluate population genetic and phylogeographic structure against a null hypothesis of panmixia, the entire mitochondrial DNA control-region (~890 base pairs) was sequenced for 231 wahoo. Samples were collected from 1997 to 2001 from seven sites: North Carolina (NC; n=23), east central Florida (CF; n=30), Bimini, Bahamas (BB; n=40), southern tip of Florida (SF; n=21), Cayman Islands (CI; n=23), northern Gulf of Mexico (NG; n=54), and Hawaii (HI; n=40). Inter-annual samples were obtained from four of these locations (NC, BB, SF, NG). Seventeen haplotypes were shared by individuals within and among samples; 187 singleton haplotypes were observed. Within-sample haplotype diversities ranged from 0.995 to 1.000 (overall h=0.999) and within-sample nucleotide diversities ranged from 0.049 to 0.055 (overall =0.053). A neighbor-joining tree based on inter-haplotypic distances revealed two monophyletic lineages differing by 13.6% nucleotide divergence. Nested within each major lineage were several, well-supported subclades. There was no evidence of temporal heterogeneity in haplotype distributions. Partitioning mtDNA variation, 99.75% of the variance was within samples and 0.25% (P=0.307) between samples; the fixation index (_ST=0.0025) was not significant. Likewise, pairwise _ST values were low or negative, and none were significant on a table-wide basis. Exact tests for sample differentiation in haplotypes were also non-significant. All population analyses were consistent with the null hypothesis of panmixia. However, analytical power was limited by sample size. Mismatch distributions were inconsistent with expected distributions based on sudden-expansion and static-growth models. Wahoo exhibit concurrently high haplotype and nucleotide diversities, presumably a consequence of secondary contact between historical subpopulations rather than a long, stable evolutionary history. Given the level of geographic and individual sampling, wahoo thus far represent the sole example of a scombroid or xiphioid fish exhibiting coarse-grain genetic homogeneity across a broad, inter-oceanic range despite a deeply coalescing genealogical structure. Accordingly, cooperative fishery management on a broad, inter-ocean scale may be warranted.Communicated by J.P. Grassle, New Brunswick     

Habitat,movements and environmental preferences of dusky sharks,Carcharhinus obscurus,in the northern Gulf of Mexico

The dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) is the largest member of the genus Carcharhinus and inhabits coastal and pelagic ecosystems circumglobally in temperate, subtropical and tropical marine waters. In the western North Atlantic Ocean (WNA), dusky sharks are overfished and considered vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. As a result, retention of dusky sharks in commercial and recreational fisheries off the east coast of the United States (US) and in the northern Gulf of Mexico is prohibited. Despite the concerns regarding the status of dusky sharks in the WNA, little is known about their habitat utilization. During the summers of 2008–2009, pop-up satellite archival tags were attached to ten dusky sharks (one male, nine females) at a location where they have been observed to aggregate in the north central Gulf of Mexico southwest of the Mississippi River Delta to examine their movement patterns and habitat utilization. All tags successfully transmitted data with deployment durations ranging from 6 to 124 days. Tag data revealed shark movements in excess of 200 km from initial tagging locations, with sharks primarily utilizing offshore waters associated with the continental shelf edge from Desoto Canyon to the Texas/Mexican border. While most sharks remained in US waters, one individual moved from the northern Gulf of Mexico into the Bay of Campeche off the coast of Mexico. Sharks spent 87 % of their time between 20 and 125 m and 83 % of their time in waters between 23 and 30 °C. Since dusky sharks are among the most vulnerable shark species to fishing mortality, there is a recovery plan in place for US waters; however, since they have been shown to make long-distance migrations, a multi-national management plan within the WNA may be needed to ensure the successful recovery of this population.     

Genetic studies in marine fishes

Nine polymorphic loci were found among 42 presumptive protein-coding gene loci surveyed among 474 red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) sampled in 1987 from 13 nearshore and 1 offshore localities from the Atlantic coast of the southeastern USA and the northern Gulf of Mexico. The mean number of alleles over the polymorphic loci was 3.8, and the average heterozygosity over all loci examined was estimated as 0.047. These data indicate that red drum have normal levels of genetic variability. Wright'sF1 _ST values (the standardized variance of allele frequencies between samples) over all polymorphic loci ranged from 0.009 to 0.027 (meanF1 _ST =0.019), and estimates of the effective number of migrants (N _e m) per generation using Wright's island model ranged from 9.0 to 27.5. High levels of gene flow among the red drum samples were also indicated by Slatkin's qualitative analysis using conditional average allele frequencies. Nei's estimates of genetic distance between pairs of samples ranged from 0.000 to 0.009, indicating a high degree of nuclear gene similarity among all samples. Highly significant heterogeneity in allele frequencies at the locus for adenosine deaminase was detected between red drum sampled from the Atlantic and those sampled from the Gulf and among red drum sampled from the Gulf.     

Population differentiation of the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in the western North Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico

Information about the genetic population structure of the Atlantic spotted dolphin [Stenella frontalis (G. Cuvier 1829)] in the western North Atlantic would greatly improve conservation and management of this species in USA waters. To this end, mitochondrial control region sequences and five nuclear microsatellite loci were used to test for genetic differentiation of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the western North Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico (n=199). Skin tissue samples were collected from 1994–2000. Significant heterozygote deficiencies in three microsatellite loci within samples collected off the eastern USA coast prompted investigation of a possible Wahlund effect, resulting in evidence for previously unsuspected population subdivision in this region. In subsequent analyses including three putative populations, two in the western North Atlantic (n=38, n=85) and one in the Gulf of Mexico (n=76), significant genetic differentiation was detected for both nuclear DNA (R _ST=0.096, P≤0.0001) and mitochondrial DNA (Φ _ST=0.215, P≤0.0001), as well as for all pair-wise population comparisons for both markers. This genetic evidence for population differentiation coupled to known biogeographic transition zones at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, evidence of female philopatry, and preliminary support for significant genetic differences between previously documented morphotypes of Atlantic spotted dolphins in coastal and offshore waters all indicate that the biology and life history of this species is more complex than previously assumed. Assumptions of large, panmictic populations might not be accurate in other areas where S. frontalis is continuously distributed (e.g., eastern Atlantic), and could have a detrimental effect on long-term viability and maintenance of genetic diversity in this species in regions where incidental human-induced mortality occurs.

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Spatial heterogeneity of photosynthesis and the effect of temperature-induced bleaching conditions in three species of corals

Heterogeneity in photosynthetic performance between polyp and coenosarc tissue in corals was shown using a new variable fluorescence imaging system (Imaging-PAM) with three species of coral, Acropora nobilis, Cyphastrea serailia and Pocillopora damicornis. In comparison to earlier studies with fibre-optic microprobes for fluorescence analysis, the Imaging-PAM enables greater accuracy by allowing different tissues to be better defined and by providing many more data points within a given time. Spatial variability of photosynthetic performance from the tip to the distal parts was revealed in one species of branching coral, A. nobilis. The effect of bleaching conditions (33°C vs. 27°C) was studied over a period of 8 h. Marked changes in fluorescence parameters were observed for all three species. Although a decline in _PSII (effective quantum yield) and Yi (the first effective quantum yield obtained from a rapid light curve) were observed, P. damicornis showed no visual signs of bleaching on the Imaging-PAM after this time. In A. nobilis and C. serailia, visual signs of bleaching over the 8 h period were accompanied by marked changes in F (light-adapted fluorescence yield), NPQ (non-photochemical quenching) and E _k (minimum saturating irradiance), as well as _PSII and Yi. These changes were most marked over the first 5 h. The most sensitive species was A. nobilis, which after 8 h at 33°C had reached a _PSII value of almost zero across its whole surface. Differential bleaching responses between polyps and coenosarc tissue were found in P. damicornis, but not in A. nobilis and C. serailia. NPQ increased with exposure time to 33°C in both the latter species, accompanied by a decreasing E _k, suggesting that the xanthophyll cycle is entrained as a mechanism for reducing the effects of the bleaching conditions.Communicated by L. Hagerman, Helsingør     

Total mercury content found in edible tissues of top predator fish from the Gulf of California,Mexico

Fish at the top of the food chain bioaccumulate and biomagnify toxic metals including mercury (Hg), at a higher rate than nonpredatory fish. However, although some top predator fish species are important in the human diet, the risks for consumers in Mexico are difficult to evaluate due to the scarce baseline information available. In the present article, data on the total mercury (THg) concentrations found in edible tissues of different species of sharks, rays, large pelagic fishes and groupers from the Gulf of California are presented and compared with national and international health guidelines. During 2003 and 2004, 73 shark dorsal tissue samples, 52 ray samples, 66 large pelagic fish samples and 16 grouper samples were collected at different sites along the Gulf of California. Samples were digested in a microwave system and analyzed by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Thirty samples (14%) showed concentrations of Hg above the national statutory limit of 1?mg?kg^?1, from which 25 samples were sharks and 3 were large pelagic fishes. A positive correlation was found between the natural log of THg [ln(THg)] and total length (TL cm) in species of sharks, rays and groupers. The Teacapán estuary in Sinaloa was detected as a possible source of Hg into the Gulf of California due to historic mining in the watershed. Mean Hg concentrations exceeded the regulatory limit of 1?mg?kg^?1 in the following highly commercial shark species: smooth hammerhead, pelagic thrasher, pacific sharpnose shark, dusky shark, scalloped hammerhead, and whitenose shark, in that order. It is recommended that preventive food advisories be issued with respect to these species until further investigations are conducted.     

Population genetics of the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) in the western Atlantic

The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, inhabits shallow, tropical, and subtropical waters in the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific. Unlike many other species of sharks, nurse sharks are remarkably sedentary. We assayed the mitochondrial control region and eight microsatellite loci from individuals collected primarily in the western Atlantic to estimate the degree of population subdivision. Two individuals from the eastern Atlantic and one from the Pacific coast of Panama also were genotyped. Overall, the mtDNA haplotype (h = 48 ± 5%) and nucleotide (π = 0.08 ± 0.06%) diversities were low. The microsatellite data mirror the mitochondrial results with the average number of alleles ([`(N)]<sub>A</sub> \bar{N}_{A}  = 9) and observed heterozygosity ([`(H)]_O \bar{H}_{O}  = 0.58) both low. The low levels of diversity seen in both the mtDNA and the microsatellite may be due to historical sea level fluctuations and concomitant loss of shallow water habitat. Eight of the 10 pair-wise western Atlantic F _ST estimates for mtDNA indicated significant genetic subdivision. Pair-wise F _ST values for the microsatellite loci indicated a similar pattern as the mtDNA. The western Atlantic population of nurse sharks is genetically subdivided with the strongest separation seen between the offshore islands and mainland Brazil, likely due to deep water acting as a barrier to dispersal. The eastern and western Atlantic populations were closely related. The eastern Pacific individual is quite different from Atlantic individuals and may be a cryptic, sister species.     

Cryptic isolation of Gulf of California shovelnose guitarfish evidenced by mitochondrial DNA

The shovelnose guitarfish Rhinobatos productus is an evolutionarily, ecologically, and economically important ray, with a continuous distribution from San Francisco, California (USA), to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, and in the Gulf of California (Mexico). Regional studies have revealed morphometric differences between shovelnose from the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Baja California, which may result from phenotypic plasticity in the presence of high levels of gene flow or from a degree of genetic differentiation in the presence of cryptic isolation within a continuous distribution. We used PCR-RFLP of the mitochondrial control region to assess the degree of genetic differentiation between Gulf of California and Pacific shovelnose guitarfish. We found very high levels of molecular diversity (averages: h=0.77, =1.19%), which may be associated with historically large and stable populations, as well as very significant levels of genetic differentiation between gulf and Pacific samples (²=64, P<0.0001; _ST=0.63, P<0.0001, mean nucleotide divergence d=2.47%). We found a deep phylogeographic break between haplotypes from the gulf and the Pacific, which may suggest the existence of cryptic species but clearly indicates more than one evolutionarily significant unit of R. productus. Our results show a pattern of genetic structure and levels of differentiation consistent with the geological history of the region. Furthermore, these findings have wide-ranging implications for the management and conservation of cartilaginous fish in Mexico, as they reveal the existence of biological diversity that will go unnoticed without the genetic scrutiny of intraspecific variation and that is highly relevant for much needed management and conservation efforts.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin     

Aerobic metabolic rates of swimming juvenile mako sharks, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Isurus oxyrinchus</Emphasis>

The shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, is a highly streamlined epipelagic predator that has several anatomical and physiological specializations hypothesized to increase aerobic swimming performance. A large swim-tunnel respirometer was used to measure oxygen consumption (MO₂) in juvenile mako sharks (swimming under controlled temperature and flow conditions) to test the hypothesis that the mako shark has an elevated maintenance metabolism when compared to other sharks of similar size swimming at the same water temperature. Specimen collections were conducted off the coast of southern California, USA (32.94°N and 117.37°W) in 2001-2002 at sea-surface temperatures of 16.0–21.0°C. Swimming MO₂ and tail beat frequency (TBF) were measured for nine mako sharks [77–107 cm in total length (TL) and 4.4 to 9.5 kg body mass] at speeds from 28 to 54 cm s⁻¹ (0.27–0.65 TL s⁻¹) and water temperatures of 16.5–19.5°C. Standard metabolic rate (SMR) was estimated from the extrapolation to 0-velocity of the linear regression through the LogMO₂ and swimming speed data. The estimated LogSMR (±SE) for the pooled data was 2.0937 ± 0.058 or 124 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹. The routine metabolic rate (RMR) calculated from seventeen MO₂ measurements from all specimens, at all test speeds was (mean ± SE) 344 ± 22 mg O₂ kg⁻¹h⁻¹ at 0.44 ± 0.03 TL s⁻¹. The maximum metabolic rate (MMR) measured for any one shark in this study was 541 mg O₂ kg⁻¹h⁻¹ at 54 cm s⁻¹ (0.65 TL s⁻¹). The mean (±SE) TBF for 39 observations of steady swimming at all test speeds was 1.00 ± 0.01 Hz, which agrees with field observations of 1.03 ± 0.03 Hz in four undisturbed free-swimming mako sharks observed during the same time period. These findings suggest that the estimate of SMR for juvenile makos is comparable to that recorded for other similar-sized, ram-ventilating shark species (when corrected for differences in experimental temperature). However, the mako RMR and MMR are apparently among the highest measured for any shark species.     

Geographical variability in the bioenergetic characteristics of Monoporeia/Pontoporeia spp. populations from the northern Baltic Sea,and their potential contribution to benthic nitrogen mineralization

The physiological condition, determined as the ammonia excretion rate (V NH ₄ ⁺ ), total lipid level and lipid class composition, of two deposit-feeding benthic amphipods, Monoporeia (=Pontoporeia) affinis and Pontoporeia femorata, was studied from 12 opensea stations in the northern Baltic Sea between 24 May and 11 June 1993. The M. affinis populations can be geographically grouped according to their physiological condition: (1) eastern Gulf of Finland, with moderate lipid level (mean 24.4% of dry wt) and high V NH ₄ ⁺ (45.2 mol NH ₄ ⁺ g^-1 dry wt d^-1); (2) Bothnian Sea, wigh high lipid level (34.5%) and low V NH ₄ ⁺ (24.6 mol NH ₄ ⁺ g^-1 dry wt d^-1); and (3) Bothnian Bay, with low lipid level (15.2%) and high V NH ₄ ⁺ (44.3 mol NH ₄ ⁺ dry wt d^-1). A similar pattern could be observed also in the level of triacylglycerols and the neutral-to-polar lipid ratio. P. femorata, the dominating species in the western Gulf of Finland, showed variable station-specific excretion rates (22.3 to 43.0 mol NH ₄ ⁺ g^-1 dry wt d^-1) and lipid levels (23.4 to 30.4%). The spatial variability in the weight-specific V NH ₄ ⁺ of M. affinis could not be explained by the differences in the size of individuals, lipid level or lipid class composition; this emphasizes the significance of the effects of spatially differing nutritional conditions, which manifest themselves as different modes of metabolic energy production and different intensities of energy storage. In addition, the potential contribution of the amphipod populations to benthic nitrogen mineralization was estimated; in May to June, the NH ₄ ⁺ release of different populations ranged from 12 to 237 mol NH ₄ ⁺ m^-2d^-1. In general, populations with high abundance and/or biomass release the greatest amounts of NH ₄ ⁺ , but the values are modified by the physiological condition of the individuals.     

Movement and environmental preferences of Greenland sharks (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Somniosus microcephalus</Emphasis>) electronically tagged in the St. Lawrence Estuary,Canada

Three Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) were tagged with electronic tags, in Baie St. Pancrace, St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada. One shark was tagged on 23 July 2004, with an acoustic telemetry tag. Two sharks were each tagged with a pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT) on 27 August 2004. Two of the sharks remained in or close to the bay, one for 47 days and the other for at least 66 days. The third shark left the bay immediately after tagging on 27 August 2004. This shark entered the main channel of the St. Lawrence Estuary, and had moved 114.9 km upstream by 1 November 2004 when the tag reported to ARGOS satellites. The tags provided a total of 179 days of data on the movement and environmental preferences of Greenland sharks in the St. Lawrence Estuary. Sharks that reported depth and ambient water temperature data from the bay showed significant diel differences in depth preferences and corresponding ambient temperatures. The sharks remained near the bottom of the water column during the day and displayed increased vertical movements at night. The shark that resided in the main channel did not show this pattern, but generally remained at depths between 325 and 352 m. Sharks in the bay experienced water temperatures that ranged from −1.1 to 8.6°C at depths from 0 to 67 m. In the main channel the shark experienced temperatures that ranged from 1.0 to 5.4°C at depths from 132 to 352 m. This is the first report of numerous Greenland sharks inhabiting shallow near shore bays during summer and autumn.     

Stereophotography for the field biologist: measurement of lengths and three-dimensional positions of free-swimming sharks

A stereophotographic technique for determining size and relative position of free-swimming sharks is described and illustrated for schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini). The method yields total length and nearest-neighbor, interindividual distance; and each of these dimensions is expressed as a function of the shark's distance into a school on the vertical and horizontal planes. Stereopairs of photographs were taken by an aligned, beam-mounted pair of cameras (Nikonos III). The scale to determine the length of a shark from the paired photographic images was obtained from the horizontal displacement between the images. Displacement was correlated with optical axis separation from photographs of a scaled staff at known distances from the camera. Image dimensions on the photographs were measured by projecting a scale onto the stage through a camera lucida. The precision of repeated measurements of a 50 cm section of a scaled staff at increasing distances from the cameras of 2, 4, and 8 m was ±5.0%. Lengths of the sharks ranged from 109 to 371 cm, with a median of 178 cm, for 3 offshore sites in the Gulf of California during July and August 1979. At one site, El Bajo Gorda, lengths increased with both distance from the camera and distance into the group; in contrast, the interindividual distances (head-to-head) did not vary with distance into the group and possessed a median of 232 cm.     

Highly directional swimming by scalloped hammerhead sharks,Sphyrna lewini,and subsurface irradiance,temperature, bathymetry,and geomagnetic field

The homing behavior of scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) to and fro between Espiritu Santo Seamount and Las Animas Island and the surrounding pelagic environment was studied to reveal their mechanisms of navigation in the oceanic environment. Four sharks were tagged with ultrasonic transmitters and tracked at the former location and one shark at the latter site during July, August, or September between 1981 and 1988. Hammerhead swimming movements were highly oriented: the mean coefficient of concentration (r) for sets of ten consecutive swimming directions recorded during eight homing movements by three hammerhead sharks ranged from 0.885 to 0.996. Drift within a current could not explain this directionality, since highly variable directions were recorded from a transmitter floating at the sea surface after becoming detached from a shark. Forward swimming momentum was an unlikely explanation, since highly directional swimming was maintained for a period of 32 min with only a gradual change in course. To maintain directionality over this period, an environmental property should be necessary for guidance. The hammerheads swam at night, with repeated vertical excursions ranging from 100 to 450 m deep, out of view of either the sea surface or the sea floor. The sharks' vertical diving movements were compared to distributions of spectral irradiance (relative to elasmobranch scotopic and photopic visual sensitivities), temperature, and current-flow directions in the water column. No relationships were evident between these properties and the sharks' oriented swimming movements. Movements of scalloped hammerhead sharks to and from a seamount were compared to topographic features in bathymetry and geomagnetic field leading away from the seamount. Sharks swam repeatedly over fixed geographic paths, and these paths occurred less often along submarine ridges and valleys than maxima and minima in the geomagnetic field. No significant difference existed between the degree of association of points from the sharks' tracks and points from track simulations and 20° changes in the slope of the depth record. On the other hand, significantly more points from the sharks' tracks were associated with slope changes in the magnetic intensity record than points from track simulations. A magnetic intensity gradient of 0.037 nanoteslas/m (nT/m) existed at 175 m depth, where a shark swam directionally, and this gradient was three times steeper than that measured at the sea surface and exceeded that recorded at a depth of 200 m. The hammerheads are hypothesized to find the seamount using geomagnetic topotaxis. The shark could be attracted to and move back and forth along ridges and valleys, features in the relief of magnetic field intensities occurring over a geographical area.     

Population structure of red drum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sciaenops ocellatus</Emphasis>) as determined by otolith chemistry

To examine current genetic-based paradigms pertaining to the structure and possible philopatry of red drum populations, we used solution-based inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to analyze the otolith chemistry of juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) from eight different estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the North Atlantic Ocean. One estuary (Tampa Bay, Fla.) was sampled in three different years. Analyses of variance for five elemental ratios (Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Zn/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca) were all significantly different between estuaries, as was a multi-element signature (MANOVA, Pillais trace F _{50, 1020}=19.41, P<0.0001). We also found that red drum from the Gulf could be distinguished from those taken from the Atlantic Ocean with 99.5% accuracy, likely due to differences in water chemistry between these water masses. A discriminant function developed using these elemental ratios was more than 80% accurate in assigning juvenile red drum to their natal estuary, or in the case of Tampa Bay, to the correct year of spawning. We also used laser ablation ICP-MS to examine the otolith core chemistry of adult red drum collected from spawning aggregations near Tampa Bay. Using a discriminant function analysis with a calibration data set derived from juvenile signatures, we found that 75% of the adult cores matched the juvenile signal established for Tampa Bay 1982. Although preliminary, the results presented here suggest that red drum may return to their natal estuary to spawn, which has been postulated from genetic data.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin