Forensic identification of 'wild' versus hatchery-produced (cultured) red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), an economically important marine fish in the southern United States, was assessed using hypervariable nuclear-encoded microsatellites and sequences of mitochondrial DNA. Both genotype exclusion and likelihood-ratio tests successfully identified 'wild' and 'cultured' individuals within requisite...

We tested the hypothesis that strontium:calcium (Sr:Ca) in otoliths are reflective of environmental salinity experienced by two estuarine fishes during early life. Laboratory and field experiments were performed to examine the effects of salinity and temperature on Sr:Ca in otoliths of black drum (Pogonias cromis) and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Otolith Sr:Ca of juveniles reared at four sal...

The effects of graded hypoxia on the physiological and biochemical responses were examined in two closely related species of cichlids of the Amazon: Astronotus crassipinnis and Symphysodon aequifasciatus. Ten fish of each species were exposed to graded hypoxia for 8 h in seven oxygen concentrations (5.92, 3.15, 1.54, 0.79, 0.60, 0.34, and 0.06 mg O(2) L(-)(1)), with the aim to evaluate hypoxia ...

Despite the striking physical and environmental gradients associated with depth variation in the oceans, relatively little is known about their impact on population diversification, adaptation and speciation. Changes in light associated with increasing depth are likely to alter the visual environment of organisms, and adaptive changes in visual systems may be expected. The pelagic beaked redfis...

This contribution presents the study of species-group of Plumarius Philippi 1873, as the result of a survey of the morphological variation in males. The group is characterized by the large ocelli and transverse head. It consists of the following three new species: P. culminatus Diez, Fidalgo & Roig-Alsina, sp. nov., P. ocellatus Diez, Fidalgo & Roig-Alsina, sp. nov., and P. stangei Diez, Fidalg...

Scincus oficinalis Laur and Chalcides ocellatus Forskal were chosen as representatives of oviparous and viviparous lizards, respectively. Both lizards excrete their urinary constituents in the form of dry, hard concretions. The material employed in the present work was collected, during the summer, from twenty healthy lizards of each species. The procedure followed in the present investigation ...