bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salinity tolerance and absorption of L-Methionine by some Australian bivalve molluscs
Authors: Nell JA , Gibbs PJ
Published: November 2005

The salinity tolerance range of the scallop Pecten fumatus Reeve was 25-40 g 1-1, of the pipi (clam) Plebidonax deltoides (Lamarck) and the flat oyster Ostrea angasi Sowerby, 20-45 g I-1, and of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis planulatus Lamarck and the Sydney cockle Anadara trapezia (Deshayes), 15-45 g I-1. All of these bivalves absorbed substantial amounts of the amino acid L-methionine directly from seawater.
Temporal changes in littoral meiofauna from the Hunter River estuary
Authors: Hodda M , Nicholas WL
Published: November 2005

The fluctuations in the densities of meiofaunal nematodes and copepods from seven sites on the Hunter River estuary over one year are described. There were no consistant patterns of change in either the densities of any copepod genus or total number of copepods. There were large fluctuations in the total numbers of nematodes at the various sites throughout the year, but a consistent pattern applicable to all sites was lacking. A few species of nematode, mostly epistrate feeders, each showed consistent changes in density at all sites over the year, but most epistrate feeders did not. The density of most species changed during the year, but these changes could not be consistently related to the seasons, and it is suggested that non-seasonal environmental changes are of greater significance. These findings contrast with those made on estuaries in other parts of the world, probably as the result of the presence of mangroves and the mild climate. The densities of a few species of nematode did not change throughout the year, and the total density of nematodes and copepods was strongly influenced by the height above low tide mark, with greatest numbers close to the low tide mark.
Larval ecology of penaeids of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. I. Assessing the reproductive activity of five species of Penaeus from the distribution and abundance of the zoeal stages
Authors: Rothlisberg PC , Jackson CJ , Pendrey RC
Published: November 2005

The distribution and abundance in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, of the three zoeal (= protozoeal) stages of Penaeus merguiensis, P. esculentus, P. semisulcatus, P. latisulcatus and P. longistylus are described. All species were largely coastal in distribution. The zoeae of P. semisulcatus were the most abundant and widespread penaeid larvae in the Gulf, with highest densities in the north-western and south-western areas. Those of P. merguiensis, the next most abundant, were found only in coastal areas in the north-eastern, north-western and southern Gulf. The larvae of P. esculentus and P. latisulcatus were next in abundance with largest numbers in the north-western and south-western Gulf and a small area of the north-eastern Gulf. Zoeae of P. longistylus were very rare and found only in the southern Gulf. The reproductive dynamics of these species have been inferred from the occurrence of the zoeal stages. All species showed a high degree of variation in reproductive activity throughout the year; both the timing and relative heights of the peaks varied by species within and between geographic subdivisions of the Gulf. Two seasonal peaks of reproduction were common in P. merguiensis, P. semisulcatus and P. latisulcatus in most areas, while single peaks were seen for P. esculentus and P. longistylus. No lunar periodicity of zoeal occurrence or reproduction was evident for any of these species. The spawning of P. merguiensis was in relatively shallow water, in as little as 10 m and generally less than 30 m; P. semisulcatus had the deepest spawning depth, rarely less than 20 m but extending to 50 m and most commonly around 40 m.
Larval ecology of penaeids of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. II. Hydrographic environment of Penaeus merguiensis, P. esculentus, P. semisulcatus and P. latisulcatus zoeae
Authors: Rothlisberg PC , Jackson CJ
Published: November 2005

The abundance of larvae of P. merguiensis, P. esculentus, P. semisulcatus and P. latisulcatus in the Gulf of Carpentaria shows both spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Most of the larvae of all four species were found where the water was less than 50 m deep, with temperatures and salinities greater than 26�C and 31 respectively. However, the mean temperatures of the waters in which the larvae were found varied significantly between some species. The mean temperatures and salinities of the waters was as follows: P. merguiensis 29.2�C, 32.3; P. esculentus 28.4�C, 33.1; P. semisulcatus 27.9�C, 33.2; P. latisulcatus 27.3�C, 33.0. While the range of temperatures in which all four species were found was between 21.5 and 30.6�C the ranges of salinities were more varied and may reflect the biogeographic distributions of the species. The three widespread species were found over large salinity ranges: P. merguiensis and P. semisulcatus, 27.8-34.9; and P. latisulcatus, 28.6-34.9. The Australian endemic, P. esculentus, was found in the most restricted range, 30.1-34.2. The temperatures and salinities of the waters in which the larvae were caught reflect conditions suitable for reproduction, as well as growth and survival of the larvae. The means of the temperature and salinity may be near larval optima and the ranges similar to tolerances. These differences should be taken into account when assessing abiotic influences on larval mortality both in the field and in culture.
Seagrass communities of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Poiner IR , Staples DJ , Kenyon R
Published: November 2005

The seagrass communities of the Gulf of Carpentaria were mapped and classified in terms of their species composition, their areas of shoot surface and their above-ground biomass. A total of 906.4 km2 of seagrass habitat, fringing 671.1 km of coastline was identified, mapped and sampled. Eleven seagrass species (approx. 20% of all known species) were recorded. In all, 74% of the seagrass communities occur along open coastlines and are characterized by depth-zoned species distributions (intertidally and subtidally), variable shoot-surface areas and variable above-ground biomass values. Each zone was dominated bfone or two of the following species: Syringodium isoetifolium, Cymodocea serrulata, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis and Halophila spinulosa. Of the remaining seagrass, 10% occurred on reef flats in mixed-species communities, !3% in a regionally restricted monospecific community of Halodule uninervis, and 4% in communities dominated by Enhalus acoroides.
Sediment type as a factor in the distribution of commercial prawn species in the western Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Somers IF
Published: November 2005

The relationship between sediment type and the distribution of the commercial prawn species
of the western Gulf of Carpentaria was examined. The distribution of sediments was described
on the basis of the mud content while the spatial distributions of the adult populations of all
the commercial species were described from the results of trawl surveys. The main species
caught were the tiger prawns Penaeus esculentus and P. semisulcatus, the endeavour prawns
Metapenaeus endeavouri and M. ensis, and king prawns P. latisulcatus and P. longistylus, the
banana prawn P. merguiensis, and the coral prawn Solenocera australiana.
The individual species were caught in varying depth ranges and, in order to assess the
influence of sediment type on the spatial distributions, a stepwise multiple regression analysis
was carried out in which variation due to depth was considered before that due to percentage
mud. Although depth generally accounted for most of the variation in catch-per-unit-effort
(CPUE), percentage mud was also found to be a significant factor for all species except P.
Merguiensis. Three species, P. semisulcatus, M. ensis and S. australiana, showed a preference
for sediments with a high mud content while the abundances of P. esculentus, M. endeavouri
and P. latisulcatus were each negatively correlated with percentage mud. P. longistylus showed
a strong depth-mud interaction, being largely found on sediments of 40-60% mud in depths of
40-50 m. P. merguiensis was found in depths <20 m but, because the trawl stations in this depth
range were all high in mud content, there was no significant correlation with sediment type. The
distribution of the CPUE of all the commercial species combined was relatively even and showed
no correlation with sediment type (either percentage mud or percentage organic carbon) and only
13% of the variation could be explained by a preferred depth range. Unlike the adults, juveniles
were largely confined to shallow inshore waters (<20 m). Tagging experiments carried out on
the major commercial species, P. esculentus and P. semisulcatus, in common inshore nursery
grounds demonstrated the preferences for different sediment types; P. semisulcatus recaptures
were mainly in areas with the finest sediments (>75% mud) whereas those of P. esculentus were
associated with coarser sediments (50-75% mud).
Temperature anomaly in western Bass Strait
Authors: Blackman DR , Hinwood JB , Lleonart GT
Published: November 2005

Observations of the water temperature on the western side of Bass Strait show occasional large falls, not previously described. It is deduced that these are intrusions of deeper water accompanying strong storm events and that they represent an appreciable input of deeper, nutrient-rich water to Bass Strait.
Population density and predators of Ophiacantha fidelis (Koehler, 1930) (Echinodermata : Ophiuroidea) on the continental slope of Tasmania
Authors: Blaber SJM , May JL , Young JW , Bulman CM
Published: November 2005

Densities of the brittle star O. fidelis at a site on the upper continental slope (420-580 m) off eastern Tasmania, Australia, were calculated from underwater photographs. Their beds covered 61% of the substratum, with a mean density of 348 animals m-2 (52.2 g m-2). The starfish Mediaster australiensis, which was restricted to O. fidelis beds, had a mean density of 0.09 animals m-2 (5.5 g m-2). Gut analyses of trawled M. australiensis confirmed that they are predators of 0. fidelis, as were several common benthic fish species.
Concentrations of some inorganic plant nutrients in saline lakes on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Authors: Tominaga H , Tominaga N , Williams WD
Published: November 2005

The concentrations of major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO42- and HCO3- + CO32-) and minor ions (NO2, NO3-, NH4 and PO43-) were determined in 10 saline and mostly ephemeral lakes on the Yorke Peninsula, S.A., over a range of salinity (27-250 g/l). The major ion dominances were similar to those of saline lakes elsewhere in southern Australia: Na+> Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ : Cl- > SO42- > HCO3- + CO32-. Concentration ranges of minor ions were wide; individual concentrations of ions were not correlated with salinity, but in the least-saline lakes (salinity < 150 g/l) phosphorus appears to be the most likely limiting plant nutrient, whereas in the more saline lakes (>150 g/l) nitrogen appears to be so.
Evidence for winter-spring spawning of the scallop Pecten alba (Tate) in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria
Authors: Sause BL , Gwyther D , Hanna PJ , O'Conner NA
Published: November 2005

Gonadal reproductive status of P. alba from two locations within Port Phillip Bay (38�S.,145�E.) was studied for 25 months from March 1983. Samples were collected monthly by divers and analysed for reproductive status. Although the scallops were spent of gametes during summer and showed development of gonads throughout autumn, phases of winter spawning were observed before a major late spring release. Spawning of P. alba and other scallop species in the Southern Hemisphere is a winter-spring phenomenon, rather than the summer-autumn phenomenon common among scallops of the Northern Hemisphere.
Review of the taxonomy and distribution of the demersal copepod genus Pseudodiaptomus (Calanoida : Pseudodiaptomidae) from southern Indo-West Pacific waters
Authors: Walter TC
Published: November 2005

The coastal demersal copepod Pseudodiaptomus has been repeatedly reported from Australian and surrounding southern Indo-West Pacific waters. At present, 13 species are known from this region, five of which are new: P. australiensis, P. griggae, P. hypersalinus, P. inflexus and P. occidentalus. These 13 species are representative of four species groups. Several of these species have been previously misidentified and are herein synonymized with the new species. The zoogeography of these species is discussed and a key is presented.
Effects of seasonal water level changes on the chemical and biological limnology of Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Osborne PL , Kyle JH , Abramski MS
Published: November 2005

Lake Murray, with a surface area of 647 km2 and a high-water convoluted shoreline 2038 km long, is the largest lake in Papua New Guinea and exhibits marked seasonal fluctuations in water level. The fall in water level of 4 m between April and December 1982 was accompanied by a marked rise in pH (from 5.3 to 9.6), conductivity (from 12 to 100 �S cm-1), total hardness (from 80 to 400�M) and filterable residue (from 11 to 45 mg l-1). In November 1982, maximum production of phyto-planktonic oxygen was 1120 mg O2 m-3 h-1 at the surface but declined sharply with depth because of light attenuation by suspended solids. It was much higher than that recorded in April 1982 (250 mg O2 m-3 h-1). The long shoreline and the shallowness of the lake result in a very large littoral zone. Diurnal variation in oxygen concentrations during periods of high water level indicated that the littoral zone is a very productive area of the lake. However, when the water level is low, the lake is surrounded by a wide expanse of barren mud.
Limnology of Organic Lake, Antarctica, a meromictic lake that contains high concentrations of dimethyl sulfide
Authors: Franzmann PD , Deprez PP , Burton HR , van den Hoff J
Published: November 2005

Organic Lake in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica, is a shallow (7.5 m), meromictic, hypersaline lake that contains a microflora of low species diversity. The lake monimolimnion is anoxic but contains no H2S. Organic Lake has the highest concentrations of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) as yet recorded in a natural aquatic ecosystem. The greatest concentration of DMS in the lake, 97 �g 1-1, occurs just above the oxic-anoxic interface. Its presence coincides with maximal numbers of the alga Dunaliella sp. and maximal numbers of bacteria. Analysis of head space samples from axenic cultures indicates that Dunaliella sp. is not directly involved in DMS production. A bacterial strain that was isolated from Organic Lake and that produced DMS from sulfur-containing amino acids was presumptively identified as a Halomonas sp.
Shelf waves generated by a coastal flux
Authors: Buchwald VT , Kachoyan BJ
Published: November 2005

Using the zero divergence approximation, we calculate the response of a continental shelf to an oscillating coastal current source which acts through a gap of finite width in the coastline. It is shown that this response consists of a forced oscillation in the neighbourhood of the gap, together with shelf waves appropriate to the shelf on either side. For a shelf of exponential slope similar to that of the East Australian shelf, and a flux through a channel of the dimensions of Bass Strait, the shelf wave response is shown to be qualitaticely similar to the results obtained in the Australian Coastal Experiment. This supports the contention that Bass Strait is a dominant source of shelf waves on the East Australian continental shelf. The 'eddy' mode required to explain the observations may also be attributed to the forced response of the shelf directly off-shore to Bass Strait. This paper also investigates the effect of adopting, in this physical context, simpler boundary conditions at the shelf edge. It is shown that there is some computational simplification, and that the results are largely unaffected by this simplification.
The tidal and longer-period circulation of Capricornia, Southern Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Griffin DA , Middleton JH , Bode L
Published: November 2005

Between June and December 1983, nine current meters and three water level recorders were deployed on the continental shelf and slope of the Capricornia Section of the Great Barrier Reef between Fraser Island (25�s.) and the mouth of the Capricorn Channel (23�s.) on the east coast of Australia. Tidal analyses of the hourly data set reveal an amplification of the semi-diurnal tides as they propagate north- westward into the Capricorn Channel. The results of a numerical model of tidal flow show excellent agreement with observations. The daily averaged (non-tidal) currents are highly variable and produce complex circulation patterns, but with a mean flow generally alongshore to the north-west. Comparisons with previous drifter studies and satellite-tracked buoy data suggest that the south-eastward flowing East Australian Current drives a large clockwise eddy, in the lee of the Swain Reefs, located east of the study region. It is postulated that this eddy, in addition to the generally north-westward wind stress, contributes to the north-westward flow within the study region. Temperatures recorded by the deployed instruments and temperature profiles from conductivity-temperature-depth casts confirm that tidal and longer period variablity contribute to upwelling onto the continental shelf.
Aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater, sediments and clams from Green Island, Great Barier Reef, Australia
Authors: Smith JD , Bagg J , Sin YO
Published: November 2005

Seawater, sediment and clams from the coral reef around Green Island have been analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence for detection and identification of individual compounds. Green Island is of interest because it is a tourist resort and the most visited coral island of the Great Barrier Reef. The concentration ranges of some of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons detected were: in water (ng I-1), pyrene 53-< 1, anthracene 25-<1, benzo(a)pyrene 6-<0.2; in sediments (�g kg-1 dry wt), pyrene 15- < 1, anthracene, 1.0-<0.06, benzo(a)pyrene 4.3- <0.004; in clams (pg kg-1 wet wt), pyrene <0.03, anthracene < 0.05, benzo(a)pyrene <0.004. Only sediments near power-boat moorings were found to contain low but measurable amounts of several different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contrast to the baseline amounts found at ihe other locations. The presence of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at measurable levels strongly suggests that their origin was from fuel spillage or exhaust emissions. The fluorescent intensity of organic-solvent extracts of seawater which had also been analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was measured using either fixed-wavelength or synchronous-wavelength excitation. For both types of excitation, fluorescent intensities could be used to indicate the presence of small amounts of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons which were just above the limit of detection using high-performance liquid chromatography.
Laval development of the Megabalanine Balanomorph Austromegabalanus nigrescens (Lamarck) (Cirripedia, Balanidae)
Authors: Egan EA , Anderson DT
Published: November 2005

The presence of embryos in the mantle cavity of A. nigrescens was monitored over a 2-year period. A, nigrescens maintains some breeding individuals throughout the year but shows peak breeding during the late autumn, winter and early spring in the vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The larval stages of A. nigrescens are described from larvae reared in the laboratory. A. nigrescens larvae can be easily distinguished from other nauplii described from balanomorphs of New South Wales by their distinctive marginal spines and paired dorsal shield spines. The duration of larval development in A. nigrescens, 13-23 days, is similar to that of other Australian balanids and does not appear to accord with the concept that the distribution of Austromegabalanus species has involved long-range epiplanktonic dispersal.
The separation of Austromegabaianus, Notomegabalanus and Megabalanus is supported by larva! differences.
Sperm motility of sooty grunter, Hephaestus fuliginosus (Macleay), and jungle perch, Kuhlia rupestris (Lacépède), in different salinities
Authors: Hogan AE , Nicholson JC
Published: November 2005

The spawning habitat of jungle perch is unknown. It coexists in the short, fast-flowing freshwater streams of north-eastern Queensland with sooty grunter, a known freshwater spawner. The duration and intensity of sperm motility in various dilutions of sea-water were compared to indicate whether jungle perch spawn in fresh water or salt water. Sooty grunter sperm was most active in salinities of 0 g l-1 and 5 g i-1, and not motile in salinities above 15 g l-1. Jungle perch sperm was not motile in fresh water, but most active in 25 g I-1. These results, together with fish distribution studies in estuaries, indicated that jungle perch probably spawn in the sea in salinities above 25 g I-1..
Observations on the biology of tarpon, Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet) (Pisces : Megalopidae), in the Sepik River, Northern Papua New Guinea
Authors: Coates D
Published: November 2005

M. cyprinoides was recorded in higher-order rivers, ox-bow lakes and other areas of permanent water and also on the floodplain, although this is not a preferred habitat. Juveniles enter the river in April to July and the fish return to the sea before they begin to mature. The smallest individual recorded was 103 mm, the largest 440 mm (standard length). Fat deposit index was low for the whole population and surplus energy is probably directed to growth and not stored. Condition and fat deposit index were both slightly, but significantly, lower during the dry season. Stomach contents showed that this species is a meso-predator, feeding mainly on small prawns, aquatic and terrestrial insects and small fish. No major seasonal changes in diet were evident.
Moult staging in the Australian freshwater crayfish, Cherax albidus Clark and Cherax destructor Clark (Decapoda : Parastacidae), via uropod setal development
Authors: Burton EM , Mitchell BD
Published: November 2005

Changes in integument state and morphology of uropod setae have been used as an index of moult stage for division of the moult cycle in C. albidus. Comparative observations have also been made on C. destructor. The relative duration of substages of the moult cycle has been determined in the laboratory at 18�C. The applicability of the state of uropod setae as an index of moult stage in Australian parastacids is discussed.
Mean temperature-salinty relationships in Australian waters and their use in water mass analysis
Authors: Ridgway KR , Loch RG
Published: November 2005

Within a network of 2.5� (latitude) × 5� (longitude) bins in Australian waters (5�-45�s.; 105�-160�E.), mean temperature-salinity (TS) relationships have been obtained. They consist of a series of mean salinities at 2.5-degree intervals between 5 and 27.5�C. From the TS curves, at temperatures between 10 and 25�C, a region of strong meridional TS gradients is identified, centred west of the Australian mainland at 15�s. This marks the northernmost penetration of South East Indian Central Water as specified by a salinity maximum in the TS curves. The waters to the east of Australia display a uniform pattern with an upper salinity maximum associated with Subtropical Lower Water. In the whole region of study the presence of Antarctic Intermediate Water is observed as a lower salinity minimum. The TS curves are shown to be tight enough throughout the regions for useful geopotential values to be computed from temperature profiles and a mean TS relationship. Errors introduced into the calculation by this technique are less than or equal to the error involved using actual temperature and salinity data.
The water masses of the east coast of Tasmania: Seasonal and interannual variability and the influence on phytoplankton biomass and productivity
Authors: Harris G , Nilsson C , Clementson L , Thomas D
Published: November 2005

The seasonal and interannual variability of the water masses, nutrients, phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity of the waters off the eastern coast of Tasmania are described. The seasonal and interannual variability in the water masses on the east coast could be explained by the varying influence of tropical and subantarctic waters and the presence of the northern edge of the subtropical convergence north-east from Maria Island. The physical oceanography was dominated by mesoscale events and the influence of the two parent water masses was highly episodic. Subtropical water rarely extended as far south as Tasman Island in summer and subantarctic water never extended as far north as Flinders Island. Data from satellite Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) images confirmed the hydrographic data and were used to interpret the seasonal and interannual variability. Interannual variability in maximum summer temperatures at Maria Island was correlated with the southerly extension of subtropical waters and with El Nino/Southern Oscillation events at least until the mid-1970s. There was evidence of a long-term warming at Maria Island and a cyclic fluctuation of 10-15 years in smoothed maximum summer temperatures. The decline in nitrate, and hence the phytoplankton spring bloom, occurred a month earlier inshore than offshore. Long-term data records from the inshore station at Maria Island showed strong interannual changes in the timing of the nitrate decline. The timing of the spring bloom varied from year to year by as much as 4 months. The seasonal cycle of phytoplankton biomass in 1984 and 1985 showed spring (October) and autumnal (April) blooms, with an early summer bloom in December. Low chlorophyll levels in February and March coincided with the influence of subtropical water. The seasonal cycle of phytoplankton biomass was therefore a complex function of seasonal and episodic events. Primary productivity data from the spring of 1984 showed low productivity on the west coast of Tasmania but high productivity on the east coast around Maria Island and the islands in Bass Strait.
Diet of the Australian grayling, Prototroctes maraena Gnnther (Salmoniformes : Prototroctidae), with notes on the occurence of a trematode parasite and black peritoneum
Authors: Berra TM , Campbell A , Jackson PD
Published: November 2005

The diet of the Australian grayling was studied based upon an examination of the stomach and intestinal contents of 558 fish taken from the Tambo River, Victoria, throughout 1979. The most frequent food items were the immature stages of aquatic insects such as chironomids, trichopterans, and ephemeropterans, gastropods and abundant plant material in the form of a diatom/organic matrix that occurred in 83% of the stomachs. It is speculated that the grayling's black peritoneum is related to the presence of plant matter in the diet. A total of 120 different taxa was recorded but only 23 taxa occurred in 5% or more of the stomachs. Most stomachs were three-quarters full and mean monthly fullness varied little throughout the year. There was little dietary overlap between summer (when the diatom/organic matrix was of relatively low importance) and the other seasons in all size classes examined. There was significant dietary overlap between the size groups for all seasons except summer. Trematode parsites of the family Opecoelidae occurred throughout the gut in 86% of the specimens. The largest fish had the most parasites, and the incidence of infection was consistently high throughout the year.
East Australian current adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Church JA
Published: November 2005

Hydrographic data from a series of cruises during 1980-1981 are used to determine the circulation in the western Coral Sea region immediately adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. The data show flow westward towards the Great Barrier Reef, bifurcating just north of 18�S. During the monsoon season (December to February), the bifurcation point moves north to at least 14�s. The geostrophic westward flow has a subsurface maximum at a depth of about 150 m. South of the bifurcation point, the flow is south-eastward on the upper continental slope and north-eastward offshore. North of the bifurcation point, the surface flow and transport (relative to 900 dbar) are northward. However, there is sometimes a south-eastwards near-surface shear. Near the bifurcation point, the surface currents are weak and variable. All of these features of the surface flow are reflected in the paths followed by satellite-tracked drifters. Although the drifters were fixed infrequently, the drifter data indicate the possible presence of small cyclonic eddies in the region of the bifurcation. All of the satellite-tracked drifters went aground in the Great Barrier Reef within 30 days of entering the region offshore from the Reef. The data are consistent with recent models of the wind-driven circulation in the South Pacific that propose that the westward flow bifurcates at about 20�S., with 17 x 106 m3 s-1 flowing through the Indonesian Archipelago from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
Observations on the biology of Carcharhinus cautus (Whitley), C. melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard) and C. fitzroyensis (Whitley) from Northern Australia
Authors: Lyle JM
Published: November 2005

The reproductive biology and diets of C. cautus, C. melanopterus and C. fitzroyensis from northern Australia are described. Males and females are usually mature at 84 and 91 cm, respectively, in C. cautus, 95 and 97 cm in C. melanopterus, and 88 and 100 cm in C. fitzroyensis. The species exhibit placental viviparity, have restricted breeding seasons, and individual females appear to breed annually. Breeding seasons for C. cautus and C. melanopterus are very similar: mating occurs between January and March, ovulation in February-March, and parturition in October-November. Individuals of C. fitzroyensis mate between May and July, ovulate between July and September, and give birth the. following February- April. Gestation periods for the three species range from 7 to 9 months. Approximate sizes at birth are 40 cm for C. cautus, 48 cm for C. melanopterus and 50 cm for C. fitzroyensis. Mean litter sizes are 2.9 (range 1-5) for C. cautus, 3.8 (range 3-4) for C. melanopterus and 3.7 (range 1-7) for C. fitzroyensis. Teleost fish are an important component of the diets, with crustaceans and molluscs (mainly cephalopods) of lesser importance. Snakes are eaten by C. melanopterus and C. cautus.
Hyperiid amphipods (Crustacea : Peracarida) from a warm-core eddy in the Tasman Sea
Authors: Young JW
Published: November 2005

Hyperiid amphipods were sampled from a warm-core eddy in the Tasman Sea in August, September and October 1979. Samples were taken at night to a depth of 400 m using a midwater trawl (RMT-8). In all, 22 798 hyperiids representing 38 species and 10 families were identified, adding 13 new records for eastern Australian waters. For each species, synoptic information is given on taxonomy, life history, vertical distribution, geographic range and associations with gelatinous zooplankton. Hyperiids were confined mainly to the upper 100 m of water at night. Evidence for a summer breeding season was found in three abundant species (Scina crassicornis, Primno johnsoni and Brachyscelus crusculum). Tropical hyperiid species may be transported into the Tasman Sea by the southward movement of eddies from their origin in the Coral Sea.
Biochemical genetics and population structure of blue grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae (Hector) (Pisces : Merluccidae), from Australian waters
Authors: Milton DA , Shaklee JB
Published: November 2005

Spatial and temporal variation in allele frequencies at 10 polymorphic loci were investigated in blue grenadier from Australian waters. Little geographic differentiation was found among three major regions. Nearly all of the detectable variation (>99%) was found within samples, while variation between samples taken at the same locality accounted for most of the remaining variation (0.8%). Blue grenadier were polymorphic at 22% of the 46 loci initially screened (P0.99= 0.22). Overall mean heterozygosity was 0.068�0.018. This value is considerably higher than has previously been reported for this species. Almost 700 fish were aged and typed for genetic variation. Fourteen age-classes (0+: 2-14+ years old) were compared. Little genetic difference was observed among age-classes within regions, or in the overall sample. A significant difference was found between sexes at the Est-l locus; this was due to an increase in males homozygous for the Est-l104 allele in the eastern Tasmanian sample taken during August 1984. The same sample displayed a significant shift in allele frequency at the Sod locus. This sample was taken during the spawning season of blue grenadier on the west coast of Tasmania and may provide circumstantial evidence of differential spawning migration by fish with particular genotypes from eastern Tasmania to the west coast. Comparisons of samples from Australian waters with a sample of fish from New Zealand showed significant heterogeneity at 6 of the 11 loci polymorphic in the two areas. The observed differentiation indicates that blue grenadier from New Zealand are genetically isolated from those of Australia. However, the apparent genetic homogeneity observed among the Australian samples suggests that, in the absence of indications to the contrary, blue grenadier stocks throughout south-eastern Australia can be treated for management purposes as part of a single, interbreeding unit.
Active osmoregulation in the Australian Bass, Macquaria novemaculeata (Steindachner), and the golden perch, Macquaria ambigua (Richardson) (Percichthyidae)
Authors: Langdon JS
Published: November 2005

The Australian bass, M. novemaculeata, and the golden perch, M. ambigua, differed in the osmoregulatory response of the gills to salinity change. Bass displayed lower gill Na+/K+-transporting ATPase and succinate dehydrogenase activities in salt water than in fresh water, whereas golden perch displayed the opposite pattern. This difference may indicate that the golden perch has evolved further toward a fresh- water life cycle than the bass, with reduced osmoregulatory effort, particularly in the critical juvenile phase, in fresh water. The spawning and initial juvenile residence of bass in hypertonic conditions may similarly represent preference for, or adaptation to, a habitat that requires reduced osmoregulatory effort by the juveniles. It is suggested that artificial rearing conditions known to compromise the development of Na+/K+-transporting ATPase-dependent osmoregulation in other species should be avoided, particularly in bass reared in high salinities for stocking into fresh water.
Karyology of the Indo-Pacific eleotrid Butis butis (Hamilton-Buchanan) (Teleostei : Gobioidei) from Fiji
Authors: Webb CJ
Published: November 2005

The diploid number of chromosomes from gills and gonads of Fijian specimens of B. butis was found to be 46, 23 bivalents being observed during the meiotic division in spermatocytes. The karyotype comprised 23 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes, giving an arm number of 46. The karyotype of B. butis is compared with that of other eleotrid gobioids, and a possible mechanism of its derivation is suggested.
Ostracoda in Lake Illawarra: Environmental factors, assemblages and systematics.
Authors: Yassini I , Jones BG
Published: November 2005

Major controls of the distribution pattern and abundance of living ostracod populations in Lake Illawarra, a coastal lagoon south of Wollongong, New South Wales, are salinity and the benthic flora. The biocenotic ostracod assemblage from the intertidal zone around Windang Island is a typical, diverse, upper sublittoral, open ocean fauna. The lake entrance channel, which is a transport corridor for marine sediments into the lagoon, has a restricted ostracod biocenose (14 species) but contains an additional 72 species in the diverse thanatocenose resulting from the mixing of estuarine and marine species. Within the lagoon, the benthic flora influences the ostracod distribution pattern with the most diverse assemblage (13 species) occurring in areas covered by seagrasses. Seagrass distribution is, in turn, controlled by water depth, circulation, turbidity and substrate. Estuarine ostracods associated with the seagrass beds can tolerate florally induced fluctuations in pH from 7 to 10 and in dissolved oxygen from 1 mg l-1 to 14 mg l-1. In the deeper parts of the lagoon with a predominantly mud substrate, the ostracod assemblage is dominated by Osticythere reticulata. Most samples retrieved from the most polluted part of the lagoon contained no ostracods. A total of 90 ostracod species and subspecies belonging to 50 genera has been identified; nine species: Cytheralison cosmetics, Callistocythere janiceburrowsae, Callistocythere windangensis, Neocytherideis anneclarkeae, Actinocythereis robustus, Bradleya rectangulata, Procythereis jonesi, Hemicytherura windangensis and Cytheropteron wrighti; and one subspecies, Callistocythere dorsotuberculata paucicostata, are described as new to science.
Trichoptera of a Victorian forest stream: Species composition and life histories
Authors: Dean JC , Cartwright DI
Published: November 2005

The species composition and life histories of the Trichoptera of a Victorian forest stream were investigated for 21 months. Monthly samples were collected from zones of fast current in midstream over the whole study period, and also from side riffles and leaf-pack accumulations for periods of 7 and 8 months, respectively. In all, 40 species were recorded as larvae, and it is suggested that species richness is similar to comparable streams in the Northern Hemisphere. The communities of all three biotopes were dominated by Tamasia acuta (Calocidae). Information is presented on life histories of the nine most abundant species. Ethochorema turbidum (Hydrobiosidae) exhibited a non-seasonal life history, while the remaining eight species were seasonal and displayed varying degrees of synchrony. Tamasia acuta required 2-3 years to complete the life cycle, Alloerella grisea (Helicophidae) required 1-2 years, and the other six species were univoltine. Agapetus monticolus and A. kimminsi (Glossosomatidae) were temporally segregated, with the former emerging in spring and early summer and the latter in summer and autumn.
Magela Creek system, Northern Australia. II. Material budget for the floodplain
Authors: Hart BT , Ottaway EM , Noller BN
Published: November 2005

A materials budget was estimated for the Magela Creek system during the 1982-83 wet season. This tropical system in northern Australia consists largely of a well-defined creek (Magela Creek contributes approximately 50% of the total inflow to the floodplain) flowing into an extensive wetlands area and then into the East Alligator River. Intensive sampling of creek water, rainfall and water flowing from the system provided the data base for the budget calculations. The annual transport of both dissolved and particulate matter by Magela Creek (area 600 km2) is very low, even when compared with other low-relief tropical systems. The annual load transported during 1982-83 was 1260 t (21 kg ha-1) of dissolved salts and 2330 t (39 kg ha-1) of particulate matter. Rainfall appeared to contribute all the sodium, potassium and chloride, and part of the calcium (c. 30%) and magnesium (25%) transported during the 1982-83 wet season by Magela Creek. Most of the manganese (c. 60%) (and probably iron) was contributed from weathering processes occurring in the catchment. Only small amounts of the trace metals copper, lead, zinc and uranium were transported by the creek. During the 1982-83 wet season, more trace metals were contributed in rainfall than transported from the catchment by the creek. However, this is probably atypical and resulted from dust particles that had entered the atmosphere in greater numbers due to the extended dry season. The vast bulk of the nutrients (total P 93%, NO3- N 86%, NH4+ N 98%) added to the catchment by rainfall was removed by the catchment, probably via uptake by the vegetation. Consequently, the creek transported only very small amounts of nutrients to the floodplain. An input-output budget for the Magela floodplain was calculated. The uncertainty in the net amounts deposited or released from the floodplain was estimated using a new quantitative method developed for this purpose. The uncertainties in the net values estimated were high, ranging from around 30% for bicarbonate to 500% for uranium. These data suggest that the Magela floodplain is a net source of the major ions (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate and bicarbonate) and also of iron, and a net sink for suspended solids, nutrients (total phosphorus, nitrate and ammonia) and manganese. The floodplain also appears to be a net sink for the trace metals copper, lead, zinc and uranium.
Effect of terrestrial and marine humics on copper speciation in an estuary in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon
Authors: Jones GB , Thomas FG
Published: November 2005

Studies carried out over several years on a tropical estuary, the Ross River Estuary, have shown that copper speciation is influenced by both terrestrial and marine humic substances. While terrestrial humic substances are mobilized by high freshwater runoff in the monsoonal season, Trichodesmium blooms mobilize high concentrations of marine humics to the inshore zone and increase labile forms of copper. The marine humics are more soluble than the terrestrial humics and persist in coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon for many months prior to the wet season.
Mercury concentrations in edible tissues of Elasmobranchs, teleosts, crustaceans and molluscs from south-eastern Australian waters
Authors: Walker TI
Published: November 2005

Mean concentrations of total mercury in the axial muscle tissues from 4 species of elasmobranchs (1.33-3.15 �g g-1) and 14 species of teleosts (0.14-0.73�g g-1) from waters deeper than 75 m were generally higher than the mean concentrations in 23 different species of elasmobranchs (0.13- 1.70 �g g-1) and 30 different species of teleosts (0.01-0.29�g g-1) from shallower waters outside Port Phillip Bay. In 5 of the 11 species of teleosts from Port Phillip Bay, which is shallow, almost landlocked and drains a largely urbanized catchment, mean concentrations were 0.39-0.63�g g-; in the remaining 6 species, they were 0.04-0.27�g g-1. Differences in the diets and the longevity of the species are discussed as possible explanations of the variations in the mercury concentrations. Most of the results were similar to those from other studies undertaken on the same species collected from waters off Tasmania and New South Wales, but tended to be higher than the results for the same species collected from New Zealand waters. Mean concentrations of mercury in various soft tissues from eight species of molluscs were 0.01-0.11�g g-1 and in abdominal and thoracic muscle tissues from three species of crustaceans were 0.03-0.13�g g-1..
Descriptions of larval flatfishes of the genera Psettodes (Psettodidae) and Pseudorhombus (Paralichthyidae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Authors: Liew H , Milward NE , Hartwick RF
Published: November 2005

The larval developmental stages of five of the eight species of Psettodes and Pseudorhombus known from the shelf waters of the central Great Barrier Reef are described and illustrated. The species treated include Psettodes erumei (3.3-13.0 mm body length, BL), Pseudorhombus arsius (2.9-11.5 mm BL), P. elevatus (3.4-100 mm BL), P. diplospilus (4.2-12.6 mm BL) and P. spinosus (2.5-12.7 mm BL). Meristic characters were reliable for identifying larvae only if full complements of these characters had been acquired. Smaller larvae were identified on the basis of pigmentation and head spination or spinulation patterns. The settling sizes of these larvae were estimated based on the stage of eye migration.
A comparison of the feeding mechanisms of two herbivorous labroid fishes, the temperate Odax pullus and the tropical Scarus rubroviolaceus
Authors: Clements KD , Bellwood DR
Published: November 2005

The osteology and myology of the jaws and pharyngeal apparatus of two herbivorous labroid fishes are described. Odax pullus (family Odacidae) is a temperate-water species, feeding primarily on fucoid and laminarian macroalgae; Scarus rubroviolaceus (family Scaridae) is tropical in distribution and grazes algae from coral and rock surfaces. The intestinal morphology and feeding behaviour of the two species are also described. These observations are discussed in terms of the functional and ecological significance of the morphological differences between these two superficially similar species.
Larval development of the saucer scallop Amusium balloti (Bernardi) (Mollusca : Pectinidae)
Authors: Rose RA , Campbell GR , Sanders SG
Published: November 2005

Larvae of A. balloti from Queensland and Western Australia were reared from ova with diameters ranging from 57 to 86�m. The straight-hinged veligers grew in shell length from 85 to 163 �m. Moderately protruding umbones developed 8 days after fertilization. The length (L) and height (H) relationship of larval shells was described by the allometric growth curve: H = 0.600L1.064. The provinculum of 15-day-old larval shells was undifferentiated and each valve had taxodontal teeth, at each end of the hinge line. Eye spots were present and common in pediveligers of 162-242 �m in length. Metamorphosis began 20 days after fertilization at 18-19� C when larvae were 178�m or longer. Settlement began on the 22nd day and lasted 5 days. Newly settled spat developed a byssal notch on the right valve, but attachment by byssal threads was never permanent. The length (L) and height (H) relationships of spat shells was described by the allometric growth equation H = 1.782L0.857. General appearance of A. balloti larvae was comparable to that of other pectinids. Statistical comparison of height-length relationships of the larval shells of A. balloti and Chlamys asperrimus showed larvae of A. balloti to be the more oblong at lengths greater than 128�m. The most significant characteristic of A. balloti spat shells was the formation of rounded auricles at the end of the hinge-line of each valve.
The role of turbidity in the limnology of Lake Alexandrina, River Murray, South Australia; comparisons between clear and turbid phases
Authors: Geddes MC
Published: November 2005

In the first months of 1981, the characteristically highly turbid Lake Alexandrina cleared somewhat so that turbidity dropped from a previous mean value (1975-1978) of 93 NTU to 9 NTU, the Secchi transparency and euphotic depth increased from previous means of 19 cm and 0.8 m to 72 cm and 3.1 m, and the light extinction coefficient fell from 6.54 to 1.2 In units m-1. Low flows in the River Murray, especially low contributions from the Darling River, and high salinity appeared to be the major factors responsible for the clearing. During the clear phase, nutrient levels fell, the normal summer peak of the ulotrichous green alga Planctonema lauterbornei failed to occur, there was a late summer-autumn bloom of blue greens especially Nodularia and Anabaena, and densities of the large microcrustaceans Boeckella triarticulata and Daphnia carinata were low. After flushing, the lake turbidity rose to previous high levels and over the period October 1981-April 1982 P. lauterbornei again dominated the phyto- plankton, chlorophyll a biomass reached 67 mg m-3, and the zooplankton community returned to its normal pattern of seasonality and abundance. The role of turbidity in controlling the physicochemical and biological conditions in the lake is discussed.