scholarly journals New Distributional Record of Twelve Scleractinian Corals From Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18
Author(s):  
Kazi Ahsan Habib ◽  
Md Jayedul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Scleractinian Coral ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Biodiversity Monitoring ◽  
Visual Census ◽  
Underwater Visual Census ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
First Time

Saint Martin's Island is the only island in Bangladesh where coral communities are found. An expedition on marine biodiversity monitoring of Saint Martin’s Island through underwater visual census method was carried out from December 2017 to March 2018. In this study, a total of 25 scleractinian coral species of 8 families and 14 genera were identified, of which 12 species, Dipsastraea lizardensis, Dipsastraea maritima, Dipsastraea veroni, Favites acuticollis, Favites melicerum, Favites pentagona, Goniastrea stelligera, Goniopora albiconus, Goniopora norfolkensis, Pavona clavus, Plesiastrea versipora, and Psammocora exesa were recorded for the first time in Bangladeshi marine water. These new records exemplify gaps in sampling and recording of coral species in Bangladesh, and suggest the need of extensive research on coral ecosystem in the country. Assessment of different valid reports and publications including the present study revealed that a total of 98 species of hard corals of 18 families and 37 genera have been reported until now in Saint Martin’s Island as well as Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Zool. 49(1): 03-18, 2021

scholarly journals Shallow Water Stony Corals (Scleractinia, Milleporidae, and Stylasteridae) from Utila and Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

ISRN Zoology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Scaps ◽  
James Saunders
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Scleractinian Coral ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Stony Corals ◽  
Western Caribbean ◽  
The Caribbean

The coral reefs of Utila and Cayos Cochinos located in the western Caribbean region (Honduras) were studied in Summer 2010 in order to acquire information concerning their richness in stony corals (Scleractinia, Milleporidae, and Stylasteridae) down to 18 m depth. Ten sites in each location were visually surveyed. Fourty-six species and 12 forms of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals belonging to 21 genera were observed at Utila and 44 species and 12 forms belonging to 20 genera at Cayos Cochinos. At each site, 3 species of milleporids and one species of Stylaster (S. roseus) were also observed. Four forms of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals were new records from Honduras. Up to now, 53 species of scleractinian corals have been identified within the whole Honduran Caribbean coast. They belong to 24 genera. This number represents approximately 93% of all scleractinian coral species reported for the Caribbean.

scholarly journals Beyond traditional biodiversity fish monitoring: environmental DNA metabarcoding and simultaneous underwater visual census detect different sets of a complex fish community at a marine biodiversity hotspot

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Valdivia-Carrillo ◽  
Axayácatl Rocha-Olivares ◽  
Héctor Reyes-Bonilla ◽  
José Francisco Domínguez-Contreras ◽  
Adrian Munguia-Vega
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of California ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Marine Ecology ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Visual Census ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Underwater Visual Census

ABSTRACTSignificant advances in the study of marine fish communities have been achieved with traditional monitoring methods and recently with novel genetic approaches. eDNA metabarcoding is one of them and a powerful tool for the study of biodiversity still in continuous development. Its applicability in marine ecology and conservation studies may be gauged by comparing its results with those of traditional methods. In the present investigation, we compare results from the underwater visual census (UVC) with eDNA metabarcoding (eDNA) carried out simultaneously in 24 rocky reef sites along the Gulf of California. We developed a two-PCR library preparation protocol followed by high throughput sequencing aimed at teleost fish. Our results show that both methods had different detection capabilities, and each registered different sets of fish taxa from rocky reefs, with some overlap. In particular, eDNA identified taxa from pelagic, demersal, and estuarine habitats beyond the rocky reef itself, suggesting differences in detection mainly attributed to the transport and permanence time of the eDNA in the ocean. Overlap in the detection with both methods increased with taxonomic level. We argue that substantial gaps in sequence reference databases for teleost are at the root of major discrepancies. Our results also confirm that PCR-based eDNA metabarcoding of seawater samples does not reflect patterns in abundance and biomass of species estimated from traditional methods. We discuss how to reconcile the results of eDNA metabarcoding and traditional methods in marine hotspots.

scholarly journals Citizen science yields first records of Hippocampus japapigu and Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) from Taiwan: A hotspot for pygmy seahorse diversity

ZooKeys ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 883 ◽  
pp. 83-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Heard ◽  
Jeng-Ping Chen ◽  
Colin K C Wen
Keyword(s):  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
New Records ◽  
First Record ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Basic Information ◽  
Biodiversity Monitoring ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Marine Diversity

Relatively very little is known about pygmy seahorses, and even basic information regarding their distributions is largely inconsistent and often based on unofficial reports. However, monitoring marine diversity, particularly for small and cryptic species, such as pygmy seahorses, can be both costly and time consuming. In such cases, the use of citizen science can offer an effective tool for addressing knowledge gaps caused by a lack of biodiversity-related data. Scuba divers and underwater photographers were engaged through social media in order to investigate pygmy seahorse diversity in Taiwan. Using this approach five species of pygmy seahorses were identified, including two new records for Taiwan: Hippocampus denise and Hippocampus japapigu, the latter of which is the first record of the species from outside of Japan. These new records mark Taiwan as one of the world’s pygmy seahorse diversity hotspots, matching that of Japan and Indonesia, as well as demonstrating the value of citizen science for marine biodiversity monitoring, particularly for small cryptic species.

Taxonomic re-appraisal of zooxanthellate Scleractinian Corals in the Maldive Archipelago

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1441 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHEL PICHON ◽  
FRANCESCA BENZONI
Keyword(s):  
Coral Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
Complete List ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Zooxanthellate Coral

A census of scleractinian species was carried out in 2002 and 2003 in the atolls of South Male, Felidhu, Wataru and Ari, in the central Maldives. Thirty four stations were surveyed by scuba diving between the depths of 0 and 50m. One hundred and eighty zooxanthellate coral species belonging to 51 genera were recorded, of which 17 species belonging to 14 genera are new records for the Maldives. A complete list of zooxanthellate scleractinian species including our own results as well as documented records published by previous authors is given. This list includes 248 species belonging to 57 genera. The taxonomic status of a number of species of doubtful validity cited by previous authors is discussed. The need for additional sampling throughout the entire Maldive Archipelago and for a re-examination of Gardiner’s material is stressed.

Coral assemblages and physico-chemical characteristics of the Whitsunday Islands: evidence of recent community changes

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 427 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van Woesik ◽  
T. Tomascik ◽  
S. Blake
Keyword(s):  
Scleractinian Coral ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Coral Recruitment ◽  
Coral Abundance ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
River Mouths ◽  
Negative Relationships

Benthic communities were assessed and 22 environmental variables were monitored at seven leeward localities (L1ŒL7) in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia. L1 was near the Proserpine and O’Connell river mouths and L7 ~80 km north of the river mouths. Distinct physico Œchemical and biological gradients were evident. Sparse scleractinian coral communities, dominated by faviids, Montipora spp. and encrusting Porites colonies, were present at L1, L2 and L3, whereas diverse reef-building communities, dominated by Acropora spp., were more common at and beyond L4. The number of coral recruits (age <6 months) did not differ significantly among localities, suggesting that coral recruitment was near random and that the environment shapes the adult community from those recruits. The study demonstrates strong negative relationships between chlorophyll a and the following: percentage coral cover, coral species richness and coral abundance. The reef-building capacities of the coral communities and the extent of Holocene reef development were inconsistent at L2 and L3, which is interpreted as a sign of anthropogenic effects.

Phylogenetic survey and antimicrobial activity of cultivable fungi associated with five scleractinian coral species in the South China Sea

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xu ◽  
Shuangshuang Guo ◽  
Linfeng Gong ◽  
Siti Aisyah Alias ◽  
Ka-Lai Pang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
Scleractinian Coral ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
Culture Liquid ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
The South China Sea ◽  
China Sea

AbstractRelative to that of sponges, the diversity of fungi associated with corals, and their ecological roles, remain largely unknown. In this study, we surveyed culturable diversity and screened antimicrobial activity of spent culture liquid of fungi associated with five scleractinian corals collected in the South China Sea. In total, 123 fungal isolates were obtained, which were identified to 31 taxa in 23 genera from two phyla (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) by comparing their ITS rDNA sequences with the reference sequences in GenBank. Specifically, eight genera of the Ascomycota (Periconia,Arthrinium,Engyodontium,Lasiodiplodia,Hortaea,Devriesia,CyphellophoraandCadophora) and six genera of the Basidiomycota (Rhodosporidium,Panus,Trametes,Schizophyllum,TrichosporonandCystobasidium) are new records for corals. The fungal communities in the five scleractinian coral species, together with those from previous studies, indicate that a high level of fungal diversity is associated with scleractinian corals. The antimicrobial activities of spent culture liquid of 31 selected fungal species were tested against five marine pathogenic bacteria. This study contributes to our knowledge of scleractinian coral-associated fungi and their potential as sources of pharmaceutical drug leads for pathogenic bacteria.

Multispecies spawning of scleractinian corals in nonreefal coral communities of northern Taiwan (northwestern Pacific Ocean)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chieh-Jhen Chen ◽  
Wei-Jen Chen ◽  
Ching-Fong Chang
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
Northwestern Pacific ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Northwestern Pacific Ocean ◽  
Stylophora Pistillata ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
Northern Taiwan

There is a large body of information on sexual reproduction in scleractinian corals, but regional gaps remain, especially in nonreefal coral communities. This study documented the reproductive patterns of 54 coral species in 23 genera and 8 families (41 hermaphroditic spawners, 10 gonochoric spawners, 2 hermaphroditic brooders, and 1 gonochoric brooder) in northern Taiwan by field observations and histological analysis, which indicated that they predominantly spawned in August while fewer spawned in July, September, and October. Based on the field observations, 50 species in 21 genera and 7 families spawned between 20:00 and 22:00 hrs for 5–8 consecutive nights after the full moon in July and August from 2013 to 2016. The spawning patterns varied profoundly in species and colony number from 2014 to 2016: 19 species (42 colonies) in 2014, 6 species (20 colonies) in 2015, and 33 species (120 colonies) in 2016. Most merulinid and lobophyllid corals were observed to spawn consistently over the three years, particularly Favites pentagona, and corals splitly spawned within the colony. Five coral species spawned bimonthly. Three brooding corals (Pocillopora damicornis, Stylophora pistillata, and Porites lichen) also sexually reproduced between summer and early fall. Through this study, we obtained a better understanding of spatial and temporal patterns of the sexual reproduction of corals in nonreefal coral communities. Furthermore, this research may have broader biogeological implications for the northwestern Pacific Ocean region.

scholarly journals Underwater Visual Census of Deeper Vertical Rocky Reefs

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 785-794
Author(s):  
Alen Soldo ◽  
Igor Glavičić
Keyword(s):  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspots ◽  
Visual Census ◽  
Underwater Visual Census ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
Rocky Reefs ◽  
Temperate Fish ◽  
Vertical Transect

Diver-based underwater visual census (UVC), particularly transect-based survey, is a widely used method for the study of tropical and temperate fish assemblages. However, due to logistical constraints associated with conventional SCUBA diving, deeper habitats, such as vertical rocky reefs, are rarely studied and poorly known. This paper describes the Deep Vertical Transect (DVT) method as a safe and effective method for assessing fish in waters up to 50 m of depth. It is based on sampling of vertical transects browsing within it (S-type transect) by divers using Full HD video cameras. The diving profile includes the use of deep decompression stops and Nitrox 50 as a decompression gas. Hence, the study yields information on fish assemblages associated with deeper vertical coralligenous reefs. The results of 51 recorded species, yielded 41 considered as reef-associated and 10 as occasional. This suggests that underwater steep coralligenous reefs are marine biodiversity hotspots. They may be considered to represent a distinctive marine subecosystem, possessing its own food chain, with the depth, in relation to temperature, as the most important factor responsible for the diversity of fish assemblages within this habitat.

New records of Ephemeroptera from the Colombian Orinoco river basin of the Meta department

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Luis Gonzalo Salinas-Jiménez ◽  
José Ismael Rojas-Peña ◽  
Diana Paola Osorio-Ramírez ◽  
Clara Inés Caro-Caro
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
New Records ◽  
Andean Region ◽  
Orinoco River ◽  
First Time

There is extensive research of the Ephemeroptera communities taxonomy and ecology in the Andean region of Colombia. However, other regions such as the Orinoquia have been insufficiently studied. From this region, in the Meta department, four species have been registered: Varipes lasiobrachius Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty, Coryphorus aquilus Peters, Miroculis (Atroari) colombiensis Savage & Peters and Tricorythopsis rondoniensis (Dias, Cruz & Ferreira). The main objective of this study is to report for the first time for this region the species: Mayobaetis ellenae (Mayo), Hydrosmylodon primanus (Eaton), Haplohyphes baritu Domínguez, Camelobaetidus edmundsi Dominique, Mathuriau & Thomas and Nanomis galera Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty.

Spider diversity in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 ((suppl.1)) ◽  
pp. 209-243
Author(s):  
J.K.H. Koh ◽  
D.J. Court
Keyword(s):  
Nature Reserve ◽  
New Records ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Vegetation Zones ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
First Time

This paper discusses the preliminary results of the first comprehensive survey of the spiders of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) in Singapore. Two plots were established in each of the three zones of vegetation, viz., primary forest, old secondary forest, and maturing secondary forest. They were repeatedly sampled over an 18-month period. Sorting of the collection so far suggests that the three vegetation zones harbour rather different spider assemblages. Only ~9% of the total spider fauna recovered was shared by all three zones. The results have also yielded a preliminary picture of dominance, abundance and rarity. Although first intended to obtain a baseline for future quantitative analyses, the survey became a testing ground to modify and refine methodology so as to conduct future quantitative surveys with greater scientific rigour. Taxonomic work on the samples so far shows that the spiders in the BTNR span over 43 families, of which six families are listed for the first time in Singapore. The tally is summarised in an interim checklist of BTNR spiders. The checklist, with a total of 317 entries, shows that there are 158 described species of spiders in BTNR, of which 25 species are new records for Singapore. Another 159 morphospecies are provisionally recognised as distinct species, some of which may be new to science. Our observations during the survey have allowed us to provide a narrative of BTNR spider diversity against a backdrop of their microhabitat specialisation.

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