Responses of digestive enzyme profiles in newly-hatched (Zoea I) larvae of the mud crab Scylla serrata to intermittent food availability and food deprivation.

Activities (mU larva) of enzymes critical to digestion were examined to better understand how newly-hatched (Zoea I) larvae of the mud crab Scylla serrata respond to intermittent food availability and food deprivation. Specifically, this study examined the activities of trypsin-like proteases, nonspecific esterases, and α-amylase across three experiments that simulated scenarios in which larvae hatch and experience rearing conditions where food was either: (1) continuously available or unavailable; (2) initially unavailable, but subsequently available; or (3) initially available, but subsequently unavailable. Results showed that food availability exerts a significant influence on enzyme profiles in newly-hatched larvae, with nutritional history influencing their response to food deprivation.

A new species of Jousseaume, 1884 (Mollusca, Cypraeidae) from the Pliocene fauna of the Roe Plains, Western Australia.

A new morphologically distinct species of cowry (family Cypraeidae Rafinesque, 1815) is described from the Late Pliocene Roe Calcarenite of the Roe Plains, Western Australia. Previously assigned to (Iredale, 1916), the new species differs morphometrically from related taxa and is differentiated from by a number of shell features including a prominent, projecting protoconch, less extended posterior and anterior terminals, coarser columellar teeth extending onto the base, and well-developed, thickened anterior flanges, supporting a rounded anterior extremity with blunt anterior tips. sp.

A multivariate approach to morphological study of shell form in cowries (Gastropoda, Cypraeidae): a case study with (Verco, 1912).

Multivariate approaches to morphological study of shell form have rarely been applied to cowries (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) with preference, instead, for comparing formulaic notations of shell form that report averages (i.e., means) for key morphometrics such as shell dimensions, their ratios, and counts of apertural teeth.

A new species of (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Cypraeidae) from the Pliocene of Flinders Island, Tasmania.

A new morphologically distinct species of cowry (family Cypraeidae Rafinesque, 1815) is described from the Pliocene of Flinders Island, Tasmania. sp. nov.

Saving the sea cucumbers: Using population genomic tools to inform fishery and conservation management of the Fijian sandfish Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra.

The sea cucumber Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra, known as sandfish, is a high-value tropical echinoderm central to the global bêche-de-mer (BDM) trade. This species has been heavily exploited across its natural range, with overharvesting and ineffective fishery management leaving stocks in the Pacific region heavily depleted. In Fiji, sandfish stocks have not recovered since a 1988 harvest ban, with surveys reporting declining populations and recruitment failure.

Responses of digestive enzyme profiles to various scenarios of food availability in newly-hatched Stage I phyllosoma larvae of the tropical spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus.

Stage I phyllosoma larvae of the spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus hatch in tropical oceanic waters with limited and variable food resources. To better understand how these larvae cope with food deprivation, this study examined specific (mU mg protein) and total (mU larva) activities of major digestive enzymes (i.e.

Blue carbon storage in Fijian seagrass meadows: First insights into carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content from a tropical southwest Pacific Island.

Seagrasses provide vital ecosystem services which include the accumulation and storage of carbon and nutrients in sediments and biomass. Despite their importance in climate change mitigation and adaptation, seagrass ecosystems have been poorly studied, particularly in the Pacific. Therefore, the present study assessed variability in sedimentary and vegetative C, N and P storage in three monospecific seagrass meadows (Halophila ovalis, Halodule pinifolia and Halodule uninervis), reporting baseline data for the first time.

Trace metal content in sediment cores and seagrass biomass from a tropical southwest Pacific Island.

A unique feature of seagrass among other ecosystem services is to have high phytoremediation potential that is a cost-effective plant-based approach and environmentally friendly solution for metal contamination in coastal areas. The goal of this study was to assess the phytoremediation prospective of seagrass for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in Fiji Islands. Heavy metal content was measured in sediments and tissues of the seagrasses Halophila ovalis, Halodule pinifolia and Halodule uninervis to test for local-scale differences.

Application of Bacteriophages to Control Contamination in Oyster () Larvae.

Mortalities of bivalve larvae and spat linked with spp. infection have been described in hatcheries since 1959, causing potential development of resistant bacteria. A reliable and sustainable solution to this problem is yet to be developed.

Understanding marine larval dispersal in a broadcast-spawning invertebrate: A dispersal modelling approach for optimising spat collection of the Fijian black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera.

Fisheries and aquaculture industries worldwide remain reliant on seed supply from wild populations, with their success and sustainability dependent on consistent larval recruitment. Larval dispersal and recruitment in the marine environment are complex processes, influenced by a multitude of physical and biological factors. Biophysical modelling has increasingly been used to investigate dispersal and recruitment dynamics, for optimising management of fisheries and aquaculture resources.

Use of Bacteriophages to Control Vibrio Contamination of Microalgae Used as a Food Source for Oyster Larvae During Hatchery Culture.

Cultured microalgae are the primary food source for oyster larvae during hatchery culture and are a potential vector for Vibrio spp. infection of larval cultures. Bacteriophages have shown potential for controlling contamination of Vibrio spp.

Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic analyses of the tropical black-lip rock oyster (Saccostrea echinata) reveals population subdivision and informs sustainable aquaculture development.

Background: The black-lip rock oyster (Saccostrea echinata) has considerable potential for aquaculture throughout the tropics. Previous attempts to farm S. echinata failed due to an insufficient supply of wild spat; however, the prospect of hatchery-based aquaculture has stimulated renewed interest, and small-scale farming is underway across northern Australia and in New Caledonia.

Artisanal, shell-based handicraft in Papua New Guinea: Challenges and opportunities for livelihoods development.

A thorough understanding of livelihoods is necessary to ensure development policies are compatible with both resource conservation and the social and economic goals of development. Few studies, however, focus on value-adding activities occurring post-harvest in artisanal fisheries. The transformation of mollusc shells and skeletal remains of other marine taxa into artistic jewellery and decorative items is becoming an increasingly important livelihood activity for rural, coastal communities across the Pacific.

Protective Effects of Bacteriophages against Aeromonas hydrophila Species Causing Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS) in Striped Catfish.

To determine the effectivity of bacteriophages in controlling the mass mortality of striped catfish () due to infections caused by spp. in Vietnamese fish farms, bacteriophages against pathogenic were isolated. -phage 2 and -phage 5 were successfully isolated from water samples from the Saigon River of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Aquarium Trade Supply-Chain Losses of Marine Invertebrates Originating from Papua New Guinea.

A major difficulty in managing live organism wildlife trade is often the reliance on trade data to monitor exploitation of wild populations. Harvested organisms that die or are discarded before a point of sale are regularly not reported. For the global marine aquarium trade, identifying supply-chain losses is necessary to more accurately assess exploitation from trade data.

Genome-wide comparisons reveal evidence for a species complex in the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Bivalvia: Pteriidae).

Evolutionary relationships in the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera which is highly valued for pearl production remain poorly understood. This species possesses an 18,000 km Indo-Pacific natural distribution, and its current description includes six subspecies defined exclusively on morphological characters. To evaluate its taxonomic identity using molecular data, 14 populations in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans (n = 69), and the congeneric taxa P.

Bacteriophages as Biological Control Agents of Enteric Bacteria Contaminating Edible Oysters.

Bacterial contamination on seafood resulting from unhygienic food-handling practices causes foodborne diseases and significant revenue losses. Moreover, control measures are complicated by a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Alternative measures such as the phage therapy, therefore, is considered as an environmental and consumer-friendly biological control strategy for controlling such bacterial contamination.

Swept away: ocean currents and seascape features influence genetic structure across the 18,000 Km Indo-Pacific distribution of a marine invertebrate, the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera.

Background: Genetic structure in many widely-distributed broadcast spawning marine invertebrates remains poorly understood, posing substantial challenges for their fishery management, conservation and aquaculture. Under the Core-Periphery Hypothesis (CPH), genetic diversity is expected to be highest at the centre of a species' distribution, progressively decreasing with increased differentiation towards outer range limits, as populations become increasingly isolated, fragmented and locally adapted. The unique life history characteristics of many marine invertebrates such as high dispersal rates, stochastic survival and variable recruitment are also likely to influence how populations are organised.

A Parallel Population Genomic and Hydrodynamic Approach to Fishery Management of Highly-Dispersive Marine Invertebrates: The Case of the Fijian Black-Lip Pearl Oyster Pinctada margaritifera.

Fishery management and conservation of marine species increasingly relies on genetic data to delineate biologically relevant stock boundaries. Unfortunately for high gene flow species which may display low, but statistically significant population structure, there is no clear consensus on the level of differentiation required to resolve distinct stocks. The use of fine-scale neutral and adaptive variation, considered together with environmental data can offer additional insights to this problem.

Fish Rejections in the Marine Aquarium Trade: An Initial Case Study Raises Concern for Village-Based Fisheries.

A major difficulty in managing wildlife trade is the reliance on trade data (rather than capture data) to monitor exploitation of wild populations. Collected organisms that die or are rejected before a point of sale often go unreported. For the global marine aquarium trade, identifying the loss of collected fish from rejection, prior to export, is a first step in assessing true collection levels.

Fishing for divergence in a sea of connectivity: The utility of ddRADseq genotyping in a marine invertebrate, the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera.

Population genomic investigations on highly dispersive marine organisms typically require thousands of genome-wide SNP loci to resolve fine-scale population structure and detect signatures of selection. This information is important for species conservation efforts and stock management in both wild and captive populations, as well as genome mapping and genome wide association studies. Double digest Restriction site-Associated DNA Sequencing (ddRADseq) is a recent tool for delivering genome wide SNPs for non-model organisms.

Development and function of pearl-sacs grown from regenerated mantle graft tissue in the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758).

Current pearl grafting techniques were developed in the early 1900s and have changed little since. They involve the sacrifice of donor pearl oysters to provide graft tissue (saibo) that is implanted into host oysters. This study assessed the feasibility of using regenerated graft tissue for pearl production in the 'black-lip' pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera.