Nematocyst Types and Characteristics in the Tentacles of and sp. (Cubozoa: Carybdeida) from the Gulf of Thailand.

Nematocysts, specialized stinging cells in cnidarians, play a crucial role in both defense and prey capture, containing venomous, coiled tubes within a capsule. While box jellyfish are recognized as a medical threat, information on the nematocysts of species like and sp. from Thai waters remains sparse.

Assessing the scale and ecological impact of derelict and discarded fishing gear across Thailand via the MARsCI citizen science protocol.

South-East Asia is among the least studied regions for the growing issue of marine debris pollution, despite being a major contributor towards global marine debris. In the present study, we provide the preliminary results from the MARsCI project, a survey protocol designed to utilise citizen science to facilitate data collection on the ecological impact of discarded fishing gear (DFG) in Thailand. Over a three-year period, 103 surveys were carried out across Thailand, resulting in impact assessment of 606 pieces of DFG.

A cup half full: the first assessment on the distribution, ecology and need for conservation of the threatened Neptune's cup sponge, Cliona patera, in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Neptune's cup sponge is an iconic species found in marine soft sediment habitats in the Indo-West Pacific, with a history of overharvesting and extreme population declines. Access to SCUBA diving surveys has allowed for its rediscovery at Singapore, its type locality; however, with fewer than ten living individuals documented in the twenty-first century, the species is believed to be in need of conservation. Here, we share the results from surveys across the Gulf of Thailand, allowing for a documentation of 29 additional individuals, with information on their ecology and distribution.

Gaining new insights into macroplastic transport 'hotlines' and fine-scale retention-remobilisation using small floating high-resolution satellite drifters in the Chao Phraya River estuary of Bangkok.

In river plastic pollution research little is known about the detailed pathways and interruptions that occur during the journey of macroplastic debris (>5 cm) from land to sea. Data on fine-scale and high-accuracy transport trajectories and cycles of retention (when macroplastics are trapped, e.g.

Dietary protein requirement for captive juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Head-starting programs are extremely important for restoring the population of sea turtles in wild whereas husbandry conditions and feeding regimens of captive turtles are still limited. In the current study, the optimal dietary protein requirement for green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was investigated to support rearing in head-starting programs. Twenty-five-day-old turtles (44.

High genetic differentiation of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins () along the Asian Coast of the Pacific Ocean.

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin () is a vulnerable marine mammal species that inhabits shallow, coastal waters from Southeast China, southward throughout Southeast Asia, and westward around the Bay of Bengal to eastern India. Polymorphic microsatellites are useful for elucidating ecological and population genetics-related questions. Here, 18 new polymorphic microsatellites were developed from .

Optimal Feeding Frequency for Captive Hawksbill Sea Turtle ().

Hawksbill sea turtle () has been reared in head-starting captivity programs, while the feeding regimens have never been optimized. In the current study, the feeding frequency of hawksbill sea turtle was investigated in indoor experimental conditions. Two-month-old turtles (38.

The Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño Southern Oscillation as major drivers of coral cover on shallow reefs in the Andaman Sea.

Shallow reefs are a major feature of coral assemblages in the Andaman Sea. At Phuket, Thailand sheltered reefs are dominated by massive corals, together with an increasing abundance of branching species during favourable growth conditions. The growth of coral on these reefs is moderated by long-term increases in sea temperature and relative sea level but fluctuating decadal/intradecadal climate processes of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which modulate sea level and temperature, are the main drivers of coral cover.

Genetic structure of the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is an endangered, small cetacean species which is widely distributed in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters throughout the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific. Despite the extensive distribution of this species, little is known of individual movements or genetic exchange among regions in Thailand. Here, we evaluate the genetic diversity and genetic structure of O.

Early divergence and differential population histories of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The currently recognized Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin occurs in estuaries and surrounding shallow waters from the South China Sea to the Asian coast of the Indian Ocean. However, a recent study suggested that the humpback dolphin from the Bay of Bengal may represent a distinct phylogenetic species. In this study, we sequenced 915-bp mtDNA segments from five geographic populations in both Chinese and Thai waters; together with previously published sequences, these data revealed that the ancestral Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin might have split during the transition from the Oligocene to Miocene (23.

Rapid and Accurate Species-Specific PCR for the Identification of Lethal Box Jellyfish in Thailand.

Box jellyfish are extremely potent venom-producing marine organisms. While they have been found worldwide, the highest health burden has been anticipated to be the tropical Indo-Pacific of Southeast Asia (SEA). At least 12 Cubozoan species have now been documented in Thai waters, and many of them inflict acutely lethal strings, especially those under the order Chirodropida.

Habitat modeling of Irrawaddy dolphins () in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand.

Aim: The Irrawaddy dolphin () is an endangered cetacean found throughout Southeast Asia. The main threat to this species is human encroachment, led by entanglement in fishing gear. Information on this data-poor species' ecology and habitat use is needed to effectively inform spatial management.

Microbial communities in the reef water at Kham Island, lower Gulf of Thailand.

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse habitats on Earth, but knowledge of their associated marinemicrobiome remains limited. To increase the understanding of the coral reef ecosystem in the lower Gulf of Thailand, this study utilized 16S and 18S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing to identify the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiota present in the reef water at Kham Island, Trat province, Thailand (N6.97 E100.

Melitid amphipods from the Gulf of Thailand, with a description of Dulichiella pattaniensis, a new species.

Two species of melitid amphipod were collected from the Gulf of Thailand. Dulichiella pattaniensis is new to science, and Melitalati latiflagella Ren & Andres, 2012 has not been previously reported from Thai Waters. Dulichiella pattaniensis is characterized by male gnathopod 2 distolateral crown with 4 spines; pleonite/urosomite formula 7-7-7-5-6-2; pereopod 5-7 dactylus with 2 accessory spines.