Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 36 in total

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  1. Fulltext Three members of Opisthomonorcheides Parukhin, 1966 (Digenea: Monorchiidae) from carangid fishes (Perciformes) from Indonesia, with a review of the genus
    Bray RA, Palm HW, Cutmore SC, Cribb TH
    Syst Parasitol, 2017 05;94(4):443-462.
    PMID: 28337682 DOI: 10.1007/s11230-017-9717-5
    Three species of Opisthomonorcheides Parukhin, 1966 are reported for the first time from Indonesian waters: O. pampi (Wang, 1982) Liu, Peng, Gao, Fu, Wu, Lu, Gao & Xiao, 2010 and O. ovacutus (Mamaev, 1970) Machida, 2011 from Parastromateus niger (Bloch), and O. decapteri Parukhin, 1966 from Atule mate (Cuvier). Both O. pampi and O. ovacutus can now be considered widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, with earlier records of these species being from Fujian Province, China and Penang, Malaysia, respectively. We redescribe O. decapteri from one of its original hosts, Atule mate, off New Caledonia, and report this species from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, extending its range throughout the Indian Ocean into the south-western Pacific. All three species possess a genital atrium that is long, sometimes very long, and a genital pore that is located in the forebody. This validates the interpretation that the original description was erroneous in reporting the genital pore in the hindbody, well posterior to the ventral sucker. These observations verify the synonymy of Retractomonorchis Madhavi, 1977 with Opisthomonorcheides. A major discrepancy between the species of Opisthomonorcheides is that some are described with the uterus entering the terminal organ laterally and some with it entering terminally; this feature needs further analysis. Based on the length of the genital atrium and the posterior extent of the vitellarium, the 27 species of Opisthomonorcheides considered valid can be divided into four groups. Among the 53 host records analysed, the families Carangidae (53% of records), Stromateidae (17%) and Serranidae (5.7%) are the most common; the reports are overwhelmingly from members of the Perciformes (91%), with further records in the Clupeiformes (5.7%), Gadiformes (1.9%) and Pleuronectiformes (1.9%). Two fish genera (Parastromateus Bleeker and Pampus Bonaparte) dominate the recorded hosts, with the black pomfret Parastromateus niger harbouring six species, the silver pomfret Pampus argenteus (Euphrasen) harbouring six, and the Chinese silver pomfret P. chinensis (Euphrasen) two. A host-parasite checklist is presented. We discuss the host-specificity of members of the genus, questioning some records such as that of O. decapteri in a deep-sea macrourid. We also comment on the morphological similarity, but phylogenetic distance, between the various Pomfret species, advancing the possibility that a series of host misidentifications has occurred. Sequences of the ITS2 rDNA gene generated for O. pampi and O. ovacutus are briefly discussed and molecular data are lodged in the GenBank database.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  2. The Morphological and Molecular Description of Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) fusiformis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Quadrigyridae) from the Catfish Arius sp. (Ariidae) in the Pacific Ocean off Vietnam, with Notes on Zoogeography
    Amin OM, Chaudhary A, Heckmann RA, Ha NV, Singh HS
    Acta Parasitol, 2019 Dec;64(4):779-796.
    PMID: 31332657 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-019-00102-3
    BACKGROUND: Most (82%) of the 46 recognized species of Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) Verma and Datta, 1929 are known from Asian freshwater fishes. Only three species of Acanthosentis are known from marine or brackish water fishes from India and Pakistan. We have discovered another marine species of Acanthosentis in the Pacific Ocean, off Vietnam.

    PURPOSE: The purpose is to describe the new species morphologically and molecularly and provide new information of its evolutionally relationships with other species of the subgenus.

    METHODS: Standard methods of collection and examination of marine hosts, processing and illustrating of specimens, and taxonomic identification of parasites using the extensive collection of the lead author were used. Specimens were further studied using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and ion sectioning of hooks, SEM analysis, and molecular sequencing. Type specimens were deposited at the Harold W. Manter Lab. collection, Lincoln, Nebraska.

    RESULTS: Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) fusiformis n. sp. is described from the catfish, Arius sp. (Ariidae: Siluriformes) off the Pacific Coast of Vietnam at Bac Lieu in the Gulf of Thailand. The three other marine Indian species include A. (A.) arii Bilqees, 1971 which is also described from a similar catfish, Arius serratus Day off the Karachi coast in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean. Our new species from Vietnam is distinguished from the other 46 species by a combination of characters including a small fusiform trunk, complete circles of small hollow spines covering the entire trunk, prominent double apical organs often extending posteriorly past posterior hooks, middle and posterior hooks of equal size slightly smaller than anterior hooks, large neck continuous with the outline of the proboscis without distinct separation, big drop-shaped cephalic ganglion, extension of the proboscis receptacle anteriorly past the base of the proboscis up to the insertion point of the posterior hooks, presence of two para-receptacle structures (PRSs), free unattached thick lemnisci, short female reproductive system with filamentous attachment of the distal end of the uterine bell to the ventral body wall, and small narrowly ellipsoid eggs with thickened polar ends. Partial sequences of the 18S and internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of ribosomal RNA were generated and used for phylogenetic analyses to confirm the taxonomic identity of Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) fusiformis n. sp.

    CONCLUSIONS: We describe unique morphological features of A. fusiformis never before known in the subgenus Acanthosentis. The uniqueness of A. fusiformis is further demonstrated by its EDXA fingerprint characterized by high levels of calcium and phosphorous in hooks. The zoogeography of species of Acanthosentis is elucidated in the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean, China, and Africa. Molecular data have been available only in few species of Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) to date on GenBank database. For 18S, only two sequences from unknown Acanthosentis sp. from India are available, while for the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, only sequences of A. cheni from China and of two unidentified species from Malaysia are available. Additional studies of species of Acanthosentis based on morphological and molecular genetic data will be needed to reconstruct the evolutionary history and phylogenetic affinities of this group of acanthocephalans.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  3. Fulltext The Coral Triangle Atlas: an integrated online spatial database system for improving coral reef management
    Cros A, Ahamad Fatan N, White A, Teoh SJ, Tan S, Handayani C, et al.
    PLoS One, 2014;9(6):e96332.
    PMID: 24941442 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096332
    In this paper we describe the construction of an online GIS database system, hosted by WorldFish, which stores bio-physical, ecological and socio-economic data for the 'Coral Triangle Area' in South-east Asia and the Pacific. The database has been built in partnership with all six (Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea) of the Coral Triangle countries, and represents a valuable source of information for natural resource managers at the regional scale. Its utility is demonstrated using biophysical data, data summarising marine habitats, and data describing the extent of marine protected areas in the region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  4. Taxonomy and toxicity of a bloom-forming Ostreopsis species (Dinophyceae, Gonyaulacales) in Tahiti island (South Pacific Ocean): one step further towards resolving the identity of O. siamensis
    Chomérat N, Bilien G, Viallon J, Hervé F, Réveillon D, Henry K, et al.
    Harmful Algae, 2020 09;98:101888.
    PMID: 33129466 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2020.101888
    Among dinoflagellates responsible for benthic harmful algal blooms, the genus Ostreopsis primarily described from tropical areas has been increasingly reported from subtropical and temperate areas worldwide. Several species of this toxigenic genus produce analogs of palytoxin, thus representing a major threat to human and environmental health. The taxonomy of several species needs to be clarified as it was based mostly on morphological descriptions leading in some cases to ambiguous interpretations and misidentifications. The present study aims at reporting a benthic bloom that occurred in April 2019 in Tahiti island, French Polynesia. A complete taxonomic investigation of the blooming Ostreopsis species was realized using light, epifluorescence and field emission electron microscopy and phylogenetic analyses inferred from LSU rDNA and ITS-5.8S rDNA regions. Toxicity of a natural sample and strains isolated from the bloom was assessed using both neuroblastoma cell-based assay and LC-MS/MS analyses. Morphological observations showed that cells were round to oval, large, 58.0-82.5 µm deep (dorso-ventral length) and 45.7-61.2 µm wide. The cingulum was conspicuously undulated, forming a 'V' in ventral view. Thecal plates possessed large pores in depressions, with a collar rim. Detailed observation also revealed the presence of small thecal pores invisible in LM. Phylogenetic analyses were congruent and all sequences clustered within the genotype Ostreopsis sp. 6, in a subclade closely related to sequences from the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia. No toxicity was found on the field sample but all the strains isolated from the bloom were found to be cytotoxic and produced ostreocin D, a lower amount of ostreocins A and B and putatively other compounds. Phylogenetic data demonstrate the presence of this species in the Gulf of Thailand, at the type locality of O. siamensis, and morphological data are congruent with the original description and support this identification.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  5. Surveying trends in radiation oncology medical physics in the Asia Pacific Region
    Kron T, Healy B, Ng KH
    Phys Med, 2016 Jul;32(7):883-8.
    PMID: 27320695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.06.001
    OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to assess and track work load, working conditions and professional recognition of radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) in the Asia Pacific Region over time.

    METHODS: A structured questionnaire was mailed in 2008, 2011 and 2014 to senior medical physicists representing 23 countries. The questionnaire covers 7 themes: education and training including certification; staffing; typical tasks; professional organisations; resources; research and teaching; job satisfaction.

    RESULTS: Across all surveys the response rate was >85% with the replies representing practice affecting more than half of the world's population. The expectation of ROMP qualifications (MSc and between 1 and 3years of clinical experience) has not changed much over the years. However, compared to 2008, the number of medical physicists in many countries has doubled. Formal professional certification is only available in a small number of countries. The number of experienced ROMPs is small in particular in low and middle income countries. The increase in staff numbers from 2008 to 2014 is matched by a similar increase in the number of treatment units which is accompanied by an increase in treatment complexity. Many ROMPs are required to work overtime and not many find time for research. Resource availability has only improved marginally and ROMPs still feel generally overworked, but professional recognition, while varying widely, appears to be improving slowly.

    CONCLUSION: While number of physicists and complexity of treatment techniques and technologies have increased significantly, ROMP practice remains essentially unchanged over the last 6years in the Asia Pacific Region.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  6. Surveillance of antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the WHO Western Pacific Region, 2005
    WHO Western Pacific Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme
    Commun Dis Intell Q Rep, 2006;30(4):430-3.
    PMID: 17330383
    The World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme examined about 8,700 isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from 15 countries for resistance to antibiotics in 2005. High to very high rates of resistance to penicillins and quinolones persisted in most centres. Increasing numbers of gonococci with decreased susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins were found in several countries. There were infrequent instances of spectinomycin resistance.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  7. Fulltext Spatial subsidies drive sweet spots of tropical marine biomass production
    Morais RA, Siqueira AC, Smallhorn-West PF, Bellwood DR
    PLoS Biol, 2021 Nov;19(11):e3001435.
    PMID: 34727097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001435
    Spatial subsidies increase local productivity and boost consumer abundance beyond the limits imposed by local resources. In marine ecosystems, deeper water and open ocean subsidies promote animal aggregations and enhance biomass that is critical for human harvesting. However, the scale of this phenomenon in tropical marine systems remains unknown. Here, we integrate a detailed assessment of biomass production in 3 key locations, spanning a major biodiversity and abundance gradient, with an ocean-scale dataset of fish counts to predict the extent and magnitude of plankton subsidies to fishes on coral reefs. We show that planktivorous fish-mediated spatial subsidies are widespread across the Indian and Pacific oceans and drive local spikes in biomass production that can lead to extreme productivity, up to 30 kg ha-1 day-1. Plankton subsidies form the basis of productivity "sweet spots" where planktivores provide more than 50% of the total fish production, more than all other trophic groups combined. These sweet spots operate at regional, site, and smaller local scales. By harvesting oceanic productivity, planktivores bypass spatial constraints imposed by local primary productivity, creating "oases" of tropical fish biomass that are accessible to humans.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  8. Sex ratio, gonad development and fecundity of Miyakella nepa (Crustacea, Stomatopoda) of Pantai Remis coastal waters of Malaysia
    Zamri Z, Arshad A, Amin SMN, Rahman MA, Al Khayat JA
    J Environ Biol, 2016 07;37(4 Spec No):677-83.
    PMID: 28779726
    The sex ratio, gonad development and fecundity of Miyakella nepa (Latreille, 1828), in the coastal waters of Pantai Remis, Perak, were investigated from February 2012 to January 2013. Sex identification was done by identifying stomatopod's genitalia organs, and the ovaries were dissected out and preserved for further analysis. Female stomatopods with mature or near spawning stages were used for fecundity estimation. A total of 951 specimens of M. nepa, with 565 females and 386 males were examined. Results showed a sex ratio of 1:1.46 (male:females). Maximum GSI was estimated to be 5.80, while lowest was 2.95. Sexual maturity for female M. nepa was observed at 100 mm total length. The mean fecundity of M. nepa was 425,657 (? 1,8701) eggs which was observed to increase with increased body length.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  9. Reinstatement of species belonging Marphysa sanguinea complex (Annelida: Eunicidae) and description of new species from the mid-Pacific Ocean and the Adriatic Sea
    Molina-Acevedo IC, Idris I
    Zootaxa, 2020 Jul 15;4816(1):zootaxa.4816.1.1.
    PMID: 33055711 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4816.1.1
    Marphysa sanguinea Montagu, 1813, the type species of genus Marphysa, was described with few characteristics and subsequently reported in tropical and temperate waters as a cosmopolitan species. Recent comparative studies have shown that M. sanguinea has a limited distribution to the Northeast Atlantic. As a result, species from the tropical and subtropical zones are now being redescribed as new species. However, this issue is not completely resolved because of the taxonomic status of seven nominal species, considered as junior synonymies of M. sanguinea. Herein, we examined the type and additional materials from five species in synonymy M. sanguinea and performed a compared analysis with the neotype of M. sanguinea. Additionally, we reviewed specimens from two localities in the mid-Pacific Ocean and the Adriatic Sea, where M. sanguinea was previously reported. As a result of this study, three species were reinstated (M. californica Moore, 1909, M. leidii de Quatrefages, 1866, and M. parishii Baird, 1869) and two subspecies, are now raised to species level (M. americana n. status and M. brevibranchiata n. status). In addition, two new species from Hawaii and Croatia are described: M. baileybrockae n. sp. and M. birgeri n. sp., respectively. Morphological comparisons with most species currently assigned to the M. sanguinea complex are presented. This work provides more support for rejecting the hypothesis that M. sanguinea is a cosmopolitan species and we encourage the use of novel and traditional morphological characters to differentiate species within the complex.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  10. Redescription of Paragaleus tengi (Chen, 1963) (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae) and first record of Paragaleus randalli Compagno, Krupp & Carpenter, 1996 from the western North Pacific
    White WT, Harris M
    Zootaxa, 2013;3752:172-84.
    PMID: 25229113
    Paragaleus tengi was previously considered to be the only member of this genus occurring in the Western Pacific, with Paragaleus randalli occurring in the Indian Ocean and allopatric in distribution. Recent molecular and morphological studies showed that P. randalli also occurs in the Western Pacific with records from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia previously mostly incorrectly attributed to P. tengi. This paper provides a redescription of P. tengi and confirms the presence of P. randalli from off Taiwan in the western North Pacific. These two species are morphologically very similar in appearance but differ in meristics, dentition, some coloration attributes and minor morphological characters. The conservation status of these two species needs to be reassessed based on this new information.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  11. Redescription of Aetobatus flagellum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801), an endangered eagle ray (Myliobatoidea: Myliobatidae) from the Indo-West Pacific
    White WT, Moore AB
    Zootaxa, 2013;3752:199-213.
    PMID: 25229115
    The eagle ray Aetobatus flagellum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) is redescribed based on new material from the Persian Gulf (Kuwait), Indonesia and Malaysia. A related but distinct species of Aetobatus from the western North Pacific, previously referred to as A. flagellum, is reported. Aetobatus flagellum is a medium-sized eagle ray which attains about 900 mm DW; males mature at approximately 500 mm DW. Aetobatus flagellum appears to be uncommon and restricted to estuary-influenced waters of the Indo-West Pacific. It is caught as gillnet bycatch where its habit of schooling, combined with probable small litter size, may make it particularly vulnerable to impacts from fisheries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  12. Recalling war trauma of the Pacific War and the Japanese occupation in the oral history of Malaysia and Singapore
    Blackburn K
    Oral Hist Rev, 2009;36(2):231-52.
    PMID: 19999634
    The Pacific War and the Japanese Occupation were traumatic periods in the lives of people now over seventy years old in Malaysia and Singapore. This study traces why individuals interviewed for oral history of the Pacific War and the Japanese Occupation have often been able to tell stories of trauma without being overwhelmed by their reminiscences. It emphasizes that memories of traumatic experiences of the Pacific War and the Japanese Occupation in Malaysia and Singapore are mediated and eased by supportive social networks that are part of the interview subject's community. The individual's personal memories of traumatic war experiences are positioned in the context of the collective memory of the group and, thus, are made easier to recall. However, for individuals whose personal memories are at variance with the collective memory of the group they belong to, recalling traumatic experiences is more difficult and alienating as they do not have the support in their community. The act of recalling traumatic memories in the context of the collective memory of a group is particularly relevant in Malaysia and Singapore. These countries have a long history of being plural societies, where although the major ethnic groups -- the Malays, Chinese, and Indians -- have lived side by side peacefully, they have lived in culturally and socially separate worlds, not interacting much with the other groups. The self -- identity of many older people who lived through the Pacific War and the Japanese Occupation is inextricably bound up with their ethnicity. Oral history on war trauma strongly reflects these identities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean/ethnology
  13. Prawn biomonitors of nutrient and trace metal pollution along Asia-Pacific coastlines
    Fry B, Carter JF, Tinggi U, Arman A, Kamal M, Metian M, et al.
    Isotopes Environ Health Stud, 2016 Dec;52(6):619-32.
    PMID: 26982881 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2016.1149481
    To assess coastal ecosystem status and pollution baselines, prawns were collected from the commercial catches of eight Asia-Pacific countries (Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand). Samples collected from 21 sites along regional coastlines were analysed for trace metal and stable isotopic compositions of H, C, N, O and S. A combination of simple averaging and multivariate analyses was used to evaluate the data. Sites could be assigned to easily recognise polluted and unpolluted groups based on the prawn results. Some filter-feeding clams were also collected and analysed together with the benthic-feeding prawns, and the prawns generally had lower trace metal burdens. Climate change effects were not strongly evident at this time, but altered ocean circulation and watershed run-off patterns accompanying future climate change are expected to change chemical patterns recorded by prawns along these and other coastlines. Stable isotopes, especially (15)N, can help to distinguish between relatively polluted and unpolluted sites.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  14. Fulltext Phylogeography, colouration, and cryptic speciation across the Indo-Pacific in the sea urchin genus Echinothrix
    Coppard SE, Jessop H, Lessios HA
    Sci Rep, 2021 Aug 16;11(1):16568.
    PMID: 34400682 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95872-0
    The sea urchins Echinothrix calamaris and Echinothrix diadema have sympatric distributions throughout the Indo-Pacific. Diverse colour variation is reported in both species. To reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus and assess gene flow across the Indo-Pacific we sequenced mitochondrial 16S rDNA, ATPase-6, and ATPase-8, and nuclear 28S rDNA and the Calpain-7 intron. Our analyses revealed that E. diadema formed a single trans-Indo-Pacific clade, but E. calamaris contained three discrete clades. One clade was endemic to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman. A second clade occurred from Malaysia in the West to Moorea in the East. A third clade of E. calamaris was distributed across the entire Indo-Pacific biogeographic region. A fossil calibrated phylogeny revealed that the ancestor of E. diadema diverged from the ancestor of E. calamaris ~ 16.8 million years ago (Ma), and that the ancestor of the trans-Indo-Pacific clade and Red Sea and Gulf of Oman clade split from the western and central Pacific clade ~ 9.8 Ma. Time since divergence and genetic distances suggested species level differentiation among clades of E. calamaris. Colour variation was extensive in E. calamaris, but not clade or locality specific. There was little colour polymorphism in E. diadema.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  15. Palliative Care Research in the Asia Pacific Region: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Publications
    Cheong WL, Mohan D, Warren N, Reidpath DD
    J Palliat Med, 2019 May;22(5):545-552.
    PMID: 30570416 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0447
    Background:
    The state of palliative care research is closely linked to the development of palliative care services in a country or region.
    Objective:
    To systematically review the current state of palliative care research in the Asia Pacific region and analyze its relationship with the performance of each country in the region on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2015 Quality of Death Index.
    Design:
    Systematic review and bibliographic analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocol 2015 (PRISMA-P).
    Data Sources:
    The PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and PsychiNFO databases were searched on February 4, 2018.
    Results:
    One thousand six hundred sixty-seven articles were reviewed. Eighteen out of 32 countries in the region published research. Around 74.15% (1236) of the articles were produced by high-income countries. Research output (articles per 1 m population) was closely linked to country performance on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2015 Quality of Death Index (adjusted R2= 0.85). Palliative care research in the region is overwhelmingly focused on cancer (80.13% of articles reviewed). The most common themes of research were "palliative care service (24.45%)" and "clinical" (15.38%).
    Conclusions:
    Palliative care research in the region is growing but remains largely centered on the high-income countries, with many low- and middle-income countries having little published research output. Much work is required to drive research in these countries to generate the evidence required for the development of palliative care services. The emphasis on cancer in research also indicates that the needs of patients suffering from noncancer-related diseases may be neglected.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  16. Overcoming the Fukushima Wastewater Crisis: What the Japanese Authorities Could Do to Address Opposing Views
    Ng KH, Yoong D, Gong J
    Health Phys, 2022 Jun 01;122(6):696-704.
    PMID: 35486926 DOI: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001548
    In April 2021, the Japanese authorities' announcement of their decision to release processed wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean over 30 y, beginning in 2023, triggered strong domestic and international opposition. Failure to handle this situation tactfully can lead to public disorder, civil disobedience, loss of trust in the authorities, and even diplomatic sanctions. In this article, we explain the underlying reasons behind this resistance, and we offer some strategic methods that the Japanese authorities can deploy to address opposing views and overcome the Fukushima wastewater crisis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  17. Mitogenome of gymnothorax minor and phylogenetic relationship with its congeners and related genera (anguilliformes: muraenidae)
    Sze-Looi Song, Kar-Hoe Loh, Phaik-Eem Lim, Amy Yee-Hui Then, Hoi-Sen Yong, Praphathip Eamsobhana
    Sains Malaysiana, 2018;47:2519-2531.
    Gymnothorax minor is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae found in the Western Pacific Ocean. We report here
    its complete mitogenome as determined by Illumina next-generation sequencing and the phylogenetic relationship
    with its congeners and other taxa of the family Muraenidae. The whole mitogenome of G. minor had a total length
    of 16,574 bp, comprising 37 genes - 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) and 22
    transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) genes - and a control region. Excepting cox1 with GTG, the other 12 PCGs had ATG
    start codon. Seven of its PCGs had incomplete stop codon - five (nad2; cox1; cox2; nad3 and nad4) with T and two
    (atp6 and cox3) with TA. Molecular phylogeny based on 13 PCGs was concordant with 15 mitochondrial genes (13 PCGs
    and 2 rRNA genes). The subfamily Muraeninae as well as the subfamily Uropterygiinae were monophyletic. However,
    the genus Gymnothorax was paraphyletic, with G. minor forming a sister group with Rhinomuraena quaesita in the
    lineage containing also G. kidako and G. formosus forming a sister group with Enchelynassa canina. The phylogenetic
    relationship of the genus Gymnothorax and related taxa of the family Muraenidae, based on the mitochondrial cob
    gene, was in general similar to that based on 15 mt-genes. The mitogenome is useful for future studies on phylogenetics
    and systematics of eels of the family Muraenidae and other taxa of the order Anguilliformes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  18. Fulltext Madden-Julian Oscillation Enhances Phytoplankton Biomass in the Maritime Continent
    Chang CJ, Hsu HH, Cheah W, Tseng WL, Jiang LC
    Sci Rep, 2019 04 01;9(1):5421.
    PMID: 30931981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41889-5
    In addition to monsoon-driven rainfall, the Maritime Continent (MC) is subject to heavy precipitation caused by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a tropical convection-coupled circulation that propagates eastward from the Indian to the Pacific Ocean. This study shows that riverine runoff from MJO-driven rainfall in the western MC significantly enhances phytoplankton biomass not only in the coastal regions but as far as the nutrient-poor Banda Sea, located 1,000 km downstream of the riverine source. We present observational estimates of the chlorophyll-a concentration in the Banda Sea increasing by 20% over the winter average within an MJO life cycle. The enhancement of phytoplankton in the central Banda Sea is attributed to two coinciding MJO-triggered mechanisms: enhanced sediment loading and eastward advection of waters with high sediment and chlorophyll concentrations. Our results highlight an unexpected effect of MJO-driven rainfall on the downstream oceanic region. This finding has significant implications for the marine food chain and biogeochemical processes in the MC, given the increasing deforestation rate and projections that global warming will intensify both the frequency and strength of MJO-driven rainfall in the MC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  19. Large-scale distribution and composition of floating plastic debris in the transition region of the North Pacific
    Miyazono K, Yamashita R, Miyamoto H, Ishak NHA, Tadokoro K, Shimizu Y, et al.
    Mar Pollut Bull, 2021 Sep;170:112631.
    PMID: 34175698 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112631
    Floating plastic debris was investigated in the transition region in the North Pacific between 141°E and 165°W to understand its transportation process from Asian coast to central subtropical Pacific. Distribution was influenced primarily by the current system and the generation process of the high concentration area differed between the western and eastern areas. West of 180°, debris largely accumulated around nearshore convergent area and was transported by eddies and quasi-stationary jet from south to the subarctic region. The average was 15% higher than that previously reported in 1989, suggesting an increase in plastic debris in 30 years. East of 180°, debris concentrated in the calm water downstream of the Kuroshio Extension Bifurcation with considerably high concentration (505,032 ± 991,989 pieces km-2), due to the accumulation of small transparent film caused by calm weather conditions, suggesting a further investigation on small plastic (<1 mm) in the subsurface depth in the subtropical North Pacific.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
  20. Influence of habitat structure and environmental variables on larval fish assemblage in the Johor Strait, Malaysia
    Ara R, Arshad A, Amin SMN, Idris MH, Gaffar MA, Romano N
    J Environ Biol, 2016 07;37(4 Spec No):745-54.
    PMID: 28779734
    Our previous study demonstrated that among different habitat sites (mangrove, estuary, river, seagrass and Open Sea) in Johor Strait, Malaysia, seagrass showed highest family diversity and abundance of larval fish. However, it is unclear whether this was due to difference in habitat complexity or water quality parameters.? To test this, larval fish were collected by using a bongo net equipped with a flow meter by subsurface horizontal towing from different habitats in Johor Strait between October 2007 and September 2008.? Various physico-chemical parameters were measured and then examined for any relationship to fish larvae diversity and abundance. Among the 24 families identified from the sites, seven families (Blenniidae, Clupeidae, Mullidae, Nemipteridae, Syngnathidae, Terapontidae and Uranoscopeidae) were significantly correlated with the tested waters quality parameters.? Salinity showed a positive and negative significant correlation with Clupeidae (p < 0.01) and Uranoscopeidae (p < 0.05), respectively. Terapontidae was significantly correlated with dissolved oxygen (p < 0.01), while both Mullidae and Syngnathidae were significantly correlated with pH (p < 0.05). However, a canonical correspondence analysis test indicated weak overall correlation (36.4%) between larval assemblage and in the seagrass-mangrove ecosystem of Johor Strait, Malaysia. This likely indicates that habitat structure was more important in determining larval abundance (highest in the seagrass habitat) as compared to water quality at the tested sites. This study emphasizes the need to conserve seagrass beds as important nursery grounds for various fish larvae to ensure adequate recruitment and ultimately sustainable fisheries management. ?
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Ocean
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