Marine fish diversity in the Beibu Gulf from 2014 to 2022 was analyzed,using various methods including at-sea fisheries resource surveys,fishing port surveys,underwater survey techniques,and data from literature,books...Marine fish diversity in the Beibu Gulf from 2014 to 2022 was analyzed,using various methods including at-sea fisheries resource surveys,fishing port surveys,underwater survey techniques,and data from literature,books,and databases,from which 1059 fish species across 40 orders,166 families,and 503 genera were identified.Among them,Acanthuriformes displayed the highest diversity,followed by Carangiformes and Perciformes.Notably,eight alien species were found in the Beibu Gulf.The International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)Red List assessment revealed 51threatened species,primarily cartilaginous fish.Taxonomic changes affected 88.70%of species due to classification adjustments,misidentifications,and junior synonymy.This study contributed new data of the gulf,including one additional order,six new families,34 new genera,and 81 new species,emphasizing the dynamic nature of marine ecosystems.Fish diversity in the gulf was relatively lower than the broader South China Sea,attributed to limited habitats and survey methods.Different survey methods,such as gill nets,trap nets,and underwater cameras,yielded varying results.Ocean currents may have transported deep-sea species into the Beibu Gulf,leading to accidental records.Research gaps exist in unexplored areas,warranting further investigation.Therefore,the Beibu Gulf hosts significant marine biodiversity,but taxonomic challenges and undiscovered species require new research and conservation efforts.展开更多
Understanding the molecular relevance of metabolic rate(MR)is crucial for unveiling the mechanisms driving the evolution of animals.In this study,we investigated the association between mitochondrial DNA characteristi...Understanding the molecular relevance of metabolic rate(MR)is crucial for unveiling the mechanisms driving the evolution of animals.In this study,we investigated the association between mitochondrial DNA characteristics and both resting and maximal MRs in conjunction with life-history traits among 139 species of teleost fish,We gathered fish MR data from various sources and procured sequences of 13 mitochondrial protein-encoding genes.We calculated the absolute substitution rate for entire nucleotide sequences and 4-fold degenerate sites of each gene,along with encoding amino acid sequences.Using the phylogenetic comparative method,we then explored the associations between MR and mitochondrial DNA absolute substitution rate.Additionally,we screened MR-associated single nucleotide variants in mitochondrial DNA.The findings indicate no positive correlation between MRs and any substitution rate values of both combined sequences and individual mitochondrial protein-coding genes,refuting the MR hypothesis.Instead,both maximum body size and longevity correlated negatively with molecular substitution rates,suggesting their influences on both mutation and fixation within mitochondrial genes in fish.Results also revealed significant correlations between base variation at ATP6_169 and both resting MR and maximum MR,identifying the unique ATP6_169G in Scombridae fish,which results in an extremely low isoelectric point(pl)value of the ATP6 protein.Considering its functional significance,the ATP6_169G in Scombridae fish might link to their lifestyle characterized by fast locomotion and high metabolic demands alongside a slower molecular evolutionary rate.展开更多
Fish are the oldest and most diverse vertebrates on the planet,living in waters around the world,and are very important for maintaining ecological balance,as well as providing rich food resources for human beings.Perh...Fish are the oldest and most diverse vertebrates on the planet,living in waters around the world,and are very important for maintaining ecological balance,as well as providing rich food resources for human beings.Perhaps as far as common people are concerned,fish can be divided into two kinds,edible and non-edible.In fact,there are more than 20,000 fish species in the world,some of which are highly skilled and make people broaden their horizons.展开更多
This work presents an adaptive tracking guidance method for robotic fishes. The scheme enables robots to suppress external interference and eliminate motion jitter. An adaptive integral surge line-of-sight guidance ru...This work presents an adaptive tracking guidance method for robotic fishes. The scheme enables robots to suppress external interference and eliminate motion jitter. An adaptive integral surge line-of-sight guidance rule is designed to eliminate dynamics interference and sideslip issues. Limited-time yaw and surge speed observers are reported to fit disturbance variables in the model. The approximation values can compensate for the system's control input and improve the robots' tracking accuracy.Moreover, this work develops a terminal sliding mode controller and third-order differential processor to determine the rotational torque and reduce the robots' run jitter. Then, Lyapunov's theory proves the uniform ultimate boundedness of the proposed method. Simulation and physical experiments confirm that the technology improves the tracking error convergence speed and stability of robotic fishes.展开更多
In order to clarify the mitochondrial bar code sequence and taxonomic information of common goby fish in Tianjin coastal marine areas,seven species of goby fish were collected from Tianjin coastal marine areas,identif...In order to clarify the mitochondrial bar code sequence and taxonomic information of common goby fish in Tianjin coastal marine areas,seven species of goby fish were collected from Tianjin coastal marine areas,identified by morphology,and DNA was extracted for amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial COI gene fragments.Phylogenetic analysis and molecular identification software MEGA were used to analyze the sequence characteristics and molecular classification of COI gene fragments of 12 common goby species in Tianjin coastal marine areas.Seven COI gene fragments of Goby were amplified and sequenced,the average GC content was lower than AT content,the base had a bias in the codon position distribution,and the highest GC content was the second base,which was similar to the COI gene base of many fishes.The codon base variation rate was 19.4%,and the ratio of transitions to transversions was 1.3.Phylogenetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis clarified the phylotaxonomic and evolutionary relationships of 12 major goby species in Tianjin coastal marine areas.Genetic distance indicates that Amblychaeturichthys hexanema and Synechogobius ommaturus are the same species.The high codon variation rate of codon encoding gene in Goby may be related to its good environmental adaptability.展开更多
Phylogeny of the sinipercine fishes, their relationships with some fossils and their systematic position were studied in this paper. Consisting of 2 sister groups, the sinipercine fishes were grouped as 2 genera - Cor...Phylogeny of the sinipercine fishes, their relationships with some fossils and their systematic position were studied in this paper. Consisting of 2 sister groups, the sinipercine fishes were grouped as 2 genera - Coreoperca and Siniperca, while the genus Coreosiniperca was unwarranted for its type being a member in Siniperca, Having many special characters, Tungtingichthys was denied as the ancestor of the sinipercine fishes, however, Siniperca wusiangensis was taken as one member in Siniperca and some fossil percoids found in Japan had close relationship with sinipercine fishes. All characters of the sinipercine fishes are not concordant with that in Serranidae or Percichthyidae which leads to the conclusion that either the sinipercine fishes are not in Percichthyidae, or the defining characters of Percichthyidae listed by Gosline (1966) are wrong. But at present, we can only put the sinipercine fishes in Percichthyidae.展开更多
According to an ancient belief from Turkish, Greek, Roman, and many Europe countries, an auspicious eye can bring fortunesto the people, protect them from evil.
Regenerative capacity of the central nervous system(CNS)is unevenly distributed among vertebrates.While most mammalian species including humans elicit limited repair following CNS injury or disease,highly regenerative...Regenerative capacity of the central nervous system(CNS)is unevenly distributed among vertebrates.While most mammalian species including humans elicit limited repair following CNS injury or disease,highly regenerative vertebrates including urodele amphibians and teleost fish spontaneously reverse CNS damage.Teletost zebrafish(danio rerio)are tropical freshwater fish that proved to be an excellent vertebrate model of successful CNS regeneration.Differential neuronal,glial,and immune injury responses underlie disparate injury outcomes between highly regenerative zebrafish and poorly regenerative mammals.This article describes complications associated with neuronal repair following spinal cord injury(SCI)in poorly regenerative mammals and highlights intersecting modes of plasticity and regeneration in highly regenerative zebrafish(Figures 1 and 2).Comparative approaches evaluating immunoglial SCI responses were recently reviewed elsewhere(Reyes and Mokalled,2024).展开更多
Analysis of the environmental and economic performance of fishing vessels has received limited attention compared with other ship types despite their notable contribution to global greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions.This st...Analysis of the environmental and economic performance of fishing vessels has received limited attention compared with other ship types despite their notable contribution to global greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions.This study evaluates the carbon footprint(CF)and economic viability of a liquefied natural gas(LNG)-fueled fishing vessel,using real engine operation simulations to provide precise and dynamic evaluation of fuel consumption and GHG emissions.Operational profiles are obtained through the utilization of onboard monitoring systems,whereas engine performance is simulated using the 1D/0D AVL Boost^(TM)model.Life cycle assessment(LCA)is conducted to quantify the environmental impact,whereas life cycle cost assessment(LCCA)is performed to analyze the profitability of LNG as an alternative fuel.The potential impact of the future fuel price uncertainties is addressed using Monte Carlo simulations.The LCA findings indicate that LNG has the potential to reduce the CF of the vessel by 14%to 16%,in comparison to a diesel power system configuration that serves as the baseline scenario.The LCCA results further indicate that the total cost of an LNG-powered ship is lower by 9.5%-13.8%,depending on the share of LNG and pilot fuels.This finding highlights the potential of LNG to produce considerable environmental benefits while addressing economic challenges under diverse operational and fuel price conditions.展开更多
The hypertrophic subtropic Donghu Lake’s dense water bloom(of mainly Microcystis Anaabaena andOscillatoria)that occurred annually from the beginning of the 1970s, has disappeared since 1985. The infiuenceof planktivo...The hypertrophic subtropic Donghu Lake’s dense water bloom(of mainly Microcystis Anaabaena andOscillatoria)that occurred annually from the beginning of the 1970s, has disappeared since 1985. The infiuenceof planktivorous fishes (silver and bighead carps) on the water bloom was studied for three years usingthe enclosure method. The enclosures stocked densely with bighead and/or silver carp were free of waterbloom during the experimental period. The water bloom that appeared in the fish-free enclosures was completelyeliminated in 10-20 days by introduction of silver and/or bighead carp(grass carp was not effectivein controlling water bloom).This study showed clearly that grazing pressure by planktivorous fishes is a keyfactor in eliminating water bloom from the lake.展开更多
AIM To study the cell types,localization,distribution density and morphology of APUDcells in the intestinal mucosa of stomachlessteleost fishes.METHOD By using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex(PAP)immunocytochemi...AIM To study the cell types,localization,distribution density and morphology of APUDcells in the intestinal mucosa of stomachlessteleost fishes.METHOD By using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex(PAP)immunocytochemical staining technique theidentification,localization and morphology ofimmunoreactive(IR)endocrine cells seattered inthe intestinal mucosa of grass carp(Cyenopharyngodon idellus),black carp(Mylopharyngodon piceus)and common carp(Cyprinus carpio)were investigated with 20kinds of antisera prepared against mammalianpeptide hormones of APUD cells,and likewise byusing avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(ABC)method those of silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix),bighead(Aristichthys nobilis),silver crucian carp(Carassius gibelio)and bluntnose black bream(Megalobrama amblyocephala)were alsostudied with 5 different antisera.Thereplacement of the first antiserum by phosphatebuffered saline(PBS)was employed as a control.IR endocrine cells were counted with asquare-mesh ocular micrometer from 10 fieldsselected randomly in every section of each partof the intestine specimen.The average numberof IR endocrine cells per mm2 was counted toquantify their distribution density.RESULT Gastrin(GAS)-,Gastric inhibitorypeptide(GIP)-,glucagon(GLU)-,glucagon-likeimmunoreactants(GLI)-,bovine pancreaticpolypeptide(BPP)-,leucine-enkephalin(ENK)-and substance P(SP)-IR endocrine cells werefound in the gut of grass carp,black carp andcommon carp,and somatostatin(SOM)-IRendocrine cells were only seen in common carp.GAS-,GIP-and GLU-IR endocrine cells werefound in the intestinal mucosa of silver carp,bighead,silver crucian carp and bluntnose blackbream.Most of IR endocrine cells had the higherdistribution density in the foregut and midgut,and were longer in shape.They had a long apicalcytoplasmic process extended to the gut lumenand a basal process extended to adjacent cellsor basement membrane and touched with it.Sometimes,the basal cytoplasmic processformed an enlarged synapse-like structure in thecontiguous part with basement membrane.Thisphenomenon provided new morphologicalevidence for neuroendocrine and paracrinesecretory function of these enteroendocrinecells.CONCLUTION At least 8 kinds of IR endocrinecells were found in the gut of stomachlessteleost species for the first time in China.TheseIR endocrine cells scattering in the gut mucosabelong to the APUD system.Among them,thehormones secreted by SP-,ENK-,SOM-and GLU-IR endocrine cells belong to the peptides of dualdistribution in the brain and gut.This providednew evidence for the concept of brain-gutpeptide.According to the cell types,distribution density,morphologicalcharacteristics and variety in shape of APUDcells in the gut of stomachless teleost fishes,itis deemed that the digestive tract of fishes isalso an endocrine organ of great importance andcomplexity.展开更多
The Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb contents were determined in Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, Carassius auratus Linnaeus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis, which were caught from Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, a large, ...The Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb contents were determined in Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, Carassius auratus Linnaeus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis, which were caught from Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, a large, shallow and eutrophic lake of China. The results showed that： （1） the Cr, Cu, Pb, Cd contents in the edible parts of the four fish species were much lower than Chinese Food Health Criterion （1994）, but the Zn contents were higher than the Criterion; （2） Cd contents were the highest in the liver of fish, Pb contents were almost the same in all organs of fish, Cr contents mainly enriched in the skin and gonads, Zn contents were the highest in the gonad （♀）, and Cu contents were the highest in the liver; （3） the total metal accumulation was the greatest in the liver and the lowest in the muscle. The total metal accumulation was the highest in C. auratus L. This investigation indicated that fish products in Taihu Lake were still safe for human consumption, but the amount consumed should be controlled under the Chinese Food Health Criterion to avoid excessive intake of Zn.展开更多
Length-frequency data of eight commercial fish species in the Beibu Gulf （Golf of Tonkin）, northern South China Sea, were collected during 2006-2007. Length-weight relationships and growth and mortality parameters w...Length-frequency data of eight commercial fish species in the Beibu Gulf （Golf of Tonkin）, northern South China Sea, were collected during 2006-2007. Length-weight relationships and growth and mortality parameters were analyzed using FiSAT II software. Five species had isometric growth, two species had negative allometric growth, and one species had positive allometric growth. Overall, the exploitation rates of the eight species were lower in 2006 2007 than in 1997-1999： for four species （Saurida tumbil, Saurida undosquamis, Argyrosomus macrocephalus, and Nemipterus virgatus） it was lower in 2006-2007 than in 1997 1999, for two species （Parargyrops edita and Trichiurus haumela） it remained the same, and for the other two species （Trachurus japonicus and Decapterus maruadsi） it was higher in 2006~007 than in 1997-1999. The exploitation rates might have declined because of the decline in fishing intensity caused by high crude oil prices. The optimum exploitation rate, estimated using Beverton-Holt dynamic pool models, indicated that although fishes in the Beibu Gulf could sustain high exploitation rates, the under-size fishes at first capture resulted in low yields. To increase the yield per recruitment, it is more effective to increase the size at first capture than to control fishing effort.展开更多
Spatial distribution and abundance of small fishes were studied in autumn 2007 in the Xiaosihai Lake, a shallow lake along the middle reach of the Changjiang （Yangtze） River. Based on the plant cover, the lake was d...Spatial distribution and abundance of small fishes were studied in autumn 2007 in the Xiaosihai Lake, a shallow lake along the middle reach of the Changjiang （Yangtze） River. Based on the plant cover, the lake was divided into three major habitats： Myriophyllum spicaturn habitat （MS habitat）, Trapa bispinosa habitat （TB habitat）, and non-vegetation habitat （NV habitat）. A modified pop-net was used for quantitative sampling of small fishes in the three habitats, and the Zippin＇s removal method was used for estimating densities of the small fishes. A total of 13 species belonging to 5 families were collected, with 11 species in MS habitat, 7 species in TB habitat, and 5 species in NV habitat. Habitat type had significant effect on the spatial distribution of small fishes. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index in the MS, TB and NV habitats were 1.28, 0.56 and 0.54, respectively. The total density and biomass of small fishes were significantly higher in the MS habitat （13.68 ind/m^2 and 4.44 g/m^2） than in the TB habitat （1.41 ind/m^2 and 0.54 g/m^2） and the NV habitat （1.08 ind/m^2 and 0.40 g/m^2）, and were not significantly different between the TB habitat and the NV habitat. Water depth had no significant effect on spatial distribution of the small fishes. It was suggested that vegetation type played an important role in habitat selectivity of small fishes, and the presence of submersed vegetation should be of significance in the conservation of small fish diversity.展开更多
Evaluation of spatial-temporal variability of species composition and diversity in oceanic ecosystems is not easy because it is usually difficult to obtain sufficient data quantifying such variability.In this study,we...Evaluation of spatial-temporal variability of species composition and diversity in oceanic ecosystems is not easy because it is usually difficult to obtain sufficient data quantifying such variability.In this study,we examined pelagic species diversity indicators,species richness,Shannon-Wiener index of diversity and Hurlbert's species evenness,for fish assemblages from two areas(north and south) in the North Pacific Ocean(2°±12°N,178°E±165°W) during May±July 2008.The assemblages were based on data collected by an onboard scientific observer during a commercial longline fishing trip.The species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index of fish assemblages in the northern area were slightly higher than those in the southern area,although these differences were not significant(t test,P.0.05).Non-parametric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarities indicated that there were significant differences in fish assemblages between the two areas(P,0.01).展开更多
The relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of three dominant small pelagic fishes,including chub mackerel(Scomber japonicus),horse mackerel(Trachurus trecae)and round sardinella(Sardinella aurita),and th...The relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of three dominant small pelagic fishes,including chub mackerel(Scomber japonicus),horse mackerel(Trachurus trecae)and round sardinella(Sardinella aurita),and the environmental factors in Mauritanian waters were analyzed by using 4 years of logbook data of commercial purse seine fisheries to improve the efficiency of fishery and management of sustainable exploitation.A Tweedie-generalized additive model(GAM)of 8-day average catches and the monthly geostatistical analysis of daily catches were used in this study to analyze the influence of environmental factors on catch per unit of effort(CPUEs)and to map the spatial distribution of three mixed dominant small pelagic fishes,respectively.A 10'×10' grid was used,and environmental factors were processed from remote sensing,including 8-day average sea surface temperature(SST),the nearest distance between SST fronts and CPUE position(Df),chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration,salinity,and eddy kinetic energy.Results showed that 1)the distribution of three dominant small pelagic fishes might be related to the intensity of upwelling in Mauritanian waters;2)oceanic fronts might play a key role in the ecology of chub mackerel,horse mackerel,and round sardinella;3)Chl-a concentration might be associated with the feeding grounds of chub mackerel;4)the target species distribution appeared sensitive to gradient changes in the amount of salinity;5)three zones(northern,central,and southern)with variable abundances were delineated;and 6)a high concentration of the center of gravity in the central zone might be related to the strong upwelling of nutrient-rich waters.This study can provide new insights to enhance the fishery efficiency and sustainable exploitation management of purse seiners in certain area off Mauritania.展开更多
The quest for the origin of species has entered the genomics era. Despite decades of evidence confirming the role of the environment in ecological speciation, an understanding of the genomics of ecological speciation ...The quest for the origin of species has entered the genomics era. Despite decades of evidence confirming the role of the environment in ecological speciation, an understanding of the genomics of ecological speciation is still in its infancy. In this review, we explore the role of genomic architecture in ecological speciation in postglacial fishes. Growing evidence for the num- ber, location, effect size, and interactions among the genes underlying population persistence, adaptive trait divergence, and re- productive isolation in these fishes reinforces the importance of considering genomic architecture in studies of ecological speci- ation. Additionally, these populations likely adapt to new freshwater environments by selection on standing genetic variation, as de novo mutations are unlikely under such recent divergence times. We hypothesize that modular genomic architectures in post- glacial fish taxa may be associated with the probability of population persistence. Empirical studies have confirmed the genic na- ture of ecological speciation, implicating surprisingly extensive linkage disequilibrium across the genome. An understanding of these genomic mosaics and how they contribute to reproductive barriers remains unclear, but migration rates and the strength of selection at these loci is predicted to influence the likelihood of population divergence. Altogether, understanding the role of ge- nomic architecture is an important component of speciation research and postglacial fishes continue to provide excellent organ- isms to test these questions, both from the perspective of variation in architectures among taxa, and with respect to the distinct environments they have colonized. However, more empirical tests of ecological speciation predictions are needed [Current Zoo- logy 59 （1）： 53-71, 2013].展开更多
The knowledge of prey small ?sh stock, distribution and abundance is necessary to guide stocking of piscivorous ?sh for the biomanipulation in domestic tap water lakes. This study describes the current status of small...The knowledge of prey small ?sh stock, distribution and abundance is necessary to guide stocking of piscivorous ?sh for the biomanipulation in domestic tap water lakes. This study describes the current status of small ?sh community in Kuilei Lake(China), and examines the spatial and seasonal variations of the community in relation to key environmental factors. Based on submerged macrophyte cover and water depth, the lake was divided into ?ve major habitats:(1) macrophyte covered shallow habitat of water depth< 2.00 m,(2) uncovered or less-covered shallow habitat(2.00 m–3.50 m),(3) uncovered medium shallow habitat(3.50 m–5.00 m),(4) uncovered medium deep habitat(5.00 m–6.50 m) and(5) uncovered deep habitat(6.50 m–8.50 m). The abundance and composition of small ?sh were monitored by benthic fykenet sampling from April 2013 to January 2014. A total of 2881 individuals belonging to 5 families and 21 species were collected. Based on their abundance(accounted for 88.96% of the total) and occurrence(more than 33.33%), Acheilognathus chankaensis, Acheilognathus macropterus, Microphysogobio microstomus,Pseudorasbora parva and Rhinogobius giurinus were recognized as dominant small ?sh species. The results of correlation analysis identi?ed that species richness( Sr), Shannon-Wiener diversity index( H′)and Margalef′s richness index( D) were signi?cantly negatively correlated with water depth, but positively correlated with biomass of submerged macrophytes.Redundancy analysis(RDA) revealed that the spatial distributions of most small ?shes were negatively associated with water depth. The details of these ?ndings are bene?cial to understanding the adaptation of the small ?shes in degraded environments, and to developing suitable biomanipulation strategies for the management of ?sh resources and water quality in the lakes along the lower reach of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River basin.展开更多
Population growth, trophic level, and some aspects of reproductive biology of two congeneric archer fish species, Toxotes chatareus and Toxotes jaculatrix, collected from Johor coastal waters, Malaysia, were studied. ...Population growth, trophic level, and some aspects of reproductive biology of two congeneric archer fish species, Toxotes chatareus and Toxotes jaculatrix, collected from Johor coastal waters, Malaysia, were studied. Growth pattern by length-weight relationship (W=aLb) for the sexes differed, and exhibited positive allometric growth (male, female and combined sexes of T. chatareus; female and combined sexes of T. jaculatrix) and isometric growth (male samples of T. jaculatrix only). Trophic levels of both species were analyzed based on 128 specimens. The results show that, in both species, crustaceans and insects were the most abundant prey items, and among crustaceans the red clawed crab Sesarma bidens and Formicidae family insects were the most represented taxa. The estimated mean trophic levels for T. chatareus and T. jaculatrix were 3.422±0.009 and 3.420±0.020, respectively, indicating that they are largely carnivores. Fecundity of T. chatareus ranged from 38 354 to 147 185 eggs for females with total length ranging from 14.5 to 22.5 cm and total body weight from 48.7 to 270.2 g, and T. jaculatrix 25 251 to 150 456 eggs for females with total length ranging from 12.2 to 23.0 cm and total body weight from 25.7 to 275.0 g. Differences in values of gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes calculated for both species in this study may have resulted from uneven sample size ranges.展开更多
In this review, I explore the effects of both social organization and the physical environment, specifically habitat complexity, on the brains and behavior of highly visual African cichlid fishes, drawing on examples ...In this review, I explore the effects of both social organization and the physical environment, specifically habitat complexity, on the brains and behavior of highly visual African cichlid fishes, drawing on examples from primates and birds where appropriate. In closely related fishes from the monophyletic Ectodinii clade of Lake Tanganyika, both forces influence cichlid brains and behavior. Considering social influences first, visual acuity differs with respect to social organization （monogamy versus polygyny）. Both the telencephalon and amygdalar homologue, area Dm, are larger in monogamous species. Monogamous species are found to have more vasotocin-immunoreactive cells in the preoptic area of the brain. Habitat complexity also influences brain and behavior in these fishes. Total brain size, telencephalic and cerebellar size are positively correlated with habitat complexity. Visual acuity and spatial memory are enhanced in cichlids living in more complex environments. However habitat complexity and social forces affect cichlid brains differently. Taken together, our field data and plasticity data suggest that some of the species-specific neural effects of habitat complexity could be the consequence of the corresponding social correlates. Environmental forces, however, exert a broader effect on brain structures than social ones do, suggesting allometric expansion of the brain structures in concert with brain size and/or co-evolntion of these structures [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 144-156, 2010].展开更多
基金Supported by the Regional Innovation Development Joint Fund Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U20A2087)the Shiptime Sharing Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42249911)。
文摘Marine fish diversity in the Beibu Gulf from 2014 to 2022 was analyzed,using various methods including at-sea fisheries resource surveys,fishing port surveys,underwater survey techniques,and data from literature,books,and databases,from which 1059 fish species across 40 orders,166 families,and 503 genera were identified.Among them,Acanthuriformes displayed the highest diversity,followed by Carangiformes and Perciformes.Notably,eight alien species were found in the Beibu Gulf.The International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)Red List assessment revealed 51threatened species,primarily cartilaginous fish.Taxonomic changes affected 88.70%of species due to classification adjustments,misidentifications,and junior synonymy.This study contributed new data of the gulf,including one additional order,six new families,34 new genera,and 81 new species,emphasizing the dynamic nature of marine ecosystems.Fish diversity in the gulf was relatively lower than the broader South China Sea,attributed to limited habitats and survey methods.Different survey methods,such as gill nets,trap nets,and underwater cameras,yielded varying results.Ocean currents may have transported deep-sea species into the Beibu Gulf,leading to accidental records.Research gaps exist in unexplored areas,warranting further investigation.Therefore,the Beibu Gulf hosts significant marine biodiversity,but taxonomic challenges and undiscovered species require new research and conservation efforts.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[Grant No.:32070438].
文摘Understanding the molecular relevance of metabolic rate(MR)is crucial for unveiling the mechanisms driving the evolution of animals.In this study,we investigated the association between mitochondrial DNA characteristics and both resting and maximal MRs in conjunction with life-history traits among 139 species of teleost fish,We gathered fish MR data from various sources and procured sequences of 13 mitochondrial protein-encoding genes.We calculated the absolute substitution rate for entire nucleotide sequences and 4-fold degenerate sites of each gene,along with encoding amino acid sequences.Using the phylogenetic comparative method,we then explored the associations between MR and mitochondrial DNA absolute substitution rate.Additionally,we screened MR-associated single nucleotide variants in mitochondrial DNA.The findings indicate no positive correlation between MRs and any substitution rate values of both combined sequences and individual mitochondrial protein-coding genes,refuting the MR hypothesis.Instead,both maximum body size and longevity correlated negatively with molecular substitution rates,suggesting their influences on both mutation and fixation within mitochondrial genes in fish.Results also revealed significant correlations between base variation at ATP6_169 and both resting MR and maximum MR,identifying the unique ATP6_169G in Scombridae fish,which results in an extremely low isoelectric point(pl)value of the ATP6 protein.Considering its functional significance,the ATP6_169G in Scombridae fish might link to their lifestyle characterized by fast locomotion and high metabolic demands alongside a slower molecular evolutionary rate.
文摘Fish are the oldest and most diverse vertebrates on the planet,living in waters around the world,and are very important for maintaining ecological balance,as well as providing rich food resources for human beings.Perhaps as far as common people are concerned,fish can be divided into two kinds,edible and non-edible.In fact,there are more than 20,000 fish species in the world,some of which are highly skilled and make people broaden their horizons.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62303117,T2325018,92367109)the Xiangjiang Scholar Program(XJ2023018)+2 种基金the Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing(Scip20240108)the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China(20230001144001)Fujian Provincial Natural Science Foundation(2024J01130098)
文摘This work presents an adaptive tracking guidance method for robotic fishes. The scheme enables robots to suppress external interference and eliminate motion jitter. An adaptive integral surge line-of-sight guidance rule is designed to eliminate dynamics interference and sideslip issues. Limited-time yaw and surge speed observers are reported to fit disturbance variables in the model. The approximation values can compensate for the system's control input and improve the robots' tracking accuracy.Moreover, this work develops a terminal sliding mode controller and third-order differential processor to determine the rotational torque and reduce the robots' run jitter. Then, Lyapunov's theory proves the uniform ultimate boundedness of the proposed method. Simulation and physical experiments confirm that the technology improves the tracking error convergence speed and stability of robotic fishes.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Plan(2019YFD0902102 and 2019YFE01223000)Innovation Team Project of Marine Aquaculture Modern Agricultural Industry System in Tianjin City(ITTMRS2021005).
文摘In order to clarify the mitochondrial bar code sequence and taxonomic information of common goby fish in Tianjin coastal marine areas,seven species of goby fish were collected from Tianjin coastal marine areas,identified by morphology,and DNA was extracted for amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial COI gene fragments.Phylogenetic analysis and molecular identification software MEGA were used to analyze the sequence characteristics and molecular classification of COI gene fragments of 12 common goby species in Tianjin coastal marine areas.Seven COI gene fragments of Goby were amplified and sequenced,the average GC content was lower than AT content,the base had a bias in the codon position distribution,and the highest GC content was the second base,which was similar to the COI gene base of many fishes.The codon base variation rate was 19.4%,and the ratio of transitions to transversions was 1.3.Phylogenetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis clarified the phylotaxonomic and evolutionary relationships of 12 major goby species in Tianjin coastal marine areas.Genetic distance indicates that Amblychaeturichthys hexanema and Synechogobius ommaturus are the same species.The high codon variation rate of codon encoding gene in Goby may be related to its good environmental adaptability.
文摘Phylogeny of the sinipercine fishes, their relationships with some fossils and their systematic position were studied in this paper. Consisting of 2 sister groups, the sinipercine fishes were grouped as 2 genera - Coreoperca and Siniperca, while the genus Coreosiniperca was unwarranted for its type being a member in Siniperca, Having many special characters, Tungtingichthys was denied as the ancestor of the sinipercine fishes, however, Siniperca wusiangensis was taken as one member in Siniperca and some fossil percoids found in Japan had close relationship with sinipercine fishes. All characters of the sinipercine fishes are not concordant with that in Serranidae or Percichthyidae which leads to the conclusion that either the sinipercine fishes are not in Percichthyidae, or the defining characters of Percichthyidae listed by Gosline (1966) are wrong. But at present, we can only put the sinipercine fishes in Percichthyidae.
文摘According to an ancient belief from Turkish, Greek, Roman, and many Europe countries, an auspicious eye can bring fortunesto the people, protect them from evil.
文摘Regenerative capacity of the central nervous system(CNS)is unevenly distributed among vertebrates.While most mammalian species including humans elicit limited repair following CNS injury or disease,highly regenerative vertebrates including urodele amphibians and teleost fish spontaneously reverse CNS damage.Teletost zebrafish(danio rerio)are tropical freshwater fish that proved to be an excellent vertebrate model of successful CNS regeneration.Differential neuronal,glial,and immune injury responses underlie disparate injury outcomes between highly regenerative zebrafish and poorly regenerative mammals.This article describes complications associated with neuronal repair following spinal cord injury(SCI)in poorly regenerative mammals and highlights intersecting modes of plasticity and regeneration in highly regenerative zebrafish(Figures 1 and 2).Comparative approaches evaluating immunoglial SCI responses were recently reviewed elsewhere(Reyes and Mokalled,2024).
文摘Analysis of the environmental and economic performance of fishing vessels has received limited attention compared with other ship types despite their notable contribution to global greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions.This study evaluates the carbon footprint(CF)and economic viability of a liquefied natural gas(LNG)-fueled fishing vessel,using real engine operation simulations to provide precise and dynamic evaluation of fuel consumption and GHG emissions.Operational profiles are obtained through the utilization of onboard monitoring systems,whereas engine performance is simulated using the 1D/0D AVL Boost^(TM)model.Life cycle assessment(LCA)is conducted to quantify the environmental impact,whereas life cycle cost assessment(LCCA)is performed to analyze the profitability of LNG as an alternative fuel.The potential impact of the future fuel price uncertainties is addressed using Monte Carlo simulations.The LCA findings indicate that LNG has the potential to reduce the CF of the vessel by 14%to 16%,in comparison to a diesel power system configuration that serves as the baseline scenario.The LCCA results further indicate that the total cost of an LNG-powered ship is lower by 9.5%-13.8%,depending on the share of LNG and pilot fuels.This finding highlights the potential of LNG to produce considerable environmental benefits while addressing economic challenges under diverse operational and fuel price conditions.
基金This work was supported by FEBL(State Key Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China)fundsNational Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant NO.3937014)
文摘The hypertrophic subtropic Donghu Lake’s dense water bloom(of mainly Microcystis Anaabaena andOscillatoria)that occurred annually from the beginning of the 1970s, has disappeared since 1985. The infiuenceof planktivorous fishes (silver and bighead carps) on the water bloom was studied for three years usingthe enclosure method. The enclosures stocked densely with bighead and/or silver carp were free of waterbloom during the experimental period. The water bloom that appeared in the fish-free enclosures was completelyeliminated in 10-20 days by introduction of silver and/or bighead carp(grass carp was not effectivein controlling water bloom).This study showed clearly that grazing pressure by planktivorous fishes is a keyfactor in eliminating water bloom from the lake.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China.No.39070666.
文摘AIM To study the cell types,localization,distribution density and morphology of APUDcells in the intestinal mucosa of stomachlessteleost fishes.METHOD By using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex(PAP)immunocytochemical staining technique theidentification,localization and morphology ofimmunoreactive(IR)endocrine cells seattered inthe intestinal mucosa of grass carp(Cyenopharyngodon idellus),black carp(Mylopharyngodon piceus)and common carp(Cyprinus carpio)were investigated with 20kinds of antisera prepared against mammalianpeptide hormones of APUD cells,and likewise byusing avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(ABC)method those of silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix),bighead(Aristichthys nobilis),silver crucian carp(Carassius gibelio)and bluntnose black bream(Megalobrama amblyocephala)were alsostudied with 5 different antisera.Thereplacement of the first antiserum by phosphatebuffered saline(PBS)was employed as a control.IR endocrine cells were counted with asquare-mesh ocular micrometer from 10 fieldsselected randomly in every section of each partof the intestine specimen.The average numberof IR endocrine cells per mm2 was counted toquantify their distribution density.RESULT Gastrin(GAS)-,Gastric inhibitorypeptide(GIP)-,glucagon(GLU)-,glucagon-likeimmunoreactants(GLI)-,bovine pancreaticpolypeptide(BPP)-,leucine-enkephalin(ENK)-and substance P(SP)-IR endocrine cells werefound in the gut of grass carp,black carp andcommon carp,and somatostatin(SOM)-IRendocrine cells were only seen in common carp.GAS-,GIP-and GLU-IR endocrine cells werefound in the intestinal mucosa of silver carp,bighead,silver crucian carp and bluntnose blackbream.Most of IR endocrine cells had the higherdistribution density in the foregut and midgut,and were longer in shape.They had a long apicalcytoplasmic process extended to the gut lumenand a basal process extended to adjacent cellsor basement membrane and touched with it.Sometimes,the basal cytoplasmic processformed an enlarged synapse-like structure in thecontiguous part with basement membrane.Thisphenomenon provided new morphologicalevidence for neuroendocrine and paracrinesecretory function of these enteroendocrinecells.CONCLUTION At least 8 kinds of IR endocrinecells were found in the gut of stomachlessteleost species for the first time in China.TheseIR endocrine cells scattering in the gut mucosabelong to the APUD system.Among them,thehormones secreted by SP-,ENK-,SOM-and GLU-IR endocrine cells belong to the peptides of dualdistribution in the brain and gut.This providednew evidence for the concept of brain-gutpeptide.According to the cell types,distribution density,morphologicalcharacteristics and variety in shape of APUDcells in the gut of stomachless teleost fishes,itis deemed that the digestive tract of fishes isalso an endocrine organ of great importance andcomplexity.
基金Projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.40673078,40203007).
文摘The Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb contents were determined in Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, Carassius auratus Linnaeus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis, which were caught from Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, a large, shallow and eutrophic lake of China. The results showed that： （1） the Cr, Cu, Pb, Cd contents in the edible parts of the four fish species were much lower than Chinese Food Health Criterion （1994）, but the Zn contents were higher than the Criterion; （2） Cd contents were the highest in the liver of fish, Pb contents were almost the same in all organs of fish, Cr contents mainly enriched in the skin and gonads, Zn contents were the highest in the gonad （♀）, and Cu contents were the highest in the liver; （3） the total metal accumulation was the greatest in the liver and the lowest in the muscle. The total metal accumulation was the highest in C. auratus L. This investigation indicated that fish products in Taihu Lake were still safe for human consumption, but the amount consumed should be controlled under the Chinese Food Health Criterion to avoid excessive intake of Zn.
基金Supported by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture under the Investigation of Fishery Stocks in China Seas Program (No. 070404)the Special Project of the Social Commonwealth Research National Institute (Nos.2009TS08, 2010YD10)
文摘Length-frequency data of eight commercial fish species in the Beibu Gulf （Golf of Tonkin）, northern South China Sea, were collected during 2006-2007. Length-weight relationships and growth and mortality parameters were analyzed using FiSAT II software. Five species had isometric growth, two species had negative allometric growth, and one species had positive allometric growth. Overall, the exploitation rates of the eight species were lower in 2006 2007 than in 1997-1999： for four species （Saurida tumbil, Saurida undosquamis, Argyrosomus macrocephalus, and Nemipterus virgatus） it was lower in 2006-2007 than in 1997 1999, for two species （Parargyrops edita and Trichiurus haumela） it remained the same, and for the other two species （Trachurus japonicus and Decapterus maruadsi） it was higher in 2006~007 than in 1997-1999. The exploitation rates might have declined because of the decline in fishing intensity caused by high crude oil prices. The optimum exploitation rate, estimated using Beverton-Holt dynamic pool models, indicated that although fishes in the Beibu Gulf could sustain high exploitation rates, the under-size fishes at first capture resulted in low yields. To increase the yield per recruitment, it is more effective to increase the size at first capture than to control fishing effort.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 30571440, 30830025)The National Key Technology R&D Program (No. 2007BAD37B03)the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2007CB109205)
文摘Spatial distribution and abundance of small fishes were studied in autumn 2007 in the Xiaosihai Lake, a shallow lake along the middle reach of the Changjiang （Yangtze） River. Based on the plant cover, the lake was divided into three major habitats： Myriophyllum spicaturn habitat （MS habitat）, Trapa bispinosa habitat （TB habitat）, and non-vegetation habitat （NV habitat）. A modified pop-net was used for quantitative sampling of small fishes in the three habitats, and the Zippin＇s removal method was used for estimating densities of the small fishes. A total of 13 species belonging to 5 families were collected, with 11 species in MS habitat, 7 species in TB habitat, and 5 species in NV habitat. Habitat type had significant effect on the spatial distribution of small fishes. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index in the MS, TB and NV habitats were 1.28, 0.56 and 0.54, respectively. The total density and biomass of small fishes were significantly higher in the MS habitat （13.68 ind/m^2 and 4.44 g/m^2） than in the TB habitat （1.41 ind/m^2 and 0.54 g/m^2） and the NV habitat （1.08 ind/m^2 and 0.40 g/m^2）, and were not significantly different between the TB habitat and the NV habitat. Water depth had no significant effect on spatial distribution of the small fishes. It was suggested that vegetation type played an important role in habitat selectivity of small fishes, and the presence of submersed vegetation should be of significance in the conservation of small fish diversity.
基金Supported by the China National Fishery Observer Programthe Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (No. S30702)
文摘Evaluation of spatial-temporal variability of species composition and diversity in oceanic ecosystems is not easy because it is usually difficult to obtain sufficient data quantifying such variability.In this study,we examined pelagic species diversity indicators,species richness,Shannon-Wiener index of diversity and Hurlbert's species evenness,for fish assemblages from two areas(north and south) in the North Pacific Ocean(2°±12°N,178°E±165°W) during May±July 2008.The assemblages were based on data collected by an onboard scientific observer during a commercial longline fishing trip.The species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index of fish assemblages in the northern area were slightly higher than those in the southern area,although these differences were not significant(t test,P.0.05).Non-parametric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarities indicated that there were significant differences in fish assemblages between the two areas(P,0.01).
基金funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P.R.China under Project of Fishery Exploration in 2017(No.D-8006-17-0138)
文摘The relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of three dominant small pelagic fishes,including chub mackerel(Scomber japonicus),horse mackerel(Trachurus trecae)and round sardinella(Sardinella aurita),and the environmental factors in Mauritanian waters were analyzed by using 4 years of logbook data of commercial purse seine fisheries to improve the efficiency of fishery and management of sustainable exploitation.A Tweedie-generalized additive model(GAM)of 8-day average catches and the monthly geostatistical analysis of daily catches were used in this study to analyze the influence of environmental factors on catch per unit of effort(CPUEs)and to map the spatial distribution of three mixed dominant small pelagic fishes,respectively.A 10'×10' grid was used,and environmental factors were processed from remote sensing,including 8-day average sea surface temperature(SST),the nearest distance between SST fronts and CPUE position(Df),chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration,salinity,and eddy kinetic energy.Results showed that 1)the distribution of three dominant small pelagic fishes might be related to the intensity of upwelling in Mauritanian waters;2)oceanic fronts might play a key role in the ecology of chub mackerel,horse mackerel,and round sardinella;3)Chl-a concentration might be associated with the feeding grounds of chub mackerel;4)the target species distribution appeared sensitive to gradient changes in the amount of salinity;5)three zones(northern,central,and southern)with variable abundances were delineated;and 6)a high concentration of the center of gravity in the central zone might be related to the strong upwelling of nutrient-rich waters.This study can provide new insights to enhance the fishery efficiency and sustainable exploitation management of purse seiners in certain area off Mauritania.
文摘The quest for the origin of species has entered the genomics era. Despite decades of evidence confirming the role of the environment in ecological speciation, an understanding of the genomics of ecological speciation is still in its infancy. In this review, we explore the role of genomic architecture in ecological speciation in postglacial fishes. Growing evidence for the num- ber, location, effect size, and interactions among the genes underlying population persistence, adaptive trait divergence, and re- productive isolation in these fishes reinforces the importance of considering genomic architecture in studies of ecological speci- ation. Additionally, these populations likely adapt to new freshwater environments by selection on standing genetic variation, as de novo mutations are unlikely under such recent divergence times. We hypothesize that modular genomic architectures in post- glacial fish taxa may be associated with the probability of population persistence. Empirical studies have confirmed the genic na- ture of ecological speciation, implicating surprisingly extensive linkage disequilibrium across the genome. An understanding of these genomic mosaics and how they contribute to reproductive barriers remains unclear, but migration rates and the strength of selection at these loci is predicted to influence the likelihood of population divergence. Altogether, understanding the role of ge- nomic architecture is an important component of speciation research and postglacial fishes continue to provide excellent organ- isms to test these questions, both from the perspective of variation in architectures among taxa, and with respect to the distinct environments they have colonized. However, more empirical tests of ecological speciation predictions are needed [Current Zoo- logy 59 （1）： 53-71, 2013].
基金Supported by the National Science and Technology Supporting(No.2012BAD25B08)the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(No.201303056)the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(No.CARS-45)
文摘The knowledge of prey small ?sh stock, distribution and abundance is necessary to guide stocking of piscivorous ?sh for the biomanipulation in domestic tap water lakes. This study describes the current status of small ?sh community in Kuilei Lake(China), and examines the spatial and seasonal variations of the community in relation to key environmental factors. Based on submerged macrophyte cover and water depth, the lake was divided into ?ve major habitats:(1) macrophyte covered shallow habitat of water depth< 2.00 m,(2) uncovered or less-covered shallow habitat(2.00 m–3.50 m),(3) uncovered medium shallow habitat(3.50 m–5.00 m),(4) uncovered medium deep habitat(5.00 m–6.50 m) and(5) uncovered deep habitat(6.50 m–8.50 m). The abundance and composition of small ?sh were monitored by benthic fykenet sampling from April 2013 to January 2014. A total of 2881 individuals belonging to 5 families and 21 species were collected. Based on their abundance(accounted for 88.96% of the total) and occurrence(more than 33.33%), Acheilognathus chankaensis, Acheilognathus macropterus, Microphysogobio microstomus,Pseudorasbora parva and Rhinogobius giurinus were recognized as dominant small ?sh species. The results of correlation analysis identi?ed that species richness( Sr), Shannon-Wiener diversity index( H′)and Margalef′s richness index( D) were signi?cantly negatively correlated with water depth, but positively correlated with biomass of submerged macrophytes.Redundancy analysis(RDA) revealed that the spatial distributions of most small ?shes were negatively associated with water depth. The details of these ?ndings are bene?cial to understanding the adaptation of the small ?shes in degraded environments, and to developing suitable biomanipulation strategies for the management of ?sh resources and water quality in the lakes along the lower reach of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River basin.
基金Project supported by the Malaysia government through UKM- Science Fund (No. 04-01-02-SF0124)the fellowship of Skim Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (No. UKM-OUP-FST-2008)
文摘Population growth, trophic level, and some aspects of reproductive biology of two congeneric archer fish species, Toxotes chatareus and Toxotes jaculatrix, collected from Johor coastal waters, Malaysia, were studied. Growth pattern by length-weight relationship (W=aLb) for the sexes differed, and exhibited positive allometric growth (male, female and combined sexes of T. chatareus; female and combined sexes of T. jaculatrix) and isometric growth (male samples of T. jaculatrix only). Trophic levels of both species were analyzed based on 128 specimens. The results show that, in both species, crustaceans and insects were the most abundant prey items, and among crustaceans the red clawed crab Sesarma bidens and Formicidae family insects were the most represented taxa. The estimated mean trophic levels for T. chatareus and T. jaculatrix were 3.422±0.009 and 3.420±0.020, respectively, indicating that they are largely carnivores. Fecundity of T. chatareus ranged from 38 354 to 147 185 eggs for females with total length ranging from 14.5 to 22.5 cm and total body weight from 48.7 to 270.2 g, and T. jaculatrix 25 251 to 150 456 eggs for females with total length ranging from 12.2 to 23.0 cm and total body weight from 25.7 to 275.0 g. Differences in values of gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes calculated for both species in this study may have resulted from uneven sample size ranges.
基金supported by NSF grants IBN-02180005 to Caroly Shumway (CAS) and IBN-021795 to Hans Hofmann (HAH)a German-American Research Networking Program grant to CAS and HAH+1 种基金the New England Aquarium to CASthe Bauer Center for Genomics Research to HAH
文摘In this review, I explore the effects of both social organization and the physical environment, specifically habitat complexity, on the brains and behavior of highly visual African cichlid fishes, drawing on examples from primates and birds where appropriate. In closely related fishes from the monophyletic Ectodinii clade of Lake Tanganyika, both forces influence cichlid brains and behavior. Considering social influences first, visual acuity differs with respect to social organization （monogamy versus polygyny）. Both the telencephalon and amygdalar homologue, area Dm, are larger in monogamous species. Monogamous species are found to have more vasotocin-immunoreactive cells in the preoptic area of the brain. Habitat complexity also influences brain and behavior in these fishes. Total brain size, telencephalic and cerebellar size are positively correlated with habitat complexity. Visual acuity and spatial memory are enhanced in cichlids living in more complex environments. However habitat complexity and social forces affect cichlid brains differently. Taken together, our field data and plasticity data suggest that some of the species-specific neural effects of habitat complexity could be the consequence of the corresponding social correlates. Environmental forces, however, exert a broader effect on brain structures than social ones do, suggesting allometric expansion of the brain structures in concert with brain size and/or co-evolntion of these structures [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 144-156, 2010].
