Search results for "Meristics"

Developmental analysis of merosity and sexual morphs in Rubiaceae: A case study in Rubia and Cruciata

2016

The Rubiaceae is characterized by considerable diversity in floral features. To shed light on the variation of floral developmental patterns in Rubiaceae, a comparative study was carried out on pentamerous flowers of Rubia tinctorum L. and tetramerous flowers of Cruciata (Cruciata laevipes Opiz.; Cruciata glabra (L.) Ehrend.), two herbaceous genera of the tribe Rubieae. We aim to study the mechanism responsible for meristic variation and to discuss the expression of andromonoecy in C. laevipes. Developmental peculiarities include the time overlap in the initiation of petal and stamen whorls in Cruciata, the lack of calyx, and a very weak sympetaly in all species examined. Our results show t…

First record of the pencil cardinal Epigonus denticulatus (Perciformes: Epigonidae) in the Azores archipelago

2021

The pencil cardinal Epigonus denticulatus is a small deep-water fish inhabiting continental slopes usually between 300 m and 600 m depth. We report the first record of E. denticulatus in the Azores archipelago, where one specimen was found floating by fisherman off Faial island. Meristic and morphometric characters are in accordance with those reported for the species and molecular analyses further supported species identity. The record of E. denticulatus as a native species in the Azores, increases the number of Epigonus species in the region for a total of three. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Meristic variation and skeletal anomalies of wild and reared sharpsnout seabream juveniles (Diplodus puntazzo , Cetti 1777) off coastal Sicily, Medit…

2003

<p class="HeadingRunIn"><strong>An additional record of <em>Kyphosus vaigiensis</em> (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) (Osteicht…

2015

The lowfin chub, Kyphosus vaigiensis, is reported for the first time off Favignana Island, Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea. The specimen was identified on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters as well as mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI and 16S-rDNA). Two, perhaps three, Kyphosus species-K. bigibbus, K. sectatrix and K. vaigiensis-have been occasionally recorded in the Mediterranean. These species occur both in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions but it is likely they entered the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. However, it is unclear whether they have established reproductive native populations in the Mediterranean.

Balaenophilus manatorum (Ortíz, Lalana and Torres, 1992) (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from Japan and the w…

2010

The ectoparasitic harpacticoid copepod, Balaenophilus manatorum (Ortiz, Lalana and Torres, 1992) (syn. Balaenophilus umigamecolus Ogawa, Matsuzaki and Misaki, 1997), has been reported on 3 species of marine turtles from the Pacific and the Mediterranean and from the West Indian manatee off Cuba in the Caribbean. The 3 available descriptions of this species were made using light microscopy. In this paper, we provide an amended description of B. manatorum using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) for specimens in the collection from which B. umigamecolus was originally described. This material was collected from 1 loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, from Japan. The use of SEM allowed us …

Notes on the Biology and Ecology of Opeatogenys gracilis (Canestrini 1864) (Pisces: Gobiesocidae) from Coastal Environments in Sicily (Mediterranean)

2001

A particularly large number of specimens of the Mediterranean coastal fish Opeatogenys gracilis (Canestrini 1864) (Pisces: Gobiesocidae) were collected from Posidonia oceanica mats of the “Stagnone di Marsala” sound (western Sicily) and in the Gulf of Carini (northern Sicily). A study was made of biometric and meristic characters and, for the first time for this species, diet composition. The biometric and meristic data did not distinguish between specimens from the two study sites. In accordance with its benthic habit, O. gracilis feeds on small phytal prey living on Posidonia oceanica leaves. The preferential food items throughout the year were Copepoda Harpacticoida.

First historical records of Carcharhinus brachyurus (Chondrichthyes, Carcharhiniformes) in the Mediterranean Sea

2009

The dried jaws of two specimens of Carcharhinus brachyurus were found in the collections of the Zoological Museum of the University of Palermo. Both pieces belong to the great Doderlein collection of fishes from Sicily assembled during the end of the nineteenth century (1862-1892) and are labelled as Carcarias (Prionodon) lamia and Carcharias lamia, respectively. These findings represent the first historical evidence of the presence of C. brachyurus in the Mediterranean Sea and add the southern Tyrrhenian to the species distribution within the Mediterranean. Moreover, sexual dimorphism in tooth morphology is documented for the first time in Mediterranean specimens. Some meristic and morphol…

Meristic character counts and incidence of skeletal anomalies in the wild Diplodus puntazzo (Cetti, 1777) of an area of the south-eastern Mediterrane…

2006

The sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo, Cetti 1777) is a species rarely found in coastal areas of Sicily, but is important in Mediterranean aquaculture. In order to detect the number of meristic characters and the main types of body deformation, 588 specimens of sharpsnout seabream were collected from a coastal zone of south-east Sicily (Licata, AG—Italy). Different sized classes were examined and the relationship between size and the number of meristic characters (number of fin rays) was found. The number of vertebrae, anal fin hard rays and dorsal fin hard rays was constant and did not vary with size. Seventeen types of skeletal and fin anomalies were observed, but no grave anomalies …