Search results for "STRAIT"

Genetic architecture of the marbled goby Pomatoschistus marmoratus (Perciformes, Gobiidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

2011

The marbled goby Pomatoschistus marmoratus, a species inhabiting coastal Mediterranean lagoons, has been studied by measuring its mitochondrial DNA variation. This analysis revealed a Mediterranean west vs east split and, subsequently, an eastern differentiation among the Libyan–Tunisian Gulf, the Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea. The high cohesion between the samples collected in the vast area of western Mediterranean contrasts with the genetic mosaic of the more sub-structured eastern Mediterranean. This western homogeneity can not yet be fully explained even if a human-mediated migratory flow, due to a maritime traffic, has been posited. The pattern in the eastern basin revealed a genetic…

Geochemistry and mineralogy of sediments and authigenic carbonates from the Malta Plateau, Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean): Relationships wi…

2010

Abstract A mud volcano field was recently discovered within the Malta Plateau in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea). Box-core sediments and associated authigenic carbonates have been collected in water depths of 140–170 m from two distinctive sectors of the area, and analyzed for major, trace and rare earth elements, stable isotopes, and mineralogy. Relative homogeneity in the mineralogy and geochemistry of bulk sediments, and 210Pb activity distributions, argue against an active mud ejection activity. In the Malta Plateau western sector, the sediments show high concentrations of Fe, As, Sb, and Mo, exceeding the background values estimated for the Strait of Sicily. Active flu…

Investigations on gonadal maturation in Pagellus acarne (Pisces, Sparidae) in the strait of Messina (Sicily)

2000

Distribution of rare earth elements in marine sediments from the Strait of Sicily (western Mediterranean Sea): Evidence of phosphogypsum waste contam…

2010

Concentrations of rare earth elements (REE), Y, Th and Sc were recently determined in marine sediments collected using a box corer along two onshore–offshore transects located in the Strait of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea). The REE + Y were enriched in offshore fine-grained sediments where clay minerals are abundant, whereas the REE + Y contents were lower in onshore coarse-grained sediments with high carbonate fractions. Considering this distribution trend, the onshore sediments in front of the southwestern Sicilian coast represent an anomaly with high REE + Y concentrations (mean value 163.4 lg g 1) associated to high Th concentrations (mean value 7.9 lg g 1). Plot of shale-normalized REE + …

Mercury levels in sediments of central Mediterranean Sea: a 150+ year record from box-cores recovered in the Strait of Sicily.

2006

To evaluate the degree of anthropogenic mercury pollution, Hg contents have been measured for box-core sediments sampled along three nearshore-offshore transects in the Strait of Sicily and well constrained for their mineralogy, bulk geochemistry and TOC%. Hg values are generally low (from 15 to 70 microg kg(-1)); however, depth profiles clearly display upcore rising concentrations (up to 202 microg kg(-1) near the SE Sicily coast) that are attributed to anthropogenic load. Based on (210)Pb chronology, these trends are more dramatic across the last 20-30 years. Geogenic influence is thought to explain some anomalies related to volcanic emission and geothermal activity. Combined effects due …

Sepiolinae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) from the Strait of Sicily

1997

Nine species belonging to three genera of the subfamily Sepiolinae (Leach, 1817) were collected in the Strait of Sicily by two series of bottom trawl surveys carried out during the years 1985-87 and 1992: Sepiola rondeletii, Sepiola intermedia, Sepiola ligulata, Sepiola robusta, Sepiola affinis, Sepietta oweniana, Sepietta neglecta, Sepietta obscura and Rondeletiola minor. For each species, abundance, distribution, sex ratio and maturity condition were analysed. S. oweniana was the most abundant species, followed by R. minor, while the single record of S. ligulata indicates that the species is rare in the area. The bathymetric distributions observed generally agree with what is known for th…

Different key roles of mesoscale oceanographic structures and ocean bathymetry in shaping larval fish distribution pattern: A case study in Sicilian …

2016

Fish larvae data collected in year 2009 were used to examine the effects of particular environmental conditions on the structure of larvalassemblages in two oligotrophic Mediterranean areas (the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Strait of Sicily). For this purpose, relationships with environmental variables (temperature, salinity and fluorescence), zooplankton biomass, water circulation and bathymetry are discussed. Hydrodynamic conditions resulted very differently between two study areas. The Southern Tyrrhenian Sea was characterized by moderate shallow circulation compared to the Strait of Sicily. In this framework, distribution pattern of larval density in the Tyrrhenian Sea was mainly dri…

Crostacei Anfipodi associati ai reef di Sabellaria alveolata (Annelida: Sabellariidae) del Canale di Sicilia (Mar Mediterraneo)

2015

We describe diversity and patterns of spatial distribution of the amphipod fauna associated with reefs of the polychaete Sabellaria alveolata (L.) in the Sicily Strait. Samples were collected in June 2013, at three localities. Amphipod assemblages appeared homogeneous in the study area with variability increasing with decreasing spatial scale of observation. Jassa ocia (Bate) and Gammaropsis ulrici Krapp-Schickel & Myers characterized the studied assemblages.

New records of leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761) (Testudines: Dermochelyidae) in the Strait of Sicily

2017

We report three new records of leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761) recovered in February 2011 and in spring-summer 2016 in the Strait of Sicily. The individuals were handed over dead to the IZS of Palermo for necropsy. The first specimen measured 139 and 91 cm of CCL and CCW respectively and was found beached and alive but died a few hours later for septicemia. The second measured 110 cm of CCL and 83 cm of CCW and showed a deep wound on its head probably due to contact with a boat propeller. The third individual measured 134 cm of CCL and 96 cm of CCW and had plastic bags, a piece of fishing net and debris of various nature in the stomach. For the second individua…

Genetic and morphometric variation of Mediterranean hake, Merluccius merluccius, in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

2004

Allozyme, morphometric and growth analyses were applied to samples collected in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea) to test the hypothesis of the existence of a unique hake stock (Merluccius merluccius) in the study area. The level of genetic variation was detected from five polymorphic loci (ADH*, PGI-1*, PGI-2*, PGM*, SOD-1*). The average observed heterozygosity amounted to 0.421, while the average expected was 0.353. Weir & Cockerham statistics showed no heterogeneity, except for the single PGI? locus (theta = 0.011; P 0.05). Morphometric analyses revealed some differentiation. Females showed different relationships in six out of eight morphometric indices with total length,…