Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T11:45:47.975Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Mass occurrence of Salpa fusiformis and records of the rare salps Cyclosalpa bakerii and Thetys vagina from northern Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2015

Rachel J. Shucksmith*
Affiliation:
NAFC Marine Centre, Port Arthur, Scalloway, Shetland ZE1 OUN, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: R.J. Shucksmith, NAFC Marine Centre, Port Arthur, Scalloway, Shetland ZE1 OUN, UK Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Gelatinous zooplankton including salps are an important but often overlooked component of marine ecosystems. This study documents a bloom of Salpa fusiformis at five locations to the north of mainland Scotland. The bloom was observed at Sula Stack, Sula Sgeir, North Rona and at two other locations to the west coast of the Orkney Islands. Salp blooms have the potential to deplete phytoplankton biomass, impacting on other zooplankton, including copepods and fish larvae. New records of two rare salps Cyclosalpa bakerii and Thetys vagina are also documented from North Rona and Skirza Head, Caithness. These specimens were observed in the aggregate (sexual) form. These observations represent the second record in the UK of C. bakerii and the third and fourth records of T. vagina.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alcaraz, M., Saiz, E., Fernandez, J.A., Trepat, I., Figueiras, F., Calbet, A. and Bautista, B. (1998) Antarctic zooplankton metabolism: carbon requirements and ammonium excretion of salps and crustacean zooplankton in the vicinity of the Bransfield Strait during January 1994. Journal of Marine Systems 17, 347359.Google Scholar
Alldredge, A.L. and Madin, L.P. (1982) Pelagic tunicates: unique herbivores in the marine plankton. Bioscience 32, 655663.Google Scholar
Andersen, V. (1998). Salp and pyrosomid blooms and their importance in biogeochemical cycles. In Bone, Q. (ed.) The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 125138.Google Scholar
Bathmann, U.V. (1988) Mass occurrence of Salpa fusiformis in the spring of 1984 off Ireland: implications for sedimentation processes. Marine Biology 97, 127135.Google Scholar
Bone, Q. (1998) The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Brattstrom, H. (1972) On Salpa fusiformis Cuvier (Thaliacea) in Norwegian coastal and offshore waters. Sarsia 48, 7190.Google Scholar
Caron, D.A., Madin, L.P. and Cole, J.J. (1989) Composition and degradation of salp fecal pellets: implications for vertical flux in oceanic environments. Journal of Marine Research 47, 829850.Google Scholar
Cuvier, G. (1804) Mémoire sur les Thalides (Thalia Browne) et sur les Biphores (Salpa Forskål). Annales du Muséum National d'Historie Naturelle Paris 4, 360382.Google Scholar
Dalyell, J.G. (1848) Rare and remarkable animals of Scotland, represented from living subjects: with practical observations on their nature. London: John Van Voorst.Google Scholar
Deibel, D. (1982). Laboratory measured grazing and ingestion rates of salp, Thalia democratica Forskal, and the doliolid, Dolioetta gegenbaun Uljanin (Tunicata, Thaliacea). Journal of Plankton Research 4, 189201.Google Scholar
Dubischar, C. and Bathmann, U.V. (1997) Grazing impact of copepods and salps on phytoplankton in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Deep-Sea Research 44, 415433.Google Scholar
Ensal, G.B. and Daponte, M.C. (1999) Salpida. In Boltovskoy, D. (ed.) South Atlantic zooplankton. Leiden: Backhuys Publishers, pp. 14231444.Google Scholar
Forbes, E. (1848) A monograph of the British naked-eyed medusae: with figures of all the species. London: Ray Society.Google Scholar
Forsskål, P. (1775) Descriptiones Animalium, Avium, Amphibiorum, Piscium, Insectorum, Vermium; quae in Itinere Orientali Observavit Petrus Forskål. Prof Haun. Post Mortem Auctoris Ed. Carsten Neibuhr. Adjuncta est Materia Medica Kahirina atque Tabula Maris Rubri Geographica. Hauniae, pp. 120 + i-xxxiv + 1–164, map.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, J.H. (1949) The distribution of Thaliacea (salps and doliolids) in Scottish waters, 1920–1939. Science Investigation Fisheries Division Scotland 1, 44.Google Scholar
Fraser, J.H. (1961) The oceanic and bathypelagic plankton of the northeast Atlantic and its possible significance to fisheries. Marine Research 4, 148.Google Scholar
Fraser, J.H. (1963) Plankton and Shetland herring fishery. Rapport et Procès-verbaux des Reunions (Council Permanent International pour l'Exploration de la Mer), no. 154, pp. 175178.Google Scholar
Fraser, J.H. (1969) Variability in the oceanic content of plankton in the Scottish area. Progress in Oceanography 5, 145159.Google Scholar
Fraser, J.H. (1981) British pelagic tunicates: keys and notes for the identification of the species. In Kermack, D.M. and Barnes, R.S.K. (eds) Synopses of the British fauna (new series). London: Cambridge University Press. The Linnaean Society of London and The Estuarine and Brackish-Water Sciences Association [no. 20], 57 pp.Google Scholar
Greve, W. (1975) Ctenophora. Fisheries Identification Zooplankton. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Copenhagen, no. 146, 6 pp.Google Scholar
Hardy, C. (1923) Notes of Atlantic plankton taken off the east coast of England in 1921 and 1922. Journal Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer 78, 510.Google Scholar
Hubbard, L.T. and Pearcy, W.G. (1971) Geographic distribution and relative abundance of Salpidae off the Oregon coast. Journal Fisheries Research 28, 18311836.Google Scholar
Iguchi, N. and Kidokora, H. (2004) Horizontal distribution of Thetys vagina Tilesius (Tunicata, Thaliacea) in the Japan Sea during spring 2004. Journal of Plankton Research 28, 537541.Google Scholar
Kirkpatrick, P.A. and Pugh, P.R. (1984) Siphonophores and velellids. In Brill, E.J. and Backhuys, L.W. (eds) Synopses of the British fauna (new series). London: Cambridge University Press, The Linnaean Society of London and The Estuarine and Brackish-Water Sciences Association [no. 29], 154 pp.Google Scholar
Kremer, P. and Madin, P. (1992) Particle retention efficiency of salps. Journal of Plankton Research 14, 10091015.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius, Holmiae, ii, 824 pp.Google Scholar
Madin, L.P. (1982) Production, composition and sedimentation of salp fecal pellets in oceanic waters. Marine Biology 67, 3945.Google Scholar
Madin, L.P. and Purcell, J.E. (1992). Feeding, metabolism, and growth of Cyclosalpa bakeri in the subartic Pacific. Limnology and Oceanography 37, 12361251.Google Scholar
Makarov, R.R. and Solyankin, E.V. (1990) Common copepod species and regional peculiarities of their seasonal development in the east area of the Weddell Gyre. In Solyakin, E.V. (ed.) Investigations of the oceanographic conditions and peculiarities of the development of plankton communities. Moscow: VNIRO Publication, pp. 140167.Google Scholar
McAlice, B.J. (1986) Occurrence of Thetys vagina Tilesius (Tunicata, Thaliacea) on the coast of Maine. Bulletin of Marine Science 39, 717718.Google Scholar
Metcalf, M.M. (1918) Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. The Salpidae: a taxonomic study. U.S. National Museum Bulletin 100, 5193.Google Scholar
Mills, C.E. (2001) Jellyfish blooms: are populations increasing globally in response to changing ocean conditions? Hydrobiologia 451, 5568.Google Scholar
Müller, O.F. (1776). Zoologica Danicae Prodromus seu Animalium Daniae et Norvegiae indigenarum characters, nomine, et synonyma imprimis popularium. Havniae, XXXII, 274 pp.Google Scholar
Murray, J. and Hjort, J. (1912). Atlanterhavet. Kristiania: Aschehoug and Co.Google Scholar
Nakamura, E.L. and Yount, J.L. (1958) An unusually large salp. Pacific Science 12, 181.Google Scholar
Paffenhofer, G.A., Atkinson, L.P., Less, T.N., Verity, P.G. and Bulluck, L.R. III (1995) Distribution and abundance of thaliaceans and copepods off the southeastern U.S.A. during winter. Continental Shelf Research 15, 255280.Google Scholar
Péron, F. and Lesueur, C.A. (1810) Histoire générale et particulière de tous les animaux qui composent la famille des méduses. Annales Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle Paris 14, 217228.Google Scholar
Raymont, J.E.G. (1983) Plankton and productivity in the oceans, Vol. 2: Zooplankton. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Reid, P., Edwards, M., Beaugrand, G., Skogen, M. and Stevens, D. (2003) Periodic changes in the zooplankton of the North Sea during the twentieth century linked to oceanic inflow. Fisheries Oceanography 12, 260269.Google Scholar
Ritter, W.E. (1905) The pelagic Tunicata of the San Diego region, excepting the Larvacea. Zoology 2, 51112.Google Scholar
Russell, F.S. (1935) On the value of certain planktonic animals as indicators water movements in the English channel and the North Sea. Journal of the Marine Biology Association 18, 635640.Google Scholar
Russell, F.S. (1953) The Medusae of the British Isles, Vol. I Anthomedusae, Leptomedusae, Limnomedusae, Trachymedusae and Narcomedusae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Russell, F.S. (1970) The Medusae of the British Isles. II Pelagic Scyphozoa with a supplement to the first volume on hydromedusae. London: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Sims, D.W. (1996) A rare record of the salp, Thetys vagina (Tunicata: Thaliacea) from western Scottish waters. Journal Marine Biology Association 76, 833834.Google Scholar
Silver, M. and Bruland, K. (1981) Differential feeding and fecal pellet composition of salps and pteropods, and the possible origin of the deep-water flora and olive-green ‘cells‘. Marine Biology 62, 263273.Google Scholar
Tilesius, W.G. (1802) Abbildung und Beschreibung eines sonderbaren Seeubeutels oder einer neuen Thetys-Species aus dem Atlantischen Ozean, Thetys vagina. Jahrbuch Naturgesellschaft Leipzig 1, 150165.Google Scholar
Thompson, H. (1948) Pelagic tunicates of Australia. Melbourne: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Australia, 196 pp.Google Scholar
Van Soest, R.W.M. (1974). Taxonomy of the subfamily Cyclosalpinae Yount, 1954 (Tunicata, Thaliacea), with descriptions of two new species. Beaufortia 22, 1755.Google Scholar
Van Soest, R.W.M. (1998) The cladistic biogeography of salps and pyrosomas. In Bone, Q. (ed.) The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 231250.Google Scholar
Vogt, C. (1854) Recherches sur les animaux inférieures de la Méditerranée. Second mémoire. Sur les Tuniciers nageants de la mer de Nice. Mémoires de l'Institut Genévois, Section des Sciences Naturelles et Mathématiques 2, 1102.Google Scholar