From 1 - 10 / 12
  • Categories  

    Lipofuscin density in Giant Crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas) brain tissue was estimated through fluorescent microscopy. The intent was to relate lipofuscin to crab age. Some known age specimens were included in the sample, these were reared from larvae.

  • Categories  

    To test if the carapace length of lobsters changes during cooking, 21 legal-sized southern rock lobsters were collected in pots from Alum Cliffs, south-eastern Tasmania, Australia in October 1999 (42.95±S 147.35±E). The sample consisted of 7 female and 14 male lobsters ranging in carapace length from 106 mm to 153 mm (mean 120 mm). Each animal was abdominally tagged using individually marked t-bar tags (Hallprint T-bar anchor tag, TBA1; Hallprint Pty Ltd, 27 Jacobsen Crescent, Holden Hill, SA 5088, Australia). The carapace length of all lobsters were measured five times to the nearest 0.1 mm in a random manner, before and after processing. This repeated measurement of all specimens in random order was intended to evaluate measurement error. Processing was typical of that used commercially and involved killing the lobsters in fresh water before cooking in pre-boiling salted water for 12 minutes.

  • Categories  

    Conducted a series of laboratory experiments to investigate the effect of temperature on swimming behaviour and development. Swimming behavioural responses were monitored for the first two zoeal stages, while larvae in development trials were reared through all five zoeal stages to the megalopa stage.

  • Inter-moult duration in giant crabs (Pseudocarcinus gigas) was estimated by an alternative method to utilising tag-recovery data. Reproduction in female giant crabs occurs in annual cycles, although females occasionally “skip” a reproductive season and do not become ovigerous; it has been noted previously that this appears to be associated with molting. Thus the proportion of females that do not participate in reproduction may indicate the proportion molting. This approach was tried with a sample of 342 females and the number that were “skipping” a reproductive season was measured by computerized tomography scanning (CT-scanning) of their ovaries prior to the extrusion of eggs. Radiometric aging (228Th/ 228Ra) of carapaces was also undertaken with the focus of this work on testing an assumption of the method, rather than describing the intermolt duration of a population.

  • Categories  

    Southern Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) that are about to moult or have recently moulted have reduced market value due to higher mortality in live transport, higher cannibalism and lower meat recovery. Limiting the landing of softer shelled lobsters is desirable to maintain product quality. The effects of several factors on durometer readings were evaluated: sex, temperature (ambient plus elevated 3°C), location (from around the coast), and size (carapace length). Individuals were collected across two regions South Australia and Tasmania.

  • [This data has been superseded by a synthesised global dataset which includes additional ecological data contributed by non-RLS entities (National Reef Monitoring Network). Please visit the corresponding NRMN Collection (IMOS - National Reef Monitoring Network Sub-Facility - Global cryptobenthic fish abundance) for the most current version of this data. See "Downloads and Links" section below.] Reef Life Survey is designed to develop and resource a network of skilled recreational divers for rapid and cost-effective assessment of the state of the inshore marine environment at the global scale. The project uses standardised underwater visual census methods employed by trained SCUBA divers to survey fish and invertebrate species and to record habitat type using photo quadrats - this dataset refers to the cryptic fish and invertebrate survey component only.

  • Categories  

    In giant crabs (Pseudocarcinus gigas), two sets of data were collected: the first examined changes in egg composition during embryogenesis and the second assessed effects of female size on egg composition.

  • Categories  

    Fecundity and egg size of giant crabs (Pseudocarcinus gigas) were determined from egg masses of 162 crabs sampled from three sites in south-eastern Australia: western Victoria, western Tasmania and eastern Tasmania. Crabs ranged in carapace length from 126 to 220 mm and egg number ranged from 830000 to 2500000.

  • Data is PCR amplification results of southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) faecal material tested for sea urchin DNA (using unique primers for Centrostephanus rodgersii and Heliocidaris erythrogramma) in an attempt to determine in situ rates of consumption of sea urchins by lobsters. An efficient and non-lethal method was used to source and screen lobster faecal samples for the presence of DNA from ecologically important sea urchins. Lobster faecal samples were collected from trap caught specimens sourced in winter & summer seasons over 2 years (2009-2011) within two no-take research reserves; declared specifically for the purpose of rebuilding large predatory-capable lobsters to assess the potential for predator-driven remediation of kelp beds on rocky reefs extensively overgrazed by sea urchins (North Eastern Tasmania) and reefs showing initial signs of overgrazing (South Eastern Tasmania). Data for molecular assays showed high variability in the proportion of lobsters testing positive to sea urchins, with significant variability detected across different years and seasons but this was found to vary depending on different lobster size-classes. Sea urchin DNA was also amplifiable from sediments and urchin faeces collected from the reef surface where urchins occurred in high abundance. Furthermore, positive sea urchin DNA assays were obtainable from lobster faeces after lobsteres were fed sediment and urchin faecal material. Rates of predation obtained with genetics tests can also be compared to independent rates of urchin losses given known lobster abundances within research reserves (and at control sites). Data of changes in urchin abundances and lobster abundances are therefore also lodged as part of this record.

  • [This data has been superseded by a synthesised global dataset which includes additional ecological data contributed by non-RLS entities (National Reef Monitoring Network). Please visit the corresponding NRMN Collection (IMOS - National Reef Monitoring Network Sub-Facility - Global mobile macroinvertebrate abundance) for the most current version of this data. See "Downloads and Links" section below.] Reef Life Survey is designed to develop and resource a network of skilled recreational divers for rapid and cost-effective assessment of the state of the inshore marine environment at the global scale. The project uses standardised underwater visual census methods employed by trained SCUBA divers to survey fish and invertebrate species and to record habitat type using photo quadrats - this dataset refers to the cryptic fish and invertebrate survey component only.