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The diet of the greater forkbeard Phycis blennoides (Brünnich, 1768) of the Algerian coast was studied between December 2013 and June 2015, providing information on its ecology for a better understanding of the feeding strategy. A total of 956 individuals, whose total length (TL) varied between 9.7 and 54.5 cm and weight (W) between 2.80 and 1334.11 g, were examined. The index of relative importance (%IRI), combining the three main descriptors of the presence of different ingested prey (%F, %N, %W), was used to characterize the relative importance of different food taxa. Qualitative and quantitative variations in diet were studied according to sex, size and seasons. The average annual digestive vacuity index (%V) was 5.51. It did not vary between seasons (x2 cal = 5.43, x2 th = 7.82, α = 5%) and size (x2 cal = 2.08, x2 th = 5.99, α = 5%), but was different between male (%V = 4.94) and female (%V= 12.78). Qualitative analysis of stomach contents reveals a fairly diverse range of predation with 1342 preys counted for a total weight of 462.84 g, which corresponds to an average number (AN) and weight (AW) of 3.03 and 1.04 g, respectively. This species feeds on benthic preys, composed mainly of natantia crustaceans (%IRI = 44.84) and teleost fish (%IRI = 2.61) with intraspecific preys (%IRI = 6.15). This cannibalism was frequent in specimens with a TL that exceeds 20 cm; it was even more frequent in females as well as in winter. Significant differences in feeding habits of P. blennoides occurred according to sex, fish size and between seasons. The trophic level (TROPH) was high (3.66 < TROPH < 3.97), corresponding to carnivorous character.

17 pages, 5 figures, 6 tables, The greater forkbeard Phycis blennoides is a benthopelagic fish distributed in the Mediterranean and NE Atlantic. The main goal of this study is to describe the complete parasite community of this species, which is at present unknown. A total of 188 specimens of P. blennoides were captured in the Balearic Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea) at 550–1250 m depth during the four seasons of 2007, in summer of 2010 and in summer and autumn of 2011 at five distinct localities off the mainland slope off Catalonia coasts and off the insular slope off the Balearic Islands. Environmental and fish biological, parasitological, dietary, enzymatic and histological data were obtained and the relationships among them tested. A total of 20 different parasites were recovered, of which 11 constitute new host records. The most important parasites were the monogenean Diclidophora phycidis, the digeneans Bathycreadium brayi and Lepidapedon spp., the nematodes Capillaria gracilis, Collarinema collaris, Cucullanus sp. and Hysterothylacium aduncum, and the copepod Clavella alata. Overall, the parasite community of P. blennoides was characterized by high abundance, richness and diversity. Significant differences in the structure of the parasite community were detected between samples from 1000 m depth and between samples from off the mainland and insular slopes. Significant seasonal and/or geographical differences were found for some specific parasites. Abundance of the nematode C. collaris was associated to high levels of turbidity and O concentrations near the bottom. Abundances of H. aduncum, D. phycidis, B. brayi and Lepidapedon spp. were linked to high near-bottom temperature and salinity. Dietary analyses evidenced the role as potential intermediate hosts in parasite transmission by some prey (e.g. the teleost Gaidropsarus biscayensis for the cestode Grillotia cf. erinaceus and the nematodes Anisakis spp. or the euphausiid Meganyctiphanes norvegica for the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus sp.). While the abundance of B. brayi, C. collaris, Cucullanus sp. and Echinorhynchus sp. was negatively linked to acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), the abundance of Echinorhynchus sp. and H. aduncum correlated positively with lipid peroxidation levels. Cysts of unknown etiology in fish gills were detected at higher prevalence than in any other fish from the same area. Number and area of hepatic macrophage centres varied significantly among seasonal and geographical groups and seemed not significantly influenced by parasite infection levels, This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICYT) projects BIOMARE (CTM2006-13508-C02-01MAR) and ANTROMARE (CTM2009-12214-C02-01 and CTM2009-12214-C02-02). S.D. benefits of a Ph.D. student fellowship from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, Spain)

Clavella alata Brian, 1909 (Siphonostomatoida; Lernaeopodidae) was reported on Phycis blennoides (Brünnich, 1768) in Turkey. Phycis blennoides (Gadiformes; Phycidae) is a new host for Clavella alata in Turkey. Also, some of the morphological characteristics of this parasitic copepod are given in photographs and drawings.

WOS: 000368251100003, Background. Bottom trawling is an important fishing technique for catching demersal fish, and selectivity is one of the most important tools for fishery management. This study aimed to determine the selectivity of 40 mm square- (40S) and 90 degrees turned-mesh (40T90) codend for the deepwater rose shrimp, Parapenaeus longirostris, and greater forkbeard, Phycis blennoides (Brunnich, 1768). Material and methods. Fishing experiments were conducted on the international waters of the Aegean Sea by using a commercial vessel between 24 August and 13 September 2012. The hooped covered codend technique was employed for the estimated codend selectivity. The selectivity parameters were estimated by using CC 2000 software. Results. Nineteen successful hauls, 11 with 40S, and 8 with 40T90 codends, were performed. The mean L-50 values (50% retention length) of 40S and 40T90 were found to be a 15.5 +/- 0.1 mm and 14.8 +/- 0.1 mm carapace lengths for the rose shrimp, and 15.3 +/- 0.1 cm and 12.2 +/- 0.1 cm total lengths for the greater forkbeard, respectively. Conclusion. In conclusion, 165 square meshes in a codend circumference with 40 mm mesh sizes provided higher L-50 values than the 40 mm turned meshes, and 330 meshes around the codend circumference. Halving the number of meshes in the codend with larger turned mesh and different modifications should be investigated for further studies in order to appropriate the L-50 values., Science and Technology Centre of the Ege University, Izmir, TurkeyEge University [2012/SUF/012], The author would like to thank Mr Ismail Oksuz, the skipper of a commercial trawler FV Hapuloglu and his crew for their assistance in collecting the data on board. The presently reported study was funded by the Science and Technology Centre of the Ege University, Izmir, Turkey (Project No. 2012/SUF/012).

9 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables, There is a lack of information on monitoring neurotoxicity in offshore commercial species. To help fill this gap, we sampled hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in fishing grounds off the coast of l’Ametlla de Mar (NW Mediterranean) in June 2005 at a depth of 100 m and 400 m. Additionally, at 400 m depth, two other fish species, Micromesistius poutassou and Phycis blennoides were included. Neurotoxicity markers such as Colinesterases (ChEs), namely acethyl- (AChE), butyryl- (BChE), propionyl-(PrChE) and carboxilesterase (CbE) were measured in muscle. Lipid peroxidation (LP), a marker of oxidative damage, was also included. The results are discussed in relation to the animal’s sex, size and fishing depth. A comparison of esterases and LP levels between muscle and liver of hake and between muscle and hepatopancreas of Norway Lobster was made. AChE was dominant in muscle and CbE in hepatopancreas. No differences between fish species were seen for AChE. However, N. norvegicus, presented lower levels of ChEs and LP. A size-dependence in ChEs was seen for M. merluccius, with larger animals showing significantly lower activities (p < 0.05). Sex-dependence was seen in N. norvegicus for most esterases, except AChE, with males displaying higher activities (p < 0.05). A sampling-depth effect was also seen in the crustacea, with animals from 100 m generally presenting lower esterase activities and higher LP levels., This work was partially financed by the EU project NECESSITY (SSP8CT2003/501605). L.M. García de la Parra and S. Alejandre-Grimaldo acknowledged a visiting fellowship to the ICM-CSIC from ‘‘Fondo Mixto de Cooperación Técnica y Científica México-España CSIC/CONACYT J200.142’’.

The recruitment dynamics into the fishery of eight species in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea was studied on the basis of a monthly length sampling on commercial landings lasting one year (March 1999-February 2000). The results show that three species or groups of species (Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus, Eledone cirrhosa and Loligo vulgaris) recruited mostly during a well-defined and regular season, while recruitment of the rest of species (Merluccius merluccius, Micromesistius poutassou, Phycis blennoides, Sepia officinalis and Trisopterus minutus capelanus) took place all year round, though with seasonal peaks. Landings of small Merluccius merluccius showed a progressive declining trend from the early 1990s, while the opposite was found for Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus

Bathycreadium brayi n. sp. is described based on specimens collected from the deep-sea greater forkbeard Phycis blennoides (Brunnich) (Gadiformes: Phycidae) in the Western Mediterranean. The new species is distinguished from B. flexicolle Kabata, 1961, B. elongata (Maillard, 1970) and B. nanaflexicolle Dronen, Rubec & Underwood, 1977 by the much smaller size of the body and most organs, the large (in relation to body length and width) ventral sucker and the distinctly more anterior extent of the vitelline fields and from B. biscayense Bray, 1973 in having a narrower body, longer forebody and oesophagus, distinctly smaller ventral sucker and sucker width ratio and the shape of the gonads. Re-examination of the type-material of B. biscayense revealed that the original description of this species is based on composite material. A redescription of B. biscayense based on adult specimens from its type-host, Trachyrincus scabrus (Rafinesque), and new data based on the re-examination of the type-specimens of B. flexicolle and B. elongata are also provided.

Specimens of Phycis blennoides were collected in the Ionian Sea by means of trawl surveys from August 1993 to July 1995. Ripe females and mature males were caught during November through January and between August and March, respectively. Recruitment, represented by individuals of 6–8 cm total length modal group, took place during March at depths between 200 and 600 m. Modal progression analysis of juveniles indicated a growth rate of about 1 cm/month during the first year. Otoliths were examined from juveniles. A transition zone was generally observed in the otolith nucleus. Females and males had mean size of 15.6 and 15.4 cm TL, respectively, during the first year, while during the 2nd year individuals attained a mean size of 20.7 and 20.3 cm TL, respectively. The fastest growth occurred during the spring and summer seasons.

An epidemiological survey of anisakids was carried out on 209 specimens of greater forkbeard (Phycis blennoides) and 58 of forkbeard (Phycis phycis) captured off the Mediterranean coasts of Andalucia (southern Spain). Four species of nematodes were identified: Anisakis simplex s.l., Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Hysterothylacium fabri. The total prevalence was 62.06% in the forkbeard and 58.85% in the greater forkbeard. The highest values of prevalence (56.90%), mean intensity (5.21) and mean abundance (2.96) were all obtained for H. fabri in the forkbeard. The most frequent parasite in the greater forkbeard was H. aduncum with 51.20% prevalence and values of 3.00 and 1.53 for mean intensity and mean abundance, respectively. The infestation parameters were also analyzed according to the host length, observing a maximum of parasitized fish (91.67%) in samples of P. blennoides longer than 40 cm, while in P. phycis, the highest prevalence (82.35%), conditioned by H. fabri parasitization, was found in fish with lengths between 30 and 35 cm.

The joint analysis of data from different programs represents a good opportunity to improve knowledge about the condition of any exploited populations. This note investigates the influence of lag-time in sample characteristics (growth rate and recruitment) by following a simple and quick exploratory procedure. In order to illustrate this approach, the Greater Fork-beard (Phycis blennoides Brunnich, 1768), a species with discrete recruitment pattern and available to the capture process in the first years of life, was considered . The length-frequency distributions (LFD), obtained during five spring (MEDITS - International) and successive autumn (GRUND - Italian) bottom trawl surveys, conducted from 1994 to 1998, in the Strait of Sicily and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Mediterranean) were analysed. The procedure was divided into three steps. Firstly, the LFD were analysed in order to estimate the mean length of the first component in each survey. Secondly, for each survey, the difference between the standardized mean lengths of the first components in the LFD of the two areas was compared with the corresponding lag-time in order to assess any systematic temporal effect in recruitment periodicity. Thirdly, for each area, the absolute and instantaneous growth rates between the spring and autumn surveys of the same year were computed on the base of the lag-time, to evaluate any difference in growth rate between the areas. The results show that the earlier the surveys begin in the Strait of Sicily, the smaller is the difference in mean length. Since the growth rates between the two areas are practically indistinguishable, the higher mean lengths observed in samples from the Strait of Sicily mainly reflect the lag-time. The reference mean growth rate found (1.03 and 0.93 cm per month in the Strait of Sicily and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, respectively) agreed with the literature. In spring, the recruits of 0 group represent up to 90% of the whole trawl catch, and the smallest length class observed (4.5-5.0 cm) is close to the size of transition from the pelagic to the demersal one. The proposed exploratory procedure shows that systematic differences between the two investigated sub-areas in mean size and growth rate suggested by actual data are strongly reduced after having included the lag-time in the analysis., No disponible

In 1996 and 1997, a wide size range of greater fork-beard (Phycis blennoides Brunnich, 1768) was sampled from experimental and research surveys, trawlers and commercial landings from ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa. Otoliths were collected and aged. Sectioned otoliths displayed numerous weakly marked rings that make ageing difficult. In the central part of the otolith, close to the nucleus, a strongly marked check ring is formed, apparently in association with a change in diet/environment from a pelagic to a demersal habit. The growth parameters by sexes separate and combined were estimated from age readings. The females grew faster; reaching 81 cm at 14 years, while the maximum age reached by males was 6 years from a specimen of 44 cm. The following length frequency distributions of the sampling catches showed a modal progression in the juvenile phase in agreement with the lengths estimated by the von Bertalanffy growth model for the ages group 1 and 2.