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Cheilinus undulatus is a valuable seawater economic fish with tender meat, fresh taste, and high nutritional value; however, its population is rapidly declining because of massive fishing and habitat destruction. Assessing changes in genetic diversity and inbreeding levels is a very valuable monitoring tool, and multiplex PCR has the advantages of being time-efficient and economical. Here, we selected 12 pairs of polymorphic microsatellite loci, developed two multiplex PCR amplification systems based on these microsatellites, and used them to examine 30 C. undulatus specimens. The number of alleles (Na) for the 12 microsatellite markers ranged from 2 to 8. The effective allele number (Ne) ranged from 1.724 to 4.592. The expected heterozygosity (He) and observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.420 to 0.782 and 0.100 to 0.900, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.422 to 0.746, with a mean value of 0.557. 5 loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE, p < 0.05 after Bonferroni correction). The multiplex PCR amplification system established in this study provides a basis for germplasm identification, genetic diversity analysis, and assessment of the effects of accretion and release of C. undulatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheilinus undulatus is a valuable seawater economic fish with tender meat, fresh taste, and high nutritional value; however, its population is rapidly declining because of massive fishing and habitat destruction. Assessing changes in genetic diversity and inbreeding levels is a very valuable monitoring tool, and multiplex PCR has the advantages of being time-efficient and economical. Here, we selected 12 pairs of polymorphic microsatellite loci, developed two multiplex PCR amplification systems based on these microsatellites, and used them to examine 30 C. undulatus specimens. The number of alleles (Na) for the 12 microsatellite markers ranged from 2 to 8. The effective allele number (Ne) ranged from 1.724 to 4.592. The expected heterozygosity (He) and observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.420 to 0.782 and 0.100 to 0.900, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.422 to 0.746, with a mean value of 0.557. 5 loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE, p < 0.05 after Bonferroni correction). The multiplex PCR amplification system established in this study provides a basis for germplasm identification, genetic diversity analysis, and assessment of the effects of accretion and release of C. undulatus.

Wrasses are dominant components of major coral reef systems. Among wrasses, Cheilinus undulatus is an endangered species with high economic and ecological value that exhibits sex reversal of females to males, while sexual selection occurs in breeding aggregations. However, the molecular‐associated mechanism underlying this remains unclear. Opsin gene diversification is regarded as a potent force in sexual selection. Here we present a genome assembly of C. undulatus, using Illumina, Nanopore and Hi‐C sequencing. The 1.17 Gb genome was generated from 328 contigs with an N50 length of 16.5 Mb and anchored to 24 chromosomes. In total, 22,218 genes were functionally annotated, and 96.36% of BUSCO genes were fully represented. Transcriptomic analyses showed that 96.79% of the predicted genes were expressed. Transposons were most abundant, accounting for 39.88% of the genome, with low divergence, owing to their evolution with close species ~60.53 million years ago. In total, 567/1,826 gene families were expanded and contracted in the reconstructed phylogeny, respectively. Forty‐six genes were under positive selection. Comparative genomic analyses with other fish revealed expansion of opsin SWS2B, LWS1 and Rh2. The elevated duplicates of SWS2B were generated by gene conversions via transposition of transposons followed by nonallelic homologous recombination. Amino acid substitutions of opsin paralogues occurred at key tuning sites, causing a spectral shift in maximal absorbance of visual pigment to capture functional changes. Among these opsin genes, SWS2B‐3 and 4 and Rh1 are expressed in the retina. The genome sequence of C. undulatus provides valuable resources for future investigation of the conservation, evolution and behaviour of fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Napoleon wrasse -- Cheilinus undulatus, locally known as "mameng" -- was assessed as "endangered" in 2004 under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessment and is also listed under the Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Although there are numerous reports of Napoleon wrasse sightings by tourists and researchers in the two atolls within the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), its density and size-frequency distribution have not been formally documented. A thorough survey was conducted in TRNP in May 2017 employing the fish visual census (FVC) technique but with a much broader swath width. A total reef area of 103 hectares not frequently visited by tourists was surveyed in the North and South Atolls, where a total of 641 individuals was recorded with an average density of 6.83 individuals/ha. Density comparison between atolls showed a significant difference (Welch's two-sample t-test (t5.42 = -3.28, p < 0.05). South Atoll has a higher density (8.13 individuals/ha ± 1.11 se) than the North Atoll (4.20 individuals/ha ± 0.46 se). However, by size class, the North Atoll was significantly larger (n = 398; median = 65 cm) than in the South Atoll (n = 243; median = 60 cm) based on Wilcoxon Rank Sum test (W = 55,674, p < 0.05). A comparison of density and size class between the NW and SE coastline in the North Atoll showed no significant difference. Juveniles were also found at a site at the North Atoll. Taken together, these findings suggest that TRNP may serve as a source and a sink at the same time. This implies that TRNP is a key habitat for the Napoleon wrasse in the Sulu Sea and possibly in the adjacent seas through its pelagic larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based fisheries management that integrates local knowledge and existing user rights is often seen as a solution to the failures of top-down fisheries management in the Pacific. In Roviana Lagoon, Western Solomon Islands, a network of community-based marine protected areas (MPAs) was established in the early 2000s to conserve declining populations of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and other locally valuable fish species such as humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus). We aimed to evaluate the success of these protected areas at preventing declines of B. muricatum and C. undulatus. We conducted 27 underwater visual census (UVC) surveys at permanent passage and outer reef monitoring sites in Roviana Lagoon in 2018 and compared our findings with results from 72 UVC surveys that we had conducted at the same sites 18 yrs earlier. We also interviewed Roviana spearfishers about their maximum nightly B. muricatum catches from 2018, the early 2000s and the 1980s. Abundances of all B. muricatum and C. undulatus sighted on UVC surveys declined by 62% and 57%, respectively, between 2000 and 2018, and abundances of adult B. muricatum and C. undulatus declined by 78% and 72%, respectively, over the same period. Using a joint model of B. muricatum abundance and its reported maximum catch, we estimated that in 2018 the population of B. muricatum was 8% of its 1980's abundance. By modelling projected rates of decline over three generations, we show that populations of B. muricatum and C. undulatus in Roviana Lagoon meet the IUCN Red List thresholds for Critically Endangered (CR). The probable causes of these declines are sustained fishing pressure, poor enforcement of community-based management measures and loss of fish nursery habitats due to logging. Our findings suggest urgent co-management of the ridge-to-reef system is needed to prevent further fish population declines in Roviana Lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) are two of the largest, most iconic fishes of Indo‐Pacific coral reefs. Both species form prized components of subsistence and commercial fisheries and are vulnerable to overfishing. C. undulatus is listed as Endangered and B. muricatum as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We investigated how night spearfishing pressure and habitat associations affected both species in a relatively lightly exploited setting; the Kia fishing grounds, Isabel Province, Solomon Islands. We used fisheries‐independent data from underwater visual census surveys and negative binomial models to estimate abundances of adult C. undulatus and B. muricatum as a function of spearfishing pressure and reef strata. Our results showed that, in Kia, night spearfishing pressure from free divers had no measurable effect on C. undulatus abundances, but abundances of B. muricatum were 3.6 times lower in areas of high spearfishing pressure, after accounting for natural variations due to habitat preferences. It is likely the species' different nocturnal aggregation behaviors, combined with the fishers' use of night spearfishing by spot‐checking underpin these species' varying susceptibility. Our study highlights that B. muricatum is extremely susceptible to night spearfishing; however, we do not intend to draw conservation attention away from C. undulatus. Our data relate only to the Kia fishing grounds, where human population density is low, the spot‐checking strategy is effective for reliably spearing large numbers of fish, particularly B. muricatum, and fisheries have only recently begun to be commercialized; such conditions are increasingly rare. Instead, we recommend that regional managers assess the state of their fisheries and the dynamics affecting the vulnerability of the fishes to fishing pressure based on local‐scale, fisheries‐independent data, where resources permit. Declines in the abundance of two iconic coral reef fishes, Bolbometopon muricatum, and Cheilinus undulatus, worldwide, have been attributed to heavy fishing since both are large fish that form prized components of fisheries in the Indo‐Pacific. Here, we compared their vulnerability to night spearfishing in the Kia fishery, Solomon Islands, and found the prolific night‐time aggregations formed by B. muricatum made them more vulnerable to spot‐checking night spearfishing than C. undulatus, whose behavior is largely solitary. We highlight that local‐scale processes such as the intersection of species' evolved behavior and humans' hunting techniques can strongly differentiate the species' responses to pressure. Information and data about these processes are sorely needed to inform better management and conservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here the complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes of six individuals of Cheilinus undulatus (Napoleon Wrasse), an endangered marine fish species. The six mt DNA sequences had an average size of 17,000 kb and encoded 22 tRNA, two sRNA, 13 highly conserved protein coding genes and a control region. The polymorphic variation (control region) in these six individuals suggests their potential use as a specific marker for phylogeographic conservation. Moreover, the sequence polymorphism within the control region (D-loop) suggests that this locus can be applied for phylogenetic studies.

Coral reefs are subjected to unprecedented levels of disturbance with population growth and climate change combining to reduce standing coral cover and stocks of reef fishes. Most of the damage is concentrated in shallow waters (<30 m deep) where humans can comfortably operate and where physical disturbances are most disruptive to marine organisms. Yet coral reefs can extend to depths exceeding 100 m, potentially offering refuge from the threats facing shallower reefs. We deployed baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) at depths of 10-90 m around the southern Mariana Islands to investigate whether fish species targeted by fishing in the shallows may be accruing benefits from being at depth. We show that biomass, abundance and species richness of fishery-targeted species increased from shallow reef areas to a depth of 60 m, whereas at greater depths, a lack of live coral habitat corresponded to lower numbers of fish. The majority of targeted species were found to have distributions that ranged from shallow depths (10 m) to depths of at least 70 m, emphasising that habitat, not depth, is the limiting factor in their vertical distribution. While the gradient of abundance and biomass versus depth was steepest for predatory species, the first species usually targeted by fishing, we also found that fishery-targeted herbivores prevailed in similar biomass and species richness to 60 m. Compared to shallow marine protected areas, there was clearly greater biomass of fishery-targeted species accrued in mesophotic depths. Particularly some species typically harvested by depth-limited fishing methods (e.g., spearfishing), such as the endangered humphead wrasse Cheilinus undulatus, were found in greater abundance on deeper reefs. We conclude that mesophotic depths provide essential fish habitat and refuge for fishery-targeted species, representing crucial zones for fishery management and research into the resilience of disturbed coral reef ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refinements to the methodology of bomb radiocarbon dating made it possible to validate age estimates of the humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum). Age for these species has been estimated from presumed annual growth zones in otoliths at ~30 and ~40 years respectively. The validity of these estimates was tested using bomb radiocarbon dating on the small and fragile otoliths of these species, and provided an opportunity to refine the method using advanced technologies. A regional Δ[sup 14]C reference record from hermatypic coral cores from the Great Barrier Reef was assembled and Δ[sup 14]C measurements from extracted otolith cores of adult otoliths were successful. Validated ages supported the accuracy of growth zone derived ages using sectioned sagittal otoliths. Advances in research and technology over the last 20 years have improved the precision and utility of bomb radiocarbon dating in validating the age and growth of fishes. The large and iconic reef fishes chosen for this age validation study exemplifies the current state of the technique by pushing the limits of sample extraction and analysis. Bomb radiocarbon dating can now provide valid estimates of age for fishes that could not be considered previously because of otolith mass limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All possible tools need to be marshalled for marine fish conservation. Yet controversy has swirled around what role, if any, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) should play for marine fishes. This paper analyses the relevance and applicability of CITES as a complementary tool for fisheries management. CITES currently regulates the international trade of very few marine fish species, by listing them in its Appendices. After the first meeting of the Parties (member countries) in 1976, no new marine fish taxa were added to the CITES Appendices until 2002, when Parties agreed to act to ensure sustainable and legal international trade in seahorses ( Hippocampus spp.) and two species of sharks. Progress has continued haltingly, adding only one more shark, humphead wrasse ( Cheilinus undulatus) and sawfishes by 2012. Parties voice concerns that may include inadequate data, applicability of CITES listing criteria, roles of national fisheries agencies, enforcement challenges, CITES' lack of experience with marine fishes, and/or identification and by-catch problems. A common query is the relationship between CITES and other international agreements. Yet all these arguments can be countered, revealing CITES to be a relevant and appropriate instrument for promoting sound marine fisheries management. In reality, Parties that cannot implement CITES effectively for marine fishes will also need help to manage their fisheries sustainably. CITES action complements and supports other international fisheries management measures. As CITES engages with more marine fish listings, there will be greater scope to analyse its effectiveness in supporting different taxa in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mobility group box1 (HMGB1) is a kind of chromatin-associated nonhistone protein important for nucleosome formation, transcriptional regulation and inflammation. However, the reports about HMGB1 of marine fish were still limited. Here, we cloned and characterized a HMGB1 gene from humphead snapper, Lutjanus sanguineus (Ls-HMGB1). The Ls-HMGB1 cDNA composed of 1199 bp with a 70 bp of 5′-UTR, 630 bp open reading frame (ORF) and 499 bp 3′-UTR, encoded a polypeptide of 210 amino acids (GenBank Accession No: KJ783442). Sequence alignment of Ls-HMGB1 showed the highest similarity of 91% with Sciaenops ocellatus HMGB1 protein. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that Ls-HMGB1 had relatively high expression level in skin, kidney and heart. After Vibrio harveyi and poly I:C stimulation, transcripts of Ls-HMGB1 were significantly increased and reached to peak at 18 h p.i. The L . sanguineus interleukin-6 (Ls-IL6) transcription in HK leukocytes was significantly induced by recombinant LsHMGB1 (rLsHMGB1). These results indicated that Ls-HMGB1 may play an important role in immune response of L . sanguineus during pathogen challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is an apex predator from coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. A food surveillance project using a validated mouse bioassay revealed the presence of ciguatoxins in significantly greater amounts in its flesh than in groupers and other coral reef fishes commonly available in Hong Kong wholesale market. Humphead wrasse has long been known to cause ciguatera, but there was a lack of clinical reports. A 45-year-old woman developed ciguatera after eating humphead wrasse. She required ICU care and infusions of intravenous fluids and dopamine for management of severe hypotension. All 5 published case series are also reviewed to characterise the types, severity and chronicity of ciguatera symptoms after its consumption. In addition to the gastrointestinal, neurological and other features that were typical of ciguatera, some subjects developed sinus bradycardia, hypotension, shock, neuropsychiatric features (e.g. mental exhaustion, depression, insomnia and memory loss), other central nervous system symptoms (e.g. coma, convulsions and ataxia) and myocardial ischaemia. Other subjects still experienced residual symptoms 6 months later; these were mainly neurological or neuropsychiatric complaints and skin pruritus. To prevent ciguatera, the public should avoid eating humphead wrasse and other large coral reef fishes. They should realise that consumption of the high-risk fish may result in more severe and chronic illness, including life-threatening complications and neuropsychiatric features. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Observation network data comprise animal presences detected by observer stations at fixed spatial locations. Statistical analysis of these data is complicated by spatial bias in sampling and temporal variability in detection conditions. Advanced methods for analysis of these data are required but are currently underdeveloped., We propose a state-space model ( SSM) for observation network data to estimate detailed movements of individual animals. The underlying movement model is an Ornstein- Uhlenbeck ( OU) process, which is stationary, and therefore has an inherent mechanism that models home range behaviour. An integral part of the approach is the detection function, which models the probability of logging animal presences. The detection function is also used to provide absence information when animals are undetected. Since the ability to detect an animal often depends on time-varying external factors such as environmental conditions, we use covariate information about detection efficiency as control variables., Via simulation, we found that movement estimation error scales log-linearly with network sparsity. This result can be used to indicate the number of stations necessary to achieve a desired upper bound on estimation error. Furthermore, we found that the SSM outperforms existing techniques in terms of estimating detailed movements and that estimates are robust towards mis-specification of the detection function. We also tested the importance of accounting for time-varying detection conditions and found that the probability of making wrong conclusions decreases substantially when covariate information is exploited., The model is used to estimate movements and home range of a humphead wrasse ( Cheilinus undulatus) at Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. Here, detection conditions have a strong diel component, which is controlled for using detection efficiency information from a reference device., The presented approach enhances the toolbox for analysis of observation network data as collected by acoustic telemetry or potentially other aspiring methods such as camera trapping and mobile phone tagging. By explicitly modelling movement and observation processes, the model integrates all sources of uncertainty and provides a sound statistical basis for making well-informed management decisions from imperfect information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1953, a total of 27 human poisoning cases caused by the consumption of blue humphead parrotfish,Scarus ovifrons, have been reported in Japan. Characteristic symptoms are severe muscle pain associated with rhabdomyolysis. Although it is believed that palytoxin, which is one of the most potent non-protein marine biotoxins, is the most likely causative toxin in blue humphead parrotfish poisoning, palytoxin has not been proven conclusively as the causative toxin because of lack of a reliable and sensitive analytical method for palytoxin. In 2011, human poisoning cases caused by the consumption of blue humphead parrotfish occurred in Miyazaki and Tokyo. In our present study, an LC-MS/MS method for palytoxin and its analogues in the blue humphead parrotfish samples causing the human poisoning cases in 2011 was developed and the samples were analysed by using the newly developed LC-MS/MS method. Palytoxin and its analogues were not detected in the samples from the food poisoning cases. The LC-MS/MS findings therefore do not support the recently accepted hypothesis that palytoxin is the causative agent in blue humphead parrotfish poisoning in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Objective] The aim of this paper was to investigate the genetic diversity of mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequences of Cheilinus undulatus populations. [Method] Twenty-five individuals of C. undulatus were collected from the offshore area of Hainan Province. PCR and cloning techniques were used to clone and purify the mtDNA D-loop sequences of C. undulatus populations (n -25), about 1 400 bp long PCR product was obtained. ClustalX software was adopted for sequence alignment, and results were imported into MEGA5.0. [Result] According to experimental results, 66 mutation sites were detected from 25 individuals, including 0 deletion, 4 inserts, 59 transition sites, 2 transversion sites and 1 transition-trans version site. Pairwise genetic distances of these 25 individuals were calculated by using MEGA5.0 software. Based on that, NJ phylogenetic tree of these 25 individuals was constructed. Analysis of C. undulatus populations using DNASP software showed that the polymorphic site number (5) was 62, nucleotide diversity (Pi) was 0.006 06, and average number of nucleotide differences (K) was 6.907. [Conclusion] Overall, there was no significant variation among mtDNA D-loops of C. undulatus populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An invasive species is less likely to flourish if it is vulnerable to the predators it encounters in its newly-colonised range. The success of cane toads (Rhinella marina) in invading Australia has been attributed to the toads’ powerful chemical defences, which render this toxic invader invulnerable to most vertebrate predators. However, invertebrate predators have been largely ignored. Our laboratory studies show that at least three invertebrate species (one coleopteran, two hemipterans) are unaffected by the toads’ bufadienolide defences, and consume aquatic stages of the cane toad life history. The water beetle Cybister godeffroyi consumed eggs, hatchlings and tadpoles of R. marina, whereas the water bugs Diplonychus rusticus and Lethocerus insulanus consumed toad tadpoles but not eggs. In choice tests, C. godeffroyi and D. rusticus preferred cane toad tadpoles to simultaneously available native tadpoles or fish, possibly reflecting the smaller size and/or slower swimming speeds of larval cane toads. Rates of predation on cane toad tadpoles were high (e.g., a single water beetle often consumed five tadpoles per day in a complex environment). These abundant, voracious invertebrate predators could reduce cane toad recruitment success in some tropical waterbodies. Future research could usefully examine whether densities of water beetles and water bugs increase after toad invasion (potentially explaining why toad numbers often decline post-colonisation). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The live reef food fish trade (LRFFT) has caused severe depletion of the Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) populations globally, a species considered endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. In 2010, signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora recognized that illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) activities in the LRFFT were undermining the efforts to protect this species. Management recommendations have yet to be effectively implemented at national and local levels where the fish is harvested. This paper analyzes the threats to, and socio-economic impacts of, Humphead wrasse recovery in Sabah, Malaysia, and offers both short- and longer-term recommendations for the local recovery of the species. Key issues addressed centre around understanding the threats to recovery, specifically the role of IUU and the context-specific considerations, including the socio-economic aspects of the IUU trade in Sabah. The analysis confirms that deliberate management planning and action at multiple levels are required to prevent local-scale extinction. Lessons for other species and countries involved in the LRFFT suggest that to be effective, broad management frameworks must be tailored to local situations and must focus on gaining support and participation of fish harvesters if the recovery and long-term sustainability of both the Humphead wrasse and the LRFFT are to be achieved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Heat shock protein 10 (HSP10) gene of humphead snapper (Lutjanus sanguineus), designated as ByHSP10, was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques with the primers designed from the known EST sequence identified from the subtracted cDNA library of the head kidney of humphead snapper. Sequence analysis showed the full length cDNA of ByHSP10 was 529bp, containing a 5′ terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 51bp, a 3′ terminal UTR of 181bp, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 297bp encoding a polypeptide of 99 amino acids. Based on the deduced amino acid sequence, the theoretical molecular mass of ByHSP10 was calculated to be 10.92kDa with an isoelectric point of 9.46. Moreover, chaperonins hsp10/cpn10 signature was found in the amino acids sequence of ByHSP10 by PredictProtein. BLAST analysis revealed that the amino acids of ByHSP10 had the highest homology of 88% compared with other HSP10s. Fluorescent real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of ByHSP10 gene in eight kinds of tissues of humphead snapper after the challenge with Vibrio harveyi. There was a clear time-dependent expression pattern of ByHSP10 in head kidney, spleen and thymus after bacteria challenge. The expression of mRNA reached the maximum level at the time point of 9h, 6h and 24h, respectively and then returned to control level in 36h. The up-regulated mRNA expression of ByHSP10 in humphead snapper after bacteria challenge indicated that the HSP10 gene was inducible and might be involved in immune response. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the ORF nucleotide sequences of HSP10 for 30 species. The relatonships among them were generally in agreement with the traditional taxonomy which suggested that HSP10 genes could aid in the system classification research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The full-length cDNA of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) of humphead snapper Lutjanus sanguineus, designated as rsHSP90, was cloned by rapid amplification of complementary (c)DNA ends (RACE) techniques with the primers designed from the known expressed sequence tag (EST) sequence identified from the subtracted cDNA library of the head kidney of L. sanguineus. Sequence analysis showed that the full-length cDNA of rsHSP90 was 2745 bp, containing a 5′ terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 99 bp, a 3′ terminal UTR of 471 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 2175 bp encoding a polypeptide of 725 amino acids. On the basis of the deduced amino acid sequence, the theoretical molecular mass of rsHSP90 was calculated to be 83·18 kDa with an isoelectric point of 4·79. Moreover, five classical HSP90 family signatures were found in the amino acids sequence of rsHSP90 by PredictProtein. Basic local-alignment search-tool (BLAST) analysis revealed that the amino acids sequence of rsHSP90 had the highest similarity of 97% when compared with other HSP90s. Fluorescent real-time quantitative reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR was used to examine the expression pattern of rsHSP90 in eight kinds of tissues and organs of L. sanguineus challenged with Vibrio harveyi. There was a clear time-dependent expression pattern of rsHSP90 in head kidney, spleen and thymus after bacterial challenge and the expression of messenger (m)RNA reached the maximum level at the time points of 9, 15 and 24 h, respectively. The up-regulated mRNA expression of rsHSP90 in L. sanguineus after bacterial challenge indicated that rsHSP90 was inducible and might be involved in immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinctive hump on the forehead of large individuals of the Humphead Wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, a protogynous hermaphroditic reef fish, is often assumed to be a male-associated secondary sexual characteristic, but this has never been evaluated. A unique opportunity arose to obtain confiscated specimens, 161 females and 17 males, ranging in body sizes from 20.8 to 129.0 cm total length (TL), making this evaluation possible for the first time. The hump was quantified in terms of its maximum angle of elevation, and its development was determined to be size-associated. A notable hump was recorded in 16 females and all 17 males, becoming visible around 37.0 cm TL, and all specimens ±75.0 cm TL exhibited a distinctive hump, irrespective of sex. There was a linear and positive correlation between body size and maximum angle of hump elevation for both sexes; males tended to have larger humps because they were larger in body size rather than because of sexual dimorphism for hump development. The development of a cephalic hump or a horn on the forehead has been documented in several groups of reef fishes, and its possible adaptive significance in different groups is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The lethal effect of enteromyxosis is recorded for the first time in the humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, a tropical pet fish. Enteromyxosis was caused by the myxosporean parasite Enteromyxum leei, and the gut was the only tissue affected in this case. Severe enteritis and degeneration of the intestinal mucosa may have caused a digestive function disorder, thereby resulting in the fish''s death. The histopathological findings of this case included destruction of normal tissue architecture of the intestinal mucosa, chronic inflammation, and infiltration of mast cells/eosinophilic granular cells, which resembled findings described in other fish that were diagnosed with enteromyxosis. Induced stress by transportation and entrance to a new environment possibly played an underlying role in the virulence of the parasitic infection and associated tissue pathology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report here the complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes of six individuals of Cheilinus undulatus (Napoleon Wrasse), an endangered marine fish species. The six mt DNA sequences had an average size of 17,000 kb and encoded 22 tRNA, two sRNA, 13 highly conserved protein coding genes and a control region. The polymorphic variation (control region) in these six individuals suggests their potential use as a specific marker for phylogeographic conservation. Moreover, the sequence polymorphism within the control region (D-loop) suggests that this locus can be applied for phylogenetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here the complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes of six individuals of Cheilinus undulatus (Napoleon Wrasse), an endangered marine fish species. The six mt DNA sequences had an average size of 17,000 kb and encoded 22 tRNA, two sRNA, 13 highly conserved protein coding genes and a control region. The polymorphic variation (control region) in these six individuals suggests their potential use as a specific marker for phylogeographic conservation. Moreover, the sequence polymorphism within the control region (D-loop) suggests that this locus can be applied for phylogenetic studies., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Summary: New work on an important agricultural pest reveals an unexpected toxin-producing defensive bacterial symbiont. Surprisingly, the symbiont’s genome is highly reduced, with genes devoted to polyketide synthesis making up a large fraction of its coding capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]