Torpedo 6

BRITISH MARINE LIFE (106127.206 at compuserve.com)
Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:41:53 -0500

British Marine Life Study Society
Glaucus House, 14 Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex. BN43 6PQ.
Tel/Fax: 01273 465433

BMLSS (Scotland)
URL= http://www.ed.ac.uk/~evah01/bmlss.htm

For details of how to join the BMLSS, please contact the above address, or the World Wide Web site at Scotland which will include some sample articles which can be downloaded to your computer. The copyright of each article remains with the writer of each article and reproduction is not permitted without express permission.

The British Marine Life Study Society was formed in June 1990 and the first issue of Glaucus was published in September 1990.

TORPEDO
Electronic News Service

Welcome to TORPEDO for December 1996. Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year. The trial period for 'Torpedo' extends until the end of 1996. If you do not wish to receive the information for 1997 please indicate. From 1997 TORPEDO will only be sent to recipients who specifically request it, or BMLSS members who put their EMail number of the Renewal Subscription Form or New Member Application Form.

OTHER MARINE WEB SITES

The following sites are worth looking at:

Internet Resource Guide for Zoology
URL= http://www.york.biosis.org/zrdocs/zoolinfo/subj_ind.htm

URL= http://www.ed.ac.uk/~evah01/fishpage.htm
URL= http://www2.tcd.ie/People/Bernard.Picton/Rare_Fish
URL= http://www.gla.ac.uk/~gbza62/contents.html
Planet Science:
URL= http://www.newscientist.comp/ps/ns/index.html

DIARY

17 December 1996: Marine Forum
North East Atlantic Liaison Group meeting and talks on:
'Fisheries and Ecosystem Impacts'

at the Linnean Society, Piccadilly, London. 14.00 hrs.

Further information from:

Sunil Shastri (Secretary)
Tel: 01723 362392
Fax: 01273 370815
EMail: marforum at ucscarb.ac.uk

GLAUCUS
AUTUMN/WINTER 1996 ISSUE 21st issue

At the time of writing (9/12/96) the latest issue of Glaucus is at the printers. It should be sent to members before Christmas.

This issue includes the usual mixture of articles, marine wildlife reports, book reviews etc.
There are 52 information-packed pages with 33,738 words.

Features include Jellyfish, Mermaid's Purses, Lesser Octopus, British Wrasses, and the Marine Biological Collector.

Diverse Reports, the series of reports of the undersea world by divers features the Outer Mulberry dive off the Sussex coast, by Jane Lilley, and Limestone Caves in Ireland, by Peter Glanvill.

Wet Thumb, the aquariological features, covers the Educational Aquarium and the Plumose Anemone by Andy Horton.

There are comprehensive Book Reviews including in-depth reports on most of the books listed below.

Under Sea Wind which explores Man's impact on the British Marine Environment, includes an Oiled Bird Update Report on the Sea Empress oil disaster by Tim Thomas (RSPCA).

There is a Report on the Shark and Ray Conference 1996 by Len Nevell.

RARE FISH REPORTS

Moral Eel
Muraena helena

A Moray Eel was caught in a parlour pot (creel) just north of Herm Island, between Demie du Nord and d'Amfroque in the British Channel Islands, in just over 20 metres of water on 3 October 1996. The pot was hauled in at 2.00 pm over a hard rocky bottom and the pot also contained three Edible Crabs, Cancer pagurus.

The Moray Eel was estimated at 5.5 kg (12 lb) and 1 metre long. It was placed in Guernsey Aquarium where it shares a tank with some Bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. The sea surface water temperature on the day of capture was measured at 16.4øC by the Jersey Meterological Office.

The Moral Eel is an extremely rare fish in the English Channel and there are less than 6 records this century (Wheeler 1978). It frequents rocky areas with small specimens found between the tides in areas like the Mediterranean Sea where the fish is common.

They possess sharp teeth that can inflict a savage bite. Adults will grow to 130 cm. They are dark brown with a purplish tinge with bright spots in contrast to the duller brown of the Conger Eel. Moray Eels lack pectoral fins which means that the slits of their gill openings can be seen on either side of its head.

There is one unconfirmed report by a diver of a Moray Eel from Dorset this year.

EMail: fishinfo at itl.net (Richard Lord)

OPISTHOBRANCHIA

Order: Pleurobranchomorpha

On Sunday, 8 December 1996, John Makeham (Polperro), reported the first known instance of the Mediterranean species of sea slug known as Tylodina perversa in British seas, from East Looe, on the lower shore of the Cornish coast. Please request a full report of this discovery, and reports of other sea slugs.

ALIEN SEAWEEDS

Dr Bill Farnham has updated me on the discoveries of the alien seaweed Undaria pinnatifida on the northern coast of the English Channel. The plants are surviving and have become fertile. It is a large brown kelp that grow to up to 1 metre in length. Please request the Full Report.

CHRISTMAS BOOK LIST 1996

The full Book Review can be found in the December 1996 issue of the Aquarist & Pondkeeper magazine available in good newsagents.

Books published in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and not included in last years list.

BOOK OF THE YEAR
1) The Rise of Fishes by John A. Long
The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, USA. 1995
ISBN 0-80818-4992-6
Distributors: Plymbridge

I had no hesitation in nominating this book as the 'Book of the Year'. For anybody with any scientific interest in fishes, must have pondered how they evolved. This book charts their 500 years evolution in a well written text accompanied by excellent colour illustrations and photographs. It can be regarded as a definitive text. One word of warning is that although the text is clear, the subject is complicated and some people may find it a difficult read.

2) Collins Pocket Guide to the Seashore of Britain & Northern Europe
by Peter Hayward, Tony Nelson-Smith, Chris Shields.
Illustrations by the WILDlife Art agency.
Harper Collins 1996
ISBN 0 00219955 6
Price œ12.99 and Special Offers.

This is a completely rewritten version of the Collins Guide to the Seashore and it immediately establishes itself as the leading pocket identification guide to the seashore and shallow seas around Britain and including the fauna of the Mediterranean Sea. Over 3000 species are described, and contain excellent colour illustrations of all species which makes it the first general book that it should be possible to be reasonably certain of making a correct identification. Good value for money and recommended even if you already possess more comprehensive guides (see last years list).

3) Saltwater Life of Great Britain & Europe
by Leslie Jackman
Junior Nature Guides. Dragon's World, Children's Books.1995
ISBN 1-85028-295-1
Price œ7.95

This is the best guide for the younger reader I have seen, although there are some close contenders. The arrangement on the page is modern and appealing to the eye. The illustrations are very good. Most of the common species are included, but there is nothing about the tides. This book is endorsed by Wildlife Watch, the junior branch of the Wildlife Trusts.

4) Philips Atlas of the Oceans
Edited by John Pernetta
Reed International Books 1994
ISBN 0-540-06275-8
Price œ14.99 Special Offers

5) Microsoft Oceans
CD-ROM
Microsoft Corporation 1995
CD Set 473-052-009
Price œ29.99.

6) Secrets of the Seas
by Linda Gamlin
Reader's Digest 1995
ISBN 0 276 42167 1

7) UK Digital Marine Atlas
by NERC Proudman Laboratory, Birkenhead.
British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC)
PC Computer Discs X 6.
Price œ56.40 inc. VAT

8) Wild Willy
30 minute Video recording
Living Planet Productions 1996

9) Understanding Marine Biodiversity
National Research Council (US)
National Academy of Sciences (US)
National Academy Press 1995
ISBN 0-309-05225-4

This small volume details some of the latest worldwide information on the marine world, with references. It is written in report style and not directed at the general reader.

10) A Students Guide to the Seashore
by J.D. Fish & S. Fish
Cambridge University Press [2nd edition] 1996.
ISBN 0-521-46819-1 (pb) 0 521 46279 7 (hc)

The following book did not arrive in time for inclusion:

Oceanography
An Illustrated Guide
Edited by Dr. C. P. Summerhayes &
Professor S.A. Thorpe
(Southampton Oceanography Centre)
Manson Publishing Ltd
ISBN 1-874545-37-5 Softcover œ24.95
ISBN 1-874545-38-3 Hardcover œ48.00

This is the best book available for the serious student too get acquainted with the modern discipline of oceanography.

However, it will not help the student to keep marine aquaria, as marine life is only a small part of oceanography. It is suited to those readers who have developed an interest in the sea, as well as their fishkeeping. It is concerned with both shallow and deep water, and with a wide range of topics. It is not about the glamour of the marine life of the oceans, although some of the magic does come across, but explores the scope of oceanography in 348 pages (nearly A4 size), illustrated with colour photographs and diagrams, and divided into 22 chapters.

This book is not light reading, though very interesting. Readers without a scientific background may find it hard work. They are advised to have a look at the book before purchasing it. They may be better suited to one of the books in my Christmas Booklist in the December Aquarist & Pondkeeper.

Aspects of oceanography draw on physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and geology, although there is a glossary to help with unfamiliar words and concepts. The main text in most chapters is supplemented by boxes of information which help with readability and eventual understanding. There is a list of references at the end of each chapter, a glossary and an excellent index.

EXTRACT FROM MARINE SCENE (Autumn 1996)
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Peterborough

Marine species submitted for inclusion under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act.

Alosa fallax Twaite Shad
Cetorhinus maximus Basking Shark
Gobius cobitus Giant Goby
Gobius couchii Couch's Goby
Atrina fragilis Fan Mussel
Clavopsella navis hydroid

Increased protection is proposed for the Allis Shad, Alosa alosa.

Information from Clare Eno.

BRITISH OIL DISASTERS

Confirmed Oiled Birds:

Torrey Canyon 7879
Sea Empress 7080
Braer 1784

A far larger number of bird are oiled at sea and are not recovered.

Diary events on marine wildlife and oceanography to

'Shorewatch', British Marine Life Study Society,
Glaucus House, 14 Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex. BN43 6PQ.

EMail: 106127.206 CompuServe.com Tel/Fax: 01273 465433.

BRITISH MARINE LIFE
STUDY SOCIETY

SERVICES FOR 1997

GLAUCUS:

This marine life journal will be published 2 or 3 times during 1997. It will contain at least 48 magazine-size pages packed full of information about the marine life in the seas and on the shore around the British Isles.

TORPEDO:

This Electronic News Service will bring members with an Internet connection up to date information about marine wildlife, news items, and events every month.

SHOREWATCH:

This project involves the members in contributing information on their marine wildlife observations which will be published in the 'Shorewatch' Newsletter that will be sent to members and contributors monthly or bi-monthly.
The regular 'Shore Watch' column will be appearing in the Aquarist & Pondkeeper magazine during 1997. This monthly publication is available from all good newsagents.

WORLD WIDE WEB SITE:

The Scottish site commenced in 1996.
The Webmaster is Alan Pemberton and the site can be accessed at:
URL= http://www.ed.ac.uk/~evah01/bmlss.htm
An English site is planned for 1997.

ADVISORY SERVICE:

Advice on aspects of British marine life and aquariology is available to members only without charge. In practice, the first query from the public is answered. Queries can be sent in by letter to Glaucus House, or EMail, as well as telephone and Fax during office hours.

Torpedo compiled by Andy Horton 9/12/96.