The staghorn sculpin Leptocottus armatus is abundant in the Yaquina Bay estuary on the central Oregon coast and also occurs offshore in shallow water. A total of 560 L. armatus were collected at three locations in Yaquina Bay and between 7 and 11 kilometers offshore in depths of 40 to 80 meters. Staghorn sculpins were present in all areas where collections were made throughout the year except during the summer when most offshore sculpins moved into Yaquina Bay. Leptocottus armatus spawned primarily in the bay during the fall and early winter. The young fish remained in Yaquina Bay for about one year at which time they were about 12.0 cm in length. Subsequently, some of them moved offshore. Seventeen different species of parasites were collected from the 526 L. armatus examined. Genolinea laticauda was collected from the stomachs of 25.1% of the fish and had greater incidence and intensity in larger fish. Recruitment of immature forms began in April and the average life span was about seven months. The life cycle was most efficient in the lower estuary. Tubulovesicula lindbergi occurred in the stomachs of 50.8% of the fish and had greater incidence and intensity in small fish. Recruitment of immature individuals occurred all year, but was greatest in June. The life cycle was most efficient in the upper estuary. Podocotyle atomon was found in 42.6% of the fish and was most abundant in the larger fish. Bucephalopsis ozakii was collected in 38.8% of the L. armatus and was more abundant in large fish, as were larval tetraphyllidean cestodes which were present in 40.7% of the fish. These two parasites were found to be positively associated because they were both more likely to parasitize larger fish. Nematodes believed to be Contracaecum cornutum were found in ulcers in the stomach of 28.0% of the fish. This was the only parasite that was obviously pathogenic. Echinorhynchus gadi occurred in 47.4% of the fish. Immature worms were obtained all year, but only from fish in the upper estuary. Other parasites encountered were the protozoans Scyphidia sp., Trichodina sp. and Ceratomyxa sp.; the trematodes Gyrodactylus sp., Neopodocotyloides sinusaccus and Derogenes sp.; the nematode Contracaecum aduncum; a piscicolid leech; the copepod Acanthochondria rectangularis and the isopod Lironeca vulgaris. It was concluded that all the parasites of L. armatus could be acquired in Yaquina Bay, although it was more likely that the larval cestode was acquired offshore. The parasite data could not be used to determine movements of L. armatus in and out of Yaquina Bay, but the data were utilized to show that movements between the upper and lower estuary were not extensive. / Graduation date: 1973

Long-term subae lal survival has been anecdotally noted in the staghorn sculpin, Leptocottus armatus. In this study, I quantified this phenomenon physiologically by examining the following parameters: standard metabolic rate and indications of reduced standard metabolic rate during subaerial exposure; capacity for and mechanism(s) of oxygen consumption in air; capacity for anaerobic production of lactate and/or ethanol; and blood pH. The staghorn sculpin appears well-suited for the subaerial exposure it experiences in nature. Mean subaerial survival time was 6 hours which would enable fish to survive intertidal stranding. Staghorns breathe air through well-supported gills and supplement depressed rates of subaerial aerobiosis by anaerobic production of lactic acid. Most remarkably, the staghorn sculpin may also substantially reduce minimal energy expenditure requirements during periods of hypoxia by reducing resting metabolic rate. / Graduation date: 1991

The mucus coat on the skin and gill of fishes serves a variety of protective functions including lubrication of the body surface, prevention of infection, and deterrence of parasites. Since mucus secretion in some teleosts appears to be controlled by the osmoregulatory hormones, prolactin and Cortisol, it was thought that the mucus coat may participate in teleost hydromineral balance. The primary objective of this study was to -examine the possible role of mucus in-osmoregulation of Leptocottus arma- tus Girard 1854 (Teleostei, Cottidae) and to relate these findings to the -endocrine control of mucus secretion. Whereas Leptocottus skin includes three types of secretory cells (eosinophilic granular, goblet, and cuticle-secreting cells) , the gill epithelium -has only goblet cells. Of ten cottid species examined histochemically, only seawater sculpins produce neutral mucins, while fresh water, seawater, and euryhaline species produce acidic mucins. Leptocottus primarily secretes a sialoglycoprotein, though sulphated mucins are present in gill goblet cells and the cuticle-secreting cells. The granular cells produce a tryptophan-rich basic protein. - Hypophysectomy or seawater adaptation reduce the number of gill goblet cells, compared to respective sham-operated or 5% seawater-acclimated controls. Ovine prolactin treatment of hypophysectomized fish prevented this decrease. In seawater-acclimated Leptocottus prolactin injections increase the number of gill mucus cells, while Cortisol injections of 5% "seawater-adapted fish had the opposite effect. The cuticle-secreting cells were most active in 5% seawater-adapted fish and this state was maintained by prolactin. A moderately active state was typical of seawater-adapted fish and this condition could be maintained by Cortisol or ovine growth hormone. The lowest activity of the cuticle-secreting cells occurred in hypophysectomized fish. Though prolactin and Cortisol appear to control the gill goblet cells and the cuticle-secreting cells, neither hy-pophysectomy nor treatment with prolactin or Cortisol significantly affected the skin goblet cells. The mucus coat appears incapable of reducing integumental permeability through steric interference of diffusion or through Donnan exclusion of ions from the mucus coat. Further, it is argued that enhancement of unstirred layers by mucus could not significantly affect hydromineral balance. Instead, alterations of the mucus coat with environmental salinity may be associated with the lubricating properties of mucus. Leptocottus mucus is a viscous non-newtonian fluid when concentrated but is an efficient lubricant when dilute. Seawater-adapted Leptocottus produce a more efficient lubricating mucus than do 5% seawater-acclimated fish; this effect appears to involve the cuticle-secreting cells. In an associated study I showed that the skin of the goby Gillichthys mirabilis participates actively in osmoregulation through extra-renal ion excretion. Thus the effects of prolactin and Cortisol may be primarily to control active transport in the skin. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

This thesis provides a detailed analysis of the growth and survivorship of outplanted Acropora cervicornis corals from underwater nurseries within three regions of the Florida Reef Tract. Substantial loss of stony coral cover on Florida’s coral reefs, including the branching staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, has occurred for decades due to disturbances such as disease, temperature induced bleaching, hurricanes, sedimentation, and pollution. This rapid population decline contributed to A. cervicornis being listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in May 2006. To aid in the recovery of the species, coral fragments were grown in underwater nurseries and outplanted to selected sites located within unique cross-shelf zones in the Upper Florida Keys, Lower Keys, and Biscayne regions. This study evaluated the regional and zonal variation in growth and survivorship of known genotypes of outplanted A. cervicornis corals to better inform future large-scale restoration projects. The zone in which corals of A. cervicornis were outplanted to had a more significant effect on growth than the coral genotype. The forereef zone within the Upper and Lower Keys regions and the mid-channel zone in the Biscayne region had significantly higher mean growth rates. When comparing growth rates of genotypes that performed best, high growth, in the Lower Keys nursery, these same genotypes did not perform the best at any of the outplant sites. Survivorship was not significantly different in any of the regions. Based on these results, future coral outplantings focused in the forereef and mid-channel zones would maximize growth. Choosing coral genotypes based on their high growth rates in the nursery does not ensure the same high growth rates when outplanted.

Introduction: Mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) are well-established techniques with little morbidity. The combined use of standard PCNL and the mini-PCNL or the RIRS technique was evaluated and compared to investigate their own role in the management of staghorn calculi in solitary kidney. Materials and Methods: 23 patients received combined standard PCNL and mini-PCNL (group 1), and 22 patients received combined standard PCNL and RIRS (group 2). The treatment results and complications were evaluated and compared. Results: The mean operation time was 128.8 ± 9.1 min in group 1 and 109.8 ± 10.7 min in group 2 (p < 0.001). The decrease in hemoglobin level in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2 (3.5 ± 0.6 vs. 2.1 ± 0.5 g/dl, p < 0.001). The final stone-free rate was significantly higher (p = 0.038) in group 2 (90.9%) than in group 1 (65.2%). Conclusions: Combined standard PCNL and RIRS technique can extract the majority of staghorn calculi quickly by PCNL with EMS Lithoclast, and RIRS used simultaneously can reduce the need for multiple tracts and therefore reduce blood loss and potential morbidity related to multiple tracts, shorten the operation time and achieve a high stone-free rate.

This research explores the instantaneous mechanical behavior of the skeleton of the critically endangered staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis. Both bleached and sanded skeletons were used in this experiment. The Raman spectroscopy test showed that there was no significant change in the Raman shift between the three branches tested. The shifts were nearly identical to Raman shifts of calcium carbonate. Vickers hardness test found that 1 Bleached had the average hardness of 3.44 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.12 GPa. The sanded sample also had a similar value of 3.54 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.13 GPa. Samples from 2 Bleached had a hardness value that was significantly lower at only 2.68 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.37 GPa. The axial compressive stress test determined that the average strength for the bleached samples was 18.98 MPa and for the sanded, 29.16 MPa. This information can be used to assist in the restoration of this species.

Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata were once dominant, reef-building corals of Caribbean reefs. Over the last several decades, population declines of Caribbean Acropora have been dramatic, and both species are now listed as “Threatened” under the United States Endangered Species Act. Numerous restoration efforts now utilize coral gardening techniques to cultivate these species for transplantation, in which A. cervicornis is primarily cultivated both on fixed structures and in line nurseries. This study evaluates growth and survivorship of multiple A. cervicornis genotypes grown via two line nursery techniques, and compares the efficacy of each against the conventional method of fixed nursery puck-mounted culture. Suspended nursery culture resulted in higher post-fragmentation survivorship of corals than puck culture, especially in warmer conditions. Disease incidence was significantly reduced by suspended culture, which also prevented predation from fireworms (Hermodice carunculata) prevalent in puck corals at the same nursery. Genotypic growth rate differences persisted among techniques, and suspended coral growth was comparable to puck culture. Suspended colonies may need more frequent pruning to avoid branch abrasion and breakage, but the technique is an effective means to reduce disease, predation, and post-fragmentation mortality in A. cervicornis nursery culture.

Coral nurseries have become a popular and successful method to produce coral fragments for reef-restocking and restoration projects worldwide. Numerous in-situ coral nurseries have been established and many studies have focused on the most effective way to produce coral fragments in offshore nurseries. In contrast, production of coral fragments in land-based nurseries is rarely studied despite a growing knowledge of coral husbandry and coral aquaculture. Little data exist on the success of tank-raised corals when transplanted back into reef environments. This thesis presents the results of a study designed to assess the use of land-based coral nurseries in production of fragments of the Atlantic staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis for the purposes of reef re-stocking and restoration. The first objective of the study was to assess if A. cervicornis fragments can be produced in aquarium conditions at comparable rates to offshore nurseries. Fragments from the same wild donor colonies were placed in an offshore nursery and a land-based nursery and monitored for survival, growth, branch production, and branch thickness for 16 months. Survival was lower in the land-based nursery, largely due to a mechanical failure. Linear extension was lower in the land-based nursery until nursery conditions were evaluated and optimized. The optimization process included changes to water quality, temperature control, and lighting. Post-optimization, linear extension in the land-based nursery exceeded the offshore nursery, with a maximum monthly growth rate of 16.0 ± 5.3 mm month-1. The maximum monthly rate in the offshore nursery was 10.6 ± 4.1 mm month-1. Branch number and thickness were also lower initially in the land-based nursery, however both metrics increased rapidly after optimization. This experiment shows that A. cervicornis can be successfully grown in a land-based nursery, and that linear extension and fragment production can be higher than in offshore nurseries if environmental conditions are maintained within optimum ranges. This experiment highlights some of the conditions that promoted high linear extension rates in this species. The second objective of this study was to examine the success of corals outplanted from land-based nurseries and to determine whether corals reared in a land-based nursery would show the same growth and survival after transplantation as those reared in a traditional offshore nursery. This was examined in two experiments. In the first experiment, small fragments were outplanted from colonies reared offshore and from colonies reared in a land-based system. In the second experiment, larger colonies reared in the two separate land-based systems were outplanted to the same location. All transplanted corals were monitored for survival, growth, branch number, and incidence of predation, breakage, and disease over one year. Two major storm events occurred during this portion of the study, so the potential for differences in breakage or storm damage were also assessed. There were no significant differences in survival or growth of fragments outplanted from a land-based nursery and an offshore nursery. Colony outplants from one land-based location had better survival and growth than colonies from a second land-based location. Tropical storm activity greatly increased the occurrence of breakage and tissue loss in all groups, resulting in decreases in colony volume and additional mortality. Survival ranged from 85% to 100% after six months, and survival ranged from 70% to 89% after one year and the passing of two tropical storms. Small (5 cm) transplants did not have significantly lower survivorship than large transplants. Overall, the transplant of fragments and colonies raised in land-based nurseries was successful, as measured by growth and survival rates that were comparable to or exceeded those observed for corals raised in offshore nurseries. Large colony transplants exhibited the best survivorship and extension rates, but were also highly prone to breakage.