In this study, we used relatively large number of samples (n = 178) and control region of mtDNA (454bp) to clearify the divergence history of Japanese harbour seals (Phoca vitulina stejnegeri) and phylogenetic relationship between the seals in Japan and other countries. Our results suggested that Japanese harbour seals possibly consisted of more than two lineages and secondary contact of popula...

It is proposed that where sexually selected vocal communication is an honest signal, the call production rate is predicted to change throughout the breeding season. Male leopard seals call underwater for many hours each day over their three- to four-month breeding season, and it is hypothesized that a decrease in calling rate would be associated with the declining body condition of smaller male...

this study is attempted to compare the number of rings and circular scales that are formed during various ages on liza saliens. sampling was carried out monthly during 2012-2013 using beach sine fishing nets. 102 specimens of different sizes were collected and transferred to the laboratory in boxes containing ice. the age of fish was determined by the number of annual rings as well as, the numb...

Northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, travel between colonies along the west coast of North America and foraging areas in the North Pacific. They also have the ability to return to their home colony after being experimentally translocated. However, the mechanisms of this navigation are not known. Visual information could serve an important role in navigation, either primary or suppl...

Productive areas are patchily distributed at sea and represent important feeding grounds for many marine organisms. Although pinnipeds are known to travel on direct routes and return regularly to particular feeding sites, the environmental information seals use to perform this navigation is as yet unknown. As atmospheric dimethyl sulphide (DMS) has been demonstrated to be a reliable indicator f...

Trust seals, such as the VeriSign and TRUSTe logos, are widely used to indicate a website is reputable. But how much protection do they offer to online shoppers? We conducted a study in which 60 experienced online shoppers rated 6 websites – with and without trust seals based on how trustworthy they perceived them to be. Eye tracking data reveals that 38% of participants failed to notice any of...

We introduce the class of “right almost V-rings” which is properly between the classes of right V-rings and right good rings. A ring R is called a right almost V-ring if every simple R-module is almost injective. It is proved that R is a right almost V-ring if and only if for every R-module M, any complement of every simple submodule of M is a direct summand. Moreover, R is a right almost V-rin...

Giardia and Cryptosporidium are protozoan parasites known to cause enteric disease in terrestrial wildlife species (mammals, reptiles and birds). Few surveys for Giardia and Cryptosporidium in marine wildlife species, such as pinnipeds, have been reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotype of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in two species of pinnipeds, harp se...

We measured concentrations of aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), and zinc (Zn) in liver from Harbor Seals (n 5 31) stranded dead in the inland waters of Washington State between 2004 and 2007. Results were compared by age class and region, and to results from past studies. Signifi...

The Austral autumn-winter is a critical period for capital breeders such as Weddell seals that must optimize resource acquisition and storage to provision breeding in the subsequent spring. However, how Weddell seals find food in the winter months remains poorly documented. We equipped adult Weddell seals after their annual molt with satellite-relayed data loggers at two sites in East Antarctic...