Feeding Habits and the Occurrence of Anthropogenic Debris in the Stomach Content of Marine Fish from Pattani Bay, Gulf of Thailand.

This study assessed the feeding habits and ingestion of anthropogenic debris in 34 marine fish species from the southern Gulf of Thailand. A total of 5478 fish samples of 12 families were categorised into seven groups: planktivore, Lucifer feeder, fish feeder, Acetes feeder, shrimp feeder, piscivore, and zoobenthivore fish. A total of 2477 anthropogenic debris items were extracted from 12 fish species by visual inspection. Their ingestion of anthropogenic debris was influenced by season (p < 0.0001), with the highest ingestion during the northeast monsoon season. Furthermore, planktivorous fish displayed more ingested anthropogenic debris than the other investigated species (p = 0.022). Blue-coloured anthropogenic debris was commonly detected in the stomachs of fish and significantly differed between species (p > 0.001). Water depth and season significantly influenced the availability of food types (AF) for fish (p < 0.001). These findings provide evidence of the ingestion of anthropogenic debris by fish inhabiting a natural bay and signal the future anthropogenic pollution of marine fish.

Three New Records of Gammarid Amphipod in Songkhla Lake, Thailand.

Songkhla Lake is known as the most popular area for gammarid amphipod studies in the Gulf of Thailand. The first gammarid amphipod study was investigated in 1925 by Chilton. After that, there are various studies including diversity, ecology, and biology. In this study, gammarid amphipod in Songkhla Lake were collected from year 2010 to 2014. In this study, three newly recorded amphipods had been reported namely Hyale dollfusi Chevreux, 1911, Grandidierella megnae (Giles, 1888), and Hourstonius japonica (Hirayama, 1983) which had not been previously reported from the Thai waters. The gammarid amphipods had been catalogued. Their characteristics had been described and illustrated. All specimens were deposited at Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.

Accumulation of Trace Metals in Anadara granosa and Anadara inaequivalvis from Pattani Bay and the Setiu Wetlands.

This study was undertaken to assess the levels of trace metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in two common species of cockles (Anadara granosa and Anadara inaequivalvis) from two coastal areas in Thailand (Pattani Bay) and Malaysia (the Setiu Wetlands). A total of 350 cockles were collected in February and September 2014. Trace metals were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. We observed that cockles in both areas had a higher accumulation of metals in September. Notably, the biota-sediment accumulation (BSAF) of Cd was highest in both areas. A strong positive correlation of Cd with the length of the cockles at Pattani Bay (r(2) = 0.597) and the Setiu Wetlands (r(2) = 0.675) was noted. It was suggested that As could be a limiting element (BSAF < 1) of cockles obtained from Pattani Bay. In comparison with the permissible limits set by the Thailand Ministry of Public Health and the Malaysia Food Regulations, mean values of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were within acceptable limits, but the maximum values of Cd and Pb exceeded the limits for both areas. Regular monitoring of trace metals in cockles from both areas is suggested for more definitive contamination determination.

Corophiine amphipods of the genera Chelicorophium and Paracorophium from the lower Gulf of Thailand (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Corophiidae, Corophiinae).

Two species of corophiine amphipods from Songkhla Lake, in the lower Gulf of Thailand, are described and illustrated. Chelicorophiummadrasensis (Nayar, 1950), found in the mangrove forest, has not previously been observed in Thai waters. Paracorophiumangsupanichae sp. n. is characterized by its chelate male gnathopod 2, obtuse palm with subrectangular distomedial elevation, and urosomites 1-3 free. This is the first record of the genus Chelicorophium and Paracorophium in Thai waters. All specimens are deposited in the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand and the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin.

Changes in soil properties of abandoned shrimp ponds in southern Thailand.

Chemical soil properties between active shrimp ponds and abandoned ones on the Bangkok soil series were compared, at Ranote District, Songkhla Province in southern Thailand. Soil samples were collected at depth intervals of 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 and 40-50 cm from pond bottoms at the same ponds used in a former study conducted in 1994, for a total of 6 ponds with 3 sampling sites for each pond. These ponds were active during the previous study in 1994, abandoned in 1996 and investigated by this study in 1999. All the samples were analyzed for exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter, S, P and pH, and statistically compared with the analytical results of the previous study. An increase in amounts of Ca, Mg, K, Na and EC in the abandoned ponds as compared with the active ones by 1.3-3.4, 1.4-2.1, 7.0-30.0, 1.2-6.3 and 1.3-10.9 times respectively was observed. That more of these elements were gained than lost each time the seawater was introduced into the ponds, is explained by the 'Element Input/Output Consideration' as proposed herein. Furthermore, a decrease in organic matter, S and P was also observed in the abandoned pond soils, and attributed to the absence of shrimp food and shrimp excreta following the cessation of shrimp raising activities. An unexpected decline in the soil pH of the abandoned ponds was found as well. Aerobic decomposition of organic matter during the absence of shrimp raising activities caused by soil microorganisms triggering SO2 and H2SO4 formation probably played a more significant role than the increase in the amounts of the basic elements (Ca, Mg, K, and Na) eventually reducing soil pH in the abandoned ponds. The significant depletion of the amounts of organic matter in the abandoned pond soils also supports this observation.