Expanding hybrid zone between Solea aegyptiaca and Solea senegalensis: genetic evidence over two decades.

Several marine hybrid zones have been described and studied during the last years. Assessing the movements of extending hybrid zones is central to improve our understanding of evolutionary processes. We have re-examined the hybrid zone between Solea aegyptiaca and Solea senegalensis that was first described 22 years ago in northern Tunisia when introgressed S. senegalensis individuals were found in the Gulf of Tunis, whereas locally caught S. aegyptiaca were genetically pure. Six population samples harvested both inside and outside the area where the two fish species coexist were genotyped for allozymes and exon-primed intron length polymorphism. Both types of markers were congruent and revealed that introgression takes place indeed in both directions. A high introgression level (36.4%) in the Bizerta lagoon and much less outside indicate that this is the main area where hybridization occurs while introgression clines towards the south in S. aegyptiaca and towards the north in S. senegalensis plead in favour of the existence of a unimodal hybrid zone. The higher introgression level calculated in the current study (when compared to 16% reported formerly) and the newly found introgressed S. aegyptiaca in Bizerta lagoon seem to indicate that the genetic exchanges occurring between the two taxa are evolving and not stabilized yet.

[Compared parasitic infection of Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Diphyllobothridae) in Cyprinidae species: Rutilus rubilio and Scardinius erythrophthalmus in two dam reserves in Tunisia]. / Infestation compaéee de Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Diphyllobothridae) chez deux poissons Cyprinidés : Rutilus rubilio et Scardinius erythrophthalmus dans deux retenues de barrages en Tunisie.

Monitoring quantitative parameters of parasitism by ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Diphyllobothridae) was performed by examining 516 fish belonging to two introduced freshwater species: Rutilus rubilio (350 individuals) and Scardinius erythrophthalmus (166 individuals). These fish were collected in two dam reserves in Tunisia, Sidi Salem and Nebhana. The analysis of the aquatic bird's composition in these two reserves revealed the existence of piscivorous bird species that were previously reported as final host of Ligula. Monitoring the bird's composition highlighted higher relative abundance and frequency in Sidi Salem than in Nebhana dam reserve. The analyses of the prevalence, mean intensity and abundance of the parasite revealed the most important values in roach, Rutilus rubilio which seems to be the preferential second intermediate host of the parasite Ligula intestinalis in these environments. Comparative analysis of parasitism in both explored sites suggests that Ligula intestinalis presents two different strategies of infestation. In Sidi Salem reserve, which is larger than Nebhana and containing on important and diversified piscivorous species, the parasite infects a maximum of host individuals with low parasite mean intensity values. However, at Nebhana, which is a smaller reserve, the parasite infects fewer individuals than Sidi Salem but with higher mean intensity. The highest prevalence values were recorded in large size classes of roach species in Sidi Salem reserve.

Monitoring of dioxin-like, estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities in sediments of the Bizerta lagoon (Tunisia) by means of in vitro cell-based bioassays: contribution of low concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

We used an array of in vitro cell-based bioassays to assess dioxin-like, estrogenic and (anti-)androgenic activities in organic extracts of sediments from the Bizerta lagoon, one of the largest Tunisian lagoons subjected to various anthropogenic and industrial pressures. The sediments were sampled both in winter and summer 2006 in 6 stations differently impacted and in one reference station located in the seawards entrance of Ghar el Melh lagoon. Chemical analyses of the 16 priority PAHs showed that the sediments were low to moderately contaminated (2-537 ng/g dry weight). By using the estrogen- (MELN) and androgen-responsive (MDA-kb2) reporter cell lines, significant estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities were detected only in the Menzel Bourguiba (MB) site, the most contaminated site, both in winter and summer. By using 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) induction in the fish PLHC-1 cell line after both 4 and 24 h of cell exposure, dioxin-like activities were detected in all analysed samples. Dioxin-like activities were higher after 4 h exposure, and varied according to the sites and the sampling season. While highly significant correlation was observed between bioassay- and chemical analyses-derived toxic equivalents (TEQs), PAHs accounted for only a small part (up to 4%) of the detected biological activities, suggesting that other readily metabolised EROD-inducing compounds were present. This study argues for the use of short time exposure to assess biological TEQs in low contaminated samples and provides new induction equivalent factors (IEF(4h)) for 16 PAHs in the PLHC-1 cell line. Finally, our results stress the need to further characterise the nature of organic chemical contamination as well as its long-term impacts on aquatic wildlife in the Bizerta lagoon.

Fragmentation of sea bass populations in the western and eastern Mediterranean as revealed by microsatellite polymorphism.

We studied the genetic structure at six microsatellite loci of the Mediterranean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) on 19 samples collected from different localities in the western and eastern Mediterranean basins. Significant divergence was found between the two basins. The distance tree showed two separate clusters of populations which matched well with geography, with the noticeable exception of one Egyptian sample which grouped within the western clade, a fact attributable to the introduction of aquaculture broodstock. No heterogeneity was observed within the western basin (theta = 0.0014 and n.s.). However, a significant level of differentiation was found among samples of the eastern Mediterranean (theta = 0.026 and p < 0.001). These results match with water currents but probably not with the dispersal abilities of this fish species. We thus hypothesize that selective forces are at play which limit long-range dispersal, a fact to be taken into account in the debate about speciation processes in the marine environment.

[Myliocotyle pteromylaei gn. and sp. n. (Monogenea, Monocotylidae) gill parasite of Pteromylaeus bovinus (Euselachii, Myliobatidae) in Tunisia]. / Myliocotyle pteromylaei gn. et sp. n. (Monogenea, Monocotylidae) parasite branchial de Pteromylaeus bovinus (Euselachii, Myliobatidae) en Tunisie.

Fifteen specimens of Pteromylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy St. Hilaire) from the Tunisian coast were examined for ectoparasites during 1996-1998. Myliocotyle pteromylaei gn. et sp. n. found on gills of twelve host specimens is described and illustrated. It differs from other Heterocotylinae mainly by the number and morphology of haptoral dorsal structures, arrangement and number of the anterior glands and morphology of the penis. M. pteromylaei, along with Heliocotyle kartasi, illustrates the originality of monocotylids gill parasites of Pteromylaeus bovinus.

[Biosystematic study of two populations of teleosts (Sardina pilchardus) and their copepod parasites (Peroderma cylindricum) from the Tunisian coast]. / Etude biosystématique de deux populations de teléostéens (Sardina pilchardus) et de leurs copédodes parasites (Peroderma cylindricum) sur les côtes tunisiennes.

A genetic analysis realized, on Tunisian coasts, within and between two populations of a Teleostean (Sardina pilchardus) on one hand, and two populations of their parasitic Copepods (Peroderma cylindricum) on the other hand, reveal that: (l) the 14 loci analysed are monomorphic in the Teleostean populations; (II) 3 loci among 13 investigated are polymorphic in the Copepod populations. Statistical tests from deviations of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and genotypic homogeneity show the existence of strong gene flows within and between Copepod populations. Thus, it seems that the Teleostean (Sardina pilchardus) and the Copepod (Peroderma cylindricum) constitute at least on Tunisian coasts, two homogeneous taxinomic units.

[Experimental realization of the life cycle of Ergasilus lizae Kroyer, 1853, parasitic Copepoda of the fish Mugilidae. First results of infestation]. / Réalisation expérimentale du cycle évolutif de Ergasilus lizae Kroyer, 1863, Copépode parasite de Poissons Mugilidés. Premiers résultats de l'infestation.

The life cycle of the parasitic Copepoda Ergasilus lizae with the infestation of a Mullet belonging to the species Liza aurata were obtained experimentally. The first results on the larval development process and the spreading over the branchial microbiotope by parasitic females are described.

[Barbus callensis valenciennes barbel, 1842 (fish, Teleostei) of the Ichkeul lagoon]. / Le barbeau Barbus callensis valenciennes, 1842 (poisson, téléostéen) de la lagune de l'Ichkeul.

The Ichkeul lagoon is individualized from the other Tunisian lagoons by the presence of Barbus callensis which is a fresh water fish. We studied the morphometric characteristics of this species in order to characterise this fish and to identify its population in the Ichkeul lagoon.

[Lernaepodidae, copepod parasites of Tunisian Sparidae]. / Les Lernaeopodidés, Copépodes parasites de Sparidés du Tunisie.

On the gills and branchial arch of eleven sparidae species, from different tunisian lagoons and sea, nine lernaeopodidae species (copepods parasites) have been taked. These copepods are belonging to three genera. A study of their morphology, illustrated by plates is realised.